Your mental health is important to you and a priority for us. Section 193A of the Cleland-Dole Act enhances access to care and lowers out-of-pocket costs for outpatient mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) care.

If you owe copays for your VA outpatient mental health and SUD visits, this benefit makes the soonest and best care better by canceling and refunding the first three copays in each calendar year between June 27, 2023, and Dec. 29, 2027.

Am I eligible?

  • You must be enrolled in VA health care and owe copayments for VA outpatient mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) visits.
  • The visits must be with a qualified outpatient mental health provider at a VA facility or through VA’s Community Care Network (CCN).
  • The visits must occur in each calendar year between June 27, 2023, and Dec. 29, 2027 (when the benefit ends).

What do I have to do?

  • Attend your appointments; we’ll do the rest.
  • We’ll review the copays we received on or after June 27, 2023, and issue a cancellation or refund by direct deposit or check for eligible copays already made to VA.  

What is covered?

The copay exemption applies to the first three outpatient mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) visits in each calendar year between June 27, 2023, and Dec. 29. 2027. You’ll still be responsible for medication and other care copays.

What if I have questions?  

Call the number on your patient statement; our staff is ready to help. If you need help with your copays, you can ask for a payment plan or a waiver.

Learn more about outpatient mental health copay exemptions.

Topics in this story

copayment exemption

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10 Comments

  1. Frank June 30, 2024 at 20:09

    After the battlefield, my mental health was shot. I wandered the streets and could barely hold a job. I would engage in violent quarrels. I went into a deep depression. I was to the point of suicide.
    I went to the VA and asked for help. The VA helped me with medication and treatment. I’m doing better now.
    Thank You VA. You saved my Life.

  2. Harrygordon June 21, 2024 at 11:31

    Maybe the government should stop giving money to every nation that’s against us and start helping the people that are for us.
    Maybe there’s something to that about charity starts at home especially people you owe

    • Joe Biden June 23, 2024 at 10:44

      Corporations should stop donating to #45 third attempt at being President and donate to the DAV! Remember, #45 thinks the dead of D-Day were losers and suckers and John McCaine isn’t his idea of a hero if he got shot down and was a POW for years! #45’s idea of a hero is a racist who gives him money$$$$

  3. Terese Duffy June 19, 2024 at 22:15

    If any of the VA services should be free and without any restrictions it should be mental health services. Do better VA!

  4. BRIAN FUNNAGAN June 19, 2024 at 20:50

    I WENT TO THE VA FOR COUNSELING AS A PRELIMINARY STEP TO GET HOUSING.
    IT WAS GROUP THERAPY.
    I HAVE RECENTLY LOST TWO OF MY BROTHERS AND AM INTERESTED IN ONE ON ONE THERAPY.
    IS THAT AVAILABLE AT THE WESTWOOD VA OR IN THE COMMUNITY. MY ZIP CODE IS 90069.

  5. Dewey Sims 8473 June 19, 2024 at 19:52

    I am 100% disabled with sever ptsd and anxiaty.

  6. W Branson June 19, 2024 at 19:21

    I thought I was familiar with the VA system to some extent. But… Vets are actually charged a copay for mental health care? For shame. Disability rating from zero to whatever, any vet should get free mental health care and necessary drugs for as long as it takes—a lifetime if necessary.

  7. SR Wainright June 17, 2024 at 07:36

    There shouldn’t be a mental health copay ‘impediment’ for any veteran ‘in need’.
    23 suicides TODAY!
    C’mon ….make the system work for the survivors.
    sr

  8. Thomas Patrick Van Berkel June 13, 2024 at 22:32

    Maybe the Government that works for us will return all of the benefits they have taken away.

    • AT2 Koppenhaver June 22, 2024 at 05:00

      Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched. It would seem that those conservative idiots aren’t paying any attention. When your enemy’s response to everything you say, suggest, offer, or threaten makes no rational sense to you, and you know your enemy to be intelligent (more or less), then only one possibility exists. You and your enemy are playing two different games. That’s a dangerous position to be in unless you’re the one playing the off-book game.

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