News Blog

Forward Observer — Out of Bad Comes Good In A Strange Way

New Heptatitis-C Drugs Now Available to All Veterans Who Need It

LVMAC Poster Art 2005In a past articles we have written about the current abortion of a program known as Veterans Choice  which Congress itself helped to create in trying to make the VA’s healthcare system more responsive to veterans living in the current era  (In the coming year we should expect to see major improvement.)   Ironically, an immediate good has resulted from this failure because funds were transferred from the program to overcome a critical budgetary crisis, partially caused by the cost of a certain breakthrough, hepatitis drug.  Furthermore, the issue of hepatitis care was not then forgotten.   This is important news to those among the estimated 200,000 veterans who heretofore have been awaiting the lifesaving medicine now available – sofosbuvir, sold as Sovaldi and Harvoni. (more…)

By LVMAC, ago

LVMAC Tidbit — Want to Learn How to Drive and Get Paid?

NCC Offers Free Tuition for Truck Driver Training

NCC LogoAccording to a 4 March 2016 posting by Northampton Community College (NCC), a grant from the United States Department of Transportation has enabled the college to offer free commercial truck driver training to current and former members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their spouses (including current members of the National Guard and Reserves) who reside in Northampton, Monroe, Pike, Wayne, Carbon, or Lackawanna counties.   [Editor’s Note: It is unfortunate such a course offering does not exist for Lehigh County residents.] (more…)

By LVMAC, ago

Forward Observer — Getting the Right Treatment

Newly Formed Department Steps In

LVMAC Poster Art 2005Earlier this year, the relatively new Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) stepped in and righted a wrong over a matter of significance to those veterans who struggle with alcohol or drug use. Its action should not go unnoticed, for it has a deep impact on the way business has been done in the past. (more…)

By LVMAC, ago

LVMAC Tidbit — Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center Announces New One-Number, Call Center

On 17 February, in an effort to improve contact between the serviced veterans and their assigned clinical teams, Patient Aligned Care Teams (PACT), the Wilkes-Barre VAMC has announced the opening of a one-stop call center with a one-call number (1-877-928-2621) beginning 19 February 2016.   It is intended to help those using the Medical Center and their Community-Based Outpatient Centers (CBOC) — the Lehigh Valley has two of these, one in Allentown and another in the Bangor area; and it will provide veterans with a direct line of contact to schedule or cancel appointments, relay messages to their provider, request medication refills, or have their calls routed to the appropriate service. (more…)

By LVMAC, ago

Forward Observer — Important Funding Opportunity from Department of Military and Veterans Affairs

Request for Proposals Finally Issued

 LVMAC Poster Art 2005On 8 January, the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA), after unexplained foot-dragging resulting from the budgetary impasse, finally announced the availability of up to $550,000 in competitive grants.  It gives the Lehigh Valley community of nonprofits an opportunity to do more for its military veterans and their families.  The suspense for submitting a proposal is 5 February 2016, 4 p.m.

The source of the funding is through the Veterans Trust Fund, which was created to expedite or expand services to veterans and their families using an alternate source of PA DMVA VTF Logofunding.  Over the years, the gears of state government have ground far too slowly to be responsive to their needs. (more…)

By LVMAC, ago