Latest Health News from the VA

VA Announces Community Support, Caregiver Partnership: In January, the VA announced a new partnership called CaringBridge to better connect veterans and their caregivers with their local communities. CaringBridge is a global nonprofit focused on social networking. It provides personal websites that are free and secure as a platform for veterans and their families to assist in communicating with others. This platform is a private, online journal. CaringBridge has launched a website specific for veterans, current service members, and their families. Learn more about CaringBridge’s support for military families on health journeys.

VA Million Veteran Program Tops 725,000 Enrollees: The results of most nationwide opinion surveys are based on just a few thousand respondents. The VA’s Million Veteran Program is different, and that’s why they want to enroll one million veterans to help researchers understand what illnesses might be associated with where and when veterans served. The goal of the voluntary research program is to partner with VA-enrolled veterans to study how genes affect health by safely collecting and storing blood samples and health information. The large sample population will then allow researchers to better study diseases like diabetes and cancer and military-related illnesses, such as post-traumatic stress disorder. Learn more.

Shutdown Did Not Affect TRICARE Despite Missed Payments: The Defense Health Agency (DHA) states as a result of the partial government shutdown, allotments used by some TRICARE patients to pay enrollment fees and dental premiums had not been processed through the U.S. Coast Guard pay center. DHA has since released guidance to members of the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Public Health Service, the commissioned corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency, family members, and survivors assuring them that any beneficiary who falls into the aforementioned categories that pays through allotment won’t be disenrolled for nonpayment, and that no action is required at this time. TRICARE was not impacted by the shutdown and will continue to process claims. Learn more here.