VA announces planned health care group change

SANDPOINT — The Department of Veterans Affairs has begun notifying nearly 2,000 veterans in the area that a planned health care group change is coming in the spring.

Currently the veterans are being served through the VA-contracted Kaniksu Health Care clinic in Sandpoint.

Notifications are taking place with an official VA letter mailed directly to each enrolled veteran receiving care at VA’s clinic in Sandpoint. Meanwhile, VA officials said Kaniksu Health Care will continue to serve VA-enrolled veterans until a new health care group is identified.

VA officials said they do not anticipate any breaks in care for veterans being served in this region, with plans to switch operations to the new contract provider no later than spring 2022.

VA officials said the Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center fully supports maintaining a VA presence for veteran health care in Bonner County and is already nearing completion of a contract with a qualified health care group.