Health Care Benefits
Basic Eligiblity
A person who served in the active military, naval or air service, and who was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable may qualify for VA health care benefits including qualifying Reserve and National Guard members.
Minimum Duty Requirements
Veterans who enlisted after September 7, 1980, or who entered active duty after October 16, 1981 must have served 24 continuous months or the full period for which they were called to active duty in order to be eligible. This minimum duty requirement may not apply to Veterans discharged for hardship, early out, or a disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty.
If you are a current or former member of the Reserves or National Guard, you must have been called to active duty by a federal order and completed the full period for which you were called or ordered to active duty. Active duty for training purposes does not qualify.
The minimum duty requirement may not apply if you were discharged for a disability that was caused - or made worse- by your active duty service; or you were discharged for a hardship, or "early out"; or you served prior to September 7, 1980.
*Note You may not be eligible for VA care if you received an other than honorable, bad conduct or dishonorable discharge.
To apply:
1. Visit www.vets.gov to apply on line
2. Call 1-877-222-8387 between 8am and 8 pm Monday thru Friday
3. Visit any VA facility and ask to receive the VA Form 10-10EZ Application for Medical Benefits
4. Visit the Kalkaska County Department of Veterans Affairs Office
5. Contact the eligibility unit at the Saginaw VA Medical Center 1-800-406-5143 Ext, 13120 or Ext. 13121.
Veterans can now schedule appointments on-line
Veterans at more than 100 VA Medical Centers (VAMCs) across the country are now able to request or schedule certain types of appointments online through My HealtheVet. If you have VA health care benefits, you can schedule or request some of your VA health appointments online if: You have one of these two types of free VA accounts: My HealtheVet Premium Account or DS Logon Premium Account; and you are scheduling your appointment with a VA medical facility that accepts online scheduling.
You can schedule a primary care appointment at a participating VA facility where you have had a primary care appointment in the last two years. You may also be able to schedule specialty appointments, such as outpatient mental health, optometry, and audiology, at participating facilities.
If you do not yet have access to the online scheduling tool, you can still call your facility directly to schedule your appointment.
ER Visits: How do they get covered:
Centralized emergency care authorization call center: Phone: 844-724-7842 / Fax: 833-724-7842
email: VAERNOTIF@VA.GOV must be contacted within 72 hours of ER visit.
Emergency Care information from VA website
https://www.va.gov/COMMUNITYCARE/programs/veterans/Emergency_Care.asp
https://www.va.gov/COMMUNITYCARE/docs/pubfiles/factsheets/FactSheet_20-02.pdf
https://www.va.gov/communitycare/site_redirect.asp
Emergency Transportation (Ambulance)
https://www.va.gov/COMMUNITYCARE/docs/pubfiles/factsheets/FactSheet_20-05.pdf
Veteran Community Care - Eligiblity and General Information: VA Mission Act 2019
https://www.va.gov/COMMUNITYCARE/docs/pubfiles/factsheets/VA-FS_CC-Eligibility.pdf
https://www.va.gov/COMMUNITYCARE/docs/pubfiles/factsheets/VHA-FS_MISSION-Act.pdf
Veterans who meet specific qualifications are eligible for VA Dental Care:
- Former Prisoner of War
- Have a service connected disability rating of 100%
- Have been determined by the VA to be unemployable and are paid at 100% disability rate
- Have a service-connected dental condition
Veterans who do not qualify under the above, may be able to purchase dental insurance through the VA Dental Insurance Program (VADIP). For more information visit:
https://www.va.gov/health-care/about-va-health-benefits/dental-care/dental-insurance/