The Department of Veterans Affairs recently announced upcoming changes to how Community Care will be delivered, aimed at improving access, quality, and coordination for Veterans who receive care outside of VA facilities. This information comes from a VA press release titled “VA to improve health care choice and quality for Veterans with new community care contracts.”
Community Care allows eligible Veterans to receive medical care from non-VA providers in their own communities when certain criteria are met. This can include distance from a VA facility, appointment availability, or specific medical needs. While Community Care is not new, VA periodically updates its contracts with outside providers to improve how the program functions.
According to VA, these new Community Care contracts are designed to strengthen provider networks, improve appointment scheduling, and enhance communication between VA and community providers. The goal is to make care more timely, easier to navigate, and better coordinated—especially for Veterans who rely on non-VA providers for part or all of their care.
Importantly, these changes should not require Veterans to take any immediate action. VA has stated that care will continue uninterrupted, and Veterans who are currently using Community Care should not see sudden changes to their appointments or providers. The new contracts will be phased in over time, allowing VA to transition carefully and minimize disruptions.
One of the recurring challenges with Community Care has been confusion around authorizations, billing, and responsibility. VA has acknowledged these concerns and emphasized that the new contracts are intended to improve oversight and accountability, helping reduce billing errors and delays that sometimes result in Veterans receiving invoices they were not expecting.
It is also worth repeating a key point: VA health care is not insurance. Community Care requires prior authorization from VA, except in certain emergency situations. Veterans should continue working closely with their VA primary care provider and care team to request referrals and ensure services are properly authorized before receiving care in the community.
As these changes roll out, communication will remain critical. Veterans should keep copies of authorization letters, read VA correspondence carefully, and speak up if something does not look right. When mistakes happen—and they sometimes do—early action can prevent larger problems down the road.
VA’s stated intent with these new contracts is straightforward: more choice, better quality, and improved access to care. Time will tell how these improvements play out in practice, but the focus remains on ensuring Veterans receive the care they have earned, whether inside a VA facility or in their own community.
Brad Anderson and Melissa Crandall are the Lake County Veterans Service Officers and can be reached at 218.834.8326 or cvso@co.lake.mn.us
Karen Christianson is the Cook County Veterans Service Officer and can be reached at 218.387.3639, or karen.christianson@co.cook.mn.us
