Join
The VA Community Care Network
A Guide for Hospital Facilities
In California, independent Physician Assistants (PAs) can bill the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for services provided to veterans, but it’s essential to understand the regulations surrounding this process.
Welcome to Veterans Desk, your trusted resource for helping healthcare facilities serve veterans across the country. This guide is designed for licensed hospitals—including general, pediatric, rural, and women’s specialty institutions—interested in joining the VA Community Care Network (CCN).
As a participating facility, you’ll provide essential inpatient and emergency care to veterans, including women veterans, children of veterans, and individuals living in remote or underserved areas.
Step-by-Step Enrollment in the VA CCN
Verify Eligibility
Your hospital must meet the following criteria:
- Hold a state licensure as a hospital
- Be Medicare-certified
- Maintain current accreditation by an approved body (e.g., The Joint Commission, DNV, or HFAP)
Prepare Required Documentation
Collect and organize the following documents:
- State hospital license and accreditation certificate
- W-9 form
- CMS certification number
- Proof of liability coverage
- 24/7 emergency contact information
Any specialty service designations (e.g., CAH, OB unit, NICU)
Submit Your Application
Complete Required Training
After application submission, hospital leadership may need to complete onboarding and training, which may include:
- VA specialty care coordination
- HIPAA compliance and veteran-specific privacy training
- Emergency care authorization and referral protocols
Access training at the VA Provider Training Portal.
Credentialing & Facility Review
Your hospital will undergo a VA or third-party credentialing process, which may include:
- Review of accreditation, licensure, and CMS standing
- Assessment of emergency and specialty capabilities
- Verification of telehealth, maternity, or pediatric service availability
Finalize VA Contract
Upon approval, your hospital will receive a formal agreement defining service expectations, billing codes, reimbursement models, and communication protocols with VA case managers.
Why Hospital Facilities Matter to Veterans
Hospitals play a critical role in the VA’s ability to deliver accessible, high-quality care, especially when VA Medical Centers are at capacity or unavailable in a veteran’s region.
Your hospital’s role in the VA CCN may include:
- General Acute Care Hospitals: Delivering emergency, surgical, and trauma care for complex medical needs
- Children’s Hospitals: Treating pediatric dependents of veterans through CHAMPVA and other VA-authorized programs
- Critical Access Hospitals (CAH): Providing vital inpatient care in remote and frontier areas
- Rural Hospitals: Ensuring timely access to emergency and acute care near veterans’ homes
- Women’s Specialty Hospitals: Supporting maternity care, OB/GYN services, and gender-specific health for women veterans
Key Benefits of Joining the VA CCN
- Reimbursement for Core Hospital Services: Including inpatient care, emergency interventions, labor and delivery, ICU stays, and specialty consults
- Integrated Veteran Care: Collaborate with VA maternity care coordination teams, specialty clinics, and telehealth networks
- Serve Diverse Populations: Support veterans in rural settings, women veterans, and pediatric dependents.
- Emergency Coverage: Billable 24/7 emergency and stabilization services authorized by the VA
Bridging the Gap for Veterans
Education Support for Clinical Staff & Career Advancement
Hospitals that support clinical training or hire recent graduates may benefit from VA-sponsored education programs:
- GI Bill® – For nursing, hospital administration, and allied health training
- VR&E (Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment) – Assists veterans entering healthcare roles
- Yellow Ribbon Program – Supports graduate-level medical and administrative education.
- Tuition Top-Up Benefits – Covers additional education costs beyond VA’s standard limits.
VA Loan Repayment & Staffing Incentives
If your hospital employs licensed physicians, nurses, or behavioral health professionals, they may be eligible for:
- Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) – Offers loan repayment for eligible VA-partnered clinical staff
- Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) – Available to employees at nonprofit and government-aligned institutions
Incentives for Rural & Underserved Care – Additional loan repayment or stipends may be available for working in medically underserved areas.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Are OB/GYN and maternity services reimbursable?
Yes. Prenatal care, labor and delivery, and postpartum services are reimbursed under VA Maternity Care Coordination when authorized.
Do Critical Access and Rural Hospitals qualify for VA reimbursement?
Yes. Medicare-certified CAHs and rural hospitals that are CCN-approved are fully eligible to provide reimbursable care to veterans.
Can Children’s Hospitals bill for services provided to veterans’ dependents?
Yes. Pediatric hospitals can receive reimbursement for authorized care under CHAMPVA or other VA-covered programs when the dependent is eligible and services are pre-approved.