Veteran Home Health Care: How We Work With the VA to Bring Skilled Nursing Care to You
For many Veterans, finding the right home healthcare can be a challenge. When medical needs are complex and require more than a helping hand, the transition to a facility can feel like losing a piece of independence. However, through the VA Community Care Network (CCN), eligible Veterans can receive high-quality, skilled nursing care in their homes.
If you are a Veteran or a family caregiver in Bottineau, Rolette, or Towner Counties, Tri-Care Home Health can provide skilled nursing care while partnering with the VA. Our trained and expert nursing staff will ensure your medical needs are met so you can stay in your own home.
Let’s take a deeper look at the CCN and how Tri-Care Home Health works with them to provide exceptional in-home medical care for Veterans in North Dakota.
What is the VA Community Care Network (CCN)?
The VA Community Care Network is the VA’s modern solution for expanding healthcare access. When a VA medical facility is too far away, wait times are too long, or a specific service isn’t available on-site, the VA doesn’t leave the Veteran stranded. Instead, the VA can “purchase” the necessary care from private community providers.
To manage the extensive network of doctors and specialists nationwide, the VA uses third-party administrators (TPAs) to handle logistics.
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Optum: Manages the Eastern and Central U.S. (Regions 1, 2, and 3)
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TriWest: Manages the Western U.S. and Alaska (Regions 4 and 5)
These administrators ensure every private provider, such as Tri-Care Home Health, meets strict VA quality standards, so you will receive the same level of care you’d expect from a VA hospital.
Skilled Nursing vs. Home Health Aids: What’s Covered?
When looking for localized, VA-level care, it’s important to know the difference between “personal care” and “skilled nursing.” Through the CCN, the VA can authorize two distinct types of home-based support.
Skilled Home Health Care (Skilled Nursing)
Skilled Home Health Care is medical care provided by a Registered Nurse (RN), Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), or specialized therapist. Services typically include:
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Wound care for post-surgical recovery
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IV antibiotics or infusion therapy
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Catheter care
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Physical/Occupational therapy
The goal of skilled nursing is to provide short-term recovery or long-term management of complex medical conditions that require clinical expertise.
Homemaker and Home Health Aide Care
Homemaker or home health aide care focuses on the Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), which typically include:
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Help with bathing
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Dressing
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Meal preparation
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Light housekeeping
The main goal of home health aide care is to support Veterans’ independence at home, bridge gaps for family caregivers, and help those who are isolated.
How to Access Care Through the CCN
When you want to utilize the CCN, you can’t simply call a private agency and bill the VA. Because the VA is the primary payer, the process must begin within the VA system. There are a few steps to take, but once complete, your care will be handled without additional effort on the Veteran’s part.
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Clinical Assessment: Talk to your VA primary care provider (PCP) or social worker. They must determine that home health care is “medically necessary” for your treatment.
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Referral & Authorization: Once approved, the VA issues an authorization. You have the right to Patient Choice, which means you can request a specific agency (like Tri-Care Home Health), as long as they are a contracted member of the CCN.
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Third-Party Coordination: Your regional administrator (Optum for North Dakota Veterans) works behind the scenes to process the claims and ensure the agency is paid, so you don’t have to worry about the billing.
Why Choose Tri-Care Home Health for Veteran Services?
Because Tri-Care Home Health works with the CCN, North Dakota Veterans have timely access to care, rather than sitting on a waitlist at a larger VA facility. Veterans who live in rural areas or have mobility challenges can access the same level of care without driving. In addition, you can receive professional medical treatment in the environment where you are most comfortable, which studies show leads to faster recovery times and better mental health outcomes.
Your service to our country earned you the right to high-quality healthcare, and the VA Community Care Network is designed to make that care accessible. By working through the CCN and Tri-Care Home Health, you will receive the skilled nursing services you need without living in a nursing home.
For more information, call us at 701-477-6232 or contact your local VA office or social worker to start the process.