Above / The Hines VA Hospital Medical Mobie Unit has been serving healthcare needs of veterans in 2016 during monthly visits to the Judd Kendall VFW in Naperville. The next stop in Naperville is slated 9AM-2PM Tues., Dec. 6, 2016, inside the VFW. Note! Again… Inside the VFW.
UPDATE Dec. 6, 2016 / The Hines Medical Mobile Unit returns to the Post 3873 from 9AM until 2PM Wed., Dec. 7, to get you signed up for VA Healthcare, according to Mike Barbour.
“Due to the overwhelming popularity of the Hines Mobile Medical Team, they will be at the Naperville VFW again tomorrow, Dec. 7, from 9 until 2 on the porch outside the Canteen,” said Barbour. “If you missed today… sign up for VA Healthcare tomorrow.”
UPDATE Dec. 1, 2016 / The Hines Medical Mobile Unit returns to the Post 3873 from 9AM until 2PM Tues., Dec. 6, to get you signed up for VA Healthcare, according to Mike Barbour.
“This month the team will be inside the Post,” said Barbour. “Give yourself a Christmas present and get signed up for VA Healthcare. With the uncertainty of healthcare in the country now it is a good fallback position. Tell all your friends and relatives who are Veterans to stop by and get in the system. We get excellent care from the Aurora CBOC and Hines.”
UPDATE July 29, 2016 / Mike Barbour reminds local veterans that the Mobile Medical Unit returns to the Judd Kendall VFW Post from 9AM to 2PM Tues., August 2.
Barbour notes the unit will be here to help veterans enroll in the VA Healthcare system, schedule appointments, answer questions and take care of minor health issues you may be experiencing.
“Only 20% of the 39,000 Veterans in DuPage County are registered with the VA for healthcare,” Barbour said in an email. “It is not a handout it is a benefit that you earned when you put on the uniform. Tell anyone who would benefit from the MMU coming to our Post. Make sure you bring your DD-214 or discharge papers if you are a WWII or Korean Veteran.”
Anyone enrolling also will need a statement showing last year’s income. Don’t forget that all medical expenses can be deducted from the gross income. That includes Medicare and insurance premiums and any out of pocket medical purchases.
There will also be a Veteran Service Officer (VSO) there to help veterans file claims and answer questions about VA benefits and compensation.
UPDATE April 1, 2016 / The snow has melted, the weekly Friday Fish Fry during Lent is a memory and spring activities are ready to blossom at the Judd Kendall VFW Post 3873. What’s more, after three visits, the Hines VA Hospital Mobile Medical Unit returns from 9AM until 2PM on Tues., April 5.
“For those who haven’t been there in a while, the address is 908 West Jackson,” reports Mike Barbour. “The first three months have been very helpful to our Veterans. They have been signed up for VA Healthcare, had appointments scheduled for them as well as had a plethora of questions answered.”
On April 5, a Veteran Service Officer will be available to help file claims and answer any questions about VA Benefits and Compensation. Veterans are reminded to bring a copy of their DD-214 or discharge papers.
ORIGINAL POST Jan. 7, 2016 / The first visit to Naperville by the Hines VA Hospital Mobile Medical Unit is now history, according to Mike Barbour, Naperville Township Veterans Advocate.
“As you are all aware the Mobile Medical Unit was at the VFW Post on January 5,” Barbour wrote. “The day was a success. We had 11 Veterans get signed up for VA healthcare and several appointments were scheduled for next month to get physicals. Six Veterans got help in filing claims from the Veteran Service Officer and many questions were answered by the staff pertaining to the VA, its policies and procedures.”
The Mobile Medical Unit will return from 9AM to 2PM on Tues., February 2, and is scheduled to be in Naperville every month on the first Tuesday.
“I say again this is a one stop shop,” added Barbour.
In one of his many email blasts to fellow veterans, Barbour wrote, “You can get signed up for VA Healthcare, get help in filing claims and get questions answered. There are no excuses that are valid now, fellow Veterans. Just remember to bring a copy of your DD-214 or Discharge papers and last year’s income information. Remember that you can deduct all medical expenses from your income. Insurance premiums and all monies for prescriptions and over the counter medications.”
Above / Veterans are encouraged to enjoy the advantage of mobile healthcare from Hines VA Hospital, provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Mobile Unit returns 9AM-2PM the first Tuesday of the month
“We worked hard to get the MMU here in Naperville,” added Barbour, urging all veterans to take advantage of this asset that can enroll them and provide them with top quality VA healthcare.
Barbour encourages the community to help pass this information on to other Veterans so they can take advantage, too.
“Stop in get signed up for VA Healthcare, if applicable file a claim for benefits/compensation and get questions answered about just about anything connected with the VA,” urges Barbour.
A representative from The Vet Center also was there last month and answered questions about mental health and how to access another great resource, The Vet Center, located at 750 Shoreline Dr #150, in Aurora.
Veterans no longer have an excuse to not be in the VA Healthcare system, Barbour said.
“Make sure you bring your DD-214 or discharge papers as well as last year’s income figures,” Barbour reiterated. “Remember you can deduct all medical expenses from your gross income. That includes insurance premiums and all out of pocket medical expenses.”
Any questions call or email Barbour.
In addition to serving as Naperville Township Veterans Advocate, Barbour is the Service Officer for American Legion Post 43 and Judd Kendall VFW Post 3873, and he aims to help.
For more information, contact him at mbarbour@wowway.com or (630) 240-1645.
The Judd Kendall VFW Post 3873 is located at 908 W. Jackson Ave.
RELATED POSTS / Mike Barbour also writes a monthly column, “Veterans in Touch” for Positively Naperville. Find a large body of his informative work, sometimes humorous, at Columnist Mike-Barbour.
