Veterans Corner By George Schwindeman

TRICARE assures providers and beneficiaries that the provider network will continue to be strong and growing as Congress approved legislation that maintains current Medicare reimbursement rates to health care providers.

A decrease in Medicare reimbursement rates was to have gone into effect July 1, 2008. Because TRICARE reimbursement rates are tied by statue to Medicare, some beneficiaries have expressed concerns that a rate decrease could hurt their access to providers.

"We hope the actions taken maintaining Medicare rates will help alleviate provider or beneficiary concerns," said Army MG Elder Granger, deputy director of TRICARE management activity. "The TRICARE provider network is strong and growing and we expect that trend to continue. Since last year, outreach efforts have resulted in the addition of more than 115,000 providers who accept TRICARE, a 9 percent increase nationwide since 2007."

More than 325,000 providers are in the TRICARE network with more than one million providers accepting TRICARE beneficiaries.

VA accepting online claims applications

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is accepting online applications from veterans, survivors and other claimants filing initial applications for disability compensation, pension, education and vocational rehabilitation and employment benefits without the additional requirement to submit a signed paper copy of the application.

VA is processing applications received through its online application Web site (http://www.va.gov/onlineapps.htm) without the claimant's signature. The electronic application is sufficient authorization of the claimants for benefits. Normal development procedures and rules of evidence will still apply to all VONAPP applications.

VONAPP benefits both internal and external users. Those seeking compensation, pension, education or vocational rehabilitation benefits can apply electronically without the constraints of location, postage, costs and time delays in mail delivery. VONAPP reduces the number of incomplete applications received by VA claim processes.

The online application also provides a link to apply for VA benefits.

Information: www.va.gov or 800-827-1000.

George Schwindeman is a veteran who lives in Rupert.