What health care benefits do veterans have?

The US Department of Veterans Affairs has three different subordinate administrations, one of those administrations is the Veterans Health Care Administration. The VHA offers a wide variety of traditional health care services along with many new options for whole health, weight loss and others.

Veterans can learn more about their health care benefits by connecting with theEdward Hines Jr. VA Hospital Outreach Team at several outreach events in Grundy County.

The Hines Outreach Team and the Grundy County VAC with the support of the Morris American Legion will be available to help enroll Veterans in health care and answer questions about VA health care and other benefits on Monday Feb. 7, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Morris American Legion 212 W Washington Street Morris.

Seasonal Flu shots are also available from the outreach team. A veteran must be enrolled in the VA health care system to receive a flu shot.

The team consists of the enrollment coordinator and a VA nurse, the Grundy County VAC will have a veteran service officer available.

This event is free and open to all area veterans, no registration is required.

You may be eligible for VA health care benefits if you served in the active military, naval, or air service and didn’t receive a dishonorable discharge. If you enlisted after September 7, 1980, or entered active duty after October 16, 1981, you must have served 24 continuous months or the full period for which you were called to active duty. There are other criteria that may also make you eligible for VA health care. Please bring a copy of your DD214 and a Photo ID if you would like to enroll. If you do not have a copy of your DD 214, the Grundy County VAC can assist you with getting one.

The VA Hines Healthcare System provides veterans with outstanding health care, trains America’s future health care providers, and conducts important medical research.

Care from the VA through the Hines network is available from 7 locations in northeastern Illinois. Facilities include our Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital in Hines and 6 community-based outpatient clinics in Aurora, Hoffman Estates, Joliet, Bourbonnais, Peru, and Oak Lawn. To learn more about the services each location offers, visit the VA Hines health care page at https://www.va.gov/hines-health-care/health-services/

The VA Hines Healthcare System is one of the leading health care systems serving Veterans in the VA Great Lakes Network. They are an innovative care center within the Veterans Integrated Service Network 12 (VISN 12). VISN 12 includes medical centers and clinics in Wisconsin, Illinois, northwestern Indiana, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

If you would like more information about the Hines VA outreach program, please contact Patrick Grimes at 708-904-1473.