VA Announces Plan to Give Free Care to Any Vet in Suicide Crisis

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: WFMZ-TV/Lehigh Valley

MONDAY, Jan. 16, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- While U.S. veterans are already eligible for emergency suicidal crisis care, starting Tuesday they can get it for free.

Care available at any VA facility or any private facility will include up to 30 days of inpatient or crisis residential care, the Department of Veteran's Affairs announced Friday. It will also include up to 90 days of follow-up outpatient care and ambulance rides to hospitals. The veterans will not need to be enrolled in the VA system.

“Veterans in suicidal crisis can now receive the free, world-class emergency health care they deserve — no matter where they need it, when they need it or whether they’re enrolled in VA care,” VA Secretary Denis McDonough said in an agency news release. “This expansion of care will save veterans’ lives, and there’s nothing more important than that.”

The change will affect more than 18 million veterans, about twice as many as are enrolled in VA medical care, NBC News reported. This change was required by the Veterans Comprehensive Prevention, Access to Care, and Treatment (COMPACT) Act of 2020.

Read more: https://www.wfmz.com/lifestyles/health-med-fit/va-announces-plan-to-give-free-care-to-any-vet-in-suicide-crisis/article_7199e244-97af-594d-a9d5-7556797da871.html

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Full headline: Starting Tuesday, all U.S. military veterans in suicidal crisis will be eligible for free care at any VA or private facility

News release - https://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=5852

This sortof got lost in the media scramble to attack Biden last week but is due to go into effect tomorrow.

[Fiendish Thingy]

1. All vets should get free healthcare for life, period. Nt

[old guy]

2. Agree 100%.

[SKKY]

4. As a Vet, and a former VHA employee...

...Thank you!

[Rhiannon12866]

3. What took them so long?!

[PlutosHeart]

5. And hoping their wait is not long.

Many complaints about making Veterans wait a long time for services.

[SunSeeker]

6. Wait, you mean it wasn't free before? Holy shit.

Glad it's free now. This will save lives. A lot of veterans who are undergoing a mental health crisis have no money and are homeless.

Don't get me started on how ridiculous it is that we have homeless vets, especially here in Los Angeles where 400 acres of affluent Brentwood was donated to the feds 135 years ago by a senator and a businesswoman named Arcadia Bandini Stearns de Baker to house homeless veterans. They're using it for everything but that. https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/28/us/va-real-estate-los-angeles/index.html

[Sgent]

7. VA operates on priority groups

and I think group 8 and 9 aren't eligible for VA care except for service connected injuries. The other groups may have small co-pays or insurance billed based on their income.

[twodogsbarking]

8. Sounds good. See how it goes.

[OldBaldy1701E]

9. No offense, but I would love to hear their definition of 'free care'.

Because the state hauling people away and locking them up is 'free care' as well. Just what is this 'world-class healthcare' they are talking about and where can one find it? Without being a billionaire that is.

(Yes, all vets should have free healthcare and housing for the rest of their days. Our inability to do this shows just how 'important' our troops are. It is disgusting.)

[BumRushDaShow]

10. If I'm not mistaken

they can avail of the new "Suicide Hotline" number - 988.

https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/

https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/find-resources/veteran-support/

Am guessing that if they can establish vet status, then any billing after use of any of the recommended resources by the hotline counselor, would be paid for by the federal government (whether the vet is enrolled or not).

I believe this is strictly dealing with the funding of suicide prevention and treatment (vs other medical issues). It was actually included in a recently enacted law -

H.R.8247 - Veterans COMPACT Act of 2020

Public Law No: 116-214 (12/05/2020)
 
[116th Congress Public Law 214]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 1025]]

VETERANS COMPREHENSIVE PREVENTION,
ACCESS TO CARE, AND TREATMENT
ACT OF 2020

[[Page 134 STAT. 1026]]

Public Law 116-214
116th Congress

An Act



To make certain improvements relating to the transition of individuals
to services from the Department of Veterans Affairs, suicide prevention
for veterans, and care and services for women veterans, and for other
purposes.


(snip)

TITLE II--SUICIDE PREVENTION

SEC. 201. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PROVISION OF EMERGENT
SUICIDE CARE.

(a) In General.--Subchapter II of chapter 17 of title 38, United
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 1720J. Emergent suicide care

``(a) Emergent Suicide Care.--Pursuant to this section, the
Secretary shall--
``(1) furnish emergent suicide care to an eligible
individual at a medical facility of the Department;
``(2) pay for emergent suicide care provided to an eligible
individual at a non-Department facility; and
``(3) reimburse an eligible
individual for emergent suicide care provided to the eligible
individual at a non-Department facility.

``(b) Eligibility.--An individual is eligible for emergent suicide
care under subsection (a) if the individual is in an acute suicidal
crisis and is either of the following:
``(1) A veteran (as defined in section 101).
``(2) An individual described in section 1720I(b) of this
title.

``(c) Period of Care.--(1) Emergent suicide care provided under
subsection (a) shall be furnished to an eligible individual--
``(A) through inpatient or crisis residential care, for a
period not to exceed 30 days; or
``(B) if care under subparagraph (A) is unavailable, or if
such care is not clinically appropriate, as outpatient care for
a period not to exceed 90 days.

``(2) If, upon the expiration of a period
under paragraph (1), the Secretary determines that the eligible
individual remains in an acute suicidal crisis, the Secretary may extend
such period as the Secretary determines appropriate.

``(d) Notification.--An eligible individual who
receives emergent suicide care under subsection (a) at a non-Department
facility (or a person acting on behalf of the individual) shall notify
the Secretary of such care within seven days of admission to such
facility.

(snip much more)

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/8247/text

[twodogsbarking]

11. Why not provide everyone with health care.