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VA New England Healthcare System

 

Don't Be Misinformed!

VA New England health care is proud to be the ONLY VA health care system in the country with a full-time, boots-on-the-ground, Outreach Team. Every year, they perform over 500 outreach events stretching from Bangor, Maine to Stamford, Connecticut and everywhere in between. From conversations they have had with you or members of your community, surveys we have conducted, or town hall events in your area, we have found that people are sometimes misinformed on their VA benefits. So, to make sure everyone is "in the know," we've created a chart to offer truths in place of those "common misconceptions."

MISCONCEPTION TRUTH
You must have seen combat to be classified as a Veteran. Not true. In fact, tens of thousands of Veterans receiving VA health care in New England have never been in a theatre of combat.
I’m healthy, so by using VA healthcare I am taking services away from other Veterans. Not true.  As more and more Veterans use VA health care, VA is able to hire more health care professionals, create more clinics and hospitals, and increase the size of programs and services.  By using VA health care you are helping it grow and ultimately help more Veterans.
I am automatically enrolled in VA health care once I begin receiving benefits from VBA. Not true. Though VA health care and VBA are both parts of VA, we do not share information.  This barrier was set in place to limit the amount of people who have access to your personal information.  If you receive VBA benefits, we urge you to enroll in VA health care by clicking here or speaking with an enrollment clerk at your nearest VA health care facility.
I only enrolled in the National Guard or Reserves, so I am not eligible for VA health care. Not true. In fact, a vast number of Veterans receiving VA health care are current or former members of the National Guard and Reserves.
If I use VA health care then I will lose my benefits from the National Guard or Reserves. Not true.  Some of our facilities work with many of the National Guard and Reserve units in New England whereas we provide them with pre- and post-deployment screenings, annual physicals, and more with none of them losing their status or their benefits.
I cannot use VA health care because I have TRICARE. Not true. A large number of the Veterans we provide services to every day are dually enrolled in TRICARE.
If I use VA health care I will lose my Medicaid or Medicare benefits. Not true. VA and Medicaid or Medicare can be used in conjunction with one another. For instance, many Medicare recipients use VA health care to help offset the cost of prescriptions, eye glasses and hearing aids.
I make too much money to use VA health care. Not true. There are dozens of ways a Veteran may qualify for VA health care. To find out how you may qualify based on your personal military and medical history, click here or speak with an enrollment clerk at the nearest VA health care facility.
I was told that I was ineligible years ago, so I figured that I am still ineligible for VA health care. Not true. VA health care policies and procedures change all of the time depending on how Congress votes. To see if your eligibility status has changed, contact an enrollment clerk at your nearest VA health care facility.
VA health care is for older Veterans. Not true. Approximately 20% of Veterans who use VA health care are under the age of 45 and 50% who use are under the age of 65.
VA health care has second‐rate doctors and sub‐standard medical equipment. Not true. VA health care employs many of the world’s-leading specialists and researchers. We also have the largest budget for state-of-the-art medical equipment of any other medical facility in New England. For these reasons and others, schools such as Harvard, Yale, Tufts, Dartmouth, and many others have programs at our facilities so their students have the opportunity to learn from the best doctors and train on the best equipment in all of New England.
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