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…)
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…)
As the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) enters the twenty-first century of healthcare, it is getting smarter in its uses of the electronic databases of other federal agencies to the benefit of our veterans and their own work processes.
Effective March 2014, almost all veterans enrolled in the healthcare system are no longer required to file an annual VA Form 10-10EZR, a change in policy which affects many veterans in the system. Instead, the VA will automatically match income information obtained from the Internal Revenue Service and Social Security Administration. The new “means test” policy is more customer-centric and ensures healthcare eligibility is kept up to date. (more…)
On 19 March 2014, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced that veterans and active-duty military personnel with service-connected Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, are now presumed medically eligible for the VA’s Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) grants, which help pay for the costs for building, Read more…
VA Announces Rollout of Secure Veteran Health Identification Cards
On 20 February, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) ay announced a phased rollout of its newly designed and more secure veteran identity card in response to their present identity card calamity. The VA has responded more quickly than it originally anticipated.
In addition to being more secure, the card has been redesignated as the Veterans Health Identification Card (VHIC) – replacing the Veteran Identification Card (VIC) introduced in 2004.
Walk-in Service to TRICARE Service Centers within the United States is ending 1 April, this year. TRICARE service centers overseas are not affected. Joint Base Dix-Maguire-Lakehurst’s service center is among the 189 facilities affected. (more…)
Healthcare Providers Seek to Identify Veterans to Improve Their CareLEHIGH VALLEY, PA; November 6, 2013 – An alliance of every hospital in the Lehigh Valley, created by the Lehigh Valley Military Affairs Council (LVMAC) in 2011, is announcing an initiative to identify veterans during the hospital registration process. Much in the same way patients are asked if they feel safe in their home, all adult patients soon will be asked whether they are a veteran. Completion is targeted for 31 March 2014. (more…)
On 20 June 2013 at Northampton Community College (NCC) in Bethlehem, the Lehigh Valley Military Affairs Council (LVMAC) hosted the second annual Executive Steering Committee Conference on the subject of local military veteran healthcare. All the hospital networks in the Lehigh Valley were represented, including the Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center, the local supporting Veterans Health Administration (VHA) network. (more…)
In an August 14, 2013 News Release, TRICARE announced that its TRICARE For Life (TFL) beneficiaries may incur higher costs for treatment when using a VA healthcare facility effective October 1 – if the condition for which they are being treated is not related to their service-connected disability.
It states that after October 1, 2013, “as part of the intake process at VA facilities … TFL beneficiaries will be asked if they’re using their VA or TFL benefit or if they have other health insurance (OHI). When electing to use their TFL benefit at the VA, they will also be informed they must pay the remained bill after TRICARE pays its portion of the TRICARE-allowable charge. They may be asked to sign a form indicating they understand their responsibility.” (more…)
Wilkes-Barre VA Offers Evening and Weekend Appointments in Primary and Mental Health Care
We have been informed the Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center recently announced that it and one of its satellite facilities, the Allentown Outpatient Clinic, are offering extended appointment hours to better serve their veterans. This has been confirmed. (more…)