For Your Benefit
For and about Hawaii's military
New VA Web page
maintains vital details
Question: Last year, the Department of Veterans Affairs launched a Web page called My HealtheVet to be used by veterans and their families. It talked about a phase two. What is the status of that?Answer: Beginning Veterans Day, all current users will need to re-register to launch the beginning of the personal health record. A registration wizard provides improved account security with an easy, step-by-step approach to registering, managing your account, and help with forgotten passwords. You can register from the home page.
Personal Health Record allows you to personalize your health information using the new Health Journal and Health eLogs. The Health Journal allows you to enter personal information such as emergency contacts, health insurance information, military health history, medications, over-the-counter drugs, herbals and supplements, medical events, tests and allergies.
The Health eLog also provides the ability to track readings for blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol, heart rate, body temperature, body weight and pain. Using My HealtheVet can avoid extra visits to the doctor by giving your doctors permission to see information that you have recorded such as blood pressure, weight, pulse, etc. The health care provider, on the other hand, can monitor your health status without face-to-face visits by viewing your entries. The provider can also record progress notes in your medical record that you will be able to view and use to improve your health. You can also give permission for others (e.g., family members, Veteran Service Organizations) to see your health information so that they can help you manage your information, and fill out forms. Check out the site at www.myhealth.va.gov. A demo of how these new features work is available at www.health-evet.va.gov. Use demouserb as a username and password_$1 as the password. For information, contact the VA Medical Center at 433-7676.
Q: Who may be paid the VA burial and plot-interment allowances?
A: Generally, VA will pay the allowances to the person (or entity) who paid for the veteran's burial or funeral, and has not been reimbursed by another government agency or some other source such as the veteran's employer. The veteran must, however, have been in receipt of compensation or pension benefits or died of a service-connected disability for VA to pay any burial allowances.
To apply for VA burial allowances, you need to complete VA form 21-530 (Application for Burial Allowance). A death certificate (if not already furnished to VA) and copies of paid funeral and burial bills should be attached. The application is available at the VA located in Tripler Army Medical Center. There is no time limit for claiming reimbursement of burial expenses for a service-related death. In nonservice-related deaths, the claim must be filed within 2 years of the veteran's burial. For information on filing for VA burial allowances, contact the VA at 433-1000.
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.
can be reached by phone at 294-4075
or by e-mail at gkakesako@starbulletin.com.