MILITARY & MOTORCYCLES_SEPTEMBER 6, 2013
Veterans Affairs Health Care
This last week I received an envelope from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Enclosed in that envelope was a copy of Department of Veterans Affairs Form 10-10EZ which is the initial enrollment form needed for processing a new applicant to the VA system to be passed onto a person who is not enrolled.
Also enclosed was a letter from Robert A. Petzel, M.D. (Under Secretary for Health) which explained the following for those who are already a part of the VA Health Care System;
(1) Most importantly, those who are presently enrolled in the VA Health Care System do not have to take additional steps to meet the requirement of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare).
(2) Also the ACA does not change your VA benefits or you’re out-of-pocket costs.
For those folks who have served in the military and were honorably discharged and are not enrolled in the VA Health Care System, there is still time to do so. For more information go to www.va.gov.
If you are considering applying you will need to fill out 10-10EZ Application Form first. This form can be obtained online at va.gov/vaforms/medical/pdf/vha-1010EZ-fill.pdf (Instructions and Application for Health Care Benefits). Once the form is filled out it can be mailed to the VA or dropped off at a local VA Clinic.
My personal suggestion would be to fill out the 10-10EZ and stop by the closest VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) and speak with a representative and drop off the completed form.
The Bradenton CBOC is located at 5520 S.R. 64 East, Suite 100 (behind the Social Security Office at Morgan Johnson Road/57th Street E and SR-64 E) and in Sarasota the CBOC is located at 5682 Bee Ridge Road, Suite 100.
As I have said in past columns those who have served this country honorably have the privilege of care through the Veterans Affairs Health Care System. For those who feel this is “give me” let me say this to you. As of right now 1% of the entire population of the United States is serving in the military to protect us all. No more than 8-10% of the total population has ever put their lives on the line for the rest of us.
Those who have served in uniform deserve what was part of the package deal when they signed on the dotted line to serve and protect the Constitution of the United States as well as all legal citizens of this country. After all, they might be asked to give their lives for that cause. In my war (Vietnam) 58,272 were killed with another 153,000 plus wounded or maimed. In the past years since Vietnam we have found there are those who suffer from PTSD which was first defined in the 1980s and severe health concerns from Agent Orange and other medical issues arising from overseas deployment(s).
For those who have ‘been there and done that’ I say thank you on behalf of the citizens of the United States.
God Bless America and all of those who have served to protect us.
Terry Longpre