For Your Benefit
For and about Hawaii's military
See also: In The Military
Vet eligibility varies
for pharmacy benefitQuestion: I read about the new Department of Veterans Affairs' pharmacy benefit for veterans waiting for their first VA appointment. Where will I find out if I am eligible, and what about co-payments?
Answer: The program applies to veterans who have enrolled prior to July 25 and will have been waiting for their first primary care appointment more than 30 days as of Sept. 22. VA anticipates sending letters to eligible veterans around Sept. 6, and those veterans should be able to receive their prescription medicine beginning Sept. 22. Medications will be furnished to eligible veterans by mail after their non-VA prescriptions are evaluated at the VA center.
Regular prescription co-payments will apply. The Health Care Center will determine if a drug is prescribed for a service-connected condition, and if so, no prescription co-pay will apply. Some veterans in priority groups 2 through 8 must pay the co-payment of $7 for each 30-day supply of medication whenever they obtain it from VA on an outpatient basis for treatment of a nonservice-connected disability.
Veterans not required to pay the co-payment are those with a service-connection rating of 50 percent or more; those receiving medication for a service-connected condition; VA nonservice-connected pensions; income levels below $9,690 (if single), $12,692 (if married), plus $1,653 for each additional dependent. Also, veterans receiving care for special eligibility conditions such as Agent Orange, ionizing radiation, environment exposure, military sexual trauma, and combat veterans within two years of discharge did not have to pay co-payments.
The total amount of co-payments payable in a calendar year is capped at $840 for priority groups 2 through 6. There is currently no cap for priority groups 7 or 8. For more information on eligibility, call 433-0600.
Q: What training has VA given to medical staff to prepare them to treat biochemical exposures?
A: Since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, VA has repeatedly broadcast many educational programs to medical center employees, held a conference on weapons of mass destruction and provided pocket cards on chemical, biological and radiological agents to help employees identify actions to take when confronted with contaminated patients.
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.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.
