Copay Hardship and Debt Relief at VA

What it is

This page is about bills for VA health care copays, not overpayments of disability compensation or pension. VA has two tools. One deals with a copay bill you already have. The other stops copays from being charged going forward.

If you already owe a copay bill

• Waiver: ask VA to cancel all or part of the balance.
• Compromise offer: offer a smaller one-time payment.
• Repayment plan: a monthly plan, usually paid off within 3 years. You can ask for one at any time.

Forms: debt relief (waiver or compromise) uses VA Form 5655, Financial Status Report. A repayment plan uses VA Form 10-323, Veteran Repayment Plan Agreement.

If your income dropped and you will owe copays in the future

Ask for a hardship determination on VA Form 10-10HS. If approved, VA assigns you to a higher priority group and you pay no VA copays for the rest of that calendar year. Trap: the hardship exemption does not cover pharmacy (medication) copays.

Deadlines and traps

• 30 days. To avoid late charges, interest and fees, act within 30 days of getting your bill.
• 90 and 120 days. After 90 days VA may collect by offsetting VA benefit payments and notifying credit agencies. After 120 days the law requires VA to transfer the debt to the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
• Disputing a charge. If the bill is wrong, dispute it in writing within 30 days. VA says a dispute received within 90 days keeps collection from starting.
• Do not mix up the lanes. VA's one-year waiver deadline is for benefit overpayments. VA's copay pages do not give that deadline for copay bills, so do not wait.

How to do it, step by step

1. Read the bill and note the date. The 30 days start when you receive it.
2. If the amount is wrong, dispute it through Ask VA online, by mail to your VA medical center business office marked "Billing dispute," or in person there.
3. If you cannot pay, fill out VA Form 5655 (debt relief) or Form 10-323 (repayment plan), or Form 10-10HS (future copays).
4. Write a short supporting letter explaining what changed (job loss, lower income, high expenses).
5. Take or mail the form and letter to the business office or health administration office at your nearest VA medical center.

Where to call and where to go

Phone

• VA copay bill questions, Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET: 1-866-400-1238 (TTY 711). Source: VA: Pay your copay bill

Official pages

• Request VA financial hardship assistance
• Request debt help (Form 5655)
• VA Form 10-10HS, Request for Hardship Determination
• Dispute a copay charge
• Find your nearest VA medical center