Urgent Care Clinic Coverage

[MaverickNH]

My son left the Army about 2yr back with 40% disability, since upped to 90% disability. He’s in school at UNC Wilmington. He has Anthem insurance through his school enrollment, but plans to “take a break” at the end of summer. College might not be for him, so he’s trying sales.

This past XMAS, he came home with a sore throat starting a day or two later. A trip to a local Urgent Care Clinic diagnosed Strep Throat. The meds were cheap - $10 of generic antibiotics. But the bill was $458 for COVID, Flu and Strep tests, as well as the visit. He didn’t have his current Anthem card so I “guaranteed” his payment, which later dropped to $50 after we updated his records with his current Anthem card.

After he leaves school and that insurance coverage lapses in September, what does VA insurance get him for such Urgent Care visits? He’s not terribly responsible on the finance side, with some residual ADHD that was managed as a youth, so if I can give his a lead in the right direction, he’ll follow up better. He says he doesn’t have a “VA Card” but can walk into the local VA and they have him in their system. What “card” do vets get to deal with medical treatments outside the VA, if any?

 

[Skysoldier]

If he is enrolled in the VA system, he just needs to go to the nearest facility and go to the Eligibility Office. They take his pic and send him a card in about a week.
Depending on where he lives, the local VA can tell him what area Urgent Care facilities he can go too without incurring any charges.

Looks like the new VA center in Wilmington should have an Eligibility Office. He has to show up in person, because it is a laminated picture ID. They are located out by the airport.
Their Community Care program is also allied with many area Urgent Care facilities.

Here in Albuquerque I can go to almost any Urgent Care and never get a bill.