(a) General. This section sets forth requirements regarding copayments for inpatient hospital care and outpatient medical care provided to veterans by VA.

(b) Copayments for inpatient hospital care.

(1) Except as provided in paragraphs (d) or (e) of this section, a veteran, as a condition of receiving inpatient hospital care provided by VA (provided either directly by VA or obtained by VA by contract, provider agreement, or sharing agreement), must agree to pay VA (and is obligated to pay VA) the applicable copayment, as set forth in paragraph (b)(2), (b)(3), or (b)(4) of this section.

(2) The copayment for inpatient hospital care shall be, during any 365-day period, a copayment equaling the sum of:

(i) $10 for every day the veteran receives inpatient hospital care, and

(ii) The lesser of:

(A) The sum of the inpatient Medicare deductible for the first 90 days of care and one-half of the inpatient Medicare deductible for each subsequent 90 days of care (or fraction thereof) after the first 90 days of such care during such 365-day period, or

(B) VA's cost of providing the care.

(3) The copayment for inpatient hospital care for veterans enrolled in priority category 7 shall be 20 percent of the amount computed under paragraph (b)(2) of this section.

(4) For inpatient hospital care furnished through the Veterans Choice Program under §§17.1500 through 17.1540, or the Veterans Community Care Program under §§17.4000 through 17.4040, the copayment amount at the time of furnishing such care or services by a non-VA entity or provider is $0. VA will determine and assess the veteran's copayment amount at the end of the billing process, but at no time will a veteran's copayment be more than the amount identified in paragraph (b)(2) or (3) of this section.

(c) Copayments for outpatient medical care.

(1) Except as provided in paragraphs (d), (e), or (f) of this section, a veteran, as a condition for receiving outpatient medical care provided by VA (provided either directly by VA or obtained by VA by contract, provider agreement, or sharing agreement), must agree to pay VA (and is obligated to pay VA) a copayment as set forth in paragraph (c)(2) or (c)(4) of this section.

(2) The copayment for outpatient medical care is $15 for a primary care outpatient visit and $50 for a specialty care outpatient visit. If a veteran has more than one primary care encounter on the same day and no specialty care encounter on that day, the copayment amount is the copayment for one primary care outpatient visit. If a veteran has one or more primary care encounters and one or more specialty care encounters on the same day, the copayment amount is the copayment for one specialty care outpatient visit.

(3) For purposes of this section, a primary care visit is an episode of care furnished in a clinic that provides integrated, accessible healthcare services by clinicians who are accountable for addressing a large majority of personal healthcare needs, developing a sustained partnership with patients, and practicing in the context of family and community. Primary care includes, but is not limited to, diagnosis and management of acute and chronic biopsychosocial conditions, health promotion, disease prevention, overall care management, and patient and caregiver education. Each patient's identified primary care clinician delivers services in the context of a larger interdisciplinary primary care team. Patients have access to the primary care clinician and much of the primary care team without need of a referral. In contrast, specialty care is generally provided through referral. A specialty care outpatient visit is an episode of care furnished in a clinic that does not provide primary care, and is only provided through a referral. Some examples of specialty care provided at a specialty care clinic are radiology services requiring the immediate presence of a physician, audiology, optometry, magnetic resonance imagery (MRI), computerized axial tomography (CAT) scan, nuclear medicine studies, surgical consultative services, and ambulatory surgery.

(4) For outpatient medical care furnished through the Veterans Choice Program under §§17.1500 through 17.1540, or the Veterans Community Care Program under §§17.4000 through 17.4040, the copayment amount at the time of furnishing such care or services by a non-VA entity or provider is $0. VA will determine and assess the veteran's copayment amount at the end of the billing process, but at no time will a veteran's copayment be more than the amount identified in paragraph (c)(2) of this section.

(d) Veterans not subject to copayment requirements for inpatient hospital care or outpatient medical care. The following veterans are not subject to the copayment requirements of this section:

(1) A veteran with a compensable service-connected disability.

(2) A veteran who is a former prisoner of war.

