VA, DoD expand health care for veterans living in New York

The Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense have expanded their existing partnership to allow veterans, soldiers, cadets, and other beneficiaries to receive care from the Keller Army Community Hospital on the West Point Army Installation and at the VA Hudson Valley Health Care System.

Veterans enrolled in VA health care can now receive mammograms and orthopedic care from KACH providers and surgical services from VA surgeons at Keller Army Community Hospital. The partnership also expands access to specialty care, virtual traumatic brain injury care, and inpatient behavioral care for soldiers, cadets, and other beneficiaries at VA Hudson Valley Health Care System, according to a VA release.

“This partnership will help make sure that New York veterans have access to world-class health care close to home,” said VA Under Secretary for Health Dr. Shereef Elnahal. “At a time when veterans are signing up for VA care and using VA care at record rates, collaborations like this are critical — especially for veterans who live in rural areas. By partnering with DOD, we can ensure that health care is accessible and convenient, sparing veterans the burden of traveling long distances to get the care they deserve.”

The partnership is the first of its kind in New York and is part of VA’s comprehensive strategy to modernize its health care system nationwide — including through partnerships with DOD.

“DOD and VA are teammates, each working to enhance health care delivery for our beneficiaries,” said Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Dr. Lester Martínez-López. “This partnership supports readiness by helping our medical professionals maintain their clinical readiness skills. It’s also an extension of our collective commitment to provide increased access to health care for those who have sacrificed so much for this country.”

With nine locations throughout Hudson Valley, including hospitals in Montrose and Wappingers Falls, and seven community-based outpatient clinics, VA Hudson Valley Healthcare System serves 24,000 veterans annually.
This newest partnership is one of hundreds of nationwide partnerships with DOD, including 14 near- and long-term projects to expand access to care for veterans.

VA and DOD created a similar partnership earlier this year in Fort Campbell, Kentucky and Tennessee to increase access to world-class care for approximately 3,000 veterans. VA and DOD have also partnered in Pensacola, Florida to increase access to world-class surgical care for approximately 37,000 Gulf Coast-area veterans.

Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com .