Director's Message January 21, 2022
VAPIHCS Veterans, Each The COVID-19 pandemic continues, and so I continue to encourage everyone to get both doses of the vaccine and a booster shot.
This is also peak flu season, and I encourage everyone to get their flu shot. Call 1-800-214-1306 and make an appointment today.
In 2022, the VA is still making mental health a priority, and the New Suicide Prevention Website makes it easier for veterans to find resources and support from across the full breadth of the VA’s offerings. As we continue to isolate and avoid large social events, I encourage everyone to continue to reach out to the people in their lives.
The Office of Geriatrics and Extended Care (GEC) announced the launch of a five-year expansion of the Home-Based Primary Care (HBPC), Medical Foster Home (MFH) and Veteran Directed Care (VDC) programs to increase access to home and community-based services by 2026. This expansion will help meet the health care needs of the aging Veteran population while honoring veterans’ preferences to age safely at home.
If you think you have been exposed to COVID-19 or are having symptoms, remember that the Federal Government will send Free COVID-19 Test Kits to your home.
Remember that the new Windward CBOC is accepting patients now. Veterans on the Windward side of the island can transfer their care at any time. The new CBOC is located at 46-001 Kamehameha Hwy Ste. 301 in the Adventist Castle Professional Center. If you would like to transfer your care to the Windward CBOC, call 1-800-214-1306.
The first of our veterans who live in American Samoa, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands will receive care under VA’s new Community Care Network (CCN) on Jan. 25, 2022. CCN allows for more available and accessible health care when Veterans face obstacles like wait times, travel distance to our facilities or other factors that impede their continuity of care.
CCN serves as the direct link between VA and local health care providers, providing an industry-standard contract vehicle for VA to purchase care. TriWest Health Care Alliance (TriWest) will manage the network and process claims for payment to local providers on behalf of VA.
Community providers currently contracted by TriWest with VCAs will not be automatically enrolled in CCN. They will be required to sign a new contract with TriWest to continue providing services to our veterans under CCN.
In the coming weeks, you may be approached by Veterans with questions about CCN. Please read through the attached fact sheet for more information. Additional resources will be provided to you at the start of health care delivery.
Thank you for all that you do!
One Team, One Ohana!
Adam M. Robinson, Jr., MD, MBA, CPE
Director, VA Pacific Islands Health Care System
VADM, MC, USN, (RET)
36th Surgeon General, USN
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