Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center

About

For over 50 years, VAMC Wilkes-Barre has been improving the health of the men and women who have so proudly served our nation. We consider it our privilege to serve your health care needs in any way we can. Services are available but not limited to Veterans living in 18 counties in Pennsylvania and one county in New York.

Our Mission

• Honor America’s Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.

Our Vision

• VHA will continue to be the benchmark of excellence and value in health care and benefits by providing exemplary services that are both patient-centered and evidence-based.
• This care will be delivered by engaged, collaborative teams in an integrated environment that supports learning, discovery and continuous improvement.
• It will emphasize prevention and population health and contribute to the Nation’s well-being through education, research, and service in national emergencies.

VA Core Values: Because I CARE, I will:

• Integrity: Act with high moral principle. Adhere to the highest professional standards. Maintain the trust and confidence of all with whom I engage.
• Commitment: Work diligently to serve Veterans and other beneficiaries. Be driven by an earnest belief in VA’s mission. Fulfill my individual responsibilities and organizational responsibilities.
• Advocacy: Be truly Veteran-centric by identifying, fully considering, and appropriately advancing the interests of Veterans and other beneficiaries.
• Respect: Treat all those I serve and with whom I work with dignity and respect. Show respect to earn it.
• Excellence: Strive for the highest quality and continuous improvement. Be thoughtful and decisive in leadership, accountable for my actions, willing to admit mistakes, and rigorous in correcting them.

VA Core Characteristics:

• Trustworthy: VA earns the trust of those it serves – every day – through the actions of all employees. They provide care, benefits, and services with compassion, dependability, effectiveness, and transparency.
• Accessible: VA engages and welcomes Veterans and other beneficiaries, facilitating their use of the entire array of its services. Each interaction will be positive and productive.
• Quality: VA provides the highest standard of care and services to Veterans and beneficiaries while managing the cost of its programs and being efficient stewards of all resources entrusted to it by the American people. VA is a model of unrivaled excellence due to employees who are empowered, trusted by their leaders, and respected for their competence and dedication.
• Innovative: VA prizes curiosity and initiative, encourages creative contributions from all employees, seeks continuous improvement, and adapts to remain at the forefront in knowledge, proficiency, and capability to deliver the highest standard of care and services to all of the people it serves.
• Agile: VA anticipates and adapts quickly to current challenges and new requirements by continuously assessing the environment in which it operates and devising solutions to better serve Veterans, other beneficiaries, and Service members.
• Integrated: VA links care and services across the Department; other federal, state, and local agencies; partners; and Veterans Services Organizations to provide useful and understandable programs to Veterans and other beneficiaries. VA’s relationship with the Department of Defense is unique, and VA will nurture it for the benefit of Veterans and Service members.

Quick Reference

Tricare Numbers
Nurse Advice Hotline TRICARE: (800) 874-2273 Opt 1
Primary Care Appointments: (800) 600-9332
TRICARE for Life: (866) 773-0404

Medical Care

Tricare partners with United Healthcare Military & Veterans as its regional contractor in the Western United States to provide health care services and support to beneficiaries.

Home TRICARE:
https://www.tricare.mil

Tricare Home Page allows access to Enroll in or Purchase a Plan, File or Check a Claim, View Referrals, Find a Health Care Provider, Change Your Primary Care Manager, Compare Plans, Manage Prescriptions and much more.

Nurse Advice Line TRICARE: (800) 874-2273 Opt 1.

The Nurse Advice Line is available to all TRICARE beneficiaries in the U.S., except those enrolled in US Family Health Plan. You can call the Nurse Advice Line 24/7, at no cost to you, to talk to a registered nurse who can: Answer your urgent care questions.

New to TRICARE:
https://www.tricare.mil/Plans/New

Learn more about TRICARE- Watch an overview video & take free public TRICARE courses online.

TRICARE Online:
https://www.tricareonline.com/

You can make Primary Care appointments, check lab results and even order your pharmacy refills using TOL, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Contact: (800) 600-9332

TRICARE For Life:
https://www.tricare.mil/tfl
Contact- (866) 773-0404

TRICARE for Life is your Medicare-wraparound coverage for TRICARE-eligible beneficiaries who have Medicare Part A and B. TRICARE for Life beneficiaries can receive care at military hospitals and clinics, but only on a space-available basis.

TRICARE Pharmacy Program:
https://www.tricare.mil/pharmacy

The TRICARE Pharmacy Program provides the prescription drugs you need, when you need them, in a safe, easy, and affordable way.

Customer Service Community Directory:
https://www.tricare.mil/bcacdcao/

The directory helps you connect with a Beneficiary Counseling and Assistance Coordinator (BCAC), Debt Collection Assistance Officer (DCAO), or other member of the customer service community. If you have questions or issues specific to a single clinic or hospital, contact someone listed for that facility.

You may contact any customer service community representative for general TRICARE issues.

Must be registered in the DEERS program to be eligible for TRICARE
Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System:
https://www.tricare.mil/deers