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Veterans Affairs Community Care is an alternative medical service that the VA provides for service members through community providers when the VA themselves cannot provide the care needed.

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Under the VA Mission Act of 2018, Veterans have better access and greater choice in health care either at the VA or a community provider through improved eligibility criteria. The new eligibility criteria went into effect June 06, 2019.

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Ex: As a female Veteran, I needed maternity care in 2020. Because the VA does not provide maternity care in any of its facilities I used VA Community Care to be cared for by an outside provider in my area.

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Congressional Budget Office (CBO) determined that since 2014, the number of veterans using community care has increased and average wait times in VHA facilities have declined and remained generally below those in the private sector. CBO estimates that VHA’s costs for community care grew from $7.9 billion in 2014 to $17.6 billion in 2021.

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Discovered pregnancy during peak of COVID-19 (June 2020).

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All maternal care, birth (hospital stay), 1st pediatric visit and 1st post birth follow up for birth control were covered by VA health insurance under Optum.