Health services on post are designed solely to serve Fort Knox’s active-duty population and soon no longer will be available to retirees.
A town hall meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday (9/18) by Ireland Army Health Clinic to discuss transitioning retirees’ primary care to the civilian health care network. For veterans, it means finding a new doctor and, in some cases, being introduced to new concepts such as insurance co-pays.
The town hall meeting is scheduled from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at American Legion Post 113 on Ring Road in Elizabethtown. In addition to Ireland’s leadership team, representatives of the Veterans Administration and area health networks are expected.
Already, approximately 2,000 retirees have been found new physicians or medical services in neighboring communities. As many as 7,500 more could be impacted around the region. The first of these groups of beneficiaries will receive an informational letter by October 1.
The discussion will cover how to navigate the civilian health care network and tips on finding a doctor. A question-and-answer period is part of the agenda.
The Army announced plans to reduce medical services at Fort Knox in June 2016, based on results of an extensive study to determine workload at its smaller hospitals to understand where hospital verses clinic services were needed.
The status of Ireland, which opened in 1957, changed from hospital to clinic under the Army’s restructuring plans. Among the changes have been elimination of inpatient treatment, the emergency room and obstetrics, and staff who served those departments.
All retirees are encouraged to contact the Beneficiary Transition Cell at 502-624-0278 for a consultation.
Source: NE
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