VA Holding Eligibility Fair

(KNSI) – Advocates in Central Minnesota are trying to get help to every eligible veteran.

The Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care System in St. Cloud is holding a VA Eligibility Fair on May 19.

Veterans Services Supervisor at the St. Cloud VA Josh Goudge was a guest of KNSI’s Bob Hughes says they’re trying to reach vets who were told ‘no’ in the past.

“If you are a veteran, and you’ve previously applied for care, and at the time of your application, you were told that your gross household income was above the federally set income threshold and so you were not able to access VA care at that time. We certainly want to encourage you to call our enrollment office.”

He says you can also call your veterans county service officer with eligibility questions.

Goudge says the VA has done events like this before, but this will be the largest group they’ve tried to contact and discussed why.

“In calendar year 20, the government’s response to the to the pandemic, there were a lot of closures or a lot of businesses shut down. So it’s fair to assume that there were many veterans out there that suffered an income shift and actually made less.”

The St. Cloud VA is reaching out to 1,500 veterans who’ve applied for VA care in the last five years, but we’re rejected but also want vets to reach out to the VA.

To apply for VA benefits call 320-255-6340 or click here.

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