[nagdu] VA-certified service dogs receive unlimited access to veterinary care

Ginger Kutsch GingerKutsch at yahoo.com
Fri Jan 24 15:04:13 UTC 2014


VA-certified service dogs receive unlimited access to veterinary care

The U.S. Veteran Service Dog Program and Trupanion will cover 100 percent of
veterinary bills for eligible dogs.

Jan 23, 2014 

 By: Julie Scheidegger  

 DVM360 MAGAZINE 

Source:
http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/dvm/Veterinary+news/VA-certified-service-do
gs-receive-unlimited-access/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/833561?contextCat
egoryId=378  

 

The Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), in conjunction with Trupanion, will
launch the U.S. Veteran Service Dog Program Jan. 27. The program will allow
U.S. veterans with certified service dogs unlimited access to veterinary
care. The program enables Trupanion to pay 100 percent of veterans'
certified service dogs' veterinary bills.

The VA hopes the program will ease the financial stress veterans experience
providing veterinary care for their animals. Trupanion says it's a
"win-win-win" opportunity for dogs, veterans and veterinarians. "Veterans
and veterinarians no longer have to worry about the cost of the treatment,
giving veterinarians the ability to do what they do best-care for pets," a
Trupanion release states.

A spokesman for Trupanion says execution of the program will be simple: "All
veterinarians have to do is send us the bill." Veterinarians can opt to be
paid up front as well.

"Whether it's a regular veterinary practice or an emergency hospital in the
middle of the night-they can call us at any time," the spokesperson says.
"They then just need to e-mail or fax the bill to us and we can pay them
directly through Vet Direct Pay, a system that allows them to receive direct
payment. They can also request reimbursement. ... In that case they send us
the bill and let us know how and when they want to be paid. We can even pay
them over the phone if they wish as soon as the treatment is over and before
the veteran walks out of the building."

The VA will provide a list of the certified service dogs eligible for the
program to Trupanion. Each dog will have a tag with a policy number created
by Trupanion similar to the ones current policyholders wear. "All [veterans]
have to do is show that to their veterinarian and the veterinarian can rest
assured Trupanion will pay the bill," Trupanion's spokesperson says.

Veterans who request a service dog and qualify according to a VA evaluation
do not pay for the dog or the associated training. For more information on
the Veterans Health Administration's guide and service dog benefits, go to
va.gov. Trupanion has a two-year contract with the VA for the U.S. Veteran
Service Dog Program. For more information or if you have questions about the
program, call Trupanion at (855) 482-0163. 

 

 

 

 




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