Reasons all veterans should enroll in VA healthcare

By Larry Dandridge

According to the VA “Health Care” webpage at https://www.choose.va.gov/health, and the VA YouTube Video “Overview of VA Healthcare and How it Works,” the majority of our nation’s veterans are not taking advantage of VA healthcare.

Although more than one-quarter of all veterans (6 million) have chosen VA Healthcare, it is bewildering why more veterans do not enroll. Especially when you consider:

The VA provides health exclusively to veterans and their families.
More than 33% of the 257,000 VA employees are veterans.
VA Facilities outperform Private Health, Medicaid, and Medicare on key preventive services like Cancer Screening, Diabetes Care, and more.
The VA provides healthcare through its Medical Centers, Community-Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs), Vet Centers, Mobile Clinics, Telehealth, Secure Messaging, and Mobile applications.
The VA is a leader in medical technology/research.
The VA provides a full range of healthcare services to men and women,
The VA satisfies the Affordable Care Act (ACA) health coverage requirement Learn more at http://tinyurl.com/yc5a9cef.
Applying for VA healthcare is easy and you will receive your enrollment decision within seven days.

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is America’s largest integrated healthcare system, with more than 1,200 sites of care. The VHA is consistently ranked among the nation’s top healthcare providers. VA healthcare includes:

All enrolled veterans have access to the VA’s comprehensive medical benefits package including preventive, primary, and specialty care; prescriptions; mental health; home health; geriatrics; extended care; medical equipment; prosthetics; and more.
Most veterans qualify for cost-free healthcare, although some veterans must pay modest copays for care or prescriptions.
Women veterans can receive primary care, breast/cervical cancer screenings, prenatal care, maternity care, and other services.
Eligible veterans and their family members may visit the VA’s many Vet Centers, which provide no-cost counseling, outreach, and referral services to help the whole family adjust after deployment. Learn more at https://www.choose.va.gov/health/vet-centers.
Combat veterans who were discharged or released from active service on or after January 28, 2003, are eligible to enroll in VA healthcare for five years from their date of discharge/release, regardless of their disability claim status. Combat veterans who enroll with the VA under this enhanced Combat Veteran authority will continue to be enrolled after the enhanced eligibility period ends (enrollment priority group may change). Many Combat Veterans applying after the five-year special enrollment period ends are eligible for enrollment and are encouraged to learn more about healthcare benefits on the VA’s “Active-Duty Service Members and VA Health Care” benefits page, https://www.va.gov/health-care/eligibility/active-duty/.

It is even more bewildering to me why veterans in the coastal areas of South Carolina and Georgia do not enroll in VA Healthcare because:

The Ralph H. Johnson VA Health Care System (RHJVAHCS) is the only medical system in the Lowcountry with a dual five-star Patient Satisfaction-Quality Rating.
The RHJVAHCS is the only VA healthcare facility to secure a position on Becker’s 2023 Great Community Hospitals list.
THE RHJVA Medical Center is ranked in the top 10 percent of all public and private hospitals by the Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information System (HEDIS). HEDIS is a tool used by more than 90 percent of America’s health plans and provides the information healthcare consumers need to compare healthcare plans.
The RHJVAHCS collaborates with academic institutions, fostering training opportunities for future healthcare professionals and promoting research partnerships. The RHJVAHCS works heavily with the Medical University of South Carolina. Through collaborations like these, the Veterans Community Care program was created to make sure veterans have access to the care they need promptly.

Military service requirements for VA healthcare

Veterans must have served in the active military, naval, or air service and separated under any conditions other than dishonorable.
Most veterans who enlisted after Sept. 7, 1980, or who entered active duty after Oct. 16, 1981, must have served 24 continuous months or the full period for which they were called to active duty. This includes current and former members of the Reserve or National Guard called to active duty by federal order.

Application requirements

Social Security number, Proof of discharge papers (DD214, etc.), and any additional health insurance information, including coverage through a spouse or domestic partner;
Wage and financial information, including previous calendar-year gross income for the veteran, spouse, and dependent children; and
Medical deductions, funeral expenses, and educational expenses.

Apply for VA healthcare

Apply Online. The fastest way to get access VA healthcare benefits is to apply using your computer or mobile device. Just click on the APPLY ONLINE Button at https://www.choose.va.gov/health to apply online. That button will take you to the VA’s “Apply for VA Health Care” webpage at http://tinyurl.com/y3aurt2y. At that site you can check your eligibility, get a list of the information you need to apply, learn why the VA needs certain information, start your application, and learn what happens after you apply.

Apply By Phone. Call 1-877-222-8387 Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8 p.m. You can check your eligibility for VA Healthcare at https://www.va.gov/health-care/eligibility/.

Apply By Mail. Download from https://www.va.gov/find-forms/about-form-10-10ez/, print, fill out, and mail VA Form 10-10EZ, “Instructions and Enrollment Application for VA Health Benefits” to Health Eligibility Center, 2957 Clairmont Road, Suite 200, Atlanta, Ga. 30329.

In Person. Visit your nearest VA Medical Center or CBOC. Find VA Medical Centers and CBOCs at https://www.va.gov/find-locations/find-locations/. The RHJVAMC Eligibility/Enrollment Office is located on the first floor at 109 Bee Street, Charleston, S.C. 29401. The Med Center’s main number is 843-577-5011 and the Eligibility Office phone is 843-789-7008. The Beaufort CBOC is located in the Naval Hospital at 1 Pinckney Boulevard, Beaufort, SC 29902-6122 (phone 843-770-0444). Find the other RHJVAHCS CBOC addresses and phone numbers athttp://tinyurl.com/23arar8x.

Enrolling will also help other veterans

The VA Medical Centers get 90% of their funding based on the number of veterans enrolled and the complexity and frequency of their care needs. Enrolling does not take away from other veterans but rather it creates more funding for your VA Medical Center and System. Read The Island News article dated February 10, 2021, “More Reasons Why Vets Should Enroll in VA Healthcare,” at http://tinyurl.com/zhkbmher.

The bottom line

Read more about the RHJVAHCS at http://tinyurl.com/32nmtu2b and http://tinyurl.com/23arar8x – and please enroll in VA Healthcare.

Larry Dandridge is a Vietnam War wounded warrior, disabled veteran, ex-Enlisted Infantryman, ex-Warrant Officer Pilot, and retired Lt. Colonel. He is a past Veterans Service Officer, a Patient Adviser at the RHJ VA Hospital, the Fisher House Charleston Good Will Ambassador, and the VP for Veteran Affairs for the local Army Association Chapter. Larry is the author of the award-winning book Blades of Thunder and a contributing free-lance writer with the Island News. Contact him at LDandridge@earthlink.net or 843-276-7164.