When the VA refers you to a non-VA provider through Community Care, that referral includes an authorization number that covers specific services for a specific time period. If the community provider bills you directly, it usually means either the claim was submitted without that authorization number, the authorization had expired or did not cover the specific service performed (such as an x-ray added during the visit), or there was a breakdown in communication between the facility and VA Community Care staff.
The authorization number is generated internally by VA and tied to your specific referral. Veterans do not have direct access to a public portal to look this up themselves in most cases, which is why you often have to call. The community provider's billing office should already have this number on file, because it is normally sent to them at the time of referral — if they are asking you for it, that is a sign the referral or authorization did not properly transmit to them.
Official 2026 VA monthly compensation, including the 2.8% COLA increase.
Dependent add-ons start at a 30% rating. Child-only and dependent-parent rates: see the full 2026 pay chart.
| Rating | Monthly (2026, incl. 2.8% COLA) |
|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 |
| 20% | $356.66 |
| 30% | $552.47 |
| 40% | $795.84 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 |
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Analyze my claim free →The most reliable first step is not to keep calling the general VA phone line, but to contact the specific VA Medical Center's Community Care office (sometimes called Non-VA Care or Referral Coordination) that made the original referral. Ask them to resend the authorization directly to the provider's billing department, and get a reference number or the name of the staff member who confirms this was done. Many VA facilities also have a patient advocate who can escalate stalled authorization issues.
If the bill has already gone to a collections agency or you are getting collection notices, do not ignore it — send a written dispute stating the treatment was authorized under VA Community Care and include any referral paperwork you have, then continue pursuing the authorization number through the VA Medical Center. Under the MISSION Act, veterans are not responsible for billing errors caused by VA's failure to properly process an authorized referral, but you may need to document your attempts to resolve it.
Keep a written log of every call, date, and name, since these disputes are often resolved through persistence and paper trails rather than a single phone call.
As a next step, contact the VA Community Care office at the facility that issued your original referral, rather than the general VA call center, and ask them to resend the authorization number directly to the billing office handling your bill.
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