Additional information: medical readiness

I read the Health Care Excerpts in the May 2004 issue of The Officer ["Legislative Update"] and would like to share some Army information regarding a few of the issues.

#1. Health Care: "Most Reserve Component members shoulder the cost of their personal medical readiness." There is a program called "FEDS_HEAL" that pays for and schedules many of the soldiers' medical readiness requirements. I have included their Web site and its home page summary: http://fedsheal.foh.dhhs.gov/.

"All military Reservists must receive an annual physical and dental screening in order to ensure that they remain medically ready to mobilize and deploy. While their active duty counterparts usually have regular access to military treatment facilities, many Reservists have limited or no access to a military installation with medical or dental facilities.

"Through all innovative partnership, the Federal Strategic Health Alliance (FEDS_HEAL) combines the vast medical resources of both Federal Occupational Health (FOH) and the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), which greatly improves access to required medical services for the members of the Ready Reserve.

"FEDS_HEAL services include appointment scheduling, convenient and timely physical examinations, dental examinations, immunizations, HIV screenings, immunizations, vision screening, lab work, and other required medical assessments.

"In order to ensure the highest quality of services, the FEDS_HEAL program incorporates a centralized process for managing and reviewing all aspects of the exam process with a specially trained cadre of quality assurance nurses and occupational medicine physicians."

For more information contact: fedsheal@psc.gov; or by telephone, 800-666-2833.

#2. Prescriptions: "Mobilization Policy requires Reservists to bring a 90-day supply of prescriptions." If the soldier does NOT bring an adequate amount of his/her prescription, a medical provider at the Army Mobilization Station (MOBSTA) will write for a new prescription. The new script will be filled at the MOBSTA before OCONUS deployment.

#3. Dental Readiness Transition: "Corrective coverage is only allowed at a Military Treatment Facility for 30 days in a space-available status after deactivation." Please see below, which is directly from the Army's updated Personnel Policy Guidance, dated April 2004. (The Army's Personnel Web site is: http://www.armyg1.army.mil/militarypersonnel/policy.asp.)

"All soldiers requiring follow-on dental treatment must have required treatment needs documented on SF 603, Health Record-Dental, or SF 603a, Health Record-Dental continuation.

"(1) Soldiers on AD for greater than 89 consecutive days are eligible for dental care through the VA health-care system provided the need for dental care is documented on their DD214, certificate of release or discharge flour active duty. The soldier has 90 days from release from Active Duty (REFRAD) to contact the VA to coordinate dental treatment.

"(2) Soldiers who are on AD for greater than 30, but less than 90 days, must have a completed DA Form 2173, which documents that the disease/injury requiring dental care occurred while the soldier was on AD. Soldiers will coordinate their care with their unit. The unit will coordinate with the military medical support office (MMSO). The MMSO can be contacted through their Web site http://mmso.med.navy.mil or by calling 888-647-6676."

I hope your readers as well as unit leaders will find this useful and will share it with others.

Anna Lisa R. Schneider

CPT, Army Nurse Corps, USAR

Soddy Daisy, Tenn.

Susan Lukas, Legislative Affairs director, responds: Thank you for the additional information on medical and dental requirements for Reserve Component members. ROA continues to press for legislative changes that will improve access for military members and their families. ROA testimony detailing our concerns with medical and dental readiness issues is available at http://www.roa.org/legislative_affairs/testimony.asp.

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