Veterans Can Get Tested for COVID-19 with VA or Tricare Veterans, Active Duty, and Military Families

How Veterans Can Get Tested for COVID-19 With VA or Tricare

Non-urgent appointments being rescheduled to handle potential influx of coronavirus cases

Getty Images The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) says its facilities are equipped to handle an influx of cases amid the spread of the . In addition, the VA says it is prepared to test and treat non-veterans and non-military personnel, if needed. So far, the VA has administered 2,736 and still has 130,000 available, according to VA press secretary Christina Mandreucci. “VA has taken a number of significant steps over the past few weeks to maximize capacity and resources so that the department will be ready if called upon by FEMA and HHS to provide assistance to select non-VA health care systems and communities,” Mandreucci said. These steps include maximizing the use of telehealth, canceling elective surgery and prescreening all patients and visitors for flu-like symptoms. However, (OIG) said that the inventory of medications used to manage symptoms, treat critically ill patients to support cardiovascular functions, and sedate intubated patients may be insufficient. Hence, there may be a need for VA medical centers to refer patients to other VA facilities or community providers. The report comes after 52 OIG staff, most with clinical experience, made unannounced visits to 237 different facilities from March 19 to 24. “VA has a world-class medical team doing incredible work on the front lines of this fight,” said VA secretary Robert Wilkie a day after the report’s release. “We will continue to share best practices and lessons learned with other government agencies and the private health care system as appropriate so we can defeat COVID-19 as a nation.”

How can a veteran get tested for COVID-19 br

If you have symptoms of the virus — — have been in close contact with someone infected or traveled to an area with widespread or ongoing community spread of COVID-19, do not make an in-person appointment with your local clinic or military hospital.

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Jodi Jacobson/Getty Images Instead, and tell them how you are feeling. Alternatively, veterans can sign into
If you are going to a VA facility, plan to leave home earlier than usual since all patients will be screened for before entering. A VA health care professional will assist you with the next steps once this screening process is complete. Some facilities, especially community living centers, have in place. With , schedule an in-person or telehealth visit with a provider who can arrange testing in a military treatment facility or in the private sector if you are enrolled with the provider through Tricare Prime or using Tricare Select or Tricare For Life. If your local military treatment facility does not have the ability to test for COVID-19, it will send the sample to an outside lab. Military treatment facilities are also reviewing all nonurgent appointments and rescheduling them for telehealth visits, whenever possible. Veterans can sign into to send a secure message to VA or use , such as , to explain their condition and receive a prompt diagnosis

How much does a coronavirus test cost br

The COVID-19 test itself is free for veterans enrolled with VA or Tricare. Tricare will now waive co-pays for approved testing and office visits. Those who previously paid a copay related to COVID-19 testing . Visit the coronavirus page at the or for further information and the latest updates.

If a veteran still requires a non-COVID-19 related visit will they risk exposure

VA has shifted some outpatient care to telehealth, and some elective or nonemergency procedures have been postponed. But, if a veteran does require an in-person visit, facilities have implemented two zones within all inpatient units. One is for staff to care for COVID-19 patients, and the second is for all other care, according to that was recently released to the public. Editor’s note: This story, originally published March 26, 2020, has been updated to reflect Tricare’s waived co-payments.

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