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Military Benefits After a Hurricane: What You Need to Know
By STS Staff
July 13, 2017

By Salute to Spouses staff

 

Thousands of military members have been evacuated from Texas, Georgia and Florida for Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Many have and will return home to destruction.

As families try to assess the damage, salvage what they can and return to a new normal, there is lots of help in place from military organizations. Here is a rundown of information from Blue Star Families and Military.com.

Evacuation Entitlements

Military families ordered to evacuate (including those in the Florida Keys) will be reimbursed for mileage, lodging, meals and accidentals. However, this is only true if the proper authorities ordered a family to evacuate. For more information on evacuation entitlements visit

https://paycheck-chronicles.military.com/2017/09/03/evacuation-entitlements/

Tricare

During natural disasters, Tricare regularly puts in place a "state of emergency" in impacted areas.

Tricare users in all counties in Louisiana, Florida, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, Georgia and some counties in Texas can access emergency prescriptions refills at any Tricare network pharmacy.

Those counties are: Aransas, Atascosa, Austin, Bastrop, Bee, Bexar, Brazoria, Brazos, Burleson, Caldwell, Calhoun, Cameron, Chambers, Colorado, Comal, DeWitt, Fayette, Fort Bend, Galveston, Goliad, Gonzales, Grimes, Guadalupe, Hardin, Harris, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Jim Wells, Karnes, Kerr, Kleberg, Lavaca, Lee, Leon, Liberty, Live Oak, Madison, Matagorda, Montgomery, Newton, Nueces, Polk, Refugio, San Jacinto, San Patricio, Tyler, Victoria, Waller, Walker, Washington, Wharton, Wilson and Willacy.

Specialty care referral requirements have also been waived for all Tricare users all counties in Florida in some counties in Texas.

To be seen by a medical provider, beneficiaries simply need to make an appointment with a provider wherever they are. Those Texas counties are: Aransas, Austin, Bastrop, Bee, Brazos, Burleson, Calhoun, Chambers, Colorado, Brazoria, DeWitt, Fayette, Fort Bend, Galveston, Goliad, Gonzales, Grimes, Hardin, Harris, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Jim Wells, Karnes, Kleberg, Lavaca, Lee, Leon, Liberty, Live Oak, Madison, Matagorda, Montgomery, Newton, Nueces, Polk, Refugio, San Jacinto, San Patricio, Tyler, Victoria, Waller, Walker, Washington, Wharton and Wilson.

In South Carolina those counties are, Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Georgetown, Horry, Jasper.

In Georgia those counties are Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Glynn, Liberty and McIntosh.

The situation is constantly changing so check the Tricare website for up-to-date details.

GI Bill

Typically, Post-9/11 GI Bill housing allowance payments require that you are in school continuously. When school breaks or classes are out, the housing payment is prorated to reflect that change.

Officials with the Department of Veterans Affairs announced that most people using the GI Bill at a school that has been temporarily closed due to the hurricane will still receive housing allowance payments as if nothing had happened.

VA Hospitals, Clinics

Hurricane Harvey

Across impacted areas in Texas, some community health and outpatient Department of Veterans Affairs clinics are closed as a result of the storm. The Houston VA Medical Center, however, is open and fully operational, officials posted on that facility's website.

A series of mobile vet centers to provide counseling services were being deployed to impacted areas, such as Corpus Christi, or have been placed on standby, according to VA officials. Within the area impacted by Harvey are over 510,000 veterans and 115 VA clinics, they said.

A series of mobile vet centers to provide counseling services were being deployed to impacted areas, such as Corpus Christi, or have been placed on standby, according to VA officials. Within the area impacted by Harvey are over 510,000 veterans and 115 VA clinics, they said.

The VA has also put in place their Pharmacy Disaster Relief Plan. Eligible veterans with a VA ID Card who need an emergency supply of medications can go to any CVS or HEB pharmacy with a written prescription or active VA prescription bottle to receive a 14-day supply. Veterans who need assistance can also call the Heritage Health Solutions Veterans Help line at 1-866 265-0124 to speak to a representative, officials said.

Hurricane Irma

Veterans from storm-affected areas who require immediate assistance may contact the Health Resource Center Disaster Hotline at 1-800-507-4571.

For the latest updates on operations at specific VA facilities and associated clinics, please visit your facility’s website and the Facebook pages listed below. Information provided on the facility pages may be more current than what is posted here.

