08-12-2020, 07:12 PM
I have a dear friend on the mainland who has had to take medical retirement due to several serious health issues. Thanks to an inheritance, he has a nice home here in Puna that is fully paid for. He would like to sell his current home and move back here, but the PPO insurance his former employer generously extended post retirement doesn't do business in Hawaii. As a low income veteran, he would qualify for VA benefits, but my understanding of the local VA operation is that it is basically a screening/maintenance clinic with nearly all major treatment and high tech diagnostic exams being done on Oahu. Does anyone have any knowledge or experience with VA Hilo that they can share? My friend does not want to be constantly flying back and forth to HNL, and I am pretty sure that he would have to. Thanks in advance for any help!