Query the VA Lighthouse Community Care Eligibility API to determine whether a veteran qualifies for care outside the VA system

Verified steps

1. Obtain production credentials for the Community Care Eligibility API at developer.va.gov; the API uses the Client Credentials Grant (CCG) OAuth flow — generate a signed JWT assertion using your RSA private key to exchange for a bearer token at the VA token endpoint.
2. Call GET /services/community-care/v0/eligibility/search?patient={veteranICN}&serviceType={serviceType} using the veteran's ICN and the relevant service type (e.g., primaryCare, mentalHealthCare, audiology, homepathHospitalCare).
3. Parse the eligibilityCode in the response: 'Y' indicates the veteran is eligible for community care for that service type; 'N' indicates ineligibility; the response also includes eligibilityDescription with the reason.
4. Common eligibility criteria checked by the API include MISSION Act drive-time standards, wait-time standards, and service unavailability at the nearest VA facility — the API resolves these rules against VA scheduling data.
5. If eligible, obtain the list of VA-approved community care providers from the VA Provider Locator (separate from the Facilities API) or direct the veteran to the VA Community Care website for referral.
6. Log eligibility checks with the veteran ICN, service type, result, and timestamp; eligibility can change as VA facility capacity changes.