VA Choice Program Eligibility Expanded

The VA has announced changes have been made to the Choice Program that will give better access to healthcare to more than 100,000 veterans. The Choice Programs allows veterans to get medical treatment from private health facilities, paid for by the VA. Created in 2014 the program’s goal is to take care of veterans who have an “undue burden” traveling to VA treatment centers.

Under the new qualification guidelines veterans are eligible for the Choice Program if they:

• Have been, or will be, waiting more than 30 days for VA medical care
• Live more than 40 miles away from a VA medical care facility or face one of several excessive travel burdens
• Must travel by air, boat or ferry to get to the closest VA medical care facility
• Face an unusual or unreasonable burden in traveling to a VA medical care facility

These changes are great news for veterans across the country, especially for veterans in Alaska, Hawaii and New Hampshire as these three states to do not have a full service VA care facility.

Veterans who live in U.S. territories can also be eligible for the Choice program, unless they live in Puerto Rico, which has a full-service VA care facility.

VA Secretary Bob McDonald said, “As we implement the Veterans Choice Program, we are learning from our stakeholders what works and what needs to be refined. It is our goal to do all that we can to remove barriers that separate veterans from the care they deserve.”

By expanding Choice program eligibility the VA has taken a positive step to ensure quality care for veterans. However, there is still a long road ahead until veterans get the full measure of benefits and care they deserve. Jan Dils Attorneys at Law is committed to helping veterans overcome any obstacle when applying for VA disability benefits.