2021 Veterans Day Q&A with U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Denis McDonough

There is only the Foreign Medical Program, SSgt. If you need real care you need to go back to the US to get it. When you are well you can go back to see your wife again. I know because I am currently away from my wife in the Philippines and am having trouble getting back because of Covid travel restrictions.

The Veteran should enroll in the Foreign Medical Program (FMP). The FMP is a healthcare benefit for Veterans with service-connected conditions. The FMP covers prescriptions, medical care, service-connected dental care, and durable medical equipment for service-connected conditions and conditions held to be associated with and aggravating a service-connected condition. Once enrolled in the FMP the Veteran can pay for the services up front and send their claims to the FMP for reimbursement, or the provider can directly invoice the FMP if they are willing. FMP payments are made via treasury check. Electronic payment is not available for the FMP at this time.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) generally reimburses hospital care, medical services and extended services at the applicable Medicare rate published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). When no CMS rate is available, VA and Third Party Administrators (TPAs) reimburse at the lesser amount of (1) the VA Fee Schedule rate or (2) billed charges. The VA Fee Schedule rate is the amount published for the designated date of service time period.  Alaska VA Fee Schedule and methodology is an exception. https://www.va.gov/communitycare/revenue_ops/fee_schedule.asp Reimbursement rates are subject to change annually, and more often if required. A payment for authorized services under the Community Care Network (CCN) contracts is always deemed payment in full. Veterans with other health insurance (OHI) may find that their private insurance has been billed for non-service-connected care. However, providers are not allowed to bill Veterans for the remaining balance associated with services provided under the CCN contract. Veterans experiencing issues with community providers billing them directly should immediately contact their local VA Medical Center or the Community Care Call Center at [login to see] (9 AM to 5 PM Eastern Time) to report the issue.

Thank you for your question. VA currently provides all medically necessary gender-affirming care to transgender Veterans with the exception of gender-affirming surgical interventions, due to an exclusion in the VA medical benefits package. In the summer 2021, VA initiated the rulemaking process to modify the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) to expand VA's care to transgender Veterans to include gender-affirming surgery. The entire rulemaking process can take approximately two years and includes a period of public comment. These processes are standard and unrelated to the content under consideration.  This will allow VA to develop the framework to provide the full continuum of care in a way that is consistent with VA's rigorous standards for quality health care. During the rulemaking process, VA will continue to provide or pay for the services it currently offers, including corrective procedures after gender affirming surgeries a Veteran obtains outside VA, hormone therapy, and other gender affirming care. For more information on services currently available to transgender Veterans see https://www.patientcare.va.gov/LGBT/.

Service connection can be granted for disabilities incurred in the line of duty while serving in the Reserves or National Guard.

I had submitted a disability claim for illnesses and injuries incurred while serving in the Air Force reserve but we’re all denied even though I had the proper medical records to support them

Your primary care physician will make the referral for physical therapy if determined as a needed service. Please connect with your VA primary care doctor at your nearest VA facility if you have questions. For information on VA's physical therapy services, please visit: https://www.prosthetics.va.gov/PT/index.asp

My husband in his wheelchair

The MISSION Act of 2018 increased eligibility in the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) to include Veterans that served and were injured before September 11, 2001. The legislation created phased eligibility periods where VA would expand to those that served before May 7, 1975 first and then two years later to those Veterans that served between May 7, 1975 and September 11, 2001, like your husband. We are incredibly appreciative of the care that you provide for your Veteran and would like to speak to you to ensure you are receiving all the services and supports that you may qualify for at this time such as participation in our Program of General Caregiver Support Program (PGCSS). We look forward to providing access and increasing eligibility to Veterans who served between May 7, 1975 and September 11, 2001 on October 1, 2022.

VA apologizes for your experience with your care and benefits. To share your experience or send a message to VA, please use: https://ask.va.gov/

The law prohibits the VA from paying compensation to a Veteran who also received certain separation benefits from the Department of Defense (DoD). When your disability or disabilities found to be service-connected are the same as those upon which disability severance pay is granted, VA must recoup an amount equal to the severance pay.

To learn more about the White House infrastructure deals, please visit whitehouse.gov

In an attempt to reduce the suicide rate among Veterans and Service members, VA hopes to make mental health care available as widely as possible. Codified as 38 USC 1720I, the statue expanded access to mental health services for some individuals with an other than honorable (OTH) discharge.  VA continues to engage in strategic planning to explore how to better serve individuals with OTH discharges.