U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Military & Veterans News
Vet News: Artists selected for nationwide women Veterans art exhibit
WASHINGTON — Ten women Veteran artists have been selected to showcase their work at Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Centers around the country in March, to coincide with Women’s History Month.
Military & Veterans News
Benefit News: VA statement about Office of Inspector General review of implementation of the Veterans Choice Program
VA appreciates the Office of Inspector General (OIG) review of VA’s implementation of the Veterans Choice Program (VCP). The OIG report reviewed the VCP from its inception, over two years ago, in November of 2014 through September of 2015. Overall, the Department concurs with the findings in the report. However, VCP is no longer the program it was when it rolled out. The Department has made significant improvements since the inception of the program. VA did not wait for the OIG report to publish before taking critical steps towards improving the program, including working with Congress to amend the law four times to increase Veterans access and satisfaction with VCP, including increasing the provider base, increasing the number of scheduled appointments, and implementing numerous process changes for both VA and our contract partners.
Military & Veterans News
Benefit News: VA and Air Force Announce Tele-Intensive Care Unit Sharing Agreement
WASHINGTON — The Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) Midwest Health Care Network and the Air Force Medical Operations Agency today announced a collaborative Tele-ICU agreement that will allow Air Force patients at five military treatment facilities to use VA’s Tele-ICU capabilities through its centralized support center in Minneapolis.Military & Veterans News
Vet News: Applications to be accepted for 2017 National Veterans Golden Age Games
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will accept applications from Veterans interested in competing in the 2017 National Veterans Golden Age Games beginning Feb. 1. Veterans ages 55 and older and enrolled in VA health care may complete applications online at www.veteransgoldenagegames.va.gov. Applications will be accepted through March 1.
Military & Veterans News
Benefit News: Veterans Crisis Line Improves Service with New Call Center Opening in Atlanta
WASHINGTON- The Department of Veteran Affairs cut the ribbon today for its new Veteran Crisis Line (VCL) satellite office in Atlanta allowing the life-saving hotline to expand capacity by nearly 600 Veterans each day essentially doubling VA’s ability to help Veterans in need.
Military & Veterans News
Benefit News: VA Study Confirms High Cure Rates With New Hepatitis C Drugs
WASHINGTON – A Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) database study shows that new drug regimens for hepatitis C have resulted in “remarkably high” cure rates among patients in VA's national health care system.
Military & Veterans News
Benefit News: VA Recommends 14 Future Sites for Fisher House Construction
WASHINGTON – The Fisher House offers unique accommodations when a family member is receiving treatment at a VA medical center or military hospital. Located near the medical center or hospital, Fisher Houses offer the comforts of home at no cost to families while treatment is underway. To enable Fisher Houses to expand their good work, Department of Veterans Affairs’ Secretary Robert A. McDonald recommended 14 VA medical centers become priority sites for future Fisher Houses.
Military & Veterans News
Benefits News: VA Schedules 2 Million Appointments Using Veterans Choice Program
WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) Veterans Choice Program (VCP) has reached a key milestone in improving access to health care for Veterans. More than two million appointments have been scheduled through the program.
Military & Veterans News
Benefits News: VA Conducts Nation’s Largest Analysis of Veteran Suicide
WASHINGTON — The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has undertaken the most comprehensive analysis of Veteran suicide rates in the U.S., examining over 55 million Veteran records from 1979 to 2014 from every state in the nation. The effort extends VA’s knowledge from the previous report issued in 2010, which examined three million Veteran records from 20 states were available. Based on the data from 2010, VA estimated the number of Veteran deaths by suicide averaged 22 per day. The current analysis indicates that in 2014, an average of 20 Veterans a day died from suicide.Military & Veterans News
Vet News: VA Announces Partnership With Non-Profit Organization, Leanin.org
WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) Center for Women Veterans today announced a partnership with LeanIn.Org, the nonprofit organization founded by Facebook Chief Operating Officer, Sheryl Sandberg, to empower women to achieve their ambitions. Building on the successful launch of LeanIn.Org circles within the Department of Defense, VA is following the same model to increase support to women Veterans.Military & Veterans News
Vet News: VA Launches Veterans Legacy Program
WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced the launch of the Veterans Legacy Program to memorialize Veterans’ service and sacrifice through public educational programming. The program uses the rich resources found throughout VA national cemeteries, Soldiers’ lots and monument sites. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert A. McDonald announced the program yesterday during a Memorial Day ceremony at Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California.
