VA and TriCare News

Special interest news for Veterans of Massachusetts and Nationally

Find Medication Information Fast with the New TRICARE Formulary Search Tool
FALLS CHURCH, Va. – Beneficiaries and providers can use the new TRICARE formulary search tool to find the most up-to-date information about prescription medications.

Behavioral Health Options for Military Couples
FALLS CHURCH, Va. – It’s important for military couples to talk to someone about marital struggles or stress they may be experiencing. Marital, couples and family therapy, often referred to as counseling, are all types of professional behavioral health interventions available to eligible married couples enrolled in TRICARE Prime, TRICARE Prime Remote and TRICARE Prime Overseas.

Registration Opens for VA Forum on Women Veterans
The Department of Veterans Affairs opened registration on July 8 for a women Veterans forum that will address the quality of VA health care, the provision of benefits for women, and ways for VA to continue improving access to the care and benefits for women Veterans.

Hundreds of Veterans in Denver to Celebrate and Honor the Spirit of Independence Day through Competition
More than 500 U.S. military Veterans who have sacrificed for our freedom are in Denver for the 30th National Veterans Wheelchair Games. The event, presented each year by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), began July 4 and runs through July 9.

HUD and VA Launch $15 Million Demonstration Program to Prevent Veteran Homelessness
In an effort to prevent homelessness among veterans, primarily those returning from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) today announced that both agencies will invest a combined $15 million in five selected communities near military installations. The HUD and VA grant funding is intended to provide housing assistance and supportive services to veterans who might otherwise be living in homeless shelters or on the streets.

Panel votes to ease income rules on VA pensions
A House subcommittee has expanded the types of income that would not be counted in determining eligibility for pensions aimed at veterans with low incomes, and has found a way to pay for the change that improves its chances of becoming law.

Bills would help low-income vets on VA pensions
A Navy veteran whose VA pension was canceled because he received an insurance settlement after he and his service dog were hit by a truck is the poster child for legislation to change eligibility rules regarding pensions for low-income veterans.

VA Simplifies Access to Health Care and Benefits for Veterans with PTSD
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki announced a critical step forward in providing an easier process for Veterans seeking health care and disability compensation for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), with the publication of a final regulation in the Federal Register.

VA Launches Development of New Online Claims System
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki announced today plans to develop a fully automated, online system for handling Veterans' disability compensation claims. More than a simple digitization of existing paper-based claims, the new system is part of VA's modernization of the end-to-end processing workflow. Automation will substantially reduce processing time and increase accuracy while simplifying the way that Veterans interact with the claims process.

New Open Government Plan Emphasizes VA's Commitment to Transparency
Supporting President Obama's pledge to make transparency and openness the pillars of good government, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has updated its 'Open Government Plan,' reaffirming VA's commitment to become a leader among federal agencies at applying these principles to achieve its mission of serving veterans.

Track Hurricane Season with Up-to-Date TRICARE Information
Being prepared is the best way for TRICARE beneficiaries and their families to stay safe in the event of a natural disaster. Even for beneficiaries not among the more than 35 million people who live in the regions most affected by hurricanes, being prepared for emergencies or disasters is a smart bet.

TRICARE Beneficiaries to Get Overseas Transition Letters
FALLS CHURCH, Va. – TRICARE beneficiaries living outside of the United States will soon begin receiving letters updating them on the TRICARE Overseas Program Contract that begins Sept. 1, 2010. Beneficiaries will receive the letter only if their Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) address is up-to-date.

Oct. 21 is last day to apply for stop-loss pay
Time is running out for current and former troops involuntarily held on active duty beyond their service commitments to apply for retroactive $500 monthly payments.

Bill to change new GI Bill coming Thursday
A compromise veteran’s education bill that would modify the year-old Post-9/11 GI Bill could be introduced in the House of Representatives as early as Thursday by an Idaho lawmaker.

TRICARE Dental Program Newsletter Delivers
The TRICARE Dental Program newsletter, published three times a year, provides great information to enrollees about their dental benefits.