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
More Stories
Eoighin McGilligan’s transition didn’t turn out as planned... he and his five children were nearly homeless, twice.
Tomah VA hosted their annual fishing tournament for all inpatient Veterans, improving the patient experience.
MVP research studies the complex factors that affect brain health in Veterans.
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
If any of the VA services should be free and without any restrictions it should be mental health services. Do better VA!
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.
I am 100% disabled with sever ptsd and anxiaty.
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.
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
Maybe the Government that works for us will return all of the benefits they have taken away.