For Your Benefit
For and about Hawaii's military
See also: In The Military
Veterans should get
tested for hepatitis C
Question: As a veteran, do I need to get tested for hepatitis C?
Answer: Hepatitis C is a disease that affects your liver and is caused by the hepatitis C virus. Almost 4 million people in the United State have been infected with hepatitis C. Veterans seem to have a higher rate of hepatitis C infection than others. In most cases, if you have this disease it never goes away. Over time, it can contribute to other problems, including cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) and liver cancer. Because it stays in your body, you can give hepatitis C to someone else. Preliminary indicators are as follows: you are a Vietnam-era veteran; you had a blood transfusion before 1992; you have injected drugs (past or present); your skin or mucous membranes have been exposed to another person's blood; you had tattoos or repeated body piercings; you have unexplained liver disease; you have unexplained/abnormal ALT levels; or you have a history of drinking alcohol excessively. Make an appointment by calling the VA Medical Center at 433-0600.
Q: Is the VA making an attempt to locate former prisoners of war for health care benefits?
A: Yes. The VA is now trying to find approximately 11,000 former POWs, mostly World War II veterans, who do not receive VA benefits or services, in many cases because the VA is unable to obtain a correct address to contact them. Former POWs have a special eligibility for enrollment in VA medical care and are exempt from making copayments for inpatient and outpatient medical care. Free dental treatment for any dental condition is available. The recently enacted Veterans Health Care, Capital Asset, and Business Improvement Act of 2003 repealed the requirement that former POWs must have been detained for a minimum of 90 days to be eligible for VA dental benefits. Call the VA at 433-0600 for health care enrollment, or for monetary benefits information, call the VA Regional Office at 433-1000 or www.va.gov.
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.