VA expanding care with VideoConnect

Spring is just around the corner and as you contemplate spring cleaning… think about VA.

Why?

Hall

Maybe you’re taking a look at your finances and files, as you think about taxes. Did you know that enrollment in VA health care meets the tax reporting requirement? With no annual fees, monthly premiums or deductibles, or other hidden costs – what have you got to lose by enrolling? And our medical care is rated among the best in the United States!

On the flip side — having VA health care can save you money…and lots of it.

For example, VA medications have copays ranging from $5 (preferred generic) to a maximum of $11 (name brand) for a 30-day supply, and that includes expensive, cancer-fighting drugs.

In fact, some veterans have no copay at all, depending on their eligibility category and you will not pay more than $700 per year. There are also numerous conditions that exempt veterans from medication copays, including receiving medication for service-connected conditions, being rated as 50 percent or more with a service-connected disability, being classified by VA as “catastrophically disabled,” or former Prisoners of War (POWs). Besides that – our mail-order pharmacy has been rated the best in the country by J.D. Power and Associates for seven years running!

As the nation’s largest health care system (with over 1,200 sites nationwide) if you need care while traveling, chances are there will be a VA near you. And with just a bit of effort, the VA provider you see on your trip will have access to your medical records at your home VA.

If you’re looking for a provider who is specially-trained in treating the unique health care needs of veterans, such as Agent Orange exposure, Traumatic Brain Injury, Military Sexual Trauma, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, look no further than VA. We know what to watch for in connection with your service experiences.

When it comes to convenience, VA’s online My HealtheVet program gives our veterans online access to their medical records, test results, prescription refills, appointments, and even allows them to send secure electronic messages to their health care providers. Personally, I find My HealtheVet one of the most useful benefits of having VA health care.

Speaking of technology — we are uniquely focused on providing care for rural veterans and I’m going to have a very special announcement for you, here.

To begin, we offer telehealth capabilities – that’s when you come to a VA facility and communicate with another provider via tele-technology. This is particularly useful for consulting with specialty providers who do not live in Poplar Bluff. We also offer home telehealth; which is when you have a machine at your home that helps monitor your chronic conditions. This can be used for high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, diabetes, and a host of other conditions that need close monitoring but don’t necessarily require you to make frequent trips to see a provider.

And finally — drumroll please — we are launching our VA VideoConnect program, which will enable you to “see” a VA provider using your smart phone! If you are a veteran with a busy schedule, it doesn’t get any better than that.

We are modernizing our methods, leveraging technology to benefit our veterans, and developing a whole new approach to health care. This is not your father’s VA.

Finally, there is a special limited enrollment period for service members exiting the military since November 11, 1998, if they served in a theater of combat operations. These veterans have an extended period of eligibility for five years post-discharge. And once enrolled — they are always enrolled. So, tell every veteran you know who meets this description to enroll now — don’t let them lose this unique opportunity that may save them thousands of dollars in health care later in life!

Remember — the more veterans that enroll, the more robust our services can be. Want to know more? Call us at 573-686-4151 (option 3) and let us explain why you need to be a VA veteran.

And until next time — help a vet. Enroll.

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Dr. Patricia Hall is the Medical Center Director of the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center since 2016. She is a retired Army colonel and Bronze Star recipient, who completed two tours in Afghanistan where she commanded a hospital in a combat zone.