Page 19 - Desert Oracle December 2020

• As a reminder, the VA’s debt relief program is not a cancellation of debt owed to the VA.
While your debt will not accrue interest during the suspension time frame, you will receive
a bill for the entire amount owed after December 31, 2020.
• To avoid receiving a larger than normal bill, you can take the following steps now:

1. If you’re able to make payments, you can.
2. After the debt relief period has ended, and you are unable to pay your debt. You
can either set up a payment plan or request debt forgiveness.

• For benefit debts, Veterans can contact the VA Debt Management Center at 1-800-827-
0648 for more information.
• For health care debts, Veterans can contact the Health Resource Center at 1-866-400-
1238 for more information or visit https://www.pay.gov to make payments.

Construction Updates

• Northwest CBOC is in the early stages of construction; the new Northwest CBOC should
be ready for occupancy in late 2021
• Nutrition and Food Services and Veterans Canteen Services (VCS) moved into new
modern, upgraded kitchen space, September 2020

NATIONAL NEWS

VA FEDERAL PARTNERS PLAN FOR COVID-19 VACCINATION DISTRIBUTION

• On November 17 , the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced it is working
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with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other federal partners to
develop a comprehensive COVID-19 vaccine plan to ensure VA safely and equitably
distributes vaccines once authorized.
• The plan will be a phased approach based on scientific and historical evidence, lessons
learned from past pandemic vaccine plans and input from scientific experts both within and
outside VA.
• For the latest SAVAHCS information, please refer to the COVID-19 Clinical Update on
page 3 of this document.

VA WELCOME KIT 2.0 IS NOW AVAILABLE

• The latest version of the VA Welcome Kit is now live at www.va.gov/welcome-kit
• VA Welcome Kit 2.0 Updates – new information not contained in the initial Welcome Kit
o Updated phone numbers and hyperlinks which provide the best general contact
information for VA
o Impact of MISSION ACT legislation on VA benefits and services