CNMI veterans to get dedicated VA clinic as travel, housing concerns dominate town hall

Veterans in the Northern Mariana Islands are expected to gain significantly expanded access to healthcare with the planned establishment of a dedicated Community-Based Outpatient Clinic, or CBOC, on Saipan, according to CNMI Office of Veterans Affairs executive officer Jose Deleon Guerrero Crisostomo.

Speaking after a Veterans Affairs town hall meeting last June 23 at the Pedro P. Tenorio Multi-Purpose Center in Susupe, Crisostomo said the clinic is expected to begin transitioning into a dedicated veterans facility between October and January.

He said the current clinic operated by Dr. Norma S. Ada under a VA contract would become dedicated exclusively to veterans.

“That's a good start that the clinic that Dr. Ada has now is going to be dedicated only for the veterans, for a CBOC that will have more, I think, another doctor, probably two doctors that are going to be here and more staffing,” he said.

Crisostomo said the addition of a dedicated clinic would address long-standing concerns about limited access to healthcare services and reduce reliance on off-island treatment.

He also renewed his call for a beneficiary travel clerk to be stationed on Saipan to help veterans coordinate medical referrals and reimbursement claims.

“I requested that if we can have a beneficiary travel clerk here, that mainly that's always going to do is process, you know, help veterans do their referral or travel to Guam or Hawaii,” he said. “And when they get back, the same person will process their reimbursement.”

Several veterans also raised concerns about lodging arrangements in Guam while traveling for medical treatment.

Crisostomo acknowledged receiving complaints from veterans regarding their experiences there.

“You know, it's been brought to my attention a couple times, veterans traveling to Guam about Wyndham, that there are some of the problems that they have,” he said. “I'm not going to say it, but they do have problems.”

He said concerns raised directly to visiting VA officials prompted immediate discussion during the town hall.

“It's not only one veteran that approached me about [the hotel], it's a couple of veterans,” Crisostomo said.

During the meeting, veterans described concerns ranging from room conditions and transportation difficulties to challenges obtaining reimbursements for meals and travel expenses. Several speakers urged the VA to consider alternative lodging options closer to services and restaurants.

VA Pacific Islands Healthcare System interim executive director Thomas A. Steinbrenner later announced that the agency would shift away from using Wyndham as its primary lodging option and instead utilize Crowne Plaza Guam whenever possible.

The town hall also featured discussion about reports of homeless veterans arriving in the CNMI from the mainland United States, with some attendees alleging they had been sent to the islands on one-way tickets.

Crisostomo said it was the first time he had heard such reports.

“Yes, this is the first time I heard that,” he said.

He added that he had heard of situations elsewhere in the United States where homeless veterans were provided one-way transportation.

“Some states, they'll buy a one-way ticket to a homeless veteran and send them to wherever they want to go,” Crisostomo said.

Asked whether that was being done to shift responsibility elsewhere, Crisostomo replied, “I think so. That's my opinion.”

He called the situation “sad” and encouraged homeless veterans in the CNMI to contact his office so assistance could be coordinated with federal programs.

Town hall participants repeatedly raised concerns about homelessness among veterans on Saipan, with some attendees saying the CNMI lacks adequate resources to assist homeless veterans and urging the VA to establish outreach services locally.

Other issues discussed included difficulties accessing beneficiary travel reimbursements, confusion over receipt requirements for meal reimbursements, challenges communicating with VA personnel, the lack of a local point of contact for submitting travel documents, and limited clinic availability under the current contract arrangement.

Veterans also voiced concerns about off-island medical escorts for surgeries and procedures requiring sedation. VA officials said escorts should generally be arranged in advance whenever medically necessary and pledged to review specific cases raised during the meeting.

Several attendees described difficulties determining where to submit travel documentation and reimbursement requests, while others said they had missed filing deadlines because they were unable to reach the appropriate personnel.

VA officials told veterans that the future CBOC would provide expanded services five days a week and include primary care, mental health services, laboratory capabilities, pharmacy support and telehealth connections to Guam and Hawaii.

Crisostomo urged veterans to participate in future town halls and register with the VA healthcare system.

“Finally, we're getting it, and I'm happy for that,” he said. “But it's about time.”

Aside from Steinbrenner, other off-island VA officials that spoke during the town hall were Guam CBOC chief Dr. Kevin McDemott and associate director of Operations Devin Woods.