Veterans who are in a suicidal crisis can now seek emergency care at any medical facility at no cost to them.
Starting Tuesday, veterans will have free access to inpatient care or crisis residential care for up to 30 days and outpatient care for up to 90 days, the Department of Veterans Affairs said in a press release last week.
The VA says the program will lift the burden of expensive treatment costs for veterans and provide acute suicide care access for up to 9 million veterans who are not enrolled with the federal department.
Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough said in a statement the “expansion of care will save lives.”
“Veterans in suicidal crisis can now receive the free, world-class emergency health care they deserve — no matter where they need it, when they need it, or whether they’re enrolled in VA care,” McDonough said.
Regardless of VA enrollment status, veterans who were discharged from active duty after more than 24 months and who were not dishonorably discharged are eligible for the program.
Also eligible are those who served more than 100 days in a combat operation or those who were victims of a physical or sexual assault in the military.
Read more at TheHill.com.
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