Military & Veterans News
Benefits News: VA Announces Telemental Health Clinical Resource Centers During Telemedicine Association Gathering
MINNEAPOLIS – As the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) works to improve Veterans’ access to health care, its telehealth services play an integral role in that process, said Dr. David J. Shulkin, VA’s Under Secretary for Health. Dr. Shulkin spoke today to members of the American Telemedicine Association attending the group’s 2016 conference in Minneapolis, where he also announced the establishment of five VA Mental Health Telehealth Clinical Resource Centers to provide enhanced mental health access and services to Veterans in remote locations.
Military & Veterans News
Benefits News: VA Awards Grants to Develop Technology to Help Veterans, Servicemembers Modify Their Specially Adapted Homes
WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced today the award of $783,421 in Specially Adapted Housing Assistive Technology (SAHAT) Grants to eligible individuals, researchers, and organizations to develop new technologies that would enhance Veterans and Servicemembers’ ability to live in specially adapted homes.
Military & Veterans News
Benefits News: Combat Veterans Get Telephonic Health Care Application Option
WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced today that it has amended its enrollment regulations to allow Veterans to complete applications for enrollment in VA health care by telephone without the need for a signed paper application. The change is effective immediately for Combat Veterans and will be effective July 5, 2016, for all Veterans.
Military & Veterans News
Benefits News: VA Announces Community Care Call Center to Help Veterans with Choice Program Billing Issues
WASHINGTON – Veterans can now work directly with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to resolve debt collection issues resulting from inappropriate or delayed Choice Program billing. In step with MyVA’s efforts to modernize VA’s customer-focused, Veteran-centered services capabilities, a Community Care Call Center has been set up for Veterans experiencing adverse credit reporting or debt collection resulting from inappropriately billed Choice Program claims. Veterans experiencing these problems can call 1-877-881-7618 (9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time) for assistance.
Military & Veterans News
Benefits News: VA Announces Additional Steps to Reduce Veteran Suicide
WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) today announced new steps it is taking to reduce Veteran suicide. The steps follow a February 2 Summit, “Preventing Veteran Suicide – A Call to Action,” that brought together stakeholders and thought leaders to discuss current research, approaches and best practices to address this important subject.Military & Veterans News
Vet News: VA Appoints Army Veteran and Physician as Principal Deputy Under Secretary for Health
WASHINGTON - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) today announced the appointment of Dr. Richard A. Stone to the position of Principal Deputy Under Secretary for Health. Dr. Stone will serve as the second-in-command to Dr. David Shulkin, VA’s Under Secretary for Health. Dr. Stone began work today.Military & Veterans News
Vet News: New Members Appointed to VA Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans
WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs has announced the appointment of six new members to the Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans.Military & Veterans News
Vet News: VA Plans to Propose Expanded Disability Benefits Eligibility for Veterans Exposed to Contaminated Water at Camp Lejeune
WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced today that it plans to propose expanded disability compensation eligibility for Veterans exposed to contaminated drinking water while assigned to Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune.Military & Veterans News
Vet News: Senior Veterans Showcase Benefits of Sports During National Veterans Golden Age Games
More than 800 Veterans ages 55 and older are expected to compete in the 29th National Veterans Golden Age Games, Aug. 8-12 in Omaha, Neb. The official kick-off starts at 6:30 p.m., August 8 at the Century Link Center Arena.Military & Veterans News
Vet News: VA Launches Campaign to Increase Veterans’ Economic Potential
DALLAS — Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert A. McDonald, with leaders from national and local Veterans service organizations, corporate employers and government agencies, announced the launch of the Veterans Economic Communities Initiative, an effort focused in a total of 50 U.S. cities to promote economic success for Veterans.Military & Veterans News
Vet News: May is Mental Health Awareness Month
WASHINGTON – May is Mental Health Awareness Month. To commemorate the month, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is encouraging Veterans, along with their families and friends, to visit and view recovery journey stories on the website, MakeTheConnection.net.Military & Veterans News
Vet News: Airmen Missing From WWII Accounted For
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced yesterday that the remains of U.S. servicemen, missing in action from World War II, have been accounted for and are being returned to their families for burial with full military honors.
Military & Veterans News
Vet News: Detroit VA for Vets Hiring Fair
WASHINGTON – In its ongoing efforts to provide unemployed Veterans with the education and training they need to compete for high-demand jobs, VA will seek out Veterans who may be qualified for its new Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP) at the Detroit VA for Vets Hiring Fair June 26-28.