USE THIS PROGRAM TO GET CHIROPRACTIC CARE FOR VETS

You may not have heard of the VA Veteran’s Community Care Network (CCN), but this is a program that offers you a lot of benefits. Thanks to this program, US veterans qualify for acupuncture and chiropractic care that is 100% covered by the VA Community Care Network. The goal is to offer better access to care for veterans, even if they have to go outside of a VA Medical Center to obtain it.

What does this mean for veterans? It means that they are now eligible to receive their VA health care through TriWest or Optum network of non-VA medical professionals that are based within the community, who meet the quality standards of the VA. Best of all, they can receive these services without incurring any extra costs. Veterans can access the acupuncture and chiropractic treatments that they need to have a better quality of life, without worrying about any co-pay or co-insurance issues.

The mindset of the medical community is rapidly changing, particularly to address the dangerous opioid epidemic. In the past, these opiates were used as a way to treat chronic pain and while there were benefits to this, the risks are no longer worth any benefits that patients may have received from these medicines. That means the medical community needed to find safer and effective alternatives that can help veterans live a life without pain interfering in it. The VA has worked hard to implement new programs to help offer effective pain management solutions for veterans who suffer from chronic pain.

Our clinic is proud to be registered as a provider of CCN, which is open to all eligible veterans. To use our services, you will have to receive a referral from your VA PCP. Your PCP will carefully consider your condition and what your individual needs are, then will make an assessment as to whether or not you are eligible to receive services through the CCN. Some of the most common reasons that they will refer patients is due to anxiety, chronic pain, PTSD, anxiety, and various other conditions like gastrointestinal problems. Before you can receive any additional services through the CCN, you need to have a referral from your VA PCP.

This is the case for everyone, even though the benefits are offered by TriWest and Optum. If you want to come to our clinic for services, you need to have your PCP write you a referral specifically to our practice when you are receiving chiropractic care. You could go through the Veteran’s Choice Hotline for this referral or authorization, but many people find it to be easier and more effective just to go straight to your VA PCP.

Unsure of your eligibility? The VA works very closely with veterans to determine whether or not they are eligible to receive any services through the CCN. Every veteran is different, with their own unique set of conditions that they need to manage. Patients cannot be denied access to any care that is deemed essential for their specific situations. If you have any questions, you can contact us directly.

HOW TO GET CHIROPRACTIC CARE FOR VETS

Back in 2002, President George W. Bush signed a law that made it so all eligible VA patients are eligible to receive chiropractic care. What many veterans may not know is that they are entitled to this benefit. Unfortunately, the VA is still trying to give better access to chiropractic care as only about 50 VA Medical Centers across the country cover this type of care. But does that mean you don’t have access to if you aren’t fortunate enough to be near one of these few facilities?

You do have some options available to you. First of all, you could go through the VA directly to get a referral to a private chiropractic center. They will pay the bill for you through the “fee-basis” process. However, this requires approval from your PCP and their may be several other hoops you have to jump through to get this access. You could also go through other groups like The Patriot Project, which helps veterans receive the care that they need to live a better quality life.

Thanks to these programs, thousands of veterans have been able to receive chiropractic care at both VA Medical Centers and private clinics thanks to the fee-basis process. There are numerous VA PCPs that have discussed these benefits with their patients. If you were not one of them, you should ask your PCP if they think this is an appropriate treatment for your needs. You may find that this is a good approach for you if:

You’ve received these services in the past and found benefits from it.
You have a friend or relative that has issues similar to yours and found benefit from it.
You want to avoid potentially hazardous and addictive pain medications or surgeries for your issue.
There have been some issues with veterans who want to receive chiropractic care but that their local VA is unwilling to help them receive this care through fee-basis at another facility. This requires the veteran to jump through way too many hoops just to receive the care that they want and need. They need to get a referral, so they have to hope that their PCP is willing to help them out. This is where it helps to know and understand what your rights are as a veteran. This very practice is against the VA policy, as well as goes against the mission that the VA promises a “veteran-centered” approach.

Any services that are rendered by a chiropractor is covered as part of your standard VA health benefits. VA clinics are not allowed to tell veterans that they don’t provide these benefits. You should also watch out for those situations where you may be referred to a facility for these services, only to find out that they deny your referral. Their goal with this shady practice is to save money, denying essential care and fee-basis referrals. If you feel as though you were unfairly denied these services, you need to file a complaint with your VA patient advocate at the facility you go to.