For purposes of the Veterans Community Care Program under §§17.4000 through 17.4040:

Appointment means an authorized and scheduled encounter, including telehealth and same-day encounters, with a health care provider for the delivery of hospital care, medical services, or extended care services.

Covered veteran means a veteran enrolled under the system of patient enrollment in §17.36, or a veteran who otherwise meets the criteria to receive care and services notwithstanding his or her failure to enroll in §17.37(a) through (c).

Eligible entity or provider means a health care entity or provider that meets the requirements of §17.4030.

Episode of care means a necessary course of treatment, including follow-up appointments and ancillary and specialty services, which lasts no longer than 1 calendar year.

Extended care services include the same services as described in 38 U.S.C. 1710B(a).

Full-service VA medical facility means a VA medical facility that provides hospital care, emergency medical services, and surgical care and having a surgical complexity designation of at least “standard.”

Note 1 to the definition of “full-service VA medical facility”: VA maintains a website with a list of the facilities that have been designated with at least a surgical complexity of “standard,” which can be accessed on VA's website.

Hospital care has the same meaning as defined in 38 U.S.C. 1701(5).

Medical services have the same meaning as defined in 38 U.S.C. 1701(6).

Other health-care plan contract means an insurance policy or contract, medical or hospital service agreement, membership or subscription contract, or similar arrangement not administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, under which health services for individuals are provided or the expenses of such services are paid; and does not include any such policy, contract, agreement, or similar arrangement pursuant to title XVIII or XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.) or chapter 55 of title 10, United States Code.

Residence means a legal residence or personal domicile, even if such residence is seasonal. A covered veteran may maintain more than one residence but may only have one residence at a time. If a covered veteran lives in more than one location during a year, the covered veteran's residence is the residence or domicile where they are staying at the time they want to receive hospital care, medical services, or extended care services through the Veterans Community Care Program. A post office box or other non-residential point of delivery does not constitute a residence.

Schedule means identifying and confirming a date, time, location, and entity or health care provider for an appointment in advance of such appointment.

Note 1 to the definition of “schedule”: A VA telehealth encounter and a same-day care encounter are considered to be scheduled even if such an encounter is conducted on an ad hoc basis.

VA facility means a VA facility that offers hospital care, medical services, or extended care services.

VA medical service line means a specific medical service or set of services delivered in a VA facility.