#Middlebury #VeteransPost
It wasn’t so long ago that veterans were waiting a very long time for medical appointments. While clerks fiddled with fake appointment books and scribbled in notebooks instead of entering appointments correctly into the computer, some veterans died before being seen. In Phoenix it’s thought that 200 veterans died while waiting on care.
The wait times for appointments under 30 days is looking better, at least in most places. Little Mayfield, Ky., is over 99 percent. Enterprise Way, Ill., is at a whopping 100 percent, as are Hanson, Ky., and four locations in New York.
Some locations, however, are still struggling. Salem, Va., for instance, has 61,000 appointments scheduled, and they’re only at an 88-percent rate. Denver is sitting at 84 percent, and Las Vegas at 83 percent. Phoenix is still struggling at 90 percent. In all those places with appointments stretching out over 30 days, veterans can opt to use the Choice Program and go for civilian care.
There are steps to take, however, before you go that route. You need to get prior authorization to be sure you qualify, and mostly to ensure that the proposed facility is on the Veteran’s Choice Program network. Your best step is to actually call the facility because there were quite a few that were unhappy because they hadn’t been paid in a timely manner.
For eligibility you need to live more than 40 miles from the nearest Department of Veterans Affairs facility, or you need to take a plane or boat to get there, or you have a significant health problem, or the VA can’t give you the care you need. To determine your eligibility, go online to www.va.gov and search for Choice Program. Click the Eligibility button and answer the questions. You also can call 866-606-8198 or visit www.va.gov/opa/choiceact.
(c) 2018 King Features Synd. Inc.
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