VA Community Care Network Provider

The Recovery Village is honored to serve veterans as part of the VA Community Care Network.

The Community Care Network gives veterans a higher degree of choice over where they receive healthcare, including behavioral healthcare. The Recovery Village Columbus works with the Department of Veterans Affairs, providing high-quality, specialized treatment for addiction and co-occurring mental health disorders.

Introduction to the VA Community Care Network Providers

The Community Care Network, or CCN, is a network of healthcare providers who work in the private sector but have been selected by the VA because they deliver excellent, timely care. The VA wanted to expand the availability of treatment options and services to more veterans enrolled in VA healthcare, so they introduced the Community Care Network.

What Is the VA Community Care Network (CCN)?

The program aims to deliver services for veterans who live too far from a VA health facility or can’t receive the appropriate treatment without seeing a private provider. For veterans enrolled in VA healthcare, the CCN allows them to schedule appointments, or the VA can do it on their behalf at a network provider like The Recovery Village Columbus. Available services through network providers include primary care, specialty services and mental health care.

Advantages of Utilizing VA Community Care Network Providers

When veterans use the VA Community Care Network providers, they may be eligible for improved access to healthcare services, reducing wait times and expanding options without the need to visit a VA facility. There are strict quality standards that all providers in the CCN must adhere to and meet.

Working With Your VA Benefits

Our Recovery Advocates help you navigate your Community Care Network eligibility and health insurance benefits through our partnership with the VA. We work with you to make the approval process seamless and provide veterans with high-quality, professional addiction treatment.

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VA Community Care Eligibility

A veteran only needs to meet one of six criteria to be eligible for care within the CCN: 

1. The veteran needs a service unavailable at a VA medical facility.
2. The veteran lives in a U.S. state or territory without a full-service VA medical facility.
3. The VA cannot provide care within designated driving and wait time standards.
4. Receiving care in the CCN is in the veteran’s best medical interest.
5. A VA service line does not meet certain quality standards.
6. The veteran qualifies under the “Grandfather” provision regarding distance eligibility for VCP.

Your eligibility for Community Care depends on your individual healthcare needs and circumstances:

• In most cases, you’ll need approval from the VA before starting care with us.
• VA staff members generally make all eligibility decisions.
• You must be enrolled in VA health care or be eligible for VA care without enrolling.

Procedures to Access VA Community Care

If you’re a veteran enrolled in VA healthcare, your primary physician at the VA can connect you with community providers who will meet your needs. Also, you can request an addiction treatment center like The Recovery Village Columbus, and someone from the VA can arrange treatment. This will start an approval process so you can get treatment and services from a provider who’s in the CCN. Once the VA receives a request, it typically begins working directly with the provider.

Step 1) Consult Creation and Review

The first step is to determine eligibility. A coordinator from your VA medical center will review your case. Then you can decide if you’ll have your primary physician handle the referral or reach out directly to the provider and request a consult submission on your behalf.

Step 2) Scheduling

Once the VA has confirmed your treatment request, the next step is to schedule an appointment which you can do on your own with the provider, or the VA can do it on your behalf. If you’re scheduling your own appointment or treatment, you have to submit details of it to the VA within 14 days.

Step 3) Authorization

Once an appointment is scheduled, you’ll get a final authorization from the VA. You’ll receive an approval letter outlining your treatment, giving you an authorization number, and specifying when it is good. You have to receive treatment within that time. Approval doesn’t guarantee payment to the provider, so you need to check coverage beforehand and make sure you’re clear on any out-of-pocket expenses you’ll be responsible for.

Step 4) Community Care Visit

Next, you’ll attend your scheduled treatment. Your provider and the VA will work out the other details. It’s always good to inform your VA providers about your Community Care appointments so everyone is on the same page with your treatment plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

The following are answers to some of the questions you might have about the Community Care Network.

How do I find a VA Community Care Network provider in my area?

You may already have a care provider in mind, such as The Recovery Village Columbus. If not, you can find a care provider by talking to the VA or your primary care provider there. The VA also has a tool where you can search for in-network providers.

What services are covered by the VA Community Care Network?

A wide range of services are covered through the CCN program, including mental health and addiction treatment. Other covered services can include: 

• Medical, surgical and dental services
• Complementary and integrative services
• Comprehensive rehabilitation
• Treatment in a residential setting

How is payment processed for services using the VA Community Care Network?

After you receive care from a Community Care Network provider, a co-pay may be required if the treatment is non-service-connected. This is also the case at VA medical facilities. A veteran won’t pay the copayment at the time of care, but instead, the VA will bill them after billing their other health insurance. The treatment provider and VA will manage the payments.

Can family members go to a Community Care provider?

For surviving spouses, family caregivers, dependent children and other family members of a veteran, healthcare benefits may be available but not through the Community Care program. Programs for family members include CHAMPVA, which provides health insurance to certain family members and survivors.

The Recovery Village Columbus is proud to work as a Community Care Network provider with the VA. Please reach out if you’d like to learn more about available rehab and addiction treatment programs and mental health services. Our Recovery Advocates can answer any questions and help you with the next step.