VA MISSION Act Provisions Expand Access to Urgent Care
On June 6, the VA began implementation of the MISSION Act, an overhaul of VA operations designed to simplify and expand veteran access to healthcare both within, and outside of, the VA.
One of the most exciting new benefits provided by the MISSION Act is the addition of urgent care and walk-in clinics located within the local community. This is a giant step forward in terms of convenience for our patients, as eligible veterans do not need to get prior VA authorization to visit an urgent care provider that has been vetted, approved, and added to the network.
This urgent care benefit is meant to give veterans a convenient way to get treatment for minor injuries and illnesses such as colds, strep throat and pink eye. To be eligible for urgent and walk-in care, veterans must be enrolled in the VA health care system and have received care through VA from either a VA or community provider within the past 24 months.
As an example of how this works, please see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk-eg4N29w0
Veterans can click on the following link to find urgent care and walk-in clinics in their local areas:https://vaurgentcarelocator.triwest.com/Locator/Care
For more information, or to schedule an interview with one of our MISSION Act experts, please contact the Northport VA Medical Center’s public affairs office.