On April 6, VHA stopped printing and mailing monthly patient statements. VA understands that COVID-19 has negatively affected some Veterans. As a result, VA will not charge interest or add administrative charges, and will halt collection actions on medical care debt until at least December 31, 2020.

Monthly patient statements may resume in January 2021. The statements will include copayments for medical care and prescriptions received since patient statements were suspended, in addition to unpaid copayment charges prior to April 2020.

In November 2020, Veterans with a balance on their accounts will receive an information-only letter that will state that balance and will contain information on how to make a payment, if the Veterans choose to do so. Staff will also make calls to Veterans with balances greater than $2,000.

Veterans can make voluntary payments while statements are suspended. Veterans will need their account number to access their balance and other related information.

You can get an account balance by:

  • Calling 866-400-1238.
  • Calling the facility revenue office at your local VA Medical Center.
  • Consulting the letter VA will mail to Veterans in November 2020 which will include a current account balance.

Methods to pay

Methods by which a Veteran can pay on a balance:

  • pay.gov.
  • By phone at 888-827-4817; Veteran must have account number.
  • By mail, to: Department of Veterans Affairs, PO Box 3978, Portland, OR 97208-3978.

Options

Debt relief options are always available to Veterans. They include:

  • Set up a repayment plan.
  • Request a waiver, write off or compromise of your debt.
  • Request a VA Hardship Determination.

For more information, visit https://www.va.gov/health-care/pay-copay-bill/financial-hardship/ or contact a VA medical center billing office.

Topics in this story

COVID-19VA Health Care

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2 Comments

  1. velma conklin December 2, 2020 at 09:37

    I am the wife of a veteran and just want to let you know that i wish we had known sooner that all this time you have not been sending us a bill we were going to have to pay it all back. you are just now telling us-after the fact. it would have been easier for US to pay it as we went along, than come up with all that money at once. please, if this ever comes up again, give us the option. thank you

  2. Richard Braun December 2, 2020 at 09:05

    1 of my Heart prescriptions was issued 90 days, I received notice that there was a shortage and it would only come 15 pills at a time, i take 1/2 pill a day. My question is I C0-Pay am i now paying 3 times as much for the meds or is the shortened supply given at a reduced price?

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