Veterans will no longer have to pay copays for their first three outpatient mental health and substance use disorder treatment sessions each year through 2027, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced Wednesday.
The exemption is retroactive to June 27, 2027 and will remain in effect until December 29, 2027.
Veterans who saw a qualified mental health professional at a VA facility or network provider before the announcement will have their first three visits automatically reimbursed, with no action required on the veteran’s part.
“We want to ensure that all veterans, regardless of their financial situation, have access to the mental health care they deserve, and that’s what this copay waiver is for,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “We work relentlessly to expand access to mental health care and will not rest until all veterans have access to care when and where they need it.”
According to a press release, the VA is hiring more than 9,000 positions for mental health-related positions, including psychologists, social workers, psychiatrists, licensed professional mental health counselors, peer support specialists, mental health nurses and mental health physician assistants, with 2,000 of those positions expected to be filled in fiscal year 2024.
The copayment waiver benefit is part of the Cleland-Dole Act of 2022. For more information about VA mental health care, visit the Mental Health website.
