Francisco Amador remembers a date in April 2024 vividly, the day he lost his home in a house fire. He immediately placed a call to the Texas Valley VA Coastal Bend Health Care System’s Homeless Call Center, and a referral was placed. Social Worker Cynthia Duque spoke with Amador and added him to the Housing…
Navy Veteran Lois Norris: A lifetime of service at 103
When Lois Norris was born on March 28, 1922, in Worcester, Massachusetts, the world was a very different place. More than a century later, Norris has lived through history while leaving her own mark on it as a Navy Veteran, mother, teacher, gardener and devoted community member. At 103, she continues to inspire all who…
Navy Veteran celebrates his 101st birthday
Earlier this year, Spokane’s Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center hosted a birthday celebration more than a century in the making. The guest of honor: retired Navy Capt. Francis “Frank” Fogarty, a 101-year-old Veteran of World War II, Korea and Vietnam. A year prior, illness had prevented his 100th birthday party. This spring, however, VA staff, family…
VA to begin copayments for whole health well-being services
Starting Oct. 1, 2025, VA will update its billing practices for Whole Health well-being services to ensure consistency with federal law. Veterans in Priority Groups 6, 7 and 8, who are already responsible for outpatient copayments, will now pay a $15 copayment for Whole Health well-being services billed under Stop Code 139. This change applies…
Honoring our Heroes through our Commitment to Care
Every year on Veterans Day, our nation honors all those who served in the military. It is a day for remembrance, reflection, and gratitude for those who defended the American way of life. At the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), we honor Veterans every day through our continued commitment to ensuring they receive the world-class…
VA launches offline mobile app to support HBPC teams in remote areas
Home-Based Primary Care (HBPC) teams now have a faster and more secure way to support Veterans in remote areas, even those without internet access, thanks to the recent implementation of the Oracle Health Community Care app, formerly known as Mobile Care. The app allows HBPC staff to view critical patient information, including documentation, orders, medications,…
Snaxs the super user dog gets Dayton VA Medical Center ready for deployment
The Dayton VA Medical Center’s Change Leadership Team (CLT) has an honorary member ready to help end users prepare for the facility’s Federal Electronic Health Record (EHR) deployment in 2026: a golden Labrador with a love for snacks. Snaxs (also known as Korey) is an 8-year old certified service dog who has accompanied Joel Legawiec,…
Veterans Day National Committee Selects Regional Sites for 2025
The Veterans Day National Committee (VDNC) hosts the annual National Veterans Day Ceremony on November 11 at Arlington National Cemetery. The ceremony commences at 11:00 a.m. ET with a Presidential Wreath Laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and continues inside the Memorial Amphitheater with a parade of colors by Veterans’ organizations and remarks…
Specialized nursing roles: Find your niche
A nursing career at VA is an opportunity to make a lasting difference in the lives of Veteran patients while excelling in a niche that fits your skills and interests. If you’re looking for a nursing job, consider a specialized role at VA that’s “All About Veterans.” Find your niche With various specialized roles, VA…
VA driver rehabilitation programs restore independence for Veterans
For Operation Iraqi Freedom Veteran Trivero Wilson, the road to recovery meant more than medical care—it meant regaining the ability to drive. Paralyzed from the chest down after a 2005 combat injury, Wilson worked with specialists at James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital in Tampa, Florida, to train on adaptive driving systems through VA’s Driver Rehabilitation…
VA facilities nationwide honor POW/MIAs with remembrance ceremonies
Across the country, VA medical centers and partners gathered to honor America’s prisoners of war (POWs) and those still missing in action (MIA). From James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital in Tampa, Florida, to the Southern Arizona VA Health Care System in Tucson, Veterans, staff,and community members joined together to pay tribute, reflect and recommit to…
Santa Salutes brings cheer year-round to Veterans
The halls of the West Palm Beach VA Healthcare System (WPBVAHCS) Community Living Center (CLC) filled with cheer as Santa Claus made his rounds, not just for the holiday, but as part of a new year-round initiative designed to brighten the days of Veterans in the CLC and Hospice units. The program, Santa Salutes, is…