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Service Offices
Veterans Service Officers (VSOs) are trained, certified and accredited to be ADVOCATES FOR YOU! They are NOT VA employees. Assistance is FREE. Contact them BEFORE you call the VA. It will save you a lot of grief.
These Veterans Service Officers are here for you:
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NORTH IDAHO
Idaho State VSOs
Scott A. Thorsness, Director 208-446-1092 120 E. Railroad Ave., Post Falls M-F 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM email: scott.thorsness@veterans.idaho.gov
Bonner County
Bryan Hult 208-255-5291 1500 Hwy 2, Ste. 122, Sandpoint M-TH 8-5 (call/email for appointment) email: bhult@bonnercountyid.gov
Boundary County
Ronald Self 208-255-8882 6635 Lincoln St., Bonners Ferry Wed & Thur 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM email: veterans@boundarycountyid.org
Kootenai County
Shoshone County
Mac Gibler 208-752-1264 700 Bank St., Suite 120, Wallace M-F 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM email: mgibler@co.shoshone.id.us
MONTANA
Montana State VSOs
Carolyn Collins Ryan Keeler Bryan T. Zipp
Eric McElhaney
National Guard Armory 406-755-3795 2989 Hwy. 93 North, Kalispell Mon, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 8-5 by appointment only No Walk-ins, strictly by appointment only Thursday – Admin days. phone calls only.
Outreach to Libby, Troy, Eureka, Polson and Ronan, call for appointments dates and times.
Service Connection Claims, Low Income Pension, Aid and Attendance Claims, for Medical Necessity Services, Home Health and Medical Facilities, Assisted Living, Nursing Home, Veteran Designation on Drivers License, Assist in getting DD214’s and Military Records.
Additional Assistance: with referrals into the VA community, Veteran Connections for help with Housing, Medical, Health Care, Medical Facilities, Education, GI Bill, Voc Rehab, Veteran Questions???
WASHINGTON
Washington State VSO
Spokane County Regional Veterans Service Center 509-477-3690 1117 N. Evergreen, STE 2, Spokane M-F 8-4
Need ANYTHING from the VA? Call 800-698-2411 regardless of what questions or services you are calling for (benefit or medical) there is now a NEW Single
Access Point to all VA contact centers.
Sandpoint Veterans’ Jiu Jitsu. If you are a veteran that served in any combat operations and are interested in learning the art of Progressive Jiu-Jitsu, please call to register for our Sandpoint Veteran’s Jiu-Jitsu class at SBA Ponderay. Progressive Jiu-Jitsu is a teaching methodology that bases its studies and practices on Self Defense, GPCI / Verbalization (Progressive Management of Inconvenient Behavior), projections and falls, and in the sports segment of Jiu-Jitsu. Class Details Monday and Friday 0730-0830 @ SBA Ponderay, 210 Triangle Drive Unit F, Ponderay ID Professor Tanner Weisgram Call Dante Rumore, LICSW at the Spokane Vet Center to register. (509) 844-1053 A copy of your DD-214 is required for registration
Stand Downs
Important Links:
• The Veteran Rapid Retraining Assistance Program (VRRAP) offers education and training for high-demand jobs to Veterans who are unemployed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. https://www.va.gov/education/other-va-education-benefits/veteran-rapid-retraining-assistance/ • Gulf War Illnesses linked to Southwest Asia service https://www.va.gov/disability/eligibility/hazardous-materials-exposure/gulf-war-illness-southwest-asia/ • Gulf War Illnesses linked to Afghanistan service https://www.va.gov/disability/eligibility/hazardous-materials-exposure/gulf-war-illness-afghanistan/ • Office of Veterans Advocacy Quarterly Bulletin Keeps you up-to-date on what’s going on with the VA that affects the lives of veterans and their families. If you want to know what’s going on, use this link and ask to be put on the E-mailing list. listserv.admin@veterans.idaho.gov • Local Activities for Veterans and their Families (A weekly emailing of fun things to do going on year ‘round within range of us. Helpful and useful resources/activities/offerings you’ll want to know about! Contact eliseo.Dumlao@va.gov and ask to be placed on the E-mail list.
The VA Community Care Program
by Bryan Hult, Bonner County Veterans Service Officer
On June 6, 2019, the VA CHOICE program ended. A new program, called “Community Care” or “Care in the Community” began. There are pros and cons with the new program, but like in the military — we adjust.
A question was recently asked regarding care outside the VA. A veteran cannot go to any civilian provider and have the VA pay for it. The provider must have a contract with the VA. Contracts! Do you know how much small print is in a contract?!?!
