Choice Program Question

[marina53]

My husbands doctor put a request in for physical therapy for him 6 weeks ago.  Because we live far from the VA hospital, he was bounced into the Choice program for this so he could get PT in our town. We are still waiting for an appointment. The last time he called the Choice center, he was told that he was approved, but they are waiting the consult to be uploaded into the system,whatever that means. He was then told he could call the Patient Services Representative. Who the heck is that and how do we find them? 

[Buck52]

I would contact the VA Clinic that has scheduled this choice card appointment and have them to give you the number of the private clinic that is going to be doing the therapy or if they found one yet?   and ask if you can call and schedule the appointment.

do you have e benefits?  My Healthevet? ? it should be in the Notes.  that's what they mean by to upload into the system it takes 3 days for  VA regular appointment  and 2 weeks after the choice card out side private Docs

The clinic is suppose to find a outside clinic  that will take the VA Choice Card.

that's the consult there talking about.

The patients Service Rep   should be able to assist you in finding a consultant that takes the VA Choice Card...usually they just check with his clinic first   that's why I mention its better if you called them yourself (the va clinic that has said he has been approved for the choice card  its complicated but it really is not.

it took my choice card for a sleep study about 60 days  to finally get an outside appointment   when my va clinic was behond 3 months before they could see me,  I had a MH Dr to do a follow up cause I had not heard anything in 30 days about it and that got the ball rolling for me..

its a mess but just hang in there!

  you may ask around in your town if they accept the VA Choice Card, for there services and if you find one that does  call his clinic.  and get approved  even if they said you was approved  he needs to be approved for this particular clinic.

maybe this will help you?

 

...............Buck

[Vync]

Buck's information is great!

The Choice Program is a good thing, but it's bound in a lot of red tape and policies I personally believe are unnecessary. Typically, the Choice Card is supposed to be open to any doc who accepts Medicare. Hopefully, the VA will allow us vets to seek care directly from these providers without having to go through Choice Card central....

Here is a link to VA Patient Advocates, but I learned they are overwhelmed, so don't expect an immediate response.
http://www.va.gov/health/patientadvocate

Also, tell your husband we thank him for his service!

Good luck!

[pwrslm]

I called to find someone that I wanted to see, then asked them if they were in the Medicare system.  Most of them are.  I explained to them that I am covered under the VA Choice program, and asked them if they would sign up for the Health net program so they could see me  (it literally pays the same as Medicare).  It really wasn't a problem after that, Health net will fax info that needs to be signed, and an agreement for services, and then I had an appointment at the provider that I wanted to go to.

If you wait for the Choice program to do its job, it takes forever.  Being proactive and going out to get what you want is the answer.

https://www.hnfs.com/content/hnfs/home/va/home.html

At this web site, you can look up the specialist that you want to visit, to see if they already registered for the VA.  If not, this is where they need to be signed up at so they are able to start.

Edited December 5, 2015 by pwrslm

[marina53]

Thank you all for these answers, they are very helpful. We will start the process of finding a physical therapist Monday. Thank you all again!

[waccamawwild]

I ran into some trouble from physical therapy through choice with billing. The Rehab kept calling trying to make me pay the bill because VA was dragging their feet. Don't pay it! Make the VA pay it. Call VA and bug them about if you get hassled with bills for therapy!