For Your Benefit
For and about Hawaii's military
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VA needs vets’ insurance details
Why should I provide my health insurance information to the Department of Veterans Affairs?
If you are a priority 7 veteran, providing the VA with insurance information will allow it to bill the insurance carrier, which will offset part or all of any co-payment. The law requires VA to bill private health insurance companies for all nonservice-connected care a veteran receives. Some veterans may have health insurance coverage under a spouse's policy. VA does not bill health insurance carriers for VA-adjudicated service-connected disabilities. (An adjudicated service-connected disability is one for which a claim has been filed and VA has determined that it is service-connected). Whether or not a veteran has insurance plays no role in determining whether that individual is eligible for VA health care benefits. For additional information, contact the VA Clinic at 433-0600.
Will VA pay for lap band surgery or gastric bypass surgery?
Lap band surgery is not an approved procedure for the VA. The VA does offer gastric bypass surgery for those veterans who meet the necessary criteria; however, not all VA medical facilities perform this surgery. Veterans interested in gastric bypass surgery would need to inquire at the VA Medical Center at 433-0600 to see if the necessary criteria can be met for procedure and, if allowed, where and when it could be performed.
If you have questions about your benefits as a veteran, call Fred Ballard at the Veterans Affairs at 433-0049 or visit the VA Web site at
www.va.gov/hawaii or the Star-Bulletin at 529-4747.