NCODA VETERANS HUB
Honoring service.
Advancing cancer care.
Education, practical tools, and trusted VA resources to help oncology care teams deliver accessible, patient-centered cancer care for veterans and their loved ones—inside the VA or in the community.
4
New practice tools
15
Advisory council members
20+
VA access & oncology links
Live
Webinars & PQI Podcast
THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTING PARTNERS
Veterans Crisis Line: Dial 988, press 1
COMPREHENSIVE CARE FOR VETERANS
Service shapes the cancer journey.
Military service can have lasting physical and emotional effects that influence how veterans are diagnosed and treated. Whether care happens inside the VA or in community oncology, coordinated teams make the difference.
Exposure-related cancers
Toxic and environmental exposures during service are linked to higher rates of certain cancers. The PACT Act expanded care and benefits for many exposed veterans.
Whole-person needs
Coexisting conditions such as PTSD, along with family and caregiver needs, shape treatment planning and support.
Access & coordination
Referral, authorization, records, and billing must work across the VA and community care to keep treatment timely.
NEW FROM NCODA · FEATURED TOOLS
Practical tools for VA Community Care
Developed with support from NCODA members to help practices coordinate timely care for veterans treated outside the VA system.
Veteran Community Care Workflow Checklist
Support coordination across the oncology care team with a step-by-step checklist spanning referral intake, authorization validation, medical records, treatment and medication workflows, communication with the VA, billing, and transition of care.
NEW RESOURCE
VA Community Care Referral and Authorization Checklist
Help your practice collect essential information, confirm VA Community Care referral and authorization status, and support timely coordination of care for veterans receiving treatment outside the VA system.
NEW RESOURCE
INTRODUCING
Veteran Oncology Care Advisory Council
NCODA’s Veteran Oncology Care Advisory Council brings together 15 members with healthcare and veteran advocacy expertise to help guide the development of resources and initiatives that support improved care for veterans with cancer.
15 MEMBERS. A SHARED COMMITMENT.
5 Pharmacists
3 APPs
4 Nurses
2 Pharmacy Technicians
1 Veteran Advocacy Group Partner
PHARMACIST
Jennifer Tovar-Jacob
PharmD
Captain, U.S. Air Force · Clinical Pharmacist – Outpatient; Director of Healthcare Quality & Compliance
Barksdale AFB · U.S. Air Force Specialty Pharmacy
PHARMACIST
Torrea Harris
PharmD, MS
Oncology Infusion Pharmacist
Central Virginia VA Health Care System
PHARMACIST
Brian Meger
PharmD
Pharmacy Services Manager
Minnesota Oncology
PHARMACIST
David Borrone
RPh
Oral Oncology Specialty Pharmacist
AtlantiCare Cancer Care Institute
PHARMACIST
Lindsey Jung
PharmD, MPH, BCOP
Hematology/Oncology Clinical Pharmacist
John Muir Health
APP
Laveena Meriga
DNP, AGACNP-BC, APRN
Hospitalist APRN; Adjunct Professor, University of South Florida College of Nursing
James A. Haley Tampa VA Hospital
APP
Lisa Netkow
MSN, AGNP-C, OCN
Oncology Nurse Practitioner
William S. Middleton VA Medical Center
APP
Christin Lissmann
APNP
Hematology/Oncology APP
ProHealth Care, Inc.
NURSE
Ryan Blackmon
BSN, RN
Chemo Infusion Nurse
Mayo Clinic
NURSE
Jessica Garris
BSN, RN, OCN
Oncology Nurse Navigator
Ascension Seton
NURSE
Donna Gallenstein
BSN, RN, GERO-BC
Nurse Navigator
Moffitt Cancer Center
NURSE
Heather M. Edwards
MSN, RN, OCN
Nursing Professional Development
Kansas City VA Medical Center
PHARMACY TECHNICIAN
Demetria Streeter
CPhT
Oncology Infusion Pharmacy Technician
Mount Sinai Hospital
PHARMACY TECHNICIAN
David B. Johnson
CPhT-Adv, CSPT, BCHCPT
Lead Oncology Infusion Pharmacy Technician
Richmond VA Medical Center
VETERAN ADVOCACY PARTNER
Alex Balbir
PhD, MBA
Director, Complex Case Coordination
Wounded Warrior Project
Shreveport, LA
Active Duty
VA
VA
VA
VA
Non-VA
Veteran
Non-VA
Non-VA
Non-VA
Non-VA
VA
Non-VA
Non-VA
VA
Non-VA
VA
Advocacy
Partner
Richmond, VA
Maplewood, MN
Egg Harbor Township, NJ
Walnut Creek, CA
Tampa, FL
Madison, WI
Waukesha, WI
Jacksonville, FL
Austin, TX
Tampa, FL
Kansas City, MO
Jacksonville, FL
Richmond, VA
New York, NY
VA RESOURCES
VA access & oncology resources
Current VA links for referrals, authorizations, claims, oncology programs, and veteran support—organized for busy care teams.
