VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System

Are you a veteran approaching 65…? VA Healthcare, Medicare and TRICARE For Live (TFL) can work together. The right mix depends on your individual needs.
What you need to know:
•Timing matters.
•VA is its own system. There is no enrollment fee for veterans and no bill to Medicare or TFL for care you receive at VA.
•TFL fills the gaps. Once active, TRICARE For Life covers deductibles, copays and extras that Medicare alone does not, such as routine eye exams.
•Access can change over time. Your VA priority, local wait times and health needs may shift. Medicare keeps that door open.
•VA and TFL work together. Enrolling in one does not cancel out the other.

Not enrolled in VA Healthcare yet?
•Apply with VA Form 10-10EZ, using one of these methods:
oOnline at va.gov/health-care/ap…
oBy phone, dialing 877-222-VETS (8387)
oBy mail or in person (Bring the completed form to your nearest VA facility)
If mailing, mail to:
•Health Eligibility Center
P.O. Box 5207
Janesville, WI 53547-5207

If you still have questions, an accredited Veterans Service Organization (VSO) representative, attorney or claims agent can help you navigate VA, Medicare and TFL together, at no cost.
Find one at va.gov/get-help-from-….
This is general information. Eligibility, costs and deadlines depend on your individual circumstances.

Click the link below to read our latest story on how Dr. Liam Kiernan, a VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System Spinal Cord Injury and Disorders Center (SCI/D) physical therapist at the Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center (RMRVAMC), recently earned the VA Excellence in Physical Therapy Practice Award, recognizing outstanding clinical practice within the VA, the Paralyzed Veterans of America Clinical Excellence Award and Regis University’s Clinical Instructor of the Year Award.

ow.ly/oX7a5103M9N

The Veteran Express Same-Day Walk-In Clinic at the PFC Floyd K. Lindstrom VA Clinic can help with minor conditions such as coughs, colds, flu, sore throat, strep throat, ear problems, urinary symptoms, skin conditions, minor injuries, sprains, strains, and low back pain.

Vet Express does not provide emergency-level services.

For chest pain, difficulty breathing, severe abdominal pain, broken bones, severe burns, overdose or poisoning, seizures, loss of consciousness, active bleeding, serious wounds, possible stroke symptoms, or thoughts of suicide or self-harm, call 911 or go to the nearest Emergency Room.

For non-life-threatening concerns that Vet Express cannot treat, seek care at an Urgent Care clinic or contact your VA care team.

For a mental health crisis, call or text 988, then press 1 for the Veterans Crisis Line.

When symptoms are severe or life-threatening, do not wait—get emergency help.

Dr. Emmy Betz, an Eastern Colorado GRECC physician-scientist, is the senior author on a recent paper published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), "Firearm-Related Discussions as an Age-Friendly Intervention".

The article discusses practical means for how clinicians can incorporate firearms safety discussions into conversations of other safety-related aging risk factors (e.g., steep stairs, deep bathtubs, etc.) to ensure such discussions are palatable for clinicians and older veterans.

The article can be found on the NEJM website: nejm.org/doi/full/10.10…

Are you a veteran approaching 65…? VA Healthcare, Medicare and TRICARE For Live (TFL) can work together. The right mix depends on your individual needs.
What you need to know:
•Timing matters.
•VA is its own system. There is no enrollment fee for veterans and no bill to Medicare or TFL for care you receive at VA.
•TFL fills the gaps. Once active, TRICARE For Life covers deductibles, copays and extras that Medicare alone does not, such as routine eye exams.
•Access can change over time. Your VA priority, local wait times and health needs may shift. Medicare keeps that door open.
•VA and TFL work together. Enrolling in one does not cancel out the other.

Not enrolled in VA Healthcare yet?
•Apply with VA Form 10-10EZ, using one of these methods:
oOnline at va.gov/health-care/ap…
oBy phone, dialing 877-222-VETS (8387)
oBy mail or in person (Bring the completed form to your nearest VA facility)
If mailing, mail to:
•Health Eligibility Center
P.O. Box 5207
Janesville, WI 53547-5207

If you still have questions, an accredited Veterans Service Organization (VSO) representative, attorney or claims agent can help you navigate VA, Medicare and TFL together, at no cost.
Find one at va.gov/get-help-from-….
This is general information. Eligibility, costs and deadlines depend on your individual circumstances.