Community Care

Other Types of Care–Information for Providers

Beyond general and specialty care from community providers, VA also provides other types of care to eligible Veterans in their community in some circumstances, including:

There are specific eligibility criteria and other policies that determine how Veterans can access these services. In most cases, these services require preauthorization unless the medical event is an emergency.

More information about these services can be found below. If you are interested in providing these services or treatment to Veterans, please contact VA through the contact information listed below for each service.

• Home Health and Hospice Care
• State Veterans Homes
• Foreign Medical Care
• In Vitro Fertilization
• Indian Health Services / Tribal Health Program
• Transplant Guidance

Home Health Services and Hospice Care

VA provides supportive medical services to help chronically ill or disabled eligible Veterans of any age remain in their home. These services are referred to as home health care and are considered extended care services prescribed by and under the direction of a VA physician.

VA provides several types of home health care including:

For more information about home health care, please visit the Geriatrics and Extended Care website or contact your local VA medical facility.

Geriatrics and Extended Care website VA Facility Locator

State Veterans Homes

State Veterans Homes are facilities that provide eligible Veterans with nursing home, domiciliary, or adult day care. These facilities are owned and operated by state governments. Each state establishes eligibility and admission criteria for its homes, and some State Veterans Homes may admit non-Veteran spouses and gold star parents. VA’s State Home Program provides an economical alternative to constructing, maintaining, and operating facilities for the provision of care to eligible Veterans. VHA Office of Community Care (VHA OCC) provides payment on a per diem basis for Veterans who participate in the State Veterans Home Program.

Grant-In-Aid Programs

VA participates in two grant-in-aid programs for states. State Veterans Homes may request up to 65 percent of the cost of construction or acquisition of state nursing homes or domiciliary or for renovations to existing state homes. VA also provides per diem payments to states for the care of eligible Veterans in state homes.

Foreign Medical Care

VA’s Foreign Medical Program (FMP) is a health care benefits program for Veterans with VA-rated service-connected disabilities who are residing or traveling abroad. Through FMP, VA assumes payment responsibility for certain health care services, medication, and durable medical equipment necessary for treatment of a service-connected disability or condition associated with a service-connected disability.

VA adminsters FMP and is responsible for all aspects of the program including the Veterans’ registration process, verification of eligibility, authorization of benefits, and the processing and payment of claims.

All FMP claims should include the patient’s full name, VA Claim Number, mailing address, and the FMP Claim Cover Sheet (VA Form 10-7959f-2). Additional documentation may be necessary depending on the type of claim. For more information, please view the How to File a FMP Claim fact sheet.

FMP Claim Cover Sheet, VA Form 10-7959f-2 Fact Sheet: How to File a FMP Claim

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In Vitro Fertilization

Veterans with certain service-connected conditions that result in infertility may be eligible for in vitro fertilization (IVF), another form of assisted reproductive technology (ART), or other infertility services. VA may provide these services to Veterans if:

• The Veteran has a service-connected condition that causes infertility
• The Veteran is legally married
• Male spouses can produce sperm
• Female spouses have an intact uterus and ability to produce eggs

VA provides infertility treatment and services through Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) community providers who are part of VA’s Patient-Centered Community Care (PC3) network. REI providers play an integral part in making sure Veterans get the infertility treatment they need.

If you are interested in providing treatment and services to Veterans, you must enroll in VA’s PC3 provider network through TriWest Healthcare Alliance, the Third-Party Administrator (TPA).

What does VA cover?

VA does not cover the costs associated with donor sperm, donor eggs, donor embryos, or gestational surrogacy. In addition, VA does not cover the cost of IVF related to donor sperm, donor eggs, donor embryos, or gestational surrogacy.

Indian Health Services/Tribal Health Program (IHS/THP)

To improve access to care for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) Veterans, VA works with the Indian Health Service (IHS) and Tribal Health Program (THP) to reimburse the cost of care provided to eligible Veterans at IHS and local THP facilities. Through reimbursement agreements between VA and IHS/THP facilities, care is provided to Veterans closer to home in a culturally sensitive environment.

To learn more about the IHS/THP program including how to partner with VA, please visit IHS/THP–Information for Providers.

Transplant Guidance

VA provides integrated care of acute and chronic diseases for which transplantation may be an option. Management of such advanced diseases (e.g., heart failure, cirrhosis) is coordinated among referring VA medical centers (VAMC), and regional referral VA medical centers, VA Transplant Centers (VATC), and/or community specialists as appropriate.

To learn more details about transplant guidance, read the VHA Office of Community Care Transplant Guide.

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