To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan Abraham Lincoln

1
(No Transcript)
2
To care for him who shall have borne the battle
and for his widow and his orphan Abraham
Lincoln
3
the commitment

• A renewed commitment by the Secretary of
  Veterans Affairs to ensure that the health care
  and benefits needs of our veterans are met

4
Mission

• Ensure world class service for health care and
  benefits to service members returning from combat
  theaters with service-related conditions

5
Goals and Objective

• Strategic Goal
• Timely access to VA services/benefits
• Includes
• Ensure transition of health care between DoD and
  VA
• Provide clear and comprehensive benefits
  information for service members and their
  families

6
Seamless Transition

• Partnership between VA and DoD (Taskforce - Aug
  2003)
• Enhanced VHA services in Aug 2003 when the first
  VHA Liaisons was placed at WRAMC, establishment
  of OIF/OEF POCs and CMs at the local VAMCs
• VBA staff historically located at various
  installations (Benefits Delivery at Discharge -
  BDD). In August of 2003 VBA Counselors added at
  WRAMC to specifically work with SI/VSI. SI/VSI
  Claims would be case managed through the VBA
  system
• VBA Continues to be a part of TAP/DTAP
• VHA uses a referral based process
• Office of Seamless Transition Established Jan 05

7
VA Staff at DOD Medical Treatment Facilities

• VHA Social Work Liaisons and VBA Benefits
  Counselors onsite at
• Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton, California
• National Naval Medical Center Bethesda,
  Maryland
• Naval Medical Center San Diego, California
• Brooke Army Medical Center Ft. Sam Houston,
  Texas
• Darnall Army Medical Center Ft. Hood, Texas
• Eisenhower Army Medical Center Ft. Gordon,
  Georgia
• Evans Army Community Hospital Ft. Carson,
  Colorado
• Madigan Army Medical Center Ft. Lewis,
  Washington (2)
• Walter Reed Army Medical Center Washington, DC
  (2)
• All other MTFs served by VA Central Office

8
VHA/DoD Liaisons for Health Care

• Roles and Functions
• Primary goal is to transfer OIF/OEF , but will
  also assist servicemembers from other theaters.
• Ensure the transfer of health care
  (inpatient/outpatient)
• Provide onsite consultation/collaboration to MTF
  staff to discuss VA resources and treatment
  options
• Provide education to service members on VA
  health/MH care, and identify special needs of
  patient/family that would impact ability to reach
  optimal psychosocial functioning
• Coordinate transfers to Polytrauma/SCI/Blind
  Rehab Centers under existing sharing agreement
• Identify nearest VA medical center that can
  provide needed care
• Work with MTF Staff to ensure Con Orders are
  received by VA for TRICARE authorization

9
Transitioning Health Care Key Points

• Liaison will load the servicemember in their home
  VA Medical Center prior to leaving the MTF
• Veteran status will be updated once they are
  submit their DD214 to the VAMC.
• Initial appts can be scheduled prior to leaving
  the MTF
• Servicemember should have a name and phone number
  for the OIF/OEF POC or case manager at their home
  VAMC prior to leaving the MTF
• Severely Injured will have a VA case manager
  assigned
• VAMCs are TRICARE providers and we also see
  servicemembers while home on convalescent leave
  under a TRICARE Order.

10
Combat Veteran Eligibility

• 10-10EZ Application for Health Care
• VA Health Care Enrollment Priority Groups (1-8)
• Combat Veteran Eligibility (VHA Directive
  2005-020)
• 3. POLICY It is VHA policy, in accordance with
  38 U.S.C. Section 1710(e)(1)(D), that veterans
  who served in combat support or direct combat
  operations during a period of war after the Gulf
  War, or in combat support or direct combat
  against a hostile force after November 11, 1998,
  are to be provided hospital care, medical
  services, and nursing home care for any illness
  potentially related to their service in the
  combat theater for a 2-year period following
  separation from military service, even if there
  is insufficient medical evidence to conclude that
  such condition is attributable to such service.
  NOTE Veterans under this authority may be
  enrolled as priority category 6 and are eligible
  for the full medical benefits package as such
  they are not subject to co-payments for care
  potentially related to their combat service

11
Transition

• Types of Referrals
• NG/Res released from active duty orders in need
  of general medical care
• Active Duty Servicemember (ADSM) on 30 day
  convalescent leave
• ADSM going through MEB/PEB for possible medical
  release/discharge
• ADSM in need of specialty care provided by VA
• Blind Rehab
• SCI
• TBI (Polytrauma)
• Consultations
• Self-Referrals (Walk-ins)
• Briefings

12
Example of Referral Process
This is a guideline!!
MTF Outpatient
MTF
MTF
VAMC Outpatient
MTF
MTF
13
Number of Referrals
Nov 05
August 2003 September 2006
14
VA Comprehensive Health Care

• 157 Medical Centers
• 4 Lead Polytrauma Sites (Richmond, Tampa, Palo
  Alto, Minneapolis)
• Military Liaisons assigned to all 4 sites
• 21 Network Polytrauma Sites
• 10 Blind Rehab Centers
• 21 Spinal Cord Injury Centers
• Augusta VAMC Active Duty Rehab Unit
• Inpatient/outpatient/residential services
  (medical and mental health)
• Primary Care, Neurology, Oncology, Transplants,
  Pharmacy, Dental, Home Care, MH SA, Visual
  Imp., MST,etc.
• 209 Vet Centers
• 857 Community Based Outpatient Clinics

15
VA Medical Centers

• OIF/OEF Point of Contact
• Receives referral from the Liaison
• Establishes initial appointments and transfer of
  care
• Local outreach efforts
• OIF/OEF Case Managers
• Emphasis on case management for Severely Injured
• Work with clinical team and provide support to
  patient and family
• Coordinate with VBA staff regarding benefits if
  needed

16
VBA Coordination

• Enhanced services for SI/VSI (Seriously
  Injured/Very Seriously Injured)
• Veterans Service Rep is on-site to assist with
• Compensation Pension claims
• Auto Grant
• Adaptive Housing Grant
• Loan Guaranty Certificate of Eligibility
• Voc Rehab Testing
• OIF/OEF POC at each Regional Office
• GOAL The completed claim is waiting for veteran
  not the veteran waiting for claim

17
Continued Collaboration

• Army Wounded Warrior Program (AW2)
• Marines For Life
• Military Severely Injured Center
• NG State Benefit Advisors
• Post-Deployment Health Re-Assessment (PDHRA)
• Local outreach efforts - community

18
VA Office of Seamless Transition

• VA Office of Seamless Transition
• 810 Vermont Ave, NW
• Washington, DC
• Phone [phone]