Va Health Care Benefits To Become Completely Portable Throughout The Entire Va Health Care System

[Tbird]

Benefits on the Go

VA enrollment also allows health care benefits to become completely portable throughout the entire VA health care system. Enrolled Veterans who are traveling or who spend time away from their primary treatment facility may obtain care at any VA health care facility across the country without the worry of having to reapply. Veterans with a service-connected condition may receive treatment for that condition even in a foreign country (see Foreign Medical Program)

http://www4.va.gov/healtheligibility/library/pubs/healthcareoverview/

[Commander Bob]

Found it... Thanks for the info

http://www4.va.gov/healtheligibility/library/pubs/healthcareoverview/#Foreign

[Tbird]

Great.

Found it... Thanks for the info

http://www4.va.gov/h...erview/#Foreign

[Notorious Kelly]

That's cool.

My experience: My home VA is Portland, Oregon.

Being on the road full time and not knowing where I'm going to be in a week makes it tough to get meds mailed.

I went to Helena ER and they would only give me 2 weeks of meds because I am not enrolled there.

I needed a Montana mailing address in order to get enrolled, so I paid for a P.O. Box in Butte.

Had to drive back up to Helena (Ft Richardson) for intake because Butte clinic is already overloaded.

THEN I was able to get 90 Lisinopril tablets.

I needed new eyeglasses and Portland VA is 5 weeks out on appointments. When you are seen they mail the glasses in a couple weeks or so.

Since I was only in Portland for a day I went to Lenscrafters and paid out of pocket for glasses.

My orthopedic shoes are very worn out.

Procedure is call PCP, they contact Prosthetics who sends a P.O. to the company you've chosen to get shoes from.

The shoe company sets an appointment, then you go in and are evaluated. They order shoes and contact you when the shoes have arrived.

You make another appointment to go in and get shoes.

I'm happy to be traveling but the system of mailing and multiple appointments doesn't really work for me.

Done with the whine- now for some cheese!

[Wings]

Done with the whine- now for some cheese!

Kelly, I HEAR YOU, and you can whine all you want and I won't mind! VA programs always look great in theory --but in practice, not so good. I can barely get scheduled appt's at home, much less on the road!! Are you going to travel all year --or just for the summer? By the way, how is the Portland VAMC? I would like to visit Portland one day! ~Wings

[Notorious Kelly]

Wings- Portland VAMC is great. I've been quite satisfied with both my NP and other care there.

I haven't found relief from their pain meds but I know that's another issue.

I've written numerous appreciation letters for people there.

The ER is an overloaded day clinic but that's the case a lot of places.

Parking garage gets very full at times but they're trying to ease that with more community clinics.

I've been traveling full-time since November. You can read about it under Kovert Kamper at My MySpace

Oh - and Welcome back, Wings!

[cowgirl]

Portability sounds nice. Ok maybe a concept in computer access to our files after the vet grants permission to the 'other' med center 'in-use'? Or enrolls in care at that clinic for care? Ok, I've had trials, tribulation and delays to get needed medical care at 'away' from home VA centers. Such an experience. Hoping for improvement for us veterans and families. (p.s. I won't take my kiddos into a VA med center).

Cg

Benefits on the Go

VA enrollment also allows health care benefits to become completely portable throughout the entire VA health care system. Enrolled Veterans who are traveling or who spend time away from their primary treatment facility may obtain care at any VA health care facility across the country without the worry of having to reapply. Veterans with a service-connected condition may receive treatment for that condition even in a foreign country (see Foreign Medical Program)

http://www4.va.gov/h...thcareoverview/