What is the Mission Act?

What You Need to Know About the MISSION Act

If you are an active service member or veteran, you need to understand that addiction is not anything to be ashamed of, but it does not have to continue untreated. Local Veterans Administration (VA) programs may not have sufficient resources in their drug use disorder programs, or there may be no nearby, accessible VA office. For this reason, the MISSION Act and community care providers are crucial for treating veterans.

What Is the MISSION Act?

The VA MISSION Act was signed into law on June 6, 2018. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs launched it on June 6, 2019. Its goals were to increase veterans’ access to healthcare and improve the overall VA Health Care System. “MISSION” stands for Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks.

The VA MISSION Act was approved as the VA Choice Program’s funding was about to expire. The Choice Act was initially designed to allow qualified veterans who were waiting more than 30 days for an appointment at a VA facility to get private healthcare instead of VA treatment.

However, due to the VA’s sluggish payment of private healthcare providers and the Choice Act’s restricted access to treatment, there was a need to initiate the MISSION Act. The pledge represented a significant advancement in veteran healthcare and its provision. The VA MISSION Act eliminated a gap in care due to funding issues associated with the VA Choice program. New access criteria were also set up to give veterans more options for care in the community.

The Main Purpose of the VA MISSION Act

The goals of the VA MISSION Act are to make it easier for veterans to get healthcare in VA hospitals and communities, give caregivers more benefits, and help the VA find and keep the best healthcare providers in the network.

The VA MISSION Act addresses concerns with veterans’ housing, walk-in VA care, telemedicine, prescription drug processing, and more. In other words, it let the VA combine all of the department’s community care efforts into a single, easy-to-use application. Its intent was to give veterans the freedom to choose their own trusted healthcare providers.

Changes Made by the MISSION Act

The MISSION Act expanded access to community care for veterans and established a new benefit for urgent care, both of which are significant reforms. There has also been an expansion in the range of support available to family members providing in-home care for vets.

The VA’s Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers was also authorized to continue for an additional five years. Remember, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Caregiver Program aims to support those who have taken care of disabled veterans since the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Spouses and other members of the veteran’s family who are required to give up gainful employment in order to care for the veteran full time are considered caregivers. In 2021, the program expanded eligibility to veterans of earlier eras.

The VA’s Caregiver Program has provided assistance to caregivers of injured veterans since 1975. Caregivers are compensated on a monthly basis, and in addition to monetary compensation, they also get medical education and other benefits connected to their own healthcare. The planned two-step, multi-year expansion was supposed to include veterans from all time periods who were eligible.

Eligibility for Community Care Under the Mission Act

One common concern among veterans is whether the VA will cover the cost of therapy received from a private provider or clinic. The VA MISSION Act aims to expand access to healthcare services from non-VA providers. A revised Veterans Community Care Program was established, enabling vets to get the healthcare services they require anywhere and whenever they want.

Eligibility standards are need- and circumstance-based. So, service members can talk to their VA health care provider or other VA officials about the new criteria to find out if they are eligible for community care. If you’re a veteran who wants to receive care in the community, you may be eligible for the services if:

1. You need extra services that your nearest VA medical center doesn’t offer.
2. You’re living in a territory or state that doesn’t have comprehensive VA medical facilities.
3. You can get distance eligibility because of the grandfather provision in the Veterans Choice Program.
4. It’s in your best medical interest to receive healthcare from the community based on special, defined factors, for instance, if you’re suffering from a certain disease that your VA doctor can’t treat and you can easily access the services of a community medical facility with a reputable specialist.
5. The Veteran Affairs medical services generally don’t meet the standards for the quality healthcare services you deserve.
6. You can’t access the services from VA Healthcare facilities in time according to the specified access standards.

Challenges to Achieving the Mandate of the MISSION Act

Community care access guidelines have been slowly and inconsistently implemented by the VA, according to veteran groups and opponents of the system. According to the access criteria of the legislation, the MISSION Act faces challenges. For instance, many veterans still have to wait an excessive amount of time to obtain treatment at a VA hospital or to be sent to a private clinic.

In the spring of 2020, VA authorities suspended implementation of the access criteria and restricted access to the community care choices. This was one of the VA’s most contentious actions in this regard. Critics say that the VA broke the law when it stopped the program without first referring eligible veterans to providers in the community.

Millions of scheduled events have been postponed, changed, or canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. No follow-up information was recorded for almost 2 million scheduled visits. In the first two months, 7.3 million reservations were canceled. The pandemic made the situation even worse.

