By Sandy Britt
It’s important to know that VA health care is a health care system, not health insurance, though eligibility and enrollment in VA health care meets the health insurance requirement under the Affordable Healthcare Act.
Veterans are often confused or upset if they receive a bill from a private medical facility, if that facility billed the VA and VA refused payment. In some cases, the VA will pay outside providers, but only in specific circumstances and only for veterans enrolled in VA health care.
For example, if a veteran has no health insurance and is only enrolled in VA health care, the VA will pay for emergency room care at a non-VA facility, but only if the condition is a life-threatening emergency that requires the veteran to go to the nearest hospital. If it’s not a life-threatening emergency, the veteran is expected to go to the nearest VA medical center. If a veteran goes to a private hospital ER and the problem is not deemed an emergency, VA will not pay the bill and the veteran is responsible for payment.
If the ER visit to a private hospital is for a life-threatening emergency, the hospital must submit the ER report to the VA when requesting payment. But if a veteran has health 
insurance, the bill for services will be sent to the private insurer, and VA has no part in payment.
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