Community care
You can access local care in the community through approved non-VA medical providers.
We provide care to Veterans through community providers when VA cannot provide the care needed. Community care is based on specific eligibility requirements, availability of VA care, and the needs and circumstances of individual Veterans. For community care questions please call
Learn about Veteran community care
Make appointments with non-VA providers
To obtain community care, you must receive prior approval from VA. Call
Learn how to schedule appointments
Emergency medical care
If you receive emergency care in the community, you or your family member/caregiver must report it within 72 hours of being seen by a community emergency care facility for the claim to be considered. You must also report when transferred to any new emergency care facility.
Please note, Veterans must have been seen in the VA system, or by an approved in-network VA community care provider, within the last 24 months in order to be eligible for this benefit. For emergency ambulance claims to be considered, a Veteran must meet VA travel eligibility criteria.
Learn more about emergency medical care in the community
How to report emergency care in the community
You can report online using the web portal, or by calling the hotline or by emailing:
- VA Emergency Care Reporting portal
- VA 72-Hour Notification Hotline:
- Email VHAEmergencyNotification@va.gov
Urgent and walk-in care
Your VA health care includes new urgent care access through a network of walk-in retail health clinics and urgent care facilities.
Veterans must have been seen in the VA system, or by a VA community care provider, within the last 24 months in order to use this benefit. If a Veteran arrives at an urgent care location and has any difficulty receiving care, they can call 1-
Learn about your urgent care benefits
Download the urgent care billing information sheet
Community care billing
Call 1-
How copays and insurance work with VA
The MISSION Act improves information sharing with community providers.
Learn about copay and insurance changes
Important contact information
VA notification contacts
- Notify the VA within 72 hours of an Emergency Department visit, call 1-
or email VHAEmergencyNotification@va.gov - Notify the VA of an unscheduled inpatient admission, call 1-
or email VHAEmergencyNotification@va.gov
Request to transfer a patient
Request to transfer a patient to the Minneapolis VA Medical Center, call
Billing contacts
- Travel or ambulance billing question, call
(24/7) - Triwest billing question, call 1-
(M-F, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.) - Optum VA Community Care website
- Co-payment question, call 1-
(M-F, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.) - For any other billing question, call 1-
(M-F, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.)
Eligibility contacts
If you have a question about your eligibility, call