Departments of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the US

VA News Briefs 1-12-09

Posted at 01:11 PM on Monday, January 12, 2009 by VFW News

VA To Offer Health Care to Previously Ineligible Veterans

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced [Thursday] plans to re-open enrollment in its health care system by July 2009 to about 265,000 veterans whose incomes exceed current limits. 

"We're pleased to be able to offer what has been called 'the best care anywhere' to many more new veterans," said Dr. James B. Peake, Secretary of Veterans Affairs.  "We'll be able to provide these newly enrolled veterans with the kind of timely, high quality health care veterans who already use our system are accustomed to."

The change affects veterans whose incomes exceed the current VA means test and geographic means test income thresholds by 10 percent or less.  Congress provided funds in VA's fiscal year 2009 budget to support the new enrollment.

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VA Announces $22 Million for Rural Veterans

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has provided $21.7 million to its regional health care systems to improve services specifically designed for veterans in rural areas.

"This special allocation is the latest down payment on VA's commitment to meet the needs of veterans living in rural areas," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James B. Peake. "VA will take to our rural veterans the health care services they have earned."

Within the last year, VA has launched a major rural health initiative.  The Department has already created a 13-member committee to advise the VA secretary on issues affecting rural veterans, opened three rural health resource centers to better understand rural health issues, rolled out four new mobile health clinics to serve 24 predominately rural counties, announced the opening of 10 new rural outreach clinics in 2009 and launched a fleet of 50 new mobile counseling centers.

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