Lastly, there has been growing criticism of the VA, with calls for improved access to treatment and reduced wait times for veterans. Increased reliance on telemedicine and community care is advocated as ways for the VA to provide more flexible service.

Benefits of the VA MISSION Act to Veterans

Remember, VA Choice was created to let veterans seek treatment from private providers. However, it failed to achieve its mandate, triggering the establishment of the MISSION Act. The goal of the MISSION Act is to help with a larger plan to update VA health care facilities and make it easier for veterans to get the high-quality care they need and want.

Some veterans relied heavily on the temporary fixes, which closed a treatment gap caused by the VA Choice Program’s financial difficulties. The VA MISSION Act requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure timely access and coordination of medical treatment for veterans. This includes assisting veterans who seek VA medical services outside of their area of residence. The VA needs to work with private networks to make sure these services are available to veterans.

The MISSION Act also enhances the VA’s ability to contract with private healthcare providers in the community to administer the Veteran Care Program. For example, Tricare is one of the private health insurance companies that has partnered with the VA to provide funding for healthcare services to veterans.

The statute includes processes to oversee the negotiation, payment, and enforcement of such contracts at prices that are equivalent to those of the VA’s Veterans Community Care Program. If you are a veteran who wants mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) treatments, medication, or rehab services, consider such initiatives.

The VA Mission Act ensures that veterans have access to walk-in treatment. Healthcare providers in the community who have a contract or other arrangement with the VA can effectively care for their veteran clients, with the mission acting as a watchdog. The Department of Veterans Affairs must “maintain continuity of treatment,” which includes making sure veterans can get their medical data from urgent care centers and the VA, and vice versa.

The VA may also engage in Veteran Care Agreements with state veteran homes. Although state veterans institutions are not officially federal contractors, they must comply with federal fraud, waste, and abuse regulations in accordance with the VA Mission Act.

Role of the MISSION Act in Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Treatment for Veterans

Approximately 1.3 million of the 3.1 million veterans with a mental illness also have a substance use problem, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The Department of Veterans Affairs has been working to increase public knowledge of effective treatments for mental health issues. Use of alcohol and opiate pain relievers has stayed relatively constant.

Deployment in the military may be taxing on the mind in addition to the body. When a person has a mental disorder, the symptoms may not appear until after they have left active duty. Because of stigmas and the unique challenges they faced while serving in the military, veterans frequently self-medicate rather than seek treatment.

In the last few years, especially since the VA MISSION Act was passed in 2018 and the Veterans Community Care Program was set up to replace the Veterans Choice Program, there has been a lot of progress.

The VA’s Community Care Program allows veterans with mental health or drug use issues to see any doctor they choose, not just those in the VHA’s network. This is a huge improvement over the previous Veterans Choice Program, which previously only worked with existing community healthcare providers.

The MISSION Act established community care to alter the inconveniences in healthcare delivery for veterans. Changes to the guidelines mean that veterans can now see doctors who are not affiliated with the VA as well as those within the community.

Does the VA MISSION Act Provide Coverage for Rehab Services?

Treating mental health disorders is one of the key health benefits that automatically demand coverage for substance use disorders (SUD) in the United States. The Affordable Care Act formalized 10 healthcare services that all marketplace insurance providers must provide. One of the significant developments when it comes to the treatment of mental diseases in America occurred with the enactment of the Affordable Health Care Act in 2010.

How Veterans Undergoing Addiction Can Use the VA Mission Act

If you are a veteran interested in enrolling in the VA healthcare program, start by verifying that you meet the program’s eligibility standards. The next step is to make an appointment with a VA doctor to further investigate your case and diagnose your ailment. Many alternate methods may be used to satisfy the demands of diverse instances and people with mental health problems since these problems vary from person to person.

For instance, some individuals have been using drugs for a long time while others have just started. To effectively treat any of these conditions, doctors must use a wide range of techniques and approaches. Given the complexity of the issues involved, only a medical professional should evaluate each client and provide a suggestion for rehabilitation.

How to Find VA and Mission Act Approved Community Care Facility

The VA has an online facility finder that allows you to quickly search for rehabilitation clinics around the country based on the sort of treatment you require and its location.

Alternatively, you can visit Veterans Rehab for more information concerning substance use disorder and mental health treatment for active service members and veterans. You must select rehab facilities that are members of the VA’s Community Care Network. The VA is another good resource for referrals.

Remember, community care eligibility is based upon a veteran’s particular health requirements or circumstances and hence requires prior VA permission. Veterans have the privilege to use VA hospitals instead of non-VA hospitals at all times.