VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System to conduct virtual Veteran town hall for Stark and Tuscarawas County Veterans

VA recently expanded health care eligibility for millions of Veterans nationwide, years earlier than called for by the PACT Act. As of March 5th, all Veterans who were exposed to toxins and other hazards while serving in the military and meet certain requirements became eligible to enroll directly in VA health care. This means that all Veterans who served in the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan, the Global War on Terror, or any other combat zone after 9/11 can enroll directly in VA health care without first applying for VA benefits. Additionally, Veterans who never deployed but were exposed to toxins or hazards while training or on active duty in the United States are also eligible to enroll. VA also recently expanded health care to all World War II Veterans. 

Additionally, the town hall will review reasons to reconsider VA enrollment – including the fact that VA hospitals outperformed non-VA hospitals on all 10 core patient satisfaction metrics — including overall hospital rating, communication with doctors, communication about medication, willingness to recommend the hospital, and more in Medicare’s latest nationwide survey of patients. VA health care has also consistently outperformed non-VA care in peer-reviewed studies, overall quality ratings, and affordability for Veterans. 

VANEOHS serves nearly 140,000 Veterans enrolled across 21 counties in northeast Ohio and seeks to have all eligible Veterans enroll for primary and specialty care from the Cleveland VA Medical Center and/or the 12 other clinic locations including Canton and New Philadelphia. 

This town hall is an example of how the VA continues to aggressively reach out to Veterans to encourage them to come to VA for the benefits they have earned. VA encourages all Veterans, family members, caregivers, and survivors to learn more about VA, to understand how VA fits into their lives, and apply for their world-class health care and earned benefits today. Veterans in Stark and Tuscarawas counties will be called to be advised of the town hall in advance.

The town hall will be an audio/phone-dial-in event with visuals available within a simultaneous Facebook Live event. Participants are encouraged to call 855-962-0953 early to be assured of one of the 10,000 slots available for the call, and to follow along at www.facebook.com/ClevelandVAMC. 

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This is a call for Veterans, their family members, and caregivers. It is not intended for the press. If you have media questions regarding this event, please contact Damien Horvath, VA Public Affairs Officer, at 216-339-5240, or Damien.Horvath@va.gov  

ABOUT VA NORTHEAST OHIO HEALTHCARE SYSTEM: Focusing on treating the whole Veteran through health promotion and disease prevention, VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System provides comprehensive, seamless health care and social services for more than 134,000 Veterans across Northeast Ohio. With 17 locations of care, including 12 outpatient clinics, two community resource and referral centers, a psychosocial rehabilitation and recovery center, a chronic dialysis center, and an outpatient surgery center, VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System’s quality services are easily accessible to Veterans in 21 counties. VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System also contributes to the future of medicine through education, training, and research programs.

Damien Horvath, Public Affairs Officer

Phone: