Veterans enrolled in VA health care may be eligible to receive care from providers in the Community Care Network when certain conditions apply.

Who is eligible for community care?

• You may qualify if one of the following applies:
• VA doesn’t provide the service you need (e.g., maternity care, IVF).
• You live in a state or territory without a full-service VA health facility.
• You and your VA provider agree it’s in your best medical interest.
• VA can’t provide care that meets quality standards.
• You qualified under the 40-mile requirement and live in AK, MT, ND, SD, or WY.
• Drive-time or wait-time standards aren’t met:
  • Primary/mental health: >30-minute drive or >20-day wait
  • Specialty care: >60-minute drive or >28-day wait

          Note: Most non-urgent community care must be approved beforehand.

How to request community care.

• Talk to your VA care team
  Ask for a referral. VA checks eligibility and confirms the type of appointment needed.

• Find a community provider
  Search VA.gov/find-locations or ask your VA team for help – especially in you can’t find an in-network provider.

• Schedule your appointment
  After your referral is ready, you can schedule the appointment or ask VA to do it. If you schedule it yourself, notify your VA team within 14 days.

• Receive your authorization letter
  It includes your authorization number, approved provider, type of care, and how long the approval lasts.

• Go to your appointment
  VA shares your medical records with the provider. Bring and needed imaging.
• Track visits & renew if needed
  You may schedule follow-ups directly if approved. If you need more care, request a new referral. Questions? Call 877-881-7618 (TTY 711). M-F, 8 a.m. – 9 p.m. Eastern Time.

If you disagree with a decision.

You may request a Clinical Appeal by submitting a written request to your patient advocate explaining why you disagree.

Learn more online.

https://www.va.gov/resources/about-our-va-community-care-network-and-covered-services/

About the Louisville VA Healthcare System The Robley Rex VA Medical Center is a tertiary care facility classified as a Clinical Referral Level 1b Facility. In total, the healthcare system, including eight community-based outpatient clinics, employs over 2,000 people and services nearly 45,000 Veterans in a 35-county area of Kentucky and Indiana. To learn about the Robley Rex VA Medical Center, please visit our website, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter / X. Robley Rex VAMC Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter / X

"... to care for him whom shall have borne the battle and his widow, and his orphan..."

- Abraham Lincoln