Why don't VA health benefits apply nationwide for active duty members who ETS?

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 16:31:53 -0500

Why is it that one must re-establish VA health care benefits whenever they move to another state, even if they ETS-ed from active-duty service? (I can understand why this is so for National Guard/Reservists)

When I took the oath of enlistment, I didn't do so solely to protect the citizens of [state], but the whole nation. So why don't VA health-care benefits extend nationwide, the way that VA education benefits do?

Response by COL Randall C. made Nov 9 at 2023 4:58 PM

COL Randall C. — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 16:58:55 -0500

I'm not sure what you're referring to as your VA health care benefits DO work nationwide.

Are you referring to moving to another location? That's not "health care benefits", that's "bureaucracy associated with changing your VA healthcare location". The process is easy (just a phone call), but the VA says it can take up to a month to complete (no idea why it could take so long).

However, that's just for routine care. If you're under VA health care and an emergency comes up, then there are procedures to cover that. If it's urgent care related, then they cover up to three times a year if you need to go to a community care provider without pre-authorization by the VA.

Response by SP5 Peter Keane made Nov 10 at 2023 12:16 PM

SP5 Peter Keane — Fri, 10 Nov 2023 12:16:20 -0500

I have received care while on vacation in Hawaii, just walked in and showed them my VHIC

Response by MSG Thomas Currie made Nov 11 at 2023 10:15 AM

MSG Thomas Currie — Sat, 11 Nov 2023 10:15:10 -0500

I couldn't guess what nonsense SGT Anonymous was babbling about. Perhaps COL Cudworth (who is much more patient than I usually am) identified the issue.

Yes, when a veteran changes the VA medical center where they get service it does take the VA a while to get all their records transferred, but that has nothing to do with which state you are in. If you move to another city in the same state but with a different VAMC, you'd face the same "problem."

I suppose this process might be more difficult or slower at some locations -- after all, most of us know that the staff at each location are human and some of them are a lot better than others. I suppose SGT Anonymous might have run into some VA clerk who just didn't make him feel valued and respected at his new VAMC.

I will note that you can lose OR GAIN some VA medical benefits when you move from one VAMC to another due to which services happen to be available at each location -- your entitlement remains the same, but what is actually available might change.

Response by SSgt Christophe Murphy made Nov 15 at 2023 8:36 AM

SSgt Christophe Murphy — Wed, 15 Nov 2023 08:36:30 -0500

VA health benefits are nationwide. They do however have some red tape you have to navigate when you are getting service outside of your normal Hospital network but that is a result of the VA cracking down on scammers trying to perform fraud and get services that they aren't eligible for. The ability to quickly switch hospital networks even for a brief period of time is fairly easy. I spent two weeks in Boston while going to a PTSD clinic and while there I switched to the Boston VA to get services while in town and it was quick and easy.