Oklahoma City VA Health Care System

Veterans Choice Program

 

The Veterans Choice Program (VCP) is a temporary program to improve Veterans’ access to health care by allowing eligible Veterans to use approved health care providers outside of VA. Section 101 of the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 (VACCA) required that VA establish the program. The Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) goal continues to be to provide timely, high-quality health care for Veterans.

Am I eligible for the program?

You must have been enrolled in VA health care on or before August 1, 2014, or be eligible to enroll as a recently discharged combat Veteran. Additionally, you must also meet at least one of the following criteria:

• You are told by your local VA medical facility that you will need to wait more than 30 days for an appointment from the date clinically determined by your physician, or, if not such date is provided, our preferred date.

• Your residence is more than 40 miles driving distance from the closest VA medical facility.

• You need to travel by plane or boat to the VA medical facility closest to your home.

• You face an unusual or excessive burden in traveling to the closest VA medical facility based on geographic challenges, environmental factors, or a medical condition. Staff at your local VA medical facility will work with you to determine if you are eligible for any of these reasons.

• You reside in a State or a United States Territory without a full-service VA medical facility that provides hospital care, emergency services, and surgical care having a surgical complexity of standard, and reside more than 20 miles from such a VA medical facility. NOTE: This criterion applies to Veterans residing in Alaska, Hawaii, New Hampshire, Guam, American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Also note that some Veterans in New Hampshire reside within 20 miles of White River Junction VAMC.

What do I need to know about getting an appointment through the program?

You must call the Choice Program Call Center at 866-606-8198 to verify your eligibility and set up an appointment. Please note that:

• If you do not receive approval for care under the Veterans Choice Program, you may be responsible for some or all of the costs of the non-VA treatment you receive.

• Unfortunately not all providers will be covered by the Veterans Choice Program. If your preferred provider is not available, we will recommend other providers in your area.

Check Your Eligibility

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Additional Veterans Choice Resoures:

National VA Veteran's Choice Website

FAQs