How to Get a V.A. Chiropractor

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers chiropractic services for eligible veterans at 36 Veterans Affairs Medical Centers as of May 2010. The amount of available chiropractic services has been scheduled to increase in coming years because of the passing of the Chiropractic Care Available to All Veterans Act. In order to receive VA chiropractic treatment, you will need to be enrolled in the VA Health Benefits System and be referred to a chiropractor by your primary care provider.

Instructions

• 1

  Apply for VA Health Benefits if you haven't already done so. You can apply for benefits either online, over the telephone, by mail or by visiting a VA medical facility. If you chose to apply for benefits online, fill out a 10-10EZ form using the online feature (see Resources). As of October 2010, filling out the 10-10EZ Form online requires that Adobe Reader 9.2 be installed on the computer being used to complete the form.

• 2

  Visit any VA medical facility to apply for VA Health Benefits in person or call the VA if you chose either as the best option for you to apply for benefits. Call the VA customer service at 877-222-8387 to apply for benefits by telephone. Once you've finished applying for benefits over the telephone, the VA will send you a copy of the completed application to sign and mail back to them. Call the VA or the VA medical facility directly to ensure you bring all the necessary documents and identification prior for applying for health benefits in person.

• 3

  Print out the 10-10EZ form from the available VA link (see Resources) or call VA customer service at 877-222-8387 and ask them to mail you a 10-10EZ form if you decide to apply for benefits that way. Complete the 10-10EZ form and then mail or deliver it in person to any local VA medical facility.

• 4

  Schedule an appointment to see your VA primary care provider. If you have recently applied for VA Health Benefits, you must wait to receive approval that you have been granted Health Benefits prior to making an appointment. If you are already enrolled in VA Health Benefits, call and schedule an appointment to see your VA primary care provider. You can call the VA at 877-222-8387 if you need the phone number for your primary care provider.

• 5

  Meet with the primary care provider and request to see a VA chiropractor. If your primary care provider authorizes you to see a chiropractor, you will be given the necessary contact information to schedule an appointment with the assigned chiropractor. If you do not have a VA chiropractor in your area but have been authorized chiropractic treatment, a civilian chiropractor will be assigned to you and paid for at no cost to you.