Health care is an inevitable need for all. Women Veterans have unique physical, mental and spiritual needs that can be met through VA health care. Yet only 44% of women Veterans are currently enrolled in VA health care.
Health care decisions can be overwhelming, and women Veterans might ask themselves “Where do I start?” The following guide gives useful tips on how to be informed about VA health care as a woman Veteran.
Attend the VA Women’s Health Reengagement Training (heaRT)
The VA Women’s Health Reengagement Training (heaRT) teaches women Veterans about their health services available at VA. In a single training session, women Veterans learn how to apply for and use the VA health services they earned and deserve. The trainings are offered virtually and in person on a variety of dates and times to accommodate various time zones and personal schedules. All women Veterans, whether or not they are enrolled in VA health care, are welcome to attend a VA Women’s heaRT session. Visit the VA Women’s heaRT website to register for a training session.
If you have any questions related to VA Women’s heaRT, please reach out to the training team via email info@womensheart.info.
Download the VA Women’s heaRT Handbook
The VA Women’s heaRT team offers a handbook containing extensive information about VA health care services for women Veterans. The handbook gives women Veterans in-depth details about:
- Women Veterans and VA health care
- Understanding VA
- VA health care services
- Enrolling in VA health care
The handbook is a great resource for women Veterans who have questions about a specific VA health care service or want to learn about what services are available to them. Using the training handbook, as well as attending one of the VA Women’s heaRT sessions, provides women Veterans with the optimal knowledge to confidently navigate the VA health care system. To download the digital training handbook, visit the VA Women’s heaRT website.
Contact the Women Veterans Call Center
The Women Veterans Call Center is a great resource for information about a variety of women Veteran services and benefits. Any woman Veteran can make use of this service, whether enrolled in VA health care or not, and it is completely free and confidential. You may call as many times as you need regarding any question you may have—no question is too big or too small. For instance, the call center can connect women Veterans with the Women Veterans Program Manager (WVPM) who assists in their service coordination. The call center can also help with questions about eligibility for services or how to make a medical appointment.
Call or text the Women Veterans Call Center at 855-VA-WOMEN (855-829-6636) or use the online chat feature.
Women Veterans Call Center representatives are available Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. E.T., and Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. E.T., excluding federal holidays.
Listen to the “She Wears the Boots” Podcast
She Wears the Boots is a podcast on women Veteran’s health sponsored by the Office of Women’s Health in the Veterans Health Administration. Each episode of this podcast focuses on a different health topic and invites VA experts to talk about related VA programs. The podcast recognizes that while women Veterans have the same health care needs as non-Veteran women, Veterans are at a higher risk for certain conditions that may require specialized care. Check out the newest podcast episode.
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