Va Choice Cards

[Berta]

About the Program

Many Veterans will now have the option to receive non-VA health care rather than waiting for a VA appointment or traveling to a VA facility.

Beginning November 5, 2014, the new Choice Program will begin to cover non-VA care for eligible Veterans enrolled in VA healthcare. Veterans are eligible if any of these situations apply to you:

You have been told by your local VA medical facility that you will need to wait more than 30 days from your preferred date or the date medically determined by your physician

Your current residence is more than 40 miles from the closest VA health care facility

You need to travel by plane or boat to the VA medical facility closest to your home

You face a geographic challenge, such as extensive distances around water or other geologic formations, such as mountains, which presents a significant travel hardship

More info at:

http://www.va.gov/opa/choiceact/

[georgiapapa]

You are welcome.

Good luck to you.

[Notorious Kelly]

That should light a fire under their butt; I had to call for months darn near Begging Portland just to Schedule surgery for cancer (which kinda doesn't get better over time).

This is exactly the type of situation VA Choice is supposed to be for but unions fight it every step of the way.

Keep us posted and good luck!

[NC OD WO]

Just wanted to comment on the choice program. I live in a very remote area of Eastern NC. My PCM is 75 miles away and my speciality clinic is over 200 miles away. When I inquired about the program, I was told I did not qualify because my PCM is 31 miles from my HOR. The 31 miles per the VA is straight line distance. The Atlantic Ocean is between me and the PCM which requires me to drive around to reach my destination. When I told the VA rep about this they said they could not help, so I asked could I get a boat or helicopter issued to make my appointments? I drive past many qualfied providers. This makes no common sense to me but is kind of humerous that our government is that stupid!

[georgiapapa]

NC OD WO,

Please send an email to VA Undersecretary Hickey and tell her exactly what you told us in your post above. I believe she will get this situation straightened out. Her email address is:

Allison.Hickey@va.gov

Good luck.

Georgiapapa.

[Notorious Kelly]

Agree with papa- do it for other vets going thru this BS if not yourself.

This is a violation of all 5 Core Values of the VA http://www.va.gov/about_va/mission.asp

[DickC]

I got a call from Portland and was told they would cover my surgery "soup to nuts" including the physical therapy all to be done here locally. I would also encourage others having issues with the choice card to start sending those emails. Portland did tell me that they have uploaded over 5,000 files of vets to Triwest and so far only about 700 vets have used the choice card. They said by law they are required to upload every veteran's file even if they only live a few miles from a main hospital.