Just announced on 17 March 2015 and effective as of 2015, the VA has eliminated the use of net worth as a determining factor for both health care programs and copayment responsibilities. The intention is to make the program more accessible to low-income veterans. The VA estimates this may affect only 190,000 Veterans over a five year period, but VA estimates can be wrong. (more…)
VA Announces Single Regional Framework under MyVA Initiative
Internal Organizations to Realign Their Existing Structures
As a result of last year’s scandals, Washington Headquarters announced on 26 January that is taking the first steps under the MyVA initiative to realign its many organizational maps into one map with five regions utilizing state boundaries to better serve military veterans. We will be part of Region 1 (the New England, Mid-Atlantic, and a couple of South Atlantic states). (more…)
While little mention of it has occurred locally, it is important for some veterans to know, as of 1 December 2014, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), under the authority from the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 (aka VACAA or Public Law 113-146; and the same authority which introduced Veterans Choice Cards) has expanded eligibility for military veterans, male or female, in need of mental health care due to sexual assault or sexual harassment that occurred during their military service, now commonly referred to as military sexual trauma (MST). Dr. Adelman, the new Director of the Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center Network, assures us the program is fully operating in his network.
The change in policy primarily affects Reservists and National Guard members participating in weekend drills, (more…)
About September 2014, the Allentown Outpatient Clinic began offering Home Based Primary Care (HBPC) according to Dr. Adelman, the new Director of the Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center. He announced it during an 18 December meeting of the Veterans Advisory Group at the clinic.
The mission of HBPC is to provide comprehensive, interdisciplinary primary care in the homes of veterans with complex medical conditions when routine, clinic-based care would not be effective or practicable. Consequently, the program focuses on the frail and chronically ill who require interdisciplinary care and ensures the necessary continuity and coordination of the care occurs at home as much as possible. (more…)
Are you the spouse or child of a Veteran? You may qualify for the Civilian Health and Medical Program of VA (CHAMPVA), which can reimburse you for doctor’s visits, mental health care, prescriptions, and many other services. Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center would like you to know that on Wednesday, December 17, 2014, from 7–8 p.m. Eastern, VA and Blue Star Families (a nonprofit organization not related to Blue Star Mothers) will host a Facebook chat about VA benefits for Veterans’ spouses, dependents, and survivors. Anyone with a Facebook account can take part and it is not too late to sign up. The instructions follow: (more…)
On 15 October, Thomas Applebach, the new Lehigh County Director of Veteans Affairs will speak on what he plans and is doing with his Office of Veterans Affairs, newly reassigned to the Office of Administration from the Department of Human Services for greater oversight, we have heard. See home page Read more…
Among the wounds of war are those brought home by the troops of the Vietnam War is one that has received scant attention over the years – genetic injuries to their progeny. And now, it seems, genetic injuries are being passed on to their grandchildren and great grandchildren. (more…)
Effective 1 July 2015, a little mentioned section of the Veterans Access, Choice, And Accountability Act of 2014 signed into law by the President on 7 August will have huge consequences to Pennsylvania’s public institutions of higher learning. It may well affect the well-being of about 25,000 veterans who are students and up to $300 million in state revenues from the federal government to Pennsylvania’s institutions of higher learning.
Section 702 of that law states:
… the Secretary shall disapprove a course of education provided by a public institution of higher learning (more…)
It may not be as fashionable these days to talk about transition shelters for the chronic homelessness, with all the new emphasis on Housing First models (permanent housing with at least initial case management) and preventive services, but like shoes for feet, “one size does not fit all.” There is a place for this service which wraps itself around a chronically homeless veteran and assists him/her in recovery to the point that he/she resumes a productive life – and being concerned about the continuum of care often needed afterwards. (more…)
Long awaited, the Department of Veterans Affairs recently and relatively silently launched its airborne hazards and burn pit registry on its mobile health website only (as of this writing), https://veteran.mobilehealth.va.gov/AHBurnPitRegistry/#page/home. The registry is intended to be an epidemiological research tool with examinations helping to enhance VA’s understanding of any identified long-term adverse health effects of exposure to burn pits and other airborne hazards during deployment —ultimately leading to better health care. (more…)