Caribbean facilities:
Florida, Georgia, South Carolina medical facilities:
  • Miami VA Medical Center (website) – Miami VAMC (Facebook page)
    • Beginning Wednesday, Sept. 13, the Bruce W. Carter VA Medical Center (the main hospital) will be fully operational. More Details
    • William “Bill” Kling VA Clinic in Broward County – Beginning Wednesday, Sept. 13, the clinic will be fully operational with the exception of GI procedures
    • Hollywood VA Clinic – Primary Care, Mental Health for walk-ins only
    • Pembroke Pines CBOC – Open for normal operations.
    • The following community clinics remain closed through Tuesday, September 12:
      • Deerfield Beach CBOC
      • Homestead CBOC
      • Key West OPC
      • Key Largo CBOC
      • Flagler Street
  • West Palm Beach VA Medical Center (website) – West Palm Beach VAMC (Facebook page)
    • The West Palm Beach VA Medical Center is fully operational.More Details
      • Delray Beach CBOC – Closed
      • Stuart CBOC – Closed
      • Clewiston CBOC – Closed
      • Moorehaven CBOC – ClosedThe following clinics remain closed.  All others are operational
  • North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System (website) – North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System (Facebook page)
    • Gainesville VAMC and Lake City VAMC are fully operational. More Details
    • Clinic Status:
      • Jacksonville (all locations) – Beginning Wednesday, September 13, fully operational
      • Lecanto CBOC – Open
      • Marianna CBOC – Open
      • Ocala West – Open
      • Ocala Cascades – Closed
      • Palatka CBOC – Open
      • Perry Outreach Clinic – Closed
      • St. Augustine CBOC – Beginning Wednesday, September 13, fully operational
      • St. Marys (GA) CBOC – Beginning Wednesday, September 13, fully operational
      • Tallahassee HCC – Open
      • The Villages OPC – Open
      • Valdosta CBOC – Beginning Wednesday, September 13, fully operational
      • Waycross CBOC – Beginning Wednesday, September 13, fully operational
  • Bay Pines VA Medical Center (website) – Bay Pines VAMC (Facebook page)
    • The C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center (main hospital) outpatient services, elective procedures and surgeries remain suspended.  The emergency department remains closed. More Details
    • All clinics remain closed.  Patients with appointments will be rescheduled as soon as possible.
  • Tampa VA Medical Center (website) – Tampa VAMC (Facebook page)
    • The James A. Haley Veterans Hospital (main hospital) is fully operational. More Details
    • The New Port Richey Dental Clinic is open.  All other New Port Richey VA facilities remain closed.
    • In Tampa, the Mental Health, Audiology and Outpatient Physical Therapy Clinics remain closed.
    • All other clinics are open for normal operations.
  • Orlando VA Medical Center (website) – Orlando VAMC (Facebook page)
    • The Lake Nona hospital and campus are fully operational. More Details
    • The following clinics remain closed.  All others are operational.
      • New Port Richey Eye Clinic – Closed
      • Tampa Audiology and Outpatient Physical Therapy Clinics – Closed
  • Charleston VA Medical Center (website) – Charleston VAMC (Facebook page)
    • The Charleston VAMC Emergency Department will be fully operational during the weather event along with the required staff to support remaining inpatient care for approximately 70 inpatients. All outpatient clinics and non-essential services will remain closed through Tuesday, Sept. 12 in order to ensure the maximum safety of our Veterans, staff, and their families. The main facility in downtown Charleston and its outpatient clinics, with the exception of the Goose Creek VA Outpatient Clinic, are expected to reopen for normal operations on Wednesday, Sept. 13. More Details
  • Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System (website) – Gulf Coast Veterans HCS (Facebook page)
    • The Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System’s outpatient clinics near Eglin Air Force Base, in Panama City Beach and in Pensacola will be closed Sept. 11. More Details
  • Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center – Augusta (website) – Augusta VA (Facebook page)
    • The director of the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center has ordered the closure of the Statesboro, Ga., clinic Tuesday, Sept. 12, and a limited closure of the Athens, Ga., clinic on the same day.The Athens clinic will open at 1 p.m., Sept. 12, and is not a full-day closure. More Details
  • Atlanta VA Health Care System (website) – Atlanta VA (Facebook page)
    • The Atlanta VA Medical Center and its outpatient clinics anticipate reopening for normal operations on Wednesday, Sept. 13 though impacts of weather may delay some openings. All previously cancelled appointments will be rescheduled.Clinics Opened
      • Trinka Davis Veterans Village
      • Ft. McPherson VA Campus
      • Fulton County VA Clinic
      • Newnan VA Clinic
      • Stockbridge VA Clinic
      • Austell VA Clinic
      • Gwinnett County VA Clinic
      • Lawrenceville VA Clinic
      • Rome VA Clinic
      • Blairsville VA Clinic

