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Subscribe to the newsletter Issue 21 | July 2020 |
 VA’s goal is to ensure that COVID-19 viral testing, as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is available to eligible Veterans as widely as possible, whether through VA health care centers or through our community health care partners.
The following describes how Veterans may be tested for COVID-19, paid for by VA:
- Eligible Veterans should meet specific testing criteria, as described by CDC and local public health department guidelines, to receive COVID-19 viral testing paid for by VA.
- Viral testing includes nucleic acid (molecular) and antigen tests, which test for the current presence of the virus (See CDC explanation and FDA explanation for types of COVID-19 testing).
- To be eligible, Veterans must either be enrolled in VA health care or otherwise be eligible for VA care. See Veteran community care eligibility requirements for specifics.
- Eligible Veterans will not be charged a copayment for COVID-19 viral testing.
- VA will reimburse community providers for COVID-19 viral testing of eligible Veterans at one of the following outlets:
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In-network Urgent Care/Retail locations, if it is in conjunction with a clinical visit for care.
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In-network Community Care Network (CCN) providers, if a referral or authorization exists.
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Emergency Departments, if the visit otherwise meets criteria for VA coverage of emergency care services (either through the PC3 or CCN networks or care that is paid for directly by VA).
- See Filing a Claim for Veteran Care for information about how to file a claim.
For updates, VA will continue to communicate with community providers through our Provider Advisor newsletter (click to sign up), the COVID-19 Guidance for Community Providers webpage, and the third-party administrator assigned to your region.
Thank you for your partnership with VA and continued commitment to our Nation’s Veterans.
HealthShare Referral Manager (HSRM) is VA’s new referral management system that significantly streamlines the process for community providers to provide Veteran care. Currently, there are 11 community provider eLearning lessons available on VHA TRAIN that allow community providers to review system functionality demonstrations step-by-step. To access the eLearning, please register for a free VHA TRAIN account.
Many community providers like you have completed eLearning lessons and have provided their positive feedback. Take a look below!
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“I really like that it gives notes on another tab, that way you can look back to see what you may have missed and remember all the key points. It was great!” - Marissa, Community Provider
- “This course helps a community provider better understand how the system works” - Julie, Community Provider
- “Very informative” - Bobbi, Community Provider “Quick and easy reference” - Tracey, Community Provider
HSRM Live Virtual Training Sessions
In addition to the eLearning lessons, VA provides live training sessions that include an overview of HSRM, an in-depth walkthrough of the system, and 30 minutes for audience questions/demos. Registration for the live weekly HSRM trainings can be completed by creating an account and logging into VHA TRAIN.
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VA’s Post Deployment Health Services and the War Related Illness and Injury Study Center (WRIISC) offers educational materials that focus on helping address Veteran post-deployment health issues. Online resources are available to community providers, including those noted below:
ONLINE RESOURCES
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Every suicide is a tragedy. In 2019, VA released the Veteran suicide data report which shows the importance of focusing suicide prevention on firearms.
In 2017, 69.4% of Veteran suicide deaths were due to a self-inflicted firearm injury, while 48.1% of non-Veteran adult suicides resulted from a firearm injury. Female Veterans are more likely than non-Veteran females to die by firearm suicide.
You can help save lives by reviewing the following resources and sharing them with Veterans and their families: MentalHealth.va.gov
Resources
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VA's Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (VA ECHO) program announces the availability of free COVID-19 training during the month of August for community providers and VA clinicians:
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Aug 5, 2 p EST: Where are we now? Caring for patients with COVID-19
A webinar featuring Rosemary Adamson, MB BS, a Pulmonary Critical Care Physician at the VA Puget Sound Health Care System. Dr. Adamson will provide current guidance on caring for adults with COVID-19. The training is open to both VA and non-VA clinicians. Continuing education credit is available for those who preregister in VHA TRAIN. Space is limited – register today: https://www.train.org/main/course/1092470/live_event.
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Aug 19, 2 p EST: COVID-19 Modeling and Forecasting
A webinar on epidemiological modeling and forecasting during the COVID-19 pandemic. The goal of this session is to explain modeling and forecasting principles and review interpretation of COVID-19 models and forecasts. This session is designed for clinicians of all disciplines and specialties. The training is open to both VA and non-VA clinicians. Continuing education credit is available for those who preregister in VHA TRAIN. Space is limited – register today: https://www.train.org/main/course/1092476/live_event.
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Aug 26, 2 pm EST: Current strategies for the management of adults with COVID-19
A webinar featuring Barbara Jones, MD, MSCI, a Pulmonary Critical Care Physician from the VA Salt Lake City Health Care System. Dr. Jones will discuss current strategies for the management of adults with COVID-19. Areas of focus will include respiratory care, evaluating severity, determining appropriate level of care, ensuring provider safety, and emerging medications. The training is open to both VA and non-VA clinicians. Continuing education credit is available for those who preregister in VHA TRAIN. Space is limited – request registration details today: https://redcap.iths.org/surveys/?s=9EXAJ44A9J.
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Webinar: The Effectiveness of Health Coaching, An Intervention for Veterans with Multi-symptom Illness (Aug. 11, 2020)
This webinar showcases how health coaching affects Veterans with multi-symptom illness. Participants learn how health coaching supports clinical recommendations and gain an understanding of how health coaching affects Veteran outcomes.
Register for webinar at VHA TRAIN.
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