Eligibility for community care outside VA
As a Veteran, you may be eligible to get care outside VA. This means we’ll pay for the cost of your care from a health care provider in our community care network. Keep reading further to find out if you’re eligible for community care. Note: You can still always choose to get care at a VA health facility.
Find an in-network community provider
Find a VA location or in-network community care provider. For same-day care for minor illnesses or injuries, select Urgent care for facility type.
How to get community care referrals and schedule appointments
Eligibility requirements
To be eligible for community care, you must meet the requirements listed here.
You must meet both of these basic requirements:
- You’re enrolled in or eligible for VA health care, and
- You have approval from your VA health care team before you get care from a community provider (except for certain cases like urgent or emergency care)
At least 1 of these must be true:
- You need a service that we don’t provide at any VA health facility, or
- You live in a state or territory that doesn’t have a full-service VA health facility, or
- You and your VA provider agree that getting care from an in-network community provider is in your best medical interest, or
- We can’t provide the service you need in a way that meets our quality standards, or
- You qualified under the 40-mile distance requirement as of June 6, 2018, and you live in Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, or another location that would still make you eligible under these requirements, or
- We can’t provide the care you need within our standards for drive and wait times (keep reading for designated access standards)
Designated access standards
- For primary care, mental health, and extended outpatient care: 30-minute average drive time or 20-day wait time
- For specialty care: 60-minute average drive time or 28-day wait time
