"Legion News"
The American Legion Magazine, October 2002, Page 54
The American Legion believes funding for the nation's largest category of veterans could be endangered if those veterans fail to enroll in the Department of Veterans Affairs health-care system.
Priority Group 7 — VA's designation for non-indigent veterans without service-connected disabilities or injuries — need to enroll in the system lest Congress decide the funding no longer exists to accept them. By enrolling, veterans will have access to a health-care system that includes a pharmacy benefit with a $7 co-payment for each 30-day supply of medication.
American Legion department service officers are available to help with the process. A complete list of department service officers can be found on the Web at www.legion.org.
When enrolling, Priority Group 7 veterans agree to make co-payments and identify their private health-insurance companies. It also is important to choose a specific VA health-care facility as a preferred facility to receive primary care. If a selected facility is unable to provide the health care needed by an enrolled veteran, then that facility will make arrangements for referral to another VA health-care facility or to one of VA's private-sector affiliates to provide the required care.
Veterans not required to enroll in the system include:
• Those whose service- connected disabilities are rated at 50 percent or more.
• Those who were discharged from military service less than a year ago for a disability that the military determined was incurred or aggravated in the line of duty but not yet rated by VA; and
• Those seeking care from VA for a service-connected disability only, even if the rating is only 0 percent.
Veterans normally will remain enrolled in the system for one year. Enrollment will be reviewed and renewed each year depending upon priority-group assignment and available resources.
How To Enroll
* Mail or fax a completed Form 10-10EZ to the medical center or clinic of your choice.
Getting The Form
* Call (877) 222-8387 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Eastern time Monday through Friday.
Enroll online by visiting the VA Web site: www.va.gov.