‘We want to connect with Veterans before they know they need us’

VA has announced the launch of Concierge for Care, a health care enrollment initiative that connects with former service members shortly after they separate from the service.

“Our goal is to give transitioning service members one less thing to worry about,” said VA Secretary Dr. David J. Shulkin. “We know that more than a third of Veterans who haven’t yet visited our facilities indicated they are not aware of VA health care benefits, while a quarter reported they do not know how to apply.”

As part of Concierge for Care, VA staff members are personally contacting recently separated service members to answer questions, process their health-care enrollment applications over the phone and help schedule eligible Veterans’ first VA medical appointment, if needed.

Each week, VA receives a list of separating service members from the Department of Defense. The goal is to make contact with them within a month of discharge.

Certain Veterans who served in a theater of combat operations are eligible to enroll and receive cost-free health care for medical conditions related to their military service during the five-year period after discharge.

Information about VA health care and the application process can be found at https://www.vets.gov/health-care/apply/.

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3 Comments

  1. Doug Snyder February 27, 2018 at 17:39

    VA medical center homeless veterans program coordinator is who you should contact for that apparently. So I was told anyway. Might be worth a try.

  2. Patrick Lavin February 23, 2018 at 13:55

    I work as a VFW Post Service Officer, and a veterans court mentor. I have actively been working with veterans for many years. The veterans that are currently incarcerated in Pennsylvania’s corrections system are the most difficult to determine numbers and a way to make connections. I am wondering if it would be difficult to get emailed a list of newly released veterans who will be returning to Reading, Pennsylvania.

  3. Dale Derr February 22, 2018 at 16:12

    Well done. I’ve been striving to provide this very service from my County VA Office for eight years, but I’m not privileged to have the contact information for all new veterans. Please, please ensure that the veterans you contact do check in with their county government office that provides services to veterans and families.

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