If you plan on traveling or relocating this year, with some planning, VA will be with you every mile of the way.
Veterans enrolled in VA health care receive the same standard of care while traveling as they would at home. It’s as simple as coordinating with your VA health care team to ensure you have a plan before you leave.
“If you are relocating or even traveling, VA care coordination has never been more seamless.” said Mallory Murray, VA Traveling/Relocating Veteran coordinator. “Reaching out to your VA provider to request a Traveling/Relocating Veteran Consult and update them about your plans is step one. Additionally, the Traveling/Relocating Veteran Coordinators are a huge help when trying to navigate between VA facilities.”
Notify your VA care team
Temporarily relocated Veterans should notify their VA Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) or specialty care provider/team of the travel destination, temporary address, dates of travel and contact phone number. They should also provide any specific health care questions.
A traveling Veteran coordinator ensures care is coordinated per your provider’s request via the traveling/relocating Veteran consult. This consult helps register you at the new VA and provides a handoff to your new facility. The traveling Veteran coordinators at both sites will work to ensure your care needs are ordered locally and scheduling occurs timely.
Discussing current prescriptions and the plan for getting refills is also essential when talking with your health care team before travel.
All VA medical centers have a Traveling Veteran Coordinator. Notifying your health care team 4-6 weeks before travel is highly recommended to ensure seamless care, particularly if you need medication refills or regular medical appointments.
Resources for traveling Veterans
Use of Secure Messaging within the Home – My HealtheVet – My HealtheVet (va.gov) portal is an easy and additional way for traveling Veterans to access care from their assigned VA health care team.
Need emergency care while traveling? Be ready for anything and learn about VA’s emergency medical care program.
Find a VA facility here
Veterans are encouraged to contact the Foreign Medical Program when traveling outside of the U.S. and U.S. territories.
Also, don’t forget to update your address on file if your mailing address is changing. Updates can be done in minutes online on VA.gov.
While traveling, take advantage of the United States’ 400+ National Parks. Disabled Veterans are eligible for a free National Park Service Lifetime Access Pass.
Emergency preparedness resources to assist Veterans before, during and after an emergency can be found here: Veterans & Emergency Management – VHA Office of Emergency Management (va.gov).
Get more information on seamless care for traveling Veterans.
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How do I request my change of address. Any phone to contact and arrange my move?
I will appreciate your response.
My home VA Center is Chillicothe OH. I snowbird it to Florida from Ohio every year and advise the Chillicothe VA well in advance before we leave. We stay in the St Augustine area. I have been to the St Augustine VA CBOC several times to make sure all is in order while I am in the area. Needless to say, each time I enquire, there is a run around and no one knows what is going on. I have been told that my complete records would be required to be sent to the St Augustine VA which is overseen by the Georgia region. This would never be done because when we return to Ohio in March, the same scenario would be required at the Chillicothe VA. Being assured with the Chillicothe VA Center the transition would be a smooth one is not the case. You would think with the VA system, each location would have access to pull up records easily. That is not what I have found. The last time I was in the St Augustine CBOC, I wanted to get a COVID shot, to which I was denied as there were no records available. I was told that a local grocery line in the area (Winn Dixie) was providing the shot for Veterans at no charge. I went to Winn Dixie and was told this was false information. For those who travel, good luck in getting care when needed. That has not been the case for me.
This is great information as I plan to travel and will use these services but I will stress if you want refills while travel work with your pharmacy before leaving it isnt simply just walking into a VA and getting refills.
Thanks for a very useful article
I’ll be traveling to Germany in the near future. How do we handle being seen by German doctors or stays in hospital due to unforseen accidents/injuries.
2nd Ques.
Would I receive enough of my meds when requesting prior to my travels?
I have found that going to a VA hospital while traveling is so much easier than transferring to VA medical hospitals.
Im relocating from Philadelphia to Las Vegas. Could use some help.
Thank you
Eric Johnson
Being a Vietnam Veteran I have been Well Taken care of With 80% disability;
and Cared for by VA Medica Hospital have been a Blessing;
Kenneth E Lamb
I ‘m traveling and did advise my local VA and set up with Tuscan and they gave me number. I have tried this number and I get Tuscan and have msgs but no one calls back after six calls I stopped calling.. This not the 1st time, if u travel good luck in getting care.
Thank you for all this great information. I did not think about contacting the VA before I go traveling.
How would I coordinate my prescription refills if I do the Snow Bird thing…?