Clinics Closed – due to continued power outage

  • Atlanta VA Clinic (Arcadia)
  • Henderson Mill VA Clinic
  • Oakwood VA Clinic
VA Regional Benefits Offices
  • Atlanta Regional Benefits Office (website)
    • The Atlanta Regional Benefit Office outbased locations in Fort Stewart/Savannah, GA and Fort Gordon/Augusta, GA are closed Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017. We will continue to monitor this weather system for Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017 and update information soon as possible.  The Atlanta Regional Office (main office) will remain closed at this time.  More Details
  • St. Petersburg Regional Benefit Office (website)
    • The St. Petersburg Regional Officeand all outbased offices will reopen to employees on Wednesday, Sept. 13. All locations will reopen to Veterans and their families on Thursday, Sept. 14.
VA National Cemeteries
Vet Centers
  • VA Vet Centers –  updated information on Vet Center operating status in the affected region.
    • U.S. Virgin Islands:
      • St. Croix – Open
      • St Thomas – Closed
    • Puerto Rico:
      • San Juan – Open
      • Ponce – Open
      • Arecibo – Providing Services at Arecibo CBOC
    • Florida:
      • Miami Vet Center – Closed
      • Naples Vet Center – Closed
      • Fort Lauderdale Vet Center – Closed
      • Pompano Beach Vet Center – Closed
      • Palm Beach Vet Center – Closed
      • Jupiter Vet Center – Closed
      • Melbourne Vet Center – Closed
      • Tampa Vet Center – Closed
      • St. Petersburg Vet Center – Closed
      • Sarasota Vet Center – Closed
      • Clearwater Vet Center – Closed
      • Fort Myers Vet Center – Closed
    • Georgia:
      • Savannah Vet Center – Closed Sept. 9 thru 12
    • South Carolina
      • Charleston Vet Center – Closed Sept. 9 thru 12Myrtle Beach Vet Center – Closed Sept. 9 thru 12

VA Pharmacy Disaster Relief Plan

VA has activated the Pharmacy Disaster Relief Plan for Veterans in Hurricane Irma impact areas. Eligible Veterans in the affected areas with a VA ID Card needing emergency supply of medications will be able to go to any retail pharmacy open to the public with a written prescription or active VA prescription bottle (not older than 6 months and with refills available) to receive at least a 10 day supply. Note: This does not include controlled substances. Patients must present a valid VA ID Card.

The Heritage Health Customer Care Line is available for VA patients in the affected areas at 1-866-265-0124, option 1. Heritage’s hours of operations for hurricane coverage: Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET, Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET

VA Benefits

VA’s Veterans Benefits Administration has mechanisms to help Veterans receive their benefit payments if their normal mail cannot be delivered:

  • Veterans can sign up for direct deposit on eBenefits.
  • Veterans can call 1-800-827-1000 to sign up for direct deposit.
  • The Direct Express Cardless Benefit Access program is offering beneficiaries who use Direct Express and reside in the affected area the option to obtain cash without their card, up to $1,000.
    • The service is being offered free of charge; however, due to system limitations, a fee will be charged and then refunded to the beneficiary. The beneficiary will be asked to go to a MoneyGram store to retrieve the funds.  If the beneficiary is unable to locate a MoneyGram store in operation in his/her area, the funds will be placed back on the Direct Express card.
    • MoneyGram agents will require ID before releasing funds.  They will accept a passport, driver’s license, military identification card, social security card and/or state identification card.  The beneficiary must also have a MoneyGram reference number (provided by the Direct Express Call Center).
    • Contact the Direct Express Call Center toll-free number, 1-888-741-1115, and offer to transfer the caller.  Callers must choose the “Direct Express Cardless Benefit Access” option on the IVR.
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