Urgent
care is one of the new benefits offered as part of the VA MISSION
Act that gives Veterans greater choice in their health care. The benefit is
offered in addition to the opportunity to receive care from a VA provider, as
VA also offers same-day services. We are working to ensure Veterans understand
how to use the new urgent care benefit as part of VA’s comprehensive benefits
package. In this article, we answer some common questions about the new
urgent care benefit.
- What
is urgent care? Urgent care is a type of walk-in health care for
situations where you need help but don’t have an emergency, such as colds,
ear infections, minor injuries, pink eye, skin infections, and strep
throat.
- Why
are there different urgent care locations? There are two types of
urgent care network locations: Retail and Urgent.
- Retail
locations such as CVS or Walgreens are places where you can get care for
minor ailments like a sore throat or earache.
- Urgent
locations provide more comprehensive walk-in care for illnesses or
injuries that are not life-threatening, like splinting, casting,
lacerations, or wound treatment.
Both retail and urgent locations are staffed with healthcare
professionals who are licensed and credentialed.
- Are
there urgent care providers near me? VA launched the urgent care
benefit on June 6, 2019, and we are working to expand our network of
urgent care providers, adding more every week. Urgent care providers are
vetted and must meet strict standards of care and other requirements
before they are added to VA’s network. To find a location, use the VA
facility locator at https://www.va.gov/find-locations/. Select
the link entitled “Find
VA approved urgent care locations and pharmacies near you”. If you
arrive at an urgent care network location and have difficulty receiving
care, call 866-620-2071 for assistance. More
information.
- How
do I get prescription medication with the urgent care benefit? You
can get up to a 14-day supply of prescription medication through VA, a
VA-contracted pharmacy, or a non-contracted pharmacy. If you choose to
fill an urgent care prescription at a non-contracted pharmacy, you will be
required to pay for the prescription when you pick it up and then file a
claim for reimbursement at your local VA medical facility. Prescription
medication for longer than a 14-day supply must be filled by a VA
pharmacy. More
information.
- Do
I have to make copayments for urgent care? Copayments for urgent
care depend on your assigned priority group and the number of times you
visit any urgent care provider in a calendar year. Urgent care copayments
are not charged when you receive care from an urgent care provider, but
are billed separately by VA. More
information.
For additional information about the VA MISSION Act,
visit https://missionact.va.gov/
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