§ 17.37 - Enrollment not required - provision of hospital and outpatient care to veterans.

§ 17.37 Enrollment not required - provision of hospital and outpatient care to veterans.

Even if not enrolled in the VA healthcare system:

(a) A veteran rated for service-connected disabilities at 50 percent or greater will receive VA care provided for in the “medical benefits package” set forth in § 17.38.

(b) A veteran who has a service-connected disability will receive VA care provided for in the “medical benefits package” set forth in § 17.38 for that service-connected disability.

(c) A veteran who was discharged or released from active military service for a disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty will receive VA care provided for in the “medical benefits package” set forth in § 17.38 for that disability for the 12-month period following discharge or release.

(d) When there is a compelling medical need to complete a course of VA treatment started when the veteran was enrolled in the VA healthcare system, a veteran will receive that treatment.

(e) Subject to the provisions of § 21.240, a veteran participating in VA's Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) program described in §§ 21.1 through 21.430 will receive VA care provided for in the “medical benefits package” set forth in § 17.38.

(f) A veteran may receive care provided for in the 'medical benefits package' based on factors other than veteran status (e.g., a veteran who is a private-hospital patient and is referred to VA for a diagnostic test by that hospital under a sharing contract; a veteran who is a VA employee and is examined to determine physical or mental fitness to perform official duties; a Department of Defense retiree under a sharing agreement).

(g) For care not provided within a State, a veteran may receive VA care provided for in the “medical benefits package” set forth in § 17.38 if authorized under the provisions of 38 U.S.C. 1724 and 38 CFR 17.35.

(h) Commonwealth Army veterans and new Philippine Scouts may receive care provided for in the “medical benefits package” set forth in § 17.38 if authorized under the provisions of 38 U.S.C. 1724 and 38 CFR 17.35.

(i) A veteran may receive certain types of VA care not included in the “medical benefits package” set forth in § 17.38 if authorized by statute or other sections of 38 CFR (e.g., humanitarian emergency care for which the individual will be billed, compensation and pension examinations, dental care, domiciliary care, nursing home care, readjustment counseling, care as part of a VA-approved research project, seeing-eye or guide dogs, sexual trauma counseling and treatment, special registry examinations).

(j) A veteran may receive an examination to determine whether the veteran is catastrophically disabled and therefore eligible for inclusion in priority category 4.

(k) A veteran may receive care for psychosis or mental illness other than psychosis pursuant to 38 CFR 17.109.

(l) An individual may receive emergent suicide care pursuant to 38 U.S.C. 1720J and 38 CFR 17.1200-17.1230.

[64 FR 54217, Oct. 6, 1999, as amended at 67 FR 35039, May 17, 2002; 78 FR 28142, May 14, 2013; 87 FR 8742, Feb. 16, 2022; 88 FR 2536, Jan. 17, 20222023]