Coordinated Veterans’ Care (CVC) Program — Information for veterans

What is the Coordinated Veterans' Care Program?

The Coordinated Veterans’ Care (CVC) Program uses a proactive approach to manage your chronic conditions to improve your wellbeing and quality of life and reduce the risk of unplanned hospitalisations.

Participation in the program will assist you to be actively involved in the ongoing management of your health and wellbeing, through working closely with and receiving the support of your general practitioner (GP), nurse coordinator and any other health professionals who are in your care team. Other health professionals may include, for example, cardiologists, pharmacists, physiotherapists or mental health specialists.

With your consent, your GP will work with you in a face-to-face appointment to develop an individualised care plan to:

• meet your health needs
• support you to achieve your health goals
• provide education and guide you to understand your health
• manage your ongoing care.

Your care coordinator, who is usually a practice nurse, will then lead the coordination of your care under the supervision of your GP. This will involve regular face-to-face contact, and may also involve some phone calls from your care coordinator, depending on your care needs.

The CVC Program is designed to be an ongoing program with enrolment continuing as long as you can benefit from participation.

Who is eligible?

If you think you would benefit from participating in the CVC Program, speak to your GP to determine if you are eligible. You will need to be either:

• a Veteran Card – All Conditions holder with one or more chronic health condition/s or
• a Veteran Card – Specific Conditions holder with one or more chronic DVA-accepted mental health condition(s).

A DVA-accepted mental health condition is a condition for which DVA has accepted liability (as being related to military service).

You will also need to:

• meet the criteria for benefitting from the program which your GP will assess
• be an Australian resident and live in Australia
• consent, participate and agree to a comprehensive care plan developed with your GP.

You will not be eligible to participate in the CVC Program if you:

• are taking part in the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing Transition Care Program
• are living in residential care (other than for respite purposes), or
• have a condition that is likely to be terminal within 12 months after you would be admitted to the program be eligible.

If you are not eligible for the CVC Program, you may be able to access mental health treatment at no cost to you through Non-Liability Mental Health Care (NLHC) arrangements. 

How do you access the CVC Program?

Any GP can provide the CVC Program. GPs are responsible for assessing and enrolling patients in the CVC Program.

You should speak to your usual GP to determine if you are eligible for the program. The CVC Program is delivered by your usual GP who understands your health care needs.

If you do not have a usual GP, check with the GPs you approach that they accept Veteran Cards before you visit them.

Your initial assessment and care plan development will be undertaken as a face-to-face appointment in your GP’s practice/clinic location or in your own home (subject to GP home visit arrangements and individual preference). It will not be undertaken via telehealth.

Your participation in the CVC Program will involve regular, quarterly face-to-face contact with your GP and care team. Additional telephone contact from your care coordinator may also be required, depending on your care needs.

Your GP can access information about the CVC Program on the CVC provider webpage.

Are there costs involved?

The CVC Program provides coordination of all of your health conditions at no cost to you. GPs are funded for delivering of your treatment and health services, including coordinating your health care through the CVC Program.

If you are a Veteran Card – Specific Conditions holder you may need to pay for treatment or health services that are included in your Care Plan and are not related to an accepted condition on your card or funded under Non-Liability Health Care (NLHC) or Provisional Access to Medical Treatment Program (PAMT).

How do I get more information?

A CVC Program information brochure has been developed to provide GPs and veterans with more detailed information about the CVC Program.

Contact Us

If you have queries about the CVC Program you can phone us on 1800 VETERAN (1800 838 372), email the CVC Program team at cvcprogram@dva.gov.au or use the online General Enquiry form.