VA health care: A lifeline for Veterans   

“VA is one of the unsung heroes,” said David Cohen, a Navy Veteran who receives care at the Manhattan VA Medical Center in New York City. Since filing his first medical claim with VA, Cohen has found a community of advocates—from fellow Veterans at the Virginia Department of Veteran Services where he was last stationed to his VA care team in New York City.

“I am very, very grateful… from the day I separated, I went to the New York VA, got my VA ID, and they were willing to see me right away,” said Cohen. “I didn’t have my disability rated yet, but I was still able to receive all of the care that any Veteran can receive regardless of their disability rating… overall, my experience at VA has been relatively easy.”

Care teams get Veterans

At VA, care teams get Veterans. They understand your medical history, your service and your life experiences. Many VA staff are Veterans themselves, and providers are specially trained to deliver care that’s tailored to your needs. VA’s health care team looks at the full picture of how your military experience and transition back to civilian life impacts your whole health. They work hard to make every VA facility a place where you feel seen, heard and respected.

“One of the first things that I got from VA were my hearing aids, and that was relatively immediate,” said Cohen, who brought his dad along to the appointment. Receiving his hearing aids so quickly was one of the best parts of his early VA experience. “I trust my VA providers,” he continued, recounting his experience with his VA audiologist who went above and beyond to not only attend to him, but even took time to answer questions from his dad.

“I was a weapons division officer when I was in the military, so [there were] a lot of loud bangs and a lot of machinery noises…” he added. “I looked it up, and my hearing aids are the same as the normal commercial market, which can cost north of $4,000.”

VA’s mission is clear: To serve and honor America’s Veterans by providing them timely, high-quality care. Through VA facilities, the Veterans Community Care Program and other methods, like virtual care, VA delivers the care you have earned whenever and wherever you need it.

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