‘Majority of CNMI veterans possibly eligible for VA health care benefits’

Of the 867 veterans currently in the CNMI, a majority of them are possibly eligible for health care benefits and services identical to those in the 50 states and all other U.S. territories.

This was learned during a meeting between Resident Representative Pete A. Tenorio and officials of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, during which Tenorio raised several concerns that have been pointed out to him by local veterans.

During the meeting, Tenorio briefly described the relationship between the United States and the CNMI and then summarized the meetings he held with local veterans and the concerns raised at those meetings.

“I met with the veterans to brainstorm ways benefits and services could be made more readily available to them, and what I could do to help. I come to you today looking for ‘guiding hands’ to help our veterans out,” Tenorio told the group.

DAS William McLemore, heading the meeting, said at the onset that NMI veterans were eligible for health care benefits and services, with eligibility based on medical need, income or assets and record of service.

VA records show that, of the 867 veterans in the CNMI, a majority are possibly eligible. “The biggest problem with obtaining health care benefits is that the veteran needs to enroll in order to be determined eligible,” DAS McLemore said.

The forms for enrollment are available online at the website: www.va.gov.

Tenorio agreed to take some of the form backs to the CNMI with him and meet with Ruth Coleman, the Governor’s Special Assistant for Veterans Affairs, to see what could be done to assist local veterans in filling out and submitting the forms to VA.

“Our veterans were also deeply concerned about receiving adequate and affordable health care services in the CNMI,” Tenorio said. “Having to travel to Guam or Honolulu for medical care needs is oftentimes too costly for many of them.”

One point of discussion focused on setting up a contractual agreement between the VA and CHC whereby veterans could obtain services in NMI without having to travel off-island—except in the case of Rota and Tinian—to receive medical attention.

Traveling to Guam or Hawaii for health care services is a situation that the VA cannot provide any relief from at this time. Establishing a veterans’ clinic in a given area will only be entertained if the threshold of 5,000-7,000 veterans is met.

“Because of staffing problems at the VA Hospital in Guam, it is not even possible to schedule regular health care visits between there and the CNMI,” said McLemore.

An enrolled, eligible veteran may receive emergency care at CHC and file a claim with VA for reimbursement. These forms can also be found on line or through the NMI Veterans Office.

Another topic discussed was the Veterans Cemetery to be located on Saipan. Tenorio was informed that the grant award was in the process of being signed and sent to the CNMI government and that the design and construction of the cemetery was forthcoming.

Tenorio said that many of the families of veterans who have passed away and are buried in other cemeteries throughout the NMI would possibly want their remains exhumed and buried in the VA cemetery once it was completed. Although VA does not provide for re-interring expenses, there may be federal funds that can assist families with the cost of transferring the remains from one cemetery to the other.

NMI veterans are also eligible for VA educational and vocational rehabilitation benefits, Tenorio learned.

“We need to work with the VA Administration in Oklahoma for the NMI to be considered a State Approving Agency but this is just a matter easily resolved with the help of our VA friends. In the very near future, our veterans can apply for funds to continue their education or participate in vocational rehabilitation programs,” Tenorio stated.

Tenorio will meet with VA officials in Honolulu while traveling back to the CNMI next week.

“My meeting with the VA was extremely positive and I know that good things for our veterans will come as a result of it,” Tenorio said. “I was also touched by their concern for the NMI men and women now serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. I was heartened to hear that they will be eligible to receive veterans benefits and services immediately upon their return.”

“I look forward to sharing all this information with our veterans upon my return,” said Tenorio.