Section 17.1003 - Emergency transportationNotwithstanding the provisions of § 17.1002 , payment or reimbursement under 38 U.S.C. 1725 for ambulance services, including air ambulance services, may be made for transporting a veteran to a facility only if the following conditions are met:
(a) Payment or reimbursement is authorized under 38 U.S.C. 1725 for emergency treatment provided at a non-VA facility, or payment or reimbursement would have been authorized under 38 U.S.C. 1725 for emergency treatment had: (1) The veteran's personal liability for the emergency treatment not been fully extinguished by payment by a third party, including under a health-plan contract, or by VA; or(2) Death had not occurred before emergency treatment could be provided;(b) The veteran is financially liable to the provider of the emergency transportation;(c) The veteran does not have coverage under a health-plan contract that would fully extinguish the medical liability for the emergency transportation (this condition is not met if the veteran has coverage under a health-plan contract but payment is barred because of a failure by the veteran or the provider to comply with the provisions of that health-plan contract);(d) If the condition for which the emergency transportation was furnished was caused by an accident or work-related injury, the claimant has exhausted without success all claims and remedies reasonably available to the veteran or provider against a third party for payment of such transportation; and the veteran has no contractual or legal recourse against a third party that could reasonably be pursued for the purpose of fully extinguishing the veteran's liability to the provider; and(e) If the veteran is not eligible for reimbursement for any emergency treatment expenses under 38 U.S.C. 1728 .66 FR 36470, July 12, 2001, as amended at 83 FR 979, Jan. 9, 2018; 88 FR 10841, Feb. 22, 2023 Authority: 38 U.S.C. 1725