Page 16 - MFM Aug Sept 2019

VA MISSION Act and New Veterans From the Archives
Community Care Program

Under the VA MISSION Act, Veterans can expect a variety
of improvements to community care. Eligibility criteria will be
diff erent, a new urgent care benefi t will be provided, and customer
service will be better.
The process for receiving community care will be improved,
including the following steps:

1. VA confi rms Veteran’s eligibility for community care under the
new criteria.
2. A VA staff member assists the Veteran with scheduling the
appointment or the Veteran schedules the appointment with their
preferred community provider within the VA network.
3. Veteran receives care from a community provider in the VA
network.

4. Community provider sends a claim to a Third Party Administrator
or VA for payment.
In addition to new eligibility criteria, there are a variety of
improvements under the VA MISSION Act that will make community
care work better for Veterans:

Single community care program. Existing programs will be
combined into one single community care program. The Veterans
Choice Program is coming to an end but some of its elements are
being adopted into the new program. With one program and a single
set of rules and processes, there is less complexity and likelihood of
errors and problems.
Better customer service. VA is implementing redesigned,
streamlined internal processes, with improved education and
communications resources for Veterans, our Veterans Service
Organization (VSO) partners, and VA employees involved in
community care operations. This will make administering community Delegate badge for the 53rd Annual Communication
care easier and support excellent customer service for Veterans. of the Grand Lodge of Montana in 1917, held in Helena.
Th e Grand Lodge of Montana was formed in 1866 (and
New urgent care benefi t. A new benefi t will provide eligible
Veterans with access to non-emergency care for certain conditions did meet twice that year).
in the VA network of community providers. Veterans can go to any
urgent care or walk-in care provider in VA’s network without prior Section 2040. Item T, of the Constitution and Code
authorization from VA. There may be copayments associated with of Statutes of the Grand Lodge of AF&AM of Montana
this benefi t depending on a Veteran’s assigned priority group and the
number of times the benefi t is used. states: “It shall be the duty of the Grand Secretary to
provide suitable badges for the representatives, offi cers
New Community Care Network. VA is establishing a new and permanent members at all annual communications
Community Care Network (CCN) of community providers that of Grand Lodge.”
will be set up and administered through Third Party Administrators
(TPAs). Once CCN is implemented, VA will directly coordinate with
Veterans to schedule community care appointments (and in some Th e badge shown above is on display in the Montana
instances continue to be able to schedule their own appointments) Masonic Foundations, Montana Masonic Museum in
and support care coordination. VA’s TPAs will also be required to Helena, Montana.
make timely payments to community providers.

Modern IT systems. VA is modernizing its information technology Th is session badge was used by Russell Dean Miller
(IT) systems to replace a patchwork of old technology and manual who received his degrees in Ionic Lodge No. 38 and
processes that slowed down the administration and delivery of served as their Worshipful Master in 1914. In 1925 he
community care. Once in place, the new IT systems will speed affi liated with Helena Lodge No. 3. He died in Denver,
up all aspects of community care—eligibility, authorizations, Colorado in 1947.
appointments, care coordination, claims, payments—while
improving overall communication between Veterans, community
providers, and VA staff members. For more information contact Dan Gardiner, Museum
Curator.
For more information contact: VA Montana Health Care:
1-877-468-8387

Montana Freemason Page 16 Aug/Sept 2019 Volume 95 No .6