Federal agency ยท U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration
Veterans Affairs patient advocate program
Every VA medical facility has a patient advocate who handles concerns from veterans and families. The advocate can help with a care problem and, if needed, help you file an appeal.
Know before you go
The program is for veterans and their families who receive care at VA health care facilities. The page says to talk to your treatment team first, then your provider's supervisor, and then the patient advocate. It is a way to raise a care concern and ask for a review inside VA; it is not an outside regulator. For a treatment decision you disagree with, the Clinical Appeals page runs through the same advocate.
- Cost
- Not stated. The page lists no fee.
- Where
- Nationwide
- How to start
- Find your facility on the VA site and contact its patient advocate. Say what was decided, by whom, and what you are asking VA to change.
- Have ready
- The name of your facility and treatment team; A short description of the decision and date; Relevant medical records
Where this comes from
- Provider
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration
- Source we read
- https://www.va.gov/health/patientadvocate/
- Date we read it
- . This is not a fresh check.
- Date the provider printed
- Not displayed
- What we checked
- We read the provider's public page. We have not verified availability, eligibility or outcomes for any individual.
Other starting points
- Program or service
Beneficiary and Family Centered Care Quality Improvement Organizations: find yours
The Medicare contractors that handle fast appeals when hospital or other care is ending too soon, and complaints about the quality of care. Each state is assigned to one of two organizations.
From Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
- Program or service
California Department of Managed Health Care: Independent Medical Review
California's regulator for managed care plans reviews denials of medical services, emergency payment and experimental treatment through Independent Medical Review. One form starts either a review or a consumer complaint.
From California Department of Managed Health Care
- Program or service
Center for Medicare Advocacy self-help materials
Downloadable self-help toolkits for Medicare denials involving home health care, outpatient therapy and skilled nursing facility care, from a nonprofit law organization. The page describes materials, not a helpline.
From Center for Medicare Advocacy