The Community Care Coordinators with the VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System are receiving calls from Pahrump veterans stating that they believe they are eligible to utilize the Veterans Choice Program for all their care due to staffing at the Pahrump Community Based Outpatient Clinic, Nye County reported.
“This information is not accurate,” the county reported Monday. “The VA has providers at the clinic, patients are being seen/treated, and the staffing has not changed. A new provider for the Pahrump clinic has been selected and is in the credentialing process to come aboard. “
The Department of Veterans Affairs understands that there has been a lot of publicity on the current and future state of the Veterans Choice Program (VCP) the county said.
“VA staff continue to send eligible veterans to the VCP as appropriate, but the VCP requirement is still that a veteran must wait more than 30 days for an appointment within the VA, or must travel greater than 40 miles from the closest VA facility,” the statement said. “Additionally, access to VCP and other non-VA Community Care still requires authorization from the VA, coordination with the VA Community Care team, and (as appropriate) a VA third-party provider for Choice.
The Pahrump clinic is located 220 S. Lola Lane and is open 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday.
The clinic can be reached at 775-727-7535.
The Pahrump clinic offers primary care, mental health, telehealth, laboratory and social work services.
The clinic also provides access to same-day services in primary care and mental health for veterans with urgent needs during regular business hours.
The update on the situation was provided by Nye County, which said it was helping facilitate this information on behalf of the Pahrump VA Clinic.