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.
This phased implementation accelerates VA’s effort to enroll all combat Veterans with pending applications as part of its ongoing Veterans Enrollment Rework Project. The VA is working to complete the review and rework of all pending health enrollment records for living and deceased Veterans this summer. Veterans can view the amended regulation on the Federal Register website here.
“This improvement to our Veterans’ experience is one we can implement now, and it’s the right thing to do for Veterans,” said VA deputy secretary Sloan D. Gibson, “Enrolling all 31,000 combat Veterans with pending applications is the top priority in our effort to fix our enrollment system. Our analysis of our current application process convinced me we could enroll Veterans more quickly using this method, particularly combat Veterans and those who are transitioning from active duty to Veteran status,” Gibson said.
By adding this telephone application option to VA’s regulations, VA will now offer three ways to enroll. This change provides Veterans an even more convenient way to apply for enrollment, in addition to the paper VA Form 10-10 EZ and online enrollment application process. With publication in the Federal Register today, Combat Veterans may now apply by phone. All other Veterans may apply by phone starting on July 5, 2016.
When Veterans choose to enroll, VA offers an enhancement to their enrollment experience through “Welcome to VA” (W2VA). Veterans enrolled since July 1, 2015, have received a personal introduction to VA health care services, programs and resources to help them become more familiar with VA’s services. In addition, VA sends each new enrollee an introductory letter and personalized handbook in the mail. W2VA enhances communication by reaching out to newly enrolled Veterans through personal phone calls upon enrollment, providing assistance with health care inquiries and assisting with their initial appointment at their preferred VA healthcare facility.
For more information, Veterans can contact the Health Eligibility Center Enrollment and Eligibility Division toll free at 1-855-488-8440.
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I’m a disabled veteran who served in USAF as a Police Officer and was Honorably discharged in 1980. My problems began in the military my first TI was very old thinking if a woman didn’t look like Helga the Hun (seriously) she should be Not be in the military! He asked me to leave every day in front of our squad before we did anything else.
Myself and another were injured in an exercise he went infirmary at the time I was required to finish the day (foot was broken) I was carried to the infirmary. After everything they said they would “let me out” and I could pay to fix my foot then they would ” let me back in” right where I was in my training. I said you broke it you fix it! They said AFTER I was duty stationed so I finished training still broken, then had them fix it! They didn’t fix it very well there were still some bone fragments left inside.
I am finally listed as unemployable 2014/15 & paid at the 100 0/0 rate they keep my rating at 80 0/0 so I can’t get further benefits: base ID, dental etc the VA misuses the money it’s given on fancy buildings & so very much paperwork, when most of the world has gone paperless personally I can’t even get them to use smaller medicine bottles when my pills would fit in one 1/4 the size & stop sending me repeat info on my meds I’ve been taking forever. Okay that’s enough….KS McLerran
I am a Disabled Vietnam Veteran a Marine Rated 100% disabled by VA and yesterday I got a notice From the Veterans Administration regarding another Benefit cut,I an d many other Veterans live in the Philippines,we did our part protecting our Nation Having to do and see things no man should ever have to see,we did this out of Honor and an iron clad sense of duty to our nation so we should be able to live where we want to,But you cut out travel pay and I have to travel by Air 800 miles round trip,pay for my own Hotel,Food and Taxi rides out of my own Pocket with NO increase in my Monthly disability Payment,WHY?
Now in our reclining years YOU the Congress cut our benefits each year taking something away from us that YOU PROMISED when we fought your War,we kept our word and did what was asked of us,why can’t you?
You allocate Billions to other Countries who hate us behind our Backs and you have given Billions to refugees who have done nothing plus all those who cheat the Welfare programs in the US and the big money tax cheats but instead of keeping your PROMISE to us the Veterans You take away from us every year,WHY?
It only costs yearly the same amount as you spend on a new Suit to take care of a Veteran,but the suit is more important to you than we are and you wonder why people are so fed up with our current public officials,when I was growing up my Dad said,”Always keep your word,your word is your bond and once you break it you can never get it back”You seem to have forgotten that!!!
You need to reinstate all Veterans Benefits as you promised us and keep your word!!
Pity is the Nation that has no Hero’s,but Shameful is the Nation that forgets those Hero’s
These two comments were made by people who are evidently not literate.This makes me wonder if they really have a complaint or have been hitting the bottle too much and just want to belly ache because they can’t get a job and want to blame others for their failures.
I am a agent orange victim. I am trying to get 100% disability but am having a hard time. As my body continues to deteriorate. I also heard that there was money set aside for Nam vets who are victims of agent orange but again have no idea if it’s true and or how to qualify for the money. If it is available then why don’t someone tell us. If you have any info that can help I would greatly appreciate pointing me in the right direction.
Thanks
I know how you feel the VA just found people in ratings area that were emailing each other racists remarks to each other and now they’re going to have to review all there files and of course we will have to wait longer. They always look the other way and investigate like forever if they stop paying all theses idiots and pass it to the vets that need it we would have less problems I think .
it’s been my finding the VA sucks 95% of the time and you have to hunt hard to find the 5% and they knowing lie deceive veterans and mistreat them and if they were a regular hospital would spend more time in court on mal practice cases than at the VA 39 veterans in florida died from direct VA lack of care or delaying care last year 2015 yet the media just washed it over! If they are do not know they are wrong why at most VA 2 police forces? The sad things is most VA employee are veterans standing by seeing there brothers and sister screwed over! The VA has screwed me on health care benefits taking 350.00 dollars a month out of my pay when I have a FDOVA service officers letter stating I he filled a devoice form out for me in 1999 and why wait until 2014 to lie and say I didn’t file this form! My teeth are rotting out! The removed forms from my VA file I was 100% total and perment now I am just 100%! LIEING MOTHER FUCKING BASTARDS! Benjamin H Willis 386 249 4610