Community Care

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

• Bowel and Bladder Care
• Foreign Medical Care
• Home Health and Hospice Care
• In Vitro Fertilization
• State Veterans Homes
• Transplant Guidance

Bowel and Bladder Care

Bowel and bladder providers play an important role in caring for Veterans at home and in the community. Providers who have been approved to provide bowel and bladder care to an eligible Veteran will be issued a VA referral that contains pertinent clinical information to include the services that have been authorized for payment.

Request and Coordinate Care
Information on VA referrals and coordinating care.

There are two types of bowel and bladder providers: Individual (health care services provided by a family member, friend, or a caregiver) and agency providers.

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 administers 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.

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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

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 Community Care 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 Community Care network through third party administrators Optum United in Regions 1-3 and TriWest Healthcare Alliance in Regions 4 and 5.

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.

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.

VA also provides per diem payments to states for the care of eligible Veterans in state homes. There are several policies and regulations that affect the State Home Per Diem Program. For more information about State Veterans Homes and to see a list of current regulations, laws, policies and handbooks relating to the program, please visit the VA Geriatrics and Extended Care (GEC) State Veterans Home Program website.

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.

VA Facility Locator