On the one hand, not all providers want to deal with the contract, so they will not take veterans referred by the VA. On the other hand, you do have a say in where you go for medical help, but it must be within the VA contracted system. That’s why veterans need to think about their own responsibility in the VA system.
Let’s consider three things regarding the new VA Community Care program. First, you have to have an “Authorization number” from Community Care in order for the VA to pay for care outside the VA. That number will describe the provider, location, time frame and number of visits for the type of care. It doesn’t matter what disability rating you have as a veteran, you must have that number before going to an outside-VA-care-provider.
For most care outside of the VA, you’ll have to get a referral from your PCP (Primary Care Provider). The PCP is the person you are assigned to at the VA Medical Center (like Mannheim Graff in Spokane) or the Coeur D’Alene CBOC (Community Based Outreach Center) or one of the Rural Health Clinics (RHC) in your local neighborhood (if you live by one). In order to use the VA medical program you must be active in the Veteran Health Administration, which means you have received an annual physical in the last two years. However, you may have a PCP outside of the VA, if approved by the Community Care department at the VAMC.
There are some issues, like eye-glasses or hearing aids, for which you can call the VA Medical Center Department directly to get an appointment at the VA. For example, you can call the Optometry Department or the Audiology Department and either schedule an appointment at that Department or you may get a referral to a local optometrist or audiologist, depending on distance, availability and the discretion of the VA.
By the way, this may seem like it is complicated! Yes, it sure seems that way! The challenge for us, is that the VA tries very hard to listen to veterans and to make changes that will be more effective and efficient for veterans! However, all the changes seem confusing to us veterans, who are no longer 22 and quick to adjust fire! Stay with me and I’ll try to make it as simple as possible!
Make sure you have that Authorization number!
The second consideration is that the wait may not be short. When you get a referral from your PCP or the VAMC Department, you’ll have to wait several weeks. Remember the VA is basically socialized medicine. It’s very good, but the VA is there to serve veterans, not to make a profit. Consequently, while the leadership may be very good and their motivations, intentions and services are very good, they are still a government organization that is not perfect. I serve hundreds of veterans and 95% are very satisfied (I made that statistic up from talking to veterans), but there are a few veterans, who fall through the cracks. Once the Community Care Departments get to your referral, they will call and ask you what your preferences are for a provider. Then they go out and find a provider who is in their contracted system and make an appointment for you. It can easily take a couple months from the referral time to the appointment time. Be patient.
Thirdly, make sure that any suggested care by your provider is within the authorization number. The VA is attempting to provide good, convenient and reliable care through the Community Care program. The VA has a contract with the provider, who is supposed to have read the contract. Be aware that the VA doesn’t pay what the normal charges are, like what regular insurance companies pay OR what you would pay the provider if you didn’t have insurance.
In the process of providing excellent care to you, an outsideVA provider may forget that the x-ray or CAT scan or MRI that is recommended and coordinated, may not be in the authorization number. You, following your provider’s recommendation, go and get the x-ray or MRI and then you say, “What? Why didn’t the VA pay for it?”
I’ve had many veterans want to blame the VA or the provider, but the blame is really on the provider and the veteran for not reading the authorization number provisions. Make sure you have that authorization letter – with the number – and read what it will cover. Then go and be confident in the care that you will receive. Also, be thankful that the provider is receiving less reimbursement from the VA than what he/she normally charges.
Okay, this article is not your most fascinating topic, but it will save you heart burn if some of the above problems cross your path. You will know that 1) you know and possess your authorization number; 2) you are patient in waiting for the local provider; and 3) you know what is covered within that authorization number.
Finally, call your local Community Care team. For the Spokane VAMC, the Community Care phone number is (509) 484-7969. Everyone that I’ve spoken with there is usually professional and helpful. I may not be on the VA team, but I’m privileged to work with a great team “serving American veterans, one hero at a time.”
Maybe you won’t need this help navigating the system, but you know of a veteran who does. Pass this information on or have him/ her give me a call at 208-255-5291. I’m glad to help!
Bryan Hult is the Bonner County Veterans Services Officer. He enlisted in the infantry, graduated from Officer Candidate School and Jump School from Fort Benning, Georgia and Flight School from Fort Rucker, Alabama. He then flew helicopters at Fort Hood, Texas. His military education included the Army War College in Carlisle, PA. After seminary, he served at every level of the Army chaplaincy in the Indiana National Guard and retired in 2010 as the Assistant Chief of Chaplains.
