Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 40, Number 10, 1 ʻOkakopa 2023 — Copay Exemption for Native Veterans Excludes Hawaiians [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Copay Exemption for Native Veterans Excludes Hawaiians

^ NĀ KOA NEWS ^

By Reyn Kaupiko On April 4, 2023, the Veterans Administration (VA), published a final rule regarding copayments for heahh care and all urgent care visits for eligible Native American and Alaska Native veterans. This

copay exemption connects veterans to the quickest and best care and encourages Native American and Alaska Native veterans to seek medical care through the VA. Unfortunately, this decision did not include Native Hawaiian veterans. How could inclusion of Native Hawaiian veterans for this rule change benefit them? • It would allow Native Hawaiian Heahh Care Systems to be reimbursed by the VA when eligible veterans receive services. • It would exempt Native Hawaiian veterans ffom cost sharing at VA facilities. • It would include Native Hawaiian Heahh Care Systems in the VA Community Care Program allowing for more immediate treatment. • It would indirectly allow for community resources to be made available for other needs. • It would encourage Native Hawaiian veterans to seek general VA benefits, not just for heahh care. There may have been a variety of reasons why Native Hawaiian veterans were not included in this rule change, such as the topic of federal recognition, The Veterans Heahh Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020, or it may be as simple as the referencing of the Indian Heahh Care Act for eligibility. Regardless of the reason for non-inclusion, Sen. Mazie Hirono's ofhce is working on legislation for the Native Hawaiian veteran community paralleling that of the April 4 rule decision. For those who agree that Native Hawaiian veterans should also receive this benefit, I urge you to contact Hawai'i's congressional representatives and share your thoughts with them. ■ Reyn Kaupiko is a US Navy veteran who actively advocatesfor the veteran community. He currently sits on the Veterans Affairs TribalAdvisory Committee working with other tribal leaders from around the nation. All thoughts and ideas shared in this pieee are soleiy those ofthe author.