Unique Considerations for VA Appointments

A typical VA patient receives 12 fully covered treatments over a designated period—typically 45 days. If they do not complete all treatments in the allotted time, the referral will expire. It’s crucial that you and the Veteran work closely together on a goal-oriented treatment plan and that you both remain committed to it.A typical VA patient receives 12 fully covered treatments over a designated period—typically 45 days. If they do not complete all treatments in the allotted time, the referral will expire. It’s crucial that you and the Veteran work closely together on a goal-oriented treatment plan and that you both remain committed to it. 

Scheduling Follow-Up Appointments

At the end of each treatment, you are strongly encouraged to schedule at least one subsequent appointment. This keeps the patient on track for their recovery and gets them into a routine with you. You’ll also be helping ensure the Veteran receives the full benefits they are entitled to, while also filling in your calendar in advance!

You must enter these appointments into the Provider App. It’s quick, easy, and built right into the checkout process!

Cancellations and Rescheduling

The VA does not reimburse for cancellations as we do for non-medical appointments. We encourage you to proactively confirm appointments with the Veteran the day before, to minimize risk of inconvenience. 

Note that any time you reschedule or cancel an appointment, you MUST do so in the provider app. Do not simply do so verbally with the Veteran. You are also responsible for promptly notifying Zeel of appointment changes.

Extending or Renewing a Veteran’s Referral

When all the sessions in a referral have been used, or the referral is expiring, you can request additional treatments on the Veteran’s behalf by submitting a Request for Service (RFS). You should submit an RFS if you believe the patient is making measurable progress and would benefit from continued therapy. 

This process is completed in just a few minutes in the Provider App. Note that RFS approval is not guaranteed, and patients should not be given the impression by a therapist or by Zeel that it is. 

See the article “Submitting a Request for Additional Service (RFS)” later in this section to learn more.