LVMAC Tidbit: Wilkes-Barre Holds First VA Healthcare Enrollment Fair in Allentown

Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center to Host VA Enrollment Fair in Allentown

 VA Enrollment Fair, Thursday, October 24th from 5:00-8:00 PM at the Allentown Community Based Outpatient Clinic, 3110 Hamilton Blvd. Allentown, PA 18103.

A Veteran’s eligibility for health care through the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center is based on a variety of criteria related to their service.  Although not all Veterans are eligible for VA health care, most Veterans who served on active duty with an other than dishonorable discharge are eligible to receive some level of care through the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Just as VA Healthcare eligibility criteria changes over time, so may a Veteran’s eligibility for care.  A Veteran once deemed ineligible for VA health care may become eligible if they experience changes in income level, health, or suffer a catastrophic event. (more…)

Forward Observer: Bethany Church Launches Effort to Address PTSD and Trauma

LVMAC Poster Art 2005It is in the formative stage, but the Bethany Church located in the Macungie area, will be hosting two workshops to promote a better understanding PTSD — with the intention of starting a peer-to-peer support group afterwards, if successful.  Led by Scotty Coyle, Pastor of Discipleship and also a current war, combat veteran, the approach is non-clinical, for he is not a clinical psychologist.  However, he is an experienced counselor who has studied PTSD treatments.

It is unfortunate that some veterans (more…)

LVMAC Tidbit: New VA Veteran and Caregiver “Combined” App

App combines telehealth tools for faster service

By now everyone should know that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is in love with telehealth; moreover, telehealth apps.  One end result is a multiplicity of them.  On 13 August, the VA announced it had recently launched a new mobile application to save veterans and caregivers time online. It claims the VA Launchpad for Veterans simplifies and organizes several existing tools and resources at one convenient location — to help manage health care needs. (more…)

Forward Observer: How Good is the VA Healthcare System?

LVMAC Poster Art 2005These days many people are attacking the VA for its quality of care, especially those seeking to privatize the system entirely, as opposed to those wanting to improve staffing and access to care (which involves contracting out also).  Most healthcare systems in our vicinity would be found as wanting if held to the same level of scrutiny.  In many instances the problems are furthered by the competition for resources in short supply (e.g. medical professionals) versus the sharing of them — which is typical of other businesses.  Yet, not infrequently the quality of care provided by the VA (socialized medicine, incidentally) is superior; and the reportage on that quality (transparency) is currently unrivaled, frankly. (more…)

LVMAC Tidbit: An Often Overlooked Benefit — VA Eyecare

It is often forgotten — despite eye care being, amazingly, the Veteran Health Administration’s third busiest program — that if you are enrolled in VA healthcare, you are eligible for diagnostic, preventive and therapeutic eye care services, regardless of your priority group.  You may also be eligible to receive eyeglasses and medically necessary contact lenses, if the ophthalmologist/ optometrist determines the need. (more…)

LVMAC Tidbit: TRICARE Open Season Extended

Verbatim from the TRICARE.mil website

Missed TRICARE Open Season?  There’s Still Time to Act!

12/11/2018

If you missed TRICARE Open Season, you still have time to enroll. For this year only, you can enroll in or change your TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Select plan through Dec. 31, 2018 for coverage starting on Jan. 1, 2019. You may also change your type of enrollment, like switching from individual to family coverage. (more…)