ColombiaMedical
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Using the VA Foreign Medical Program in Colombia

If you have a VA-rated service-connected condition and live in or visit Colombia, the Foreign Medical Program (FMP) can reimburse your care. Here's who qualifies, how to file, and how to avoid the problems that hit veterans in Panama.

See the stepsFind a clinic

What FMP pays for, and what it doesn't

FMP covers care outside the US for conditions the VA has rated as service-connected. Everything else is on you or your other insurance.

Covered

  • Care for a VA-rated, service-connected disability
  • Care for a condition the VA decides makes a service-connected disability worse
  • Care tied to the Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) program
  • Any licensed provider in the country where you live or travel
  • FDA-approved prescription medications

Not covered

  • Conditions that aren't service-connected
  • Care or supplies you get in the US or US territories
  • Routine dental work, unless your dental condition is itself service-connected

No prior authorization is needed, and you don't have to be enrolled in VA health care to use FMP, according to a June 2025 VA notice. Details: VA.gov Foreign Medical Program.

How it works, start to finish

  1. Register

    File VA Form 10-7959f-1 online or on paper. The VA recommends doing this before you file claims.

  2. Get your benefits letter

    It lists the conditions FMP covers. Find it on VA.gov under Letters, in Benefit letters and documents.

  3. See a licensed provider

    Any licensed provider in Colombia. The clinic can bill the VA using your letter, or you can pay and file yourself.

  4. Keep the paperwork

    An itemized bill and proof you paid, plus hospital and prescription records when they apply.

  5. File within 2 years

    Use VA Form 10-7959f-2. File online, email HAC.FMP@va.gov, or mail VHA Office of Integrated Veteran Care, FMP, PO Box 200, Spring City, PA 19475.

  6. Get reimbursed

    Direct deposit to a US bank account on file, or a check. Amounts are converted to dollars at the exchange rate on the date of care.

Plan for slow payments

FMP has grown fast. In fiscal year 2024 it paid $128.3 million to 8,024 veterans, a 263% increase in reimbursements since fiscal year 2018, according to the Government Accountability Office.

Processing hasn't kept up. GAO found FMP processed 37% of claims within 45 days in fiscal year 2024, against a goal of 90%. The VA told GAO it planned to move FMP claims to a new processing system in July 2026.

Budget as if you'll pay up front and wait.

37%of FMP claims processed within 45 days in FY2024. The goal is 90%. $128.3Mpaid to 8,024 veterans in FY2024. 2 yearsfrom the date of care to file a claim.

What happened in Panama, and the red flags to watch for

In 2024 the VA suspended many health care providers in Panama over a long-term fraud scheme. Veterans there still have access to VA health care, the VA says, but the case is why FMP is under closer watch.

Walk away from any clinic, agent or "helper" that:

  • bills for visits, tests or medicine you didn't get
  • asks for your VA.gov, ID.me or Login.gov password
  • offers cash, gifts or "free" extras for choosing them
  • asks you to sign a blank or incomplete claim form
  • charges you a fee to file your FMP claims

Report suspected fraud to the VA Office of Inspector General hotline.

What ColombiaMedical does, and doesn't do

We connect veterans with clinics in Colombia. We don't file VA claims, we don't charge veterans, and we can't promise any claim will be paid.

For free help with claims, use a VA-accredited representative or Veterans Service Organization.

Paperwork checklist for every claim

The bill, proof of payment, records and cover sheet come straight from the VA's claim instructions; the rest are habits that save headaches. Print it and keep it in your folder.

  • Your FMP benefits letter
  • Your passport or ID
  • An itemized bill from the provider
  • Proof that you paid
  • Hospital stays: discharge summary
  • Surgery: operation report
  • Medical devices: prescription with a description and how long you'll need it
  • Prescriptions: pharmacy receipt showing the medication details
  • Claim cover sheet, VA Form 10-7959f-2
  • A copy of everything you send

Questions about FMP in Colombia

Do I need to register before I get care?

The VA recommends registering before you file claims to avoid payment delays. Registering (VA Form 10-7959f-1) also gets you a benefits letter listing the conditions FMP covers, which clinics can use to bill the VA.

Does the Foreign Medical Program cover dental work?

Only if your dental condition is itself VA-rated as service-connected, or the VA decides it makes a service-connected condition worse. Routine dental work isn't covered. Dental options for veterans.

Can my clinic in Colombia bill the VA directly?

Yes. Providers can submit claims using the details in your FMP benefits letter. If yours won't, pay the clinic and file the claim yourself.

My bills are in Spanish. Is that a problem?

No. The VA says it translates information written in other languages. Ask the clinic for English documents when they can provide them.

How does the VA pay me back?

By direct deposit if the VA has a U.S. bank account on file for you, otherwise by check. The VA converts foreign amounts to U.S. dollars using the exchange rate on the date you got care.

Is ColombiaMedical part of the VA?

No. We're an independent referral service. We don't file VA claims, we don't charge veterans, and we can't promise any claim will be paid.

Looking for a clinic in Colombia?

Tell us where you are and what kind of care you need. We'll connect you with clinics that can give you itemized bills and, where possible, English documents for your claim.

More for veterans: costs and planning a medical trip.

Registered with the Foreign Medical Program?

Please don't include your Social Security number, VA file number or medical records here.

Sources

  1. Foreign Medical Program (VA.gov)
  2. VA Form 10-7959f-1, FMP Registration (VA.gov)
  3. File a Foreign Medical Program claim (VA.gov)
  4. Foreign Medical Program claims will be paid by direct deposit (VA notice, June 2, 2025, via MyAirForceBenefits)
  5. GAO-25-107149: Actions Needed to Improve the Foreign Medical Program (Feb. 19, 2025)
  6. VA Office of Inspector General Hotline
  7. Find a VA accredited representative or VSO (VA.gov)

Last checked October 5, 2026. Rules and figures change; confirm anything that affects your money or care with the agency directly.