Reflecting a national mental health crisis nationwide, VA announced last week that veterans would no longer be required to make copayments for their first three outpatient mental health care and substance use disorder visits during a given year. The copayment exception benefits dates back retroactively to June 27, 2023, and, by law, will end December 29, 2027. 

Eligibility for this benefit is contingent on whether the outpatient visit is with a qualified mental health professional at VA or provided through VA’s network of community care providers.

VA is currently delivering mental health appointments to more veterans while reducing mental health wait times for new appointments. In addition to this copayment exemption, VA launched a new policy in 2023 allowing eligible veterans and certain former service members in acute suicidal crisis to go to any VA or non-VA emergency facility for no-cost emergency health care. Since then, more than 60,000 veterans have used this benefit, providing them with lifesaving care and saving millions of dollars in health care costs.

“We want every veteran, regardless of financial status, to have access to the mental health care they deserve—and that’s what this copayment exemption is all about,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “We are constantly working to expand access to mental health care, and we won’t rest until every veteran has access to care whenever and wherever they need it.”

For the official news release about the exemptions, including links to VA’s mental health website and the legislation that makes the exemptions possible, click here.