For Your Benefit
For and about Hawaii's militaryBy Gregg K. Kakesako
Sunday, December 30, 2001
See also: In The Military
VA medical centers
are accredited
Question: I heard that Veterans Affairs medical centers are not accredited, while civilian hospitals are. Why doesn't someone do something about this so that everyone knows what kind of care veterans are getting?Answer: You received some incorrect information. The VA medical centers are accredited. An accreditation program ensures that accepted standards of health care operation are met. Accreditation scores provide an important comparison with non-VA health care organizations regarding performance in meeting a wide range of standards.
All Veterans Health Care Administration (VHA) facilities are accredited. The Spark M. Matsunaga VA Medical & Regional Office Center recently completed an accreditation survey by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations achieving a perfect score of 100 percent for the Ambulatory Care Center, and a score of 99 percent in behavioral health care, long term care and home care. The average hospital score in 2000 for the 32 VHA facilities surveyed was 90.3 compared with the national average of 90.8.
The Joint Commission is an independent, nonprofit organization who evaluates and accredits almost 12,000 hospitals and home care agencies, and more than 7,000 other health care organizations. Only two percent of the organizations received a perfect score for ambulatory care.
Question: I am a veteran with limited income. I know the VA has a means test requirement for free or low cost medical care. How is that income assessed?
Answer: Your total income and net worth under the eligibility (financial) assessment, include Social Security, U.S. Civil Service retirement, U.S. Railroad retirement, military retirement, unemployment insurance, any other retirement, total wages from all employers, interest and dividends, workers' compensation, black lung benefits, and any other gross income for the calendar year prior to your application for care.
The income of your spouse and dependents as well as market value of your stocks, bonds, notes, individual retirement accounts, bank deposits, savings accounts, cash, etc., is also used. Your debts are subtracted from your assets to determine your net worth. However, your primary residence and personal property are excluded from this assessment.
You will not be required to provide proof of income or net worth beyond filling out VA Form 10-10EZ, application for medical benefits, at the time you apply for care; however, VA has the authority to compare information you provide with information from the Department of Health and Human Services and the Internal Revenue Service. For more information on the "means test" call 433-0600.
If you have questions about your benefits as a veteran, call Fred Ballard at the Veterans Affairs at 433-0049 or the Star-Bulletin at 529-4747.
If you have questions about your benefits as a veteran,
call Fred Ballard at the Veterans Affairs at 433-0049
or the Star-Bulletin at 529-4747.Gregg K. Kakesako can be reached by phone at 294-4075
or by e-mail at gkakesako@starbulletin.com.
