Hospitals See Rise in Veterans Seeking Care

Northville, MI (Law Firm Newswire) December 13, 2019 – In the year since the MISSION Act was signed into law in June 2018, qualifying hospitals around the country have seen an increase in the number of veterans being treated. The MISSION Act expanded healthcare options for veterans who qualify for VA benefits and allowed them to seek certain types of health care services outside of VA facilities.

The MISSION Act (the VA Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks Act of 2018) provides VA benefit-eligible veterans the option of receiving emergency care, urgent care and a variety of procedures at in-network but non-VA medical facilities under certain circumstances. Outside care will be covered by VA benefits if the nearest VA facility is more than a thirty-minute drive for routine care or sixty minutes for specialty care, if the wait time for an appointment at a VA location is longer than at least twenty days, if the necessary treatment is not available at a VA facility or if it is in the best interest of the patient to go elsewhere.
“The MISSION Act allows veterans more choices in their own health care and makes accessing that care easier for them,” said James G. Fausone, lead attorney at Legal Help for Veterans.

One hospital in Madelia, Minnesota treated 249 total veterans in 2018 under the previous community care policy. That program was replaced by the MISSION Act in June, and so far in 2019 the same hospital has treated 293 veterans (through October 31). Many of the veterans treated at Madelia Hospital would have had to travel to Minneapolis to receive health care services at a VA clinic or hospital before the MISSION Act came to be.

Legal Help for Veterans is a veteran-run law firm in Northville, Michigan that specializes in VA disability claims. Visit them online https://www.legalhelpforveterans.com to learn more.

Learn more at http://www.legalhelpforveterans.com Legal Help for Veterans, PLLC 41700 West Six Mile Road, Suite 101 Northville, MI 48168 Toll Free Phone: 800.693.4800