Veterans who live on the East End will be able to access health care at Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead, which has just been approved as a new member of the Veterans Choice Program under the Department of Veterans Affairs, Rep. Lee Zeldin announced yesterday.
The Choice Program allows veterans to access health care from non-VA doctors and facilities. Veterans are eligible for the Choice Program if they live more than 40 miles from a VA facility, or face an excessive travel burden getting to the nearest VA facility, or they are or will be waiting more than 30 days for VA care. Veterans must be already enrolled in VA health care. See the Veterans Choice Program website for more information.
Staff at the local VA medical facility will work with the veteran to determine if he or she is eligible for any of these reasons, according to the website. Veterans who live east of Edwards Avenue in Calverton meet the 40-mile distance criteria.
“One of my top priorities in Congress is ensuring our veterans have access to the highest quality of healthcare,” said Zeldin, a member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee. In May, Zeldin announced the availability of veterans’ access to health care at PBMC’s medical group offices in Manorville.Peconic Bay Medical Center’s participation in the VA Choice Program provides an important new healthcare option for veterans, Zeldin said.
“Creating medical access and assisting with travel time for the veterans on the East End is a benefit to our community,” PBMC president and CEO Andrew Mitchell said. “We are excited and proud to be able to offer convenient healthcare access to our deserving veterans.”
Accessing health care at a non-VA facility does not affect a veteran’s ability to access or continue care at a VA hospital, Zeldin said.
Additional information is also available by phone at 1-866-606-8198 and at PBMC directly at 631-548-6827.
