VA’s contract with Health Net Federal Services is ending on Sept. 30.

Health Net is a third-party administrator that performs certain tasks on behalf of VA for the eastern part of its Patient Centered Community Care and Veterans Choice Program community provider networks.

Beginning Oct.1, community care authorization, coordination, billing and payments will take place directly between VA and the Veteran’s community provider until contracts are awarded for the new community care network. The end of VA’s contract with Health Net does not affect VA’s contract with TriWest Healthcare Alliance, who administers VA’s western region network.

VA medical facilities are communicating and working together with Veterans and community providers to transition care coordination to local VA medical facilities, to ensure there is no lapse in service or coverage.

Veterans, including distance eligible Veterans, always have the option to visit their nearest VA provider, but after Sept. 30 all community care appointments must be authorized and coordinated by VA.

With this transition, Veterans will experience several benefits including more direct communication with VA and community providers, which will open opportunities to build stronger, more stable relationships. In addition, local VA management of appointment scheduling will improve accountability and transparency while reducing appointment wait times through a standardized and more efficient approach to care coordination.

Support

If you are a Veteran or community provider and have a question about how this change affects you, please contact your local VA medical facility.

For more information about the transition, visit the following link:

https://www.va.gov/COMMUNITYCARE/about_us/news/HNFS_Contract-JUL18.asp

If you have a question about the Veterans Choice Program, contact (866) 606‐8198. Veterans can also call the VA Adverse Credit Helpline at (877) 881-7618 for help resolving adverse credit reporting and debt collection issues from using the Veterans Choice Program.

For more information about community care programs, visit the following link:

https://www.va.gov/COMMUNITYCARE/

About the author: VHA Office of Community Care’s goal is to deliver community care through a single consolidated program that is easy to understand, simple to administer, and meets the needs of Veterans, their families, community providers and VA staff.

Topics in this story

community careVeterans Choice Program

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5 Comments

  1. Basudeb Das October 24, 2018 at 08:36

    Thank you for your nice blog post.Please keep it up.

  2. Klg Asli October 3, 2018 at 15:00

    How will community care & VA care improve patient care if information can’t be shared? And thanks

  3. Testo ultra October 3, 2018 at 14:35

    How will community care & VA care improve patient care if information can’t be shared?. And thanks

  4. Ronald J Haynes September 26, 2018 at 11:00

    I have never liked the community care program
    I prefer to drive to San Antonio VA at my own expense rather than get inferior care and long wait time from local providers.

  5. Pamela Gaile Cameron September 26, 2018 at 00:28

    Why are veterans who fracture their leg forced to wait 2.5 weeks for a 5-7 day surgical consult from a civilian hospital ER? The VA Medical Center’s can’t view CT scans or x-rays that are done at local ER’s and it prevents timely care. How will community care & VA care improve patient care if information can’t be shared?

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