Health care
Emergency care at a non-VA hospital: the 72-hour rule
One phone call or portal report inside 72 hours can decide who pays the ER bill.
72 hours. VA says it must get the notification within 72 hours of when your emergency care starts. If your life or health is in danger, call 911 or go to the nearest ER first. VA says no referral or approval is needed to go to a non-VA emergency room.
What it is
When you use a non-VA emergency room, VA may pay for the care, but only if it is told in time and you meet VA's conditions. VA prefers that the hospital does the reporting. If it does not, you or someone acting for you can.
How to notify VA
- Ask the hospital to notify VA right away, either through the VA emergency care reporting portal or by phone at 844-724-7842 (844-72HRVHA), TTY 711.
- If the hospital does not, you or someone acting on your behalf can notify VA the same way.
hospitalnotify VA
72 hoursemergency care
What decides whether VA pays
VA lists these general requirements:
- You are enrolled in VA health care, or qualify for an exemption
- A VA facility was not feasibly available
- A prudent layperson would have believed that waiting would endanger life or health
- VA is notified within 72 hours (for authorized care)
More requirements apply depending on whether the condition is service-connected. Other insurance can also affect who pays.
Emergency care at a non-VA hospital
If you already got a bill
VA's page on reimbursement covers emergency care that VA did not authorize. It says claims have time limits that vary from 90 days to 2 years. Use the reimbursement link below.
Where to call and where to go
Phone
- Emergency care notification: 844-724-7842 (TTY: 711). Source: VA.gov emergency care page and VA emergency treatment reporting fact sheet
- Billing and charge questions: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET, TTY 711. Source: VA: emergency care at non-VA facilities
- VA health benefits hotline: 877-222-8387, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET. Source: va.gov/health-care/how-to-apply
- Veterans Crisis Line, 24/7: 988, then select 1. Source: Helpful VA phone numbers
Official pages