The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs allows veterans to access health care services from providers in their local community. If VA is unable to provide the services veterans need, they are eligible to receive care from a provider in their community. Care is provided on behalf of the VA.
The Department of Veterans Affairs relies heavily on community providers. They’re an important part of their powerful healthcare network. They ensure that veterans have timely access to the quality health care they need.
If you’d like to join the community of providers and offer your services to veterans, you can join the VA Community Care Network. Because the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs initiated the program, all providers are carefully screened.
You will have to submit your fingerprints to an FDLE-approved center to receive a state and national criminal history check. Florida Electronic Fingerprinting Services is a veteran-operated livescan fingerprinting center that provides services in Hillsborough County, Florida. Fingerprinting at this Level 2 facility is seamless and convenient.
How to Become a VA Community Provider?
In 2018, Congress passed legislation to establish a Community Care Program. This program aims to ensure that veterans receive timely, high-quality health care. To accomplish this, the program expands its ability to receive care from providers in the community.
The Community Care Network is the direct link for VA with the community care providers. This program comprises six regional networks covering every state and union territory in the country.
If you are interested in providing care to veterans in your community and being part of this nationwide network, you need to contact TriWest Healthcare Alliance or Optum. The government has contracted with Triwest and Optum to serve as the third-party administrators of this newly formed network of community providers.
Contact the Optum Network
You can contact and join the Optum Network through Patient-Centered Community Care. This company is the third-party administrator or TPA for your contract. This health care provider is the national contract carrier and offers veterans a network of community providers.
The VA uses the Optum network for services not offered by their medical facilities. You can contact them by email or enroll in their network through their website.
Join the Community Care Network
You cannot enroll directly as a care provider in the Community Care Network. Instead, you will have to sign up with a regional TPA, and then you’re allowed to offer your services to veterans. As the network is improving, the government is offering licenses to several third-party administrators, such as TriWest and Optum.
The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs is continually working to improve communication and relationships with community providers. While building the network, the government is also trying to improve its information technology systems. Because the government hires providers indirectly, they’re fully certified through the CCN contractor.
Getting Credentialed by Submitting Your Fingerprints
If you wish to offer your services as a Community Care Provider, you must provide all required documentation, your personal information, and your criminal record. To access your national or state criminal record, you will have to submit your fingerprints to an FDLE-approved service such as FEFPS.
FEFPS allows you to submit your fingerprints electronically. Our veteran-founded company provides you with high-quality fingerprints at an affordable price. With FEFPS, we transmit your fingerprints to FDLE the same day. However, producing a criminal history record can take up to 3 business days.
