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/

[john999]

You are eligible if you have to wait more than 30 days. Since it takes months to see specialists at the VA you should be eligible. How far from VA do you live. Call that McDonald guy. He got on my VA's azz and I got referral for another dentist. I have many issues with my medical care at the VA. I mention then one at a time so feeble minds will not be overcome.

[justrluk]

I'm about 75 miles away from any facility. I already had a fee-basis dental referral, but wanted to see if they would cover the neurologist I see privately and a local rheumatologist. It might make making claims for increases more complex as I would have to then contact these providers for records, but hopefully I shouldn't have to do this much more. Either way, the care is the thing, right? As long as I can get care, I'm good with it.

[justrluk]

GApapa -Speaking of the dental thing, how did you make out???

Edited January 7, 2015 by justrluk

[georgiapapa]

Justrluk,

One of the dentists on the list is in practice with my current private dentist. At the present time, I have dental insurance which covers fillings, extractions, xrays but only pays 50% of crowns and bridges. When I need a crown or bridge, I am going to call the VA dental clinic in Dublin and request approval for fee basis dental work. If approved, I will ask my current dentist if he will accept the VA voucher for the remaining 50%. I am assuming he could get on the list provided he is agreeable to accepting VA vouchers. If he will not agree to accept the VA voucher, I will use his partner or another dentist on the list. I have one tooth with a large filling which keeps coming out and my dentist told me I would eventually need a crown on the tooth.

Thanks again for the list and advice.

Georgiapapa

[Buck52]

Thanks for the information

georgiapapa & justrluk

I'll ask the dentist clinic about this issue.

I go 4th of next month for a cleaning and possible fillings , I been waiting since Nov!

I don't have that many teeth left they extracted all but my front 5 teeth and 6 bottom ones..I only have 11 teeth I use partcials which I am having problems with those....after two sets made.

[63SIERRA]

Lets no forget, there are already many programs at the va that they REFUSE to provide, .. So making all these new rules, that will be circumvented by hook or by crook, will do us no good. ENFORCEMENT and ACCOUNTABILITY is paramount.

What good are having all of these hollow programs if we have no access to them.

I believe it all starts with the doctors. If the doctors do not adequately diagnose or list in the patients problem list what the actual issues are, it goes all downhill from there. If the doctors are being pressured to downplay veterans healthcare in order to save money, then they are responsible to report it. Then the real culprits can be weeded out.

The fact is, WAR is quite expensive. and as long as our leaders keep sticking thier nose in every conflict around the globe, there will be disabled veterans, and quite high costs.