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Veterans Affairs News
VA Scam Report - - Scam - Patient Care Group - Scam
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has received many reports that veterans are being contacted by "Patient Care Group" claiming they are helping administer VA prescriptions. Callers are telling unsuspecting vets that the VA’s pharmacy billing procedures have changed and they are therefore requesting veteran credit card numbers for prescription payments in advance of filling their prescriptions. This is false. VA does not call veterans asking to disclose personal financial information over the phone and the VA has not changed its processes for dispensing prescription medicines.
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In other news:
A special web site has been created to allow viewing of the Vietnam War deceased by state. First click on a state, then when it opens click on a name. It will then it should show you a picture of the person or at least his bio and medals. http://www.virtualwall.org/iStates.htm
All active and former members of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, as well as DoD civilians, who have sold a primary residence for a loss or are considering selling their home are encouraged to visit the HAP website in order to check specific program criteria, and if eligible, apply online.
Presumptive Service Connection for Disease Associated With Exposure to Certain Herbicide Agents: AL Amyloidosis
From the Federal Register: May 7, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 87 This starts at the bottom right corner of page 21258.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will spend more than $1.4 billion as part of President Obama's economic recovery plan to improve services to America's Veterans. VA's Internet site -- www.va.gov/recovery -- provides current information about VA's work to deliver its portion of Recovery Act funds into the economy to benefit Veterans.
Veterans, a settelment has been reached with the US Dept of Veterans Affairs regarding the theft of a VA computer. Please inform any Veteran you know to check it out at www.VeteransClass.com
Changes to the Priority Group 8 Enrollment Restriction
In 2003, VA made the difficult decision to stop enrolling new Priority Group 8 (high income) Veterans in order to assure all Veterans are provided timely and quality medical care. New regulations have been proposed that would allow certain Priority Group 8 Veterans to be enrolled in the VA health care system if their household income does not exceed the current VA income thresholds (means test threshold and/or geographical means test threshold) by more than 10%. We anticipate the new regulations to take effect in June 2009.
Denied Enrollment On or After January 1, 2009
If you have applied for enrollment on or after January 1, 2009 and you were denied enrollment because your income exceeded the VA income threshold, VA will determine if you are eligible under this new rule, once the new regulations take effect. You will not need to submit another application for enrollment. If you are eligible under this new rule, we will notify you by mail. You will receive a letter from the VA Health Eligibility Center notifying you of your eligibility for enrollment and welcoming you to the VA health care system. Included with the letter will be instructions for getting care and how to obtain a Veterans Identification Card.
Denied Enrollment Before January 1, 2009
If you applied for enrollment before January 1, 2009, and were denied enrollment because your income was too high, VA encourages you to take advantage of this enrollment calculator to assist you in determining if you are now eligible for enrollment under this new regulation. Whatever your enrollment determination, VA encourages all Veterans to apply for enrollment as this will help us in our future planning and budget efforts as well as allow us to be in a better position to identify necessary funding levels to Congress.
Determine if You May Be Eligible
To determine if you may be eligible under this new regulation, we have developed this enrollment calculator which will help you in determining if your income falls within the new 10% income threshold guidelines. Once you have entered all required information below, this calculator will determine if you may be eligible for enrollment under the new rule.
The proposed changes (defined in Public Law 110-329) provide VA additional funding to allow expanded enrollment opportunity for certain Priority 8 veterans who may have been previously denied enrollment in VA’s health care system because their income exceeded VA’s means tests thresholds.
On the effective date of the regulation, a veteran who applies for enrollment, who does not qualify for a higher priority group and whose income exceeds VA’s means test thresholds by 10% or less will be placed in a priority group that allows the veteran to be enrolled in VA’s health care system.
Other References:
- Enrollment Calculator
- VA to Offer Health Care to Previously Ineligible Veterans Press Release
- Relaxation of Priority Group 8 Enrollment Restrictions Fact Sheet
- Relaxation of Priority Group 8 Enrollment Restrictions Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- 10% Increase to Financial Income Thresholds for Enrollment in Priority Group 8
- 10% Increase to VA Geographic Means Test Income Thresholds for Enrollment in Priority Group 8
The link and other resources are available at... http://www.va.gov/healtheligibility/eligibility/PG8Relaxation.asp