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COMPACT Act

The COMPACT Act (COMprehensive Prevention, Access to Care, and Treatment) guarantees Veterans in suicidal crisis can go to any VA or non-VA health care facility for free emergency health care.

ANY Veteran in crisis should...

For non-emergency mental health concerns, please contact the Hershel "Woody" Williams VA Medical Center at to reach the Mental Health Clinic.

History of COMPACT Act

The Veterans (Comprehensive Prevention, Access to Care, and Treatment) COMPACT Act, passed into law on December 5th, 2020, and implemented by the VA on January 17th, 2023, aims to prevent Veteran suicide by increasing Veteran access to Emergent Suicide Care for an acute suicidal crisis at VA and non-VA facilities. * 

Under the COMPACT Act payment authority, an eligible individual in an acute suicidal crisis can go to any VA or non-VA facility to receive emergent suicide care at no cost to them. 

If you are a Veteran in crisis, VA is here for you and wants to ensure you seek care without worrying that you will receive a bill. We at VA want all Veterans and former service members to know that they can get the emergency suicide care they need, when they need it, no matter where they are.

*Military service eligibility & medical criteria apply.

Eligibility

Eligible individuals, regardless of VA enrollment status, are:

  • Those who were discharged or released from active duty after more than 24 months of active service under conditions other than dishonorable. See 38 U.S.C. 5303A for additional information.
  • Former members of the armed forces, including reserve service members, who served more than 100 days under a combat exclusion or in support of a contingency operation either directly or by operating an unmanned aerial vehicle from another location who were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable.
  • Former members of the armed forces who were the victim of a physical assault of a sexual nature, a battery of a sexual nature, or sexual harassment while serving in the armed forces.

Important: Veterans do not need to be enrolled for health care at the VA to benefit from the COMPACT Act. Any Veteran determined to be in acute suicidal crisis who meets the military service eligibility criteria is eligible for COMPACT-related care and treatment provided or paid for by VA, regardless of their enrollment and copayment status.

How it works

Any Veteran or former service member experiencing an acute suicidal crisis should:

  1. Dial 988 then Press 1 for the Veterans Crisis line, call 911, or go to the nearest emergency room for immediate treatment
  2. Notify staff that you’re a Veteran as soon as you are able so they can alert the VAMC of a possible acute suicidal crisis event for review

Emergencies are never planned so it’s important you and your loved ones know where the closest emergency room is located and have a plan in place to ensure you receive the care you need. 

For emergency suicide care:

Received at a VA Medical Center:

The treating provider will complete an assessment and determination regarding eligibility for COMPACT Act benefits.

Received at a community facility:

The treating facility will notify the VA Emergency Care notification system of the care provided and COMPACT Act determination will be reviewed at a national level. 

Learn more about getting emergency care at non-VA facilities.

Benefits

The COMPACT Act, Section 201 extends no-cost, temporary healthcare benefits to all eligible individuals, regardless of their VA enrollment status or copayment responsibility. An eligible individual can access medical and mental health care services related to the initial acute suicidal crisis event at any VA or non-VA facility of their choice for a period of up to 30 days inpatient and 90 days outpatient.

Billing

For care received at a VA Medical Center facility:

If a Veteran receives a bill for emergency suicide care related care at a VAMC facility, they should contact their local VA patient advocate and ask for a clinical review. Veterans can also contact the number on their bill to initiate this process.

  • Hershel “Woody” Williams Patient Advocate

For care received at a non-VA facility (Community Care):

If a Veteran receives a bill for COMPACT Act related care at a community facility, they should contact their local Community Care Billing Department for assistance. 

  • Hershel “Woody” Williams Community Care Billing

Veterans can also contact the Office of Integrated Veteran Care (IVC)National Contact Center at  for additional questions or concerns. This hotline is available Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–9 p.m. ET.

To request reimbursement for care received at a non-VA facility:

Veterans who paid for COMPACT Act related care at a community facility can submit a signed, written request for reimbursement to their local VA medical facility community care office along with an after-visit summary/medical documentation and a billing statement from the rendering provider showing diagnosis code information and an itemized list of charges.

Find out how to file a claim for reimbursement of non-VA medical expenses.

Community Providers

What should you do if a Veteran presents to your community emergency department?

Determine:

Is the individual a Veteran or other eligible individual?

Some Veterans, especially those who readily engage in VA care may immediately identify themselves as a Veteran. COMPACT Act benefits extend to a large number of former service members, including those who do not typically receive VA care or may not otherwise be eligible for VA coverage. These individuals may not know to identify as Veterans when seeking care in the community. Try asking “Did you ever serve in the military?” instead of “Are you a Veteran?”

Is the event an acute suicidal crisis?

As defined in the COMPACT Act, an Acute Suicidal Crisis means that a trained crisis responder or health care provider determines an individual is at imminent risk of self-harm.

Report:

Certain diagnosis and treatment codes submitted to the Emergency Care Reporting system will trigger further review of all available information to determine COMPACT Act eligibility. It is important to provide treatment details as promptly and thoroughly as possible to facilitate COMPACT Act determination and coordination of care under the COMPACT Act payment authority. Ideally, this determination would be made while the Veteran remains hospitalized so they can receive necessary follow-up under this payment authority.

For any Veteran who presents for care in your Community Emergency Department, you must notify the VA for coordination of care following established procedures. Community providers can utilize the following methods to alert the VA of care provided. 

Below is a list of information that the VA Emergency Care Reporting Portal Asks for in order to submit a completed request. 

Coordinate Care:

Community providers should contact the local VAMC Transfer Coordinator to coordinate additional services and any transfer needs to facilitate care for the Veteran. 

  • Hershel “Woody” Williams Transfer Coordinator 304-429-6741 ext. 3557

Find additional information for providers of Emergency Medical Care in the community. 

 Other Resources

Mental Health Resources

Find out how to access VA mental health services for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), psychological effects of military sexual trauma (MST), depression, grief, anxiety, and other needs. You can use some services even if you’re not enrolled in VA health care.

Suicide Prevention Resources

Find VA resources for Veterans, family, and friends, including information on connecting with care during a crisis, warning signs, and tips to help someone in need. 

For additional questions regarding COMPACT Act, please contact:

Molly Wells, MSW, LICSW

COMPACT Act Program Coordinator

Molly.Wells@VA.gov (do not send any protected patient information)

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