Making community emergency care easier for Veterans

Using an online tool or a central phone number, it’s now easier to notify VA within 72 hours when a Veteran receives emergency care at a community provider.

VA’s centralized online Emergency Care Reporting (ECR) portal assists with coordination of an eligible Veteran’s care at a community emergency department and transfer to a VA medical center if necessary.

Eligible Veterans who require emergency treatment can receive care at a local community emergency department without prior approval from VA. Usually, eligible Veterans can receive VA-authorized emergency care at an in-network community facility if VA is notified within 72 hours of the start of care.

Submit treatment information through ECR portal within 72 hours

Veterans, their representatives or community emergency department providers should submit treatment information through the ECR portal at https://EmergencyCareReporting.CommunityCare.va.gov, or by calling 844-72HRVHA (844-724-7842).

Timely reporting through the portal helps ensure administrative and clinical requirements for VA to pay for the care are met.

Providers are required to include a valid email address for decision correspondence when reporting emergency treatment for a Veteran and also when coordinating follow-on care and transfers from a community emergency department to a VA medical center.

Providers need the notification identification number assigned upon submission of reporting through the ECR portal or by phone to retrieve authorization decision information on emergency events.

For more information, see Emergency Medical Care–Information for Providers.

Chris Cox is a public affairs specialist for the Office of Community Care.