(3) A veteran awarded a Purple Heart.

(4) A veteran who was discharged or released from active military service for a disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty;

(5) A veteran who receives disability compensation under 38 U.S.C. 1151.

(6) A veteran whose entitlement to disability compensation is suspended pursuant to 38 U.S.C. 1151, but only to the extent that the veteran's continuing eligibility for care is provided for in the judgment or settlement described in 38 U.S.C. 1151.

(7) A veteran whose entitlement to disability compensation is suspended because of the receipt of military retirement pay.

(8) A veteran of the Mexican border period or of World War I.

(9) A military retiree provided care under an interagency agreement as defined in section 113 of Public Law 106-117, 113 Stat. 1545.

(10) A veteran who VA determines to be unable to defray the expenses of necessary care under 38 U.S.C. 1722(a).

(11) A veteran who VA determines to be catastrophically disabled, as defined in 38 CFR 17.36(e).

(12) A veteran receiving care for psychosis or a mental illness other than psychosis pursuant to §17.109.

(13) A veteran who was awarded the Medal of Honor.

(e) Services not subject to copayment requirements for inpatient hospital care, outpatient medical care, or urgent care. The following are not subject to the copayment requirements under this section or, except for §17.108(e)(1), (2), (4), (10), and (14), the copayment requirements under §17.4600.

(1) Care provided to a veteran for a noncompensable zero percent service-connected disability;

(2) Care authorized under 38 U.S.C. 1710(e) for Vietnam-era herbicide-exposed veterans, radiation-exposed veterans, Gulf War veterans, post-Gulf War combat-exposed veterans, or Camp Lejeune veterans pursuant to §17.400;

(3) Special registry examinations (including any follow-up examinations or testing ordered as part of the special registry examination) offered by VA to evaluate possible health risks associated with military service;

(4) Counseling and care for sexual trauma as authorized under 38 U.S.C 1720D;

(5) Compensation and pension examinations requested by the Veterans Benefits Administration;

(6) Care provided as part of a VA-approved research project authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7303;

(7) Outpatient dental care provided under 38 U.S.C. 1712;

(8) Readjustment counseling and related mental health services authorized under 38 U.S.C 1712A;

(9) Emergency treatment paid for under 38 U.S.C. 1725 or 1728;

(10) Care or services authorized under 38 U.S.C. 1720E for certain veterans regarding cancer of the head or neck;

(11) Publicly announced VA public health initiatives (e.g., health fairs) or an outpatient visit solely consisting of preventive screening and immunizations (e.g., influenza immunization, pneumonococcal immunization, hypertension screening, hepatitis C screening, tobacco screening, alcohol screening, hyperlipidemia screening, breast cancer screening, cervical cancer screening, screening for colorectal cancer by fecal occult blood testing, and education about the risks and benefits of prostate cancer screening);

(12) Weight management counseling (individual and group);

(13) Smoking cessation counseling (individual and group);

(14) Laboratory services, flat film radiology services, and electrocardiograms;

(15) Hospice care;

(16) In-home video telehealth care; and

(17) Mental health peer support services.

(f) Additional care not subject to outpatient copayment. Outpatient care is not subject to the outpatient copayment requirements under this section when provided to a veteran during a day for which the veteran is required to make a copayment for extended care services that were provided either directly by VA or obtained for VA by contract.

[66 FR 63448, Dec. 6, 2001, as amended at 68 FR 60854, Oct. 24, 2003; 70 FR 22596, May 2, 2005; 73 FR 20532, Apr. 16, 2008; 75 FR 54030, Sept. 3, 2010; 76 FR 52274, Aug. 22, 2011; 77 FR 13198, Mar. 6, 2012; 78 FR 28143, May 14, 2013; 79 FR 57414, Sept. 24, 2014; 79 FR 65584, Nov. 5, 2014; 79 FR 70939, Nov. 28, 2014; 84 FR 7815, Mar. 5, 2019; 84 FR 26017, 26306, June 5, 2019]