CSM Paul Coleman8018123<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>The main VA lab is 44 miles away and I have a VA lab at my local PC provider VA location 4 miles away from my house. It seems like we are destroying the benefit of having local VA offices so we don't have the long trips for care?When the VA sends you to a community provider for care, why do you have to go to a main VA lab to get blood?2022-12-08T07:12:17-05:00CSM Paul Coleman8018123<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>The main VA lab is 44 miles away and I have a VA lab at my local PC provider VA location 4 miles away from my house. It seems like we are destroying the benefit of having local VA offices so we don't have the long trips for care?When the VA sends you to a community provider for care, why do you have to go to a main VA lab to get blood?2022-12-08T07:12:17-05:002022-12-08T07:12:17-05:00SSgt Private RallyPoint Member8018274<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Yes very good `help. @Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 8 at 2022 8:45 AM2022-12-08T08:45:25-05:002022-12-08T08:45:25-05:00MSG Private RallyPoint Member8018371<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>If your local CBOC does not have lab draw capabilities, I can see needing to send you 44 miles out. If the CBOC does have lab draw capabilities, it makes no sense to send you that far.Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 8 at 2022 9:34 AM2022-12-08T09:34:09-05:002022-12-08T09:34:09-05:00COL Randall C.8018381<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>*sigh* ... misread statement ... <br /><br />What I found out is that the labs at the local VA clinic (CBOC, etc) are not full-featured labs and usually can only do certain type of tests.<br /><br />If you have an 'out of the normal' test, they might have to send you elsewhere or (if you push for it), have to make arrangements to do the blood draw and send it to the main lab (apparently they don't do that normally).Response by COL Randall C. made Dec 8 at 2022 9:41 AM2022-12-08T09:41:16-05:002022-12-08T09:41:16-05:00CPT Lawrence Cable8018456<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>My experience with Community Care is strictly on the orthopedic side right now, but I had to go to the main VA for the series of X-rays for the Ortho "consultation" to get referred to Orthopedics in the first place, but since getting placed in Community Care, everything else has been through my local provider. I even have the options of getting prescriptions filled locally or through VA (I still carry a Medicare Advantage Plan). <br />Are you getting care for a local doctor or are you going to one of the Satellite locations?Response by CPT Lawrence Cable made Dec 8 at 2022 10:34 AM2022-12-08T10:34:35-05:002022-12-08T10:34:35-05:00SMSgt Bob W.8018951<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Money. The VA lab is [to use the word loosely] "FREE" [ie, the VA does not have to pay for the lab results twice].Response by SMSgt Bob W. made Dec 8 at 2022 5:13 PM2022-12-08T17:13:21-05:002022-12-08T17:13:21-05:002022-12-08T07:12:17-05:00