Veterans Health Services Center in FSM Welcomes COFA Military Veterans

Veterans Recovery Network & SNPHealth.org join forces to launch telehealth and outpatient programs on health services for Military Veterans in FSM, RMI, & Palau

KOLONIA, POHNPEI, FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA, June 12, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- There is a new health services provider serving the U.S. military veterans living or traveling in Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Palau, and the South Pacific region. Veterans Recovery Network¹, a veteran support organization in the U.S., has joined forces with SNP Veterans Medical Center & Health Systems³ in Micronesia. This morning, they announced that any COFA veteran can go online to submit a new patient registration to receive health benefits, medicine, and see a doctor without having to reach into their wallet.

HISTORY OF HARDSHIP AT U.S. CONGRESS

In 2023, it was reported that U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) and U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) introduced a bill to expand health care to veterans living in the COFA nations (https://www.schatz.senate.gov/news/in-the-news/for-cofa-veterans-seeking-health-care-living-at-home-in-micronesia-isnt-an-option). The senators' bill proposed the removal of restrictions on the VA, providing services to veterans living in the freely associated states by including a clinic providing telehealth, medications to veterans residing and traveling in the COFA states, and reimbursing veterans for traveling from their home countries to the U.S. for health services. Schatz commented that VA health benefits for COFA veterans ‘is a matter of basic fairness,’ since it is evident that U.S. military veterans who live in freely associated states in the South Pacific, and “they deserve VA care."

NEW HEALTH BENEFITS SOLUTIONS FOR COFA VETERANS

Despite the support on this matter by the members of Congress, SNP Veterans Medical Center & Health Systems, also known as SNPHealth.org², serves as the only viable solution for COFA veterans today. To check veteran eligibility begins with an online registration form that must be completed and submitted for review (https://www.snphealth.org/registration).

What will eligible COFA Veteran households receive under this new health services program? 

- Inpatient, telehealth, & outpatient health services for military veterans with service-connected disabilities

- Eye care, dental care, or other specialty physician care upon a primary care physician referral (referral appointment costs covered)

- Health benefits membership program for telehealth & outpatient services for military veterans without a service-connected disability (including spouse and dependents under the age of 18)

- Mental health and substance abuse treatment

- Medical prescriptions and supplies related to a service-connected disability

- Financial aid or reimbursement for burial and funeral expenses of a military veteran

- Reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses paid for healthcare and medicine from up to 2 years ago

- Free legal services for veterans (or relatives of deceased veterans) for matters on VA-related disability/survivor pensions or claims (e.g., Agent Orange, Camp Lejeune, PACT Act Settlement, PACT Act Pension, VA Survivor Pension)

- Paid education tuition and training for military veterans and family members of veteran households (VR&E Program) 

- Financial aid for housing programs for disabled veterans who are homeless or need ADA upgrades to residence (SAH Program)

- COVID vaccines/boosters and other standard vaccinations for veterans and members of veteran households 

- Transportation to medical appointments (service-connected disabled veterans only and emergency room patients only). 

- Caregiver and mobile-doctor services for veterans with a service-connected disability  

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO REGISTER

U.S. military veterans residing or traveling in Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, or Palau. 

This new medical institution and online healthcare system established to help COFA veterans is financially supported by the Veteran Affairs Department’s Foreign Medical Program, Veterans Recovery Network Foundation, and other VA-affiliated programs available to American military veterans in the Freely Associated States in the South Pacific. 

FINANCIAL AID RESOURCES FOR DISABLED VETERAN LIVING NEEDS

SNP anticipates that their inpatient and outpatient programs offered to COFA veterans will spark an interest in homeless veterans with a service-connected disability in the U.S. who qualify under the VA Administration's Specialty Adaptive Housing Grant Program. This VA grant program provides cost-effective housing solutions. Veteran Recovery Network Foundation will be offering eligible veterans grant opportunities to relocate to Micronesia, where a disabled veteran living on a disability pension and basic welfare pension can live comfortably and receive most of the VA benefits they would receive while in the United States, where the cost of fundamental living expenses are much higher.

Additionally, Veterans Recovery Network's legal assistance and advocate services unit provides COFA veterans access to free information, legal resources, and consultation about other financial aid, compensation, pensions, and VA benefits that they are eligible for as a veteran with a service-connected disability; or a relative of a deceased veteran who served is eligible for relief under the PACT Act.

COFA veterans who register online at SNPhealth.org will be contacted within a few days via web chat app, email, or phone by a new patient-intake representative. Once the veteran’s registration is reviewed and approved, the patient will be assigned to a case manager and a primary care physician. More importantly, the veteran-patient will be scheduled for an initial appointment with a doctor via SNP’s telehealth system, or in person at a clinic within their island state.

For more details, please visit www.snphealth.org.

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Leanna
Cruz
+1 720-893-4435
media@snphealth.org

¹ http://www.vetsrecovery.org
² http://www.snphealth.org
³ http://www.snphealth.org/home