The Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough speaking before House of Representatives on the FY 2023 Budget Request for the VA, mentioned that the agency is developing the Veterans Exposure Team-Health Outcomes of Military Exposures or referred to as VET-HOME.
VET-HOME is a telehealth pathway for Veterans and providers to access resources and services related to environmental and occupational exposures that may have affected Veterans and some family members during military service.
VET-HOME will consist of a call center available for Veterans and providers plus a nationwide network of specialists. In addition, Veterans with questions about Military Environmental Exposures (MEE) will be able to call into a central location and be guided through the registry exam or the environmental exposure process.
Veterans and providers would then be referred to one of 40 environmental health providers in the U.S. who would use a telemedicine platform to assess the environmental issue and if necessary refer the Veteran to a VA facility to complete specialty testing, such as a pulmonary function test or other lab work.
Providers with questions on MEE would be referred to one of the 40 military Small and Mid- size environmental health organizations. The results of the consultation would then be shared with the Veteran’s primary care doctor.
The VA Budget request includes $111 million for processing new presumptive disability compensation claims related to environmental exposures from military service. Also, $63 million within the Health Outcomes of Military Exposures (HOME) to help scientific understanding and provide clinical support for Veterans and healthcare providers regarding the potential adverse impacts resulting from environmental exposures.
The Budget request also would invest $51 million to support medical research related to MEE. Funding would support the VHA Office of Research and Development (ORD) and establish resources and focus on issues related to MEE.