Information for Purple Heart Award Recipients

On November 30, 1999, the Veterans Millennium Health Care and Benefits Act was passed. This new law made important changes for those veterans awarded the Purple Heart. This pamphlet briefly outlines those new provisions. 

As a Purple Heart Award Recipient you will:

Be placed in enrollment Priority Group 3 (unless currently enrolled in Priority Group 1 or 2); 

Be exempt from the, co-payments for hospital care and medical outpatient care. Please note: This exemption does NOT include pharmacy co-payments and there are no changes in beneficiary travel.

Who do I contact if have questions about billing or reimbursement?

For issues involving charges or refunds, contact your nearest VA medical center.

What You Need to Do for the VA:

Submit documentation of your Purple Heart Award to the Enrollment Coordinator at your nearest medical center or the Health Eligibility Center.

For Example, any one of the following:

• DD214 (Discharge), 
• DD215 (DischargeUpdate)
• Service records showing the award
• Military orders of the award

What the VA Will Do for You:

Include your Purple Heart Award documentation in your VA records and update our computer database; 

Alert the Health Eligibility Center in Atlanta, Georgia that you are a Purple Heart Award 
recipient;

Reimburse verified Purple Heart recipients for any medical care co-payments that were made on or after November 30, 1999. This does not include pharmacy co-payments. There must also be verifiable evidence on file that you received the Purple Heart Award before the reimbursement will be made. 

Who can help me get proof of the Purple Heart Award?

The Enrollment Coordinator at the nearest VA medical center can help you find sources
of documentation or complete the Standard Form 180 "Request Pertaining to Military 
Records 

A veterans service organization;

Or go to the web and obtain the Standard Form 180 at: http://www.nara.gov/regional/mprsf180.html

VA Health Benefits Service Center
1-877-222-VETS 
1-877-222-8387 
http://www.va.gov/health/elig

Health Eligibility Center
1644 Tulfie Circle 
Atlanta, GA 30329