VA Services Covered Under Special Authorities

Adult Day Health Care
Adult Day Health Care includes programs operated by VA and contract programs. These programs operate under many of the same legal requirements as the Community Nursing Home Program.

Dental Care
Dental care eligibility was not changed by the Veterans' Health Care Eligibility Reform Act of 1996. Dental benefits provided by VA include examinations and the full spectrum of diagnostic, surgical, restoratvie, and preventive procedures. Contact your local VA health care facility to determine whether you are eligible for dental benefits.

Domiciliary Care
Domiciliary care eligibility was not changed by the Veterans' Health Care Eligibility Reform Act of 1996. Domiciliary care may be available for veterans who do not require hospital or nursing home care but are unable to live independently because of medical or psychiatric disabilities. Contact your local VA health care facility to determine whether you are eligible for domiciliary care.

Emergency Care in Non-VA Facilities
Only veterans with special eligibility may obtain emergency care in a non-VA facility at VA expense. VA may provide emergency care in non-VA facilities to other enrolled veterans through a sharing agreement or contract.

Homeless Programs
Programs specifically focused on care of homeless veterans were not changed by the Veterans' Health Care Eligibility Reform Act of 1996. VA furnishes care to many homeless veterans in its health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) program.

Non-VA Care
VA may provide care in non-VA facilities through a sharing agreement or contract. Absent such an agreement or contract, only veterans with special eligibility may obtain emergency care in a non-VA facility under special authority.

Nursing Home Care
Nursing home care eligibility was not changed by the Veterans' Health Care Eligibility Reform Act of 1996 except that noncompensable 0% service-connected veterans receiving care at VA expense must agree to make co-payments to receive their care, unless being treated for their service-connected disability.

Readjustment Counseling Service (Vet Centers)
Through passage of the Veterans' Health Care Eligibility Reform Act of 1996, Congress extended eligibility for readjustment counseling services to any veteran who served in the military in a theater of combat operations during any period of war, or in any other area during a period in which hostilities occurred in such area. Enrolled and other veterans who meet these criteria are eligible for readjustment counseling at VA Readjustment Counseling Centers (Vet Centers). Eligible veterans include veterans of the Vietnam-era, World War II, the Korean and Persian Gulf Wars, and the conflicts in Lebanon, Grenada, Panama, and Somalia. Family members and/or significant others are also eligible for readjustment counseling at Vet Centers to the extent needed to assist the veteran.

Sensori-Neural Aids (i.e., eyeglasses, contact lenses, hearing aids)
Hearing aids and eyeglasses generally require a service-connected disability and are not usually provided to nonservice-connected veterans for naturally occurring hearing or vision loss, e.g. farsightedness, nearsightedness, and minor hearing loss.

Sexual Trauma Counseling
Sexual trauma counseling program eligibility was not changed by the Veterans' Health Care Eligibility Reform Act of 1996. VA furnishes counseling and treatment to veterans who suffered sexual trauma during service. VA has the authority to provide sexual trauma counseling to men and women veterans. The Law defines sexual trauma as: sexual harassment, sexual assault, rape, and other acts of violence.