Good News: Veterans' Emergency Room Bills Could Get Reimbursed by VA with New Rule

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is in the process of finalizing a new rule that could reimburse veterans for some of their out-of-pocket expenses at non-VA emergency rooms.

The change, which was originally slated to take effect on April 24, would repay past costs incurred by veterans since 2010, along with make sure going forward that veterans are not held responsible for these costs.

In order to receive the reimbursement from the VA, past patients would need to submit a new claim with the VA by Feb, 22, 2024. And there are some qualifications veterans must meet to get the money.

For retroactive payments, the individual must be a VA patient who was treated at a non-VA emergency room facility for a condition that is not related to their time in service. Furthermore, you must have also had health insurance through a third-party private insurer.

It is important to note that under the new rule the VA will only reimburse for coinsurance fees, and they will not reimburse for copayments and deductibles.

Co-insurance fees would be the patient's out-of-pocket, cost-sharing portion set by the veterans' private insurer.

Finally, the VA stated that veterans who never filed a claim in the first place will still have a chance to file a claim.

So if you meet the above criteria and you didn't file an initial claim in the past because you assumed it would be denied, you should still file a new claim. Just make sure you do so by Feb. 22, 2024.

h/t Military.com: