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?

CSM Paul Coleman — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 07:12:17 -0500

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?

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 8 at 2022 8:45 AM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 08:45:25 -0500

Yes very good `help. @

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 8 at 2022 9:34 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 09:34:09 -0500

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 COL Randall C. made Dec 8 at 2022 9:41 AM

COL Randall C. — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 09:41:16 -0500

*sigh* ... misread statement ...

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.

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 CPT Lawrence Cable made Dec 8 at 2022 10:34 AM

CPT Lawrence Cable — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 10:34:35 -0500

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).
Are you getting care for a local doctor or are you going to one of the Satellite locations?

Response by SMSgt Bob W. made Dec 8 at 2022 5:13 PM

SMSgt Bob W. — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 17:13:21 -0500

Money. The VA lab is [to use the word loosely] "FREE" [ie, the VA does not have to pay for the lab results twice].