VA contacts, claims & billing support, provider training (PDF)
Referrals & Authorizations
For community providers coordinating VA-authorized care
Networks, Claims & Pharmacy
Joining the network, getting paid, and filling prescriptions
Oncology at VA & Research
Cancer programs, pathways, and trial access
Veteran & Family Support
Benefits, caregivers, and everyday support
Veterans Crisis Line
Free, confidential support 24/7 for veterans and their loved ones. Dial 988, then press 1, or chat online.
Care Coordination
How VA receives, authorizes, and coordinates community care episodes.
department.va.gov
Standardized Episodes of Care (SEOCs)
Services and timeframes covered under an authorization.
department.va.gov
Precertification Requirements
Services that require VA precertification before delivery.
department.va.gov
HSRM Support Contacts
Help with HealthShare Referral Manager referrals and documents.
department.va.gov
Facility Community Care Contacts
Find the community care office for a veteran’s VA facility.
department.va.gov
Community Care Network (CCN)
Regions, third-party administrators, and provider resources.
department.va.gov
Optum VA CCN — Regions 1–3
Provider portal and network enrollment.
vacommunitycare.com
TriWest VA CCN — Regions 4–5
Join the TriWest provider network.
joinournetwork.triwest.com
Provider Claims
Submit, correct, and appeal community care claims.
department.va.gov
Prescriptions at Non-VA Pharmacies
How veterans fill urgent and community care prescriptions.
www.va.gov
VA National Oncology Program
VA cancer services, tools, and systems of excellence.
cancer.va.gov
VA Oncology Clinical Pathways
Evidence-based treatment pathways used across VA.
cancer.va.gov
VA Cancer Clinical Trials (fact sheet)
How veterans can access clinical trials through VA.
cancer.va.gov
Clinical Trials for Veterans (NAVREF)
Industry–VA research partnerships.
navref.org
PACT Act & Toxic Exposure Benefits
Presumptive conditions, screening, and how to apply.
www.va.gov
Exposure Ed Mobile App
Military exposure information for providers.
mobile.va.gov
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Manage VA benefits and health care.
www.va.gov
Women Veterans Health Care
Care and resources for women veterans.
www.womenshealth.va.gov
Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers
Eligibility and support for family caregivers.
www.va.gov
Military OneSource
24/7 information and confidential help.
www.militaryonesource.mil
VA Drug Coverage & Medicare Part D
How VA and Medicare drug benefits work together.
www.medicareinteractive.org
EDUCATION · INTERNATIONAL MONTHLY WEBINARS
Veteran care webinars
Revisit recent sessions on veteran cancer care, precision oncology, treatment access, and emerging therapies—and look ahead to our upcoming webinar.
VETERANS & NSCLC
Precision Oncology and Emerging Therapies
Explore precision oncology, treatment access, and emerging therapies for NSCLC and relapsed/refractory CLL/SLL.
VETERANS & CLL
Patient Access, Theranostics, and Emerging Treatment Strategies in Oncology
Explore perspectives on patient access and emerging treatment strategies, including care for veterans with CLL.
VETERANS & PROSTATE CANCER
Veteran Care & Rural Access
Revisit advances in prostate cancer care for veterans and strategies to address rural access barriers.
VETERANS & GI CANCER
Optimizing Care for Veterans with Gastrointestinal Cancer
PRESS PLAY · PQI PODCAST
Beyond Service
Beyond Service: Supporting Veterans and Their Families Through Cancer Care
In observance of Veterans Day, the PQI Podcast explores the unique healthcare challenges veterans and their families face and the resources available to support them throughout their cancer care journeys.
Meghan Wagner, Director of Physical Health and Wellness and a member of a Gold Star family, and Alex Balbir, PhD, MBA, Director of Complex Case Coordination, both from Wounded Warrior Project, discuss whole-person care, barriers to healthcare access, and the physical, emotional, and mental well-being of veterans and their families.
Perspectives from the NCODA community
FEATURED EDITORIAL
Expanding Access to Clinical Trials for Veterans
A conversation with NAVREF CEO Rashi Romanoff about connecting veterans with cancer research opportunities.
PERSPECTIVE
Best Practices for Patient Management in Veteran Health
Perspectives on the complex needs of veterans receiving cancer care.
INTERVIEW
Serving Those Who Served: Delivering Oncology Care to Veterans
Former VA oncology pharmacist Nigina Ali, PharmD, on VA and private-sector care.
PERSPECTIVE
Opportunity Awaits: Addressing the Unique Needs of Veterans Diagnosed with Cancer
Delays, barriers, and a call for collaboration among providers, the VA, and policymakers.
Read more
Read more
Read more
Read more
Explore advances in gastrointestinal cancer care and strategies to improve screening, treatment access, and care coordination.
Save the Date:
Nov 19 at 2pm ET
RECOGNIZING OUR CONTRIBUTORS
With gratitude
Thank you to the NCODA members who generously shared their time, insight, and real-world experience to support the development of our new veteran care resources.
Donna Gallenstein
RN, BSN
Jessica Garris
BSN, RN, OCN
Tammy McClellan
PharmD
Brian Meger
PharmD
To all who have served, thank you.
We are grateful for your service and for the care teams supporting veterans and their families every day.