Legislative: Providing Veteran-Specific Healthcare

Abstract

There are currently 22 million veterans living in the United States. While 8.92 million veterans are enrolled in the Veterans Administration (VA) Health Care System, nearly 60% of veterans are relying on services outside the VA system (National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics, 2014). As such, it is imperative that civilian nurses understand service eligibility and veteran-foeused care for this unique population.It is a common misconception that all veterans are eligible to receive full healthcare benefits within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). However, veterans are only eligible for health benefits if they meet specific requirements, such as certain minimum lengths of service and type of discharge as described below (Szvmendera, 2015). Due to the specificity of these requirements, as well as the complicated eligibility process for receiving care in the VHA system, less than half of veterans receive healthcare services within the VHA system (National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics. 2014). Health disparities among this population have been well documented (Montgomery, Dichter, Thomasson, Roberts. & Byrne, 2015). Additionally, with the introduction of the Veterans Choice Act in 2014, veterans increasingly are accessing civilian healthcare services (VA. 2014).Today nurses are at the forefront of the healthcare delivery system and are often the first to provide services to veterans. As nurses, we must be prepared to assist veterans in determining eligibility and understand how to help veterans navigate the VA system, so as to increase their access to care. A better understanding of this process can ensure high quality, veteran-specific patient care, and potentially decrease the health disparities within the veteran population.Determining Veteran Status and EligibilityThe VA offers a variety of benefits to veterans of the armed forces, including multiple types of financial assistance, healthcare, housing, and education (Szvmendera, 2015). To be eligible for benefits, a former service member who enlisted after September 8, 1980, must have served a minimum of twenty-four continuous months of active duty. There are no minimum service obligations prior to this date. However, health benefits for injuries incurred during active military service (service-connected disability) are exempt from this service obligation (Szvmendera. 2015). Discharge criteria require that an individual be released from military duty with either an honorable discharge or general discharge (Moulta-Ali 8i Pananoala, 2015). Although a dishonorable discharge automatically disqualifies an individual for VA benefits, other-than-honorable discharges or bad conduct discharges can be determined by special consideration (Moulta-Ali &. Pananoala. 2015).Once former service members are determined eligible for benefits, their healthcare services are provided under a component of the VA called the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). The VHA is an integrated health system comprised of VA medical centers (VAMCs), community based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), community living centers (CLCs), Vet centers, and domiciliaries across the United States (VA. 2016). Veterans can receive a variety of services including primary care, specialty care, mental healthcare, and rehabilitative services. In response to both the growing need for increased veterans' healthcare services and the rather recent whistleblower activity related to lengthy appointment wait times for veterans, the Veterans Choice Act was implemented in 2014. The Choice Act directs the Veterans Choice Program; this program allows for VA eligible veterans to receive non-VA care if they have to wait more than thirty days for VA care or if they live more than forty miles from the nearest VA medical facility (VA. 20141.Veteran-Specific HealthNeedsToday, in the United States, there are veterans seeking healthcare services who served during wartime and peacetime and from every major conflict since WWII. …