Foreign Medical Program (FMP)
If you’re a Veteran who gets medical care outside the U.S. for a service-connected condition, we may cover the cost of your care. Read this page to find out how the Foreign Medical Program (FMP) works.
For Veterans in Panama affected by recent fraud issue
We recently suspended many VA health care providers in Panama as part of a long-term fraud scheme. We’ve notified any Veterans who may have been affected. If you were affected by this fraud, you still have access to VA health care services.
Eligibility for coverage through FMP
If you get medical care in a country outside the U.S., we can only cover the cost of services that are medically necessary and meet at least 1 of these descriptions:
- The services are for a VA-rated, service-connected disability (for example, an illness or injury caused—or made worse by—your military service), or
- The services are for a condition that’s associated with a service-connected disability that we determine makes the disability worse (or “aggravates” it). For example, if you have a service-connected condition of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), we may cover the cost of care for non-service-connected depression because the depression can be associated with PTSD and make it worse, or
- The services are part of care you’re receiving as you participate in our Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) program.
Here’s what else you should know:
- You can use FMP only for care you get in a foreign country. We won’t cover care or supplies you get in or from the U.S. or U.S. territories.
- For claims that result in a payment, we’ll deposit the claim amount into the U.S. bank account we have on file for you. If you have an international bank account, we’ll send you a U.S. Treasury check. (We’re working to set up direct deposit for international bank accounts, but this isn’t available yet.)
How to use FMP
You’re already eligible to use FMP if you need care in a foreign country for a VA-rated, service-connected disability. You can check which conditions we cover by reviewing your FMP benefits letter.
The FMP benefits letter also has details on how the provider can submit claims for reimbursement. Share the letter with your provider and ask them to file an FMP claim for you.
Here’s how to get your FMP benefits letter:
- Sign in to your VA.gov account
- Select Letters from the My VA main menu
- Go to Benefit letters and documents to review, download, or print your FMP benefits letter
If you’ve already received care or your provider doesn’t file a claim for you
You can file an FMP claim and submit documents to support your claim.
Learn more about filing an FMP claim
Care and services you can get through FMP
You can choose any licensed health care provider in the foreign country where you live or travel. But there are care and services FMP covers and doesn’t cover.
How to contact us if you have questions
If you’re living in any of these countries, you can call the FMP office toll-free:
- U.S. and Canada:
- Australia: 1-800-354 965
- Costa Rica: 0
- Germany: 0800-1800-011
- Italy: 800-782-655
- Japan: 00531-13-0871
- Mexico: 001-
- Spain: 900-981-776
- United Kingdom: 0
You can also contact us online through Ask VA.
Contact us online through Ask VA
If you need to update your contact confirmation
If you need to update your address or phone number, you can update this information in your VA.gov profile. You can also call us toll free at