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FMP Documents Checklist for Physical Therapy Claims

Raquel Mejía 6 min read FMP Program Info

This checklist separates proof of FMP coverage from documents needed for a physical therapy claim.

This guide uses official VA sources checked July 18, 2026. It is general information, not legal or medical advice. Verify current requirements on VA.gov or through Ask VA before filing.

If Raquel is your physical therapist

You do not have to file physical therapy claims yourself. Since 2019, she has billed the VA directly through FMP for every veteran she treats.

Share your FMP benefits letter and contact information; Raquel identifies any additional intake records. She verifies coverage through Ask VA when useful, prepares clinical records in English, submits the claim directly to VA, and handles FMP follow-up.

For covered care, you pay nothing upfront and complete no reimbursement forms. Raquel waits for VA payment while your treatment continues.

Here is that workflow:

Four numbered panels: an older man holds a document; a clinician examines another with a magnifying glass; a clipboard, arrow, and paper airplane represent sending paperwork; and the clinician works with the man's arm beside a wallet

Below are the documents behind that process—and what you need if another provider leaves filing to you.

Before treatment: confirm what FMP covers

Current VA.gov guidance says qualifying Veterans are already eligible to use FMP. It may cover medically necessary care for a VA-rated, service-connected disability; a condition VA determines is associated with and aggravates one; or qualifying care during VR&E. It no longer directs Veterans to complete a separate registration form.

VA Form 10-7959f-1 is no longer available through the current VA forms catalog or its former registration pages. Those links now redirect to general VA pages. Older VA articles and form indexes that still tell you to register are outdated.

Download your FMP benefits letter

Your FMP Benefits Authorization Letter lists the service-connected conditions VA may cover abroad. For eligible signed-in users, the current VA.gov process is:

  1. Sign in to VA.gov.
  2. Select Letters from the My VA menu.
  3. Open Benefit letters and documents to review, download, or print your FMP letter.

VA completed the public rollout of this downloadable letter on April 8, 2026. VA has not published a separate notice naming that date as the formal end of registration, so use the current FMP overview as your guide.

If you cannot access the letter or your covered conditions look wrong, contact Ask VA before relying on it.

For physical therapy: no referral or preauthorization

Current VA guidance lists physical therapy as covered when it is medically necessary for an eligible condition. You may choose any licensed health care provider abroad. You do not need a referral, an approved provider, or prior authorization.

Current claim instructions do not list a physician’s treatment plan, physician supervision, or a separate physical therapist plan as required attachments. Those requirements appeared in an older FMP handbook that VA no longer publishes at its former URL.

Keep your diagnosis, plan of care, progress notes, and other clinical records anyway. VA may request more information or clinically review a physical therapy claim. A separate exception applies when VR&E participants receive care for a non-service-connected condition. Their case-manager referral must include the treatment plan, VR&E enrollment dates, and case-manager signature.

What a complete FMP claim includes

1. File online or use the claim cover sheet

You can file an FMP claim online. For email, mail, or fax submissions, complete and sign VA Form 10-7959f-2, the FMP Claim Cover Sheet.

2. Attach an itemized billing statement

Check that the provider’s statement includes:

  • Full name and medical title
  • Office address and telephone number
  • Billing address, if different
  • Diagnosis or condition treated
  • Description of each service or medication
  • Charge and date for each item

3. Attach proof of payment when you seek reimbursement

If you paid the provider, attach a receipt or statement marked paid. If the provider files the claim and asks VA to pay them directly, you do not need proof that you paid.

4. Add other insurance paperwork when applicable

If another health insurer processed the claim, attach its Explanation of Benefits (EOB) and the itemized bill. Dates and charges should match.

5. Add care-specific documents when needed

  • Hospital care: discharge summary and operation report, if you had surgery
  • Medical equipment or supplies: prescription with a description, related condition, and expected length of use
  • Prescription medicines: prescription and detailed paid pharmacy receipt
  • COVID-19 vaccine: manufacturer name on the itemized statement or receipt

Language, deadlines, and copies

VA accepts documents in languages other than English and provides translation. English documents may move faster because translation adds processing time. Every document must be legible.

VA must receive the claim within 2 years of the date of service, or the hospital discharge date for inpatient care. An appeal or reconsideration request must be filed within 1 year of the original decision. Keep a complete copy of every submission.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Trying to use VA Form 10-7959f-1. Current VA pages no longer provide it or require separate registration.
  • Following old PT handbook requirements as current rules. Current VA guidance says no referral or preauthorization is required.
  • Submitting a total bill without the diagnosis, individual services, dates, and charges. VA requires itemization.
  • Forgetting proof of payment when you want reimbursement. A paid receipt or statement supports payment to you.
  • Claiming care unrelated to a covered service-connected condition. FMP generally covers only medically necessary care tied to an eligible condition.

When to get help

Use Ask VA to clarify coverage or request a treatment predetermination screening. It may provide reasonable assurance that properly documented care will be covered, but it is not preauthorization or a payment guarantee.

VA’s current provider claims page still says FMP will move to a new claims system in July 2026 and describes a future foreign tax identification number requirement. As of July 18, VA had not published a completion notice there. Check that page before assuming the change or FTIN requirement is active.

Sources