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Community Care

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Other Types of Care–Information for Providers

Beyond general and specialty care from community providers, VA also provides other types of care to eligible Veterans in their community in some circumstances. There are specific eligibility criteria and other policies that determine how Veterans can access these services. In most cases, these services require preauthorization unless the medical event is an emergency.

More information about these services can be found below. If you are interested in providing these services or treatment to Veterans, please contact VA through the contact information listed below each service.

Bowel and Bladder Care

Bowel and bladder providers play an important role in caring for Veterans at home and in the community. Providers who have been approved to provide bowel and bladder care to an eligible Veteran will be issued a VA referral that contains pertinent clinical information to include the services that have been authorized for payment.

Request and Coordinate Care
Information on VA referrals and coordinating care.

There are two types of bowel and bladder providers: Individual (health care services provided by a family member, friend, or a caregiver) and agency providers.

Individual Providers

File a Bowel and Bladder Claim
Information on how individual providers file a claim for payment of services with VA.

Agency Providers

File a Claim for Veteran Care
Information on how agency providers file a claim for payment of authorized services.

Contacts

Customer Call Center: 877-881-7618
8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Monday–Friday

Resources

Provider Advisor newsletter
Subscribe to our monthly community provider newsletter for the latest updates and information about Veteran community care.

Dental Care

VA provides dental care services to eligible Veterans at VA medical facilities and in-network dental clinics. Some of the services offered include regular teeth cleaning, x-rays, fillings, crowns, bridges, dentures, and oral surgery. For more information on VA dental care services and how to file a claim, review the information below.

File a Dental Claim

Frequently Asked Questions

Does all dental care in the community need to be preauthorized by VA?

All dental care in the community must be preauthorized by a VA provider.

Community providers must follow the authorized care per the treatment plan developed by the VA dentist. The community provider MUST ONLY provide the services on the consult order including the specific ADA CDT code and appropriate area of the oral cavity.

Please note: The Urgent Treatment SEOC may not have a specific ADA CDT code and appropriate area of the oral cavity.

How do I request additional care for a Veteran referred to my clinic?

When additional services are needed for a Veteran receiving community care, the performing dentist must submit a request detailing the type of care and receive prior approval for reimbursement. These requests are referred to as a “Request for Service" (RFS) and must include a complete ADA Dental Claim form. The VA RFS Form 10-10172 is NOT required for dental RFS but may be submitted in addition to the ADA Dental Claim form, if preferred. 

For more information on how to file a dental claim, refer to the File a Dental Claim page. For more information on the Community Care RFS process, view the Request for Service Requirements on the Request and Coordinate Care page.

Does the Oral Appliance Therapy (OAT) SEOC cover routine dental care?

No. The OAT SEOC covers the medical benefit, not routine dental care. Sleep-related breathing disorders (SRBD) are diagnosed and treated by a licensed independent provider (LIP). The medical LIP is responsible for evaluating, diagnosing, and managing the treatment of SRBD. Oral appliance therapy for conditions such as sleep apnea is part of the medical benefits package and the medical LIP may prescribe OAT when treating a patient with a sleep disorder.

If services within the local VA dental clinic are available, the medical LIP can request OAT with a consult. If services are unavailable within the local VA, the medical LIP can request the service through community care via the Oral Appliance or Mandibular Repositioning Device SEOC. The OAT SEOC covers the care done by a dentist but is billed with medical codes including evaluations, fitting, procurement of the oral device, and follow up.

Does VA cover orthodontics as a standard VA dental benefit?

No, the Dental Orthodontics Phase SEOC is only used for correction of a malocclusion due to a dental-facial deformity. Orthodontics treatment is not authorized unless there is specific documentation of service-connected trauma resulting in a malocclusion or if there is evidence that a congenital disease or defect increased beyond its natural progression as a result of military service. Malposed teeth are considered a developmental abnormality and a pre-existing condition relative to the start of military service.

Home Health Services and Hospice Care

VA provides supportive medical services to help chronically ill or disabled eligible Veterans of any age remain in their home. These services are referred to as home health care and are considered extended care services prescribed by and under the direction of a VA physician.

VA provides several types of home health care including:

  • Skilled home health care
  • Home health aide services
  • Homemaker services
  • Hospice care
  • Palliative care
  • Remote monitoring care
  • Respite care

For more information about home health care, please visit the Geriatrics and Extended Care website or contact your local VA medical facility.

Geriatrics and Extended Care websiteVA Facility Locator

Contacts

OCCAN98SupportGroup@va.gov
For AN98 non-contracted skilled home health and hospice care payment methodology questions, contact the AN98 Support Group.

Resources

In Vitro Fertilization

Veterans with certain service-connected conditions that result in infertility may be eligible for in vitro fertilization (IVF), another form of assisted reproductive technology (ART), or other infertility services. VA may provide these services to Veterans if:

  • The Veteran has a service-connected condition that causes infertility
  • The Veteran is legally married
  • Male spouses can produce sperm
  • Female spouses have an intact uterus and ability to produce eggs

VA provides infertility treatment and services through Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) community providers who are part of VA’s Community Care network. REI providers play an integral part in making sure Veterans get the infertility treatment they need.

If you are interested in providing treatment and services to Veterans, you must enroll in VA’s Community Care network through third party administrators Optum United in Regions 1-3 and TriWest Healthcare Alliance in Regions 4 and 5.

What does VA cover?

VA does not cover the costs associated with donor sperm, donor eggs, donor embryos, or gestational surrogacy. In addition, VA does not cover the cost of IVF related to donor sperm, donor eggs, donor embryos, or gestational surrogacy.

State Veterans Homes

State Veterans Homes are facilities that provide eligible Veterans with nursing home, domiciliary, or adult day care. These facilities are owned and operated by state governments. Each state establishes eligibility and admission criteria for its homes and some State Veterans Homes may admit non-Veteran spouses and gold star parents. VA’s State Home Program provides an economical alternative to constructing, maintaining, and operating facilities for the provision of care to eligible Veterans.

VA also provides per diem payments to states for the care of eligible Veterans in state homes. There are several policies and regulations that affect the State Home Per Diem Program. For more information about State Veterans Homes and to see a list of current regulations, laws, policies and handbooks relating to the program, please visit the VA Geriatrics and Extended Care (GEC) State Veterans Home Program website.

Transplant Guidance

VA provides integrated care of acute and chronic diseases for which transplantation may be an option. Management of such advanced diseases (e.g., heart failure, cirrhosis) is coordinated among referring VA medical centers (VAMC), and regional referral VA medical centers, VA Transplant Centers (VATC), and/or community specialists as appropriate.

VA Facility Locator

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Get more resources at VeteransCrisisLine.net.