Posted on Mar 17, 2016
Combat vets can apply for VA health care by phone
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Combat veterans waiting for the Veterans Affairs Department to approve their applications for VA health care can now call VA to complete the process.
VA officials announced Wednesday the department is allowing veterans to apply for VA health benefits by phone instead of being required to fill out a paper application.
The move stems from a review last year of the VA Health Eligibility Center applications process, which found the applications of 31,000 combat veterans — mostly Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who automatically qualified for five years of health care — were languishing in a backlog of more than 800,000 names.
Although the former troops automatically qualified for VA health benefits for up to five years after leaving military service, the VA was unable to automatically enroll them, so they were required to complete enrollment forms.
But during the application approval process, the VA’s healthy eligibility computer system determined that the forms lacked details, like personal income information, that is required of normal applicants but not of combat veterans, so the applications were never approved.
Providing a phone option is "the right thing to do for veterans," VA Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson said in a release.
“Enrolling all 31,000 combat veterans with pending applications is the top priority in our effort to fix our enrollment system. Our analysis of our current application process convinced me we could enroll veterans more quickly using this method,” Gibson said.
VA officials said earlier this month they have tried to contact all combat veterans in the health eligibility backlog and have enrolled 5,500.
Combat veterans maintain their automatic eligibility for five years from their EAS. Some veterans, however, have been in the system for nearly two years, reducing to three years their opportunity to be seen at the VA for all their health care needs.
VA acting director for member services Matthew Eitutis said VA is working to enroll all eligible veterans on the pending list and will then determine what the department can do to compensate veterans for health care costs they may have incurred while waiting for approval for VA care.
“We believe we owe them something and we aren't sure what exactly that relief may look like," Eitutis said.
According to a VA release, combat veterans have until July 5 to complete their applications by phone, [login to see] .
MAJ Ken Landgren SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" SSgt Obom Bowen CPT (Join to see) LTC Stephen F. SSG Warren Swan PO2 Ed C. SGM David W. Carr LOM, DMSM MP SGT SSgt (Join to see) CPT L SSP5 Michael Rathbun CW5 (Join to see) CW5 Charlie Poulton SMSgt Minister Gerald A. Thomas SGM Mikel Dawson CSM Charles Hayden SGT Benjamin Lindsey SPC Andrew Griffin d SN Greg Wright TSgt Hunter Logan
VA officials announced Wednesday the department is allowing veterans to apply for VA health benefits by phone instead of being required to fill out a paper application.
The move stems from a review last year of the VA Health Eligibility Center applications process, which found the applications of 31,000 combat veterans — mostly Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who automatically qualified for five years of health care — were languishing in a backlog of more than 800,000 names.
Although the former troops automatically qualified for VA health benefits for up to five years after leaving military service, the VA was unable to automatically enroll them, so they were required to complete enrollment forms.
But during the application approval process, the VA’s healthy eligibility computer system determined that the forms lacked details, like personal income information, that is required of normal applicants but not of combat veterans, so the applications were never approved.
Providing a phone option is "the right thing to do for veterans," VA Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson said in a release.
“Enrolling all 31,000 combat veterans with pending applications is the top priority in our effort to fix our enrollment system. Our analysis of our current application process convinced me we could enroll veterans more quickly using this method,” Gibson said.
VA officials said earlier this month they have tried to contact all combat veterans in the health eligibility backlog and have enrolled 5,500.
Combat veterans maintain their automatic eligibility for five years from their EAS. Some veterans, however, have been in the system for nearly two years, reducing to three years their opportunity to be seen at the VA for all their health care needs.
VA acting director for member services Matthew Eitutis said VA is working to enroll all eligible veterans on the pending list and will then determine what the department can do to compensate veterans for health care costs they may have incurred while waiting for approval for VA care.
“We believe we owe them something and we aren't sure what exactly that relief may look like," Eitutis said.
According to a VA release, combat veterans have until July 5 to complete their applications by phone, [login to see] .
MAJ Ken Landgren SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" SSgt Obom Bowen CPT (Join to see) LTC Stephen F. SSG Warren Swan PO2 Ed C. SGM David W. Carr LOM, DMSM MP SGT SSgt (Join to see) CPT L SSP5 Michael Rathbun CW5 (Join to see) CW5 Charlie Poulton SMSgt Minister Gerald A. Thomas SGM Mikel Dawson CSM Charles Hayden SGT Benjamin Lindsey SPC Andrew Griffin d SN Greg Wright TSgt Hunter Logan
Combat vets can apply for VA health care by phone
Posted from armytimes.comPosted in these groups: 
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
Disabled Veterans
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Disabled Veterans
Posted 8 y ago
Responses: 2
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That is interesting SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL. I hope that if veterans take advantage of this offer to initiate a claim by phone the clock for completion will not begin until the documentation is submitted with a written application. Once DoD and VA have transparency in terms of access by VA to DoD and Military Service medical records this phone application would be a helpful process. I doubt that DoD and VA will be able to hammer out the security and sharing protocols required for that to be accomplished this decade.
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SGT Stacy Moody
Sir, the by phone application they are speaking of is for healthcare, not to be confused with the initiation of a disability claim. To initiate a claim Veterans can use EBenefits or contact their county VSO (Veterans Service Officer). Just wanted to clear that up to help so no confusion :) Thank you for letting me comment on your comment ha!
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LTC Stephen F.
SGT Stacy Moody - I used VFW to apply to the VBA for disability back in 2008. Phone applications for healthcare appointments has been around for a long time in the VA Medical Center system. Until you are certified as service-connected disabled by the VA the VA will not approve treatment for you.
The issue specifically addressed in this legislation is "a review last year of the VA Health Eligibility Center applications process, which found the applications of 31,000 combat veterans — mostly Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who automatically qualified for five years of health care — were languishing in a backlog of more than 800,000 names"
The VBA is under the gun to reduce the backlog and are using this telephone process to hopefully fast track many of the less complicated claims for VA disability certification.
The issue specifically addressed in this legislation is "a review last year of the VA Health Eligibility Center applications process, which found the applications of 31,000 combat veterans — mostly Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who automatically qualified for five years of health care — were languishing in a backlog of more than 800,000 names"
The VBA is under the gun to reduce the backlog and are using this telephone process to hopefully fast track many of the less complicated claims for VA disability certification.
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SFC Daniel Faires
I love how everyone thinks this is new LTC Ford I'm glad you chimed in..
Anything you do with the VA has to be in writing, if it isn't you will always be starting over.
Good luck if you don't believe me
Anything you do with the VA has to be in writing, if it isn't you will always be starting over.
Good luck if you don't believe me
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I see that the phone in method will help with enrolling for health care, but then comes the question, and it has been done, of the Soldier that they can't seem to find in their system. Then the phone call becomes more of a "You will need to send, fax or bring in documents a, b, and c. Will it happen, I would hope not, but being the pessimist that I am, I see it happening. Hope to be proven wrong on this one.
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