For Your Benefit
For and about Hawaii's military
See also: In The Military
VA medical centers
prepare to handle
surge in enrolleesQuestion: I read in a recent article in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin that veterans on the mainland are waiting up to several years for doctor's appointments because of a surge in new users that is outstripping available budget dollars. What is the situation at Honolulu Veterans Affairs?
Answer: The article you read refers to some VA medical centers on the mainland, and while it is difficult to speak to their particular situations, one of the realities faced by all VA facilities across the nation is the large number of new veterans enrolling for VA health care.
In Hawaii we have experienced a 35 percent growth in new enrollees over the last couple of years, and the large increase has continued this year.
We have managed to keep up with the growth during the first half of our fiscal year that ended in March. During the balance of the fiscal year, we will need to schedule appointments for new enrollees toward the end of the fiscal year to ensure that we have sufficient resources to treat veterans already enrolled in our system. We will, however, provide emergency care for any new enrollees without any other source of medical care.
Although the budget for next year is still being formulated in Washington, early indications are that the VA will be provided a significant increase in funding to allow VA medical centers to handle the recent large growth in new enrollees.
Q: I received an honorable discharge from the Army after two years of service during the Korean War. I am now age 67. Do I need a medical exam to qualify for VA pension benefits?
A: No. Since you are over age 65 and a wartime veteran, you are presumed to be permanently and totally disabled for VA non-service-connected pension purposes. You must still meet certain income and net worth requirements, however.
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, who covers military affairs for the Star-Bulletin,
can be reached by phone at 294-4075
or by e-mail at gkakesako@starbulletin.com.
