CompleteCare Provides Excellent Healthcare for Vets

When Alex Armstrong joined the National Guard in 2006, he knew that he was going to see combat and welcomed the opportunity to fight for his country. After an honorable service career that included a tour in Afghanistan where he led a platoon that was responsible for clearing supply routes, Alex returned to the U.S. where he found himself less concerned with IEDs and more with finding adequate healthcare for he and his wife.
“I was living in Mississippi when I returned from overseas and accessed the VA for care,” said Mr. Armstrong. “They are great people trying their best, but they just aren’t able to meet the growing demand and because of that it takes a while to be seen and they don’t have a lot of time to spend with each patient.”
Four months later, when a job opportunity relocated him to South Jersey, his healthcare options became even more unsteady. Now he would be farther from a military base and he was concerned about the limited number of providers in the area that accepted TriCare, the military’s health care program for Uniformed Service members, retirees and their families.
“I found CompleteCare through the TriCare website. They got me in right away and took the time with me to make sure that I was able to continue my care from Mississippi and get the help I need moving forward,” said Mr. Armstrong.
CompleteCare Health Network is one of a handful of network providers in Gloucester, Cumberland and Cape May counties that accept TriCare. While their commitment to providing accessible, affordable care to all is their mission as a Federally Qualified Health Center, meeting the needs of the nearly 40,000 veterans in the area has become a special focus for the organization.
“As a veteran myself, serving this population is important to me. While we are here for anyone in the community, we are working with area legislators, community agencies and speaking with our current patients who are veterans to see what we can do to better serve their needs,” said Curtis Edwards, President of CompleteCare Health Network and former member of the U.S. Navy.
CompleteCare has a history of providing treatment for veterans, particularly those who are low-income or homeless. In 2013, they served more than 400 confirmed veterans, and estimate that the actual number they serve is substantially higher. While their acceptance of TriCare is often what initially attracts patients, quality of care and accessibility are what keep them in the practice.
“I started seeing Dr. Alberici at the Glassboro CompleteCare office in 2013 and have been really happy with everything,” said Philecia Ramirez, former member of the U.S. Air Force, and current resident of Millville. Ms. Ramirez was also directed to CompleteCare by TriCare. The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs notes that although women are only a small percentage of the total veteran population, their numbers will continue to rise over the next several decades. A quarter of the vets CompleteCare sees are women.
CompleteCare also has four providers on staff who are Veterans themselves – a fact that Alex Armstrong appreciates.
“When a doctor is a former military member it does make a difference. It doesn’t necessarily effect the kind of care you receive, but it does help if they understand where you’re coming from a little bit,” said Mr. Armstrong.
CompleteCare operates 20 health centers and sees over 55,000 patients annually. In addition to accepting TriCare insurance, they can also help uninsured vets as well as those with Medicaid and Medicare. CompleteCare’s services include primary medical, dental, OB/GYN, counseling services and other specialty care to people of all ages. For more information visit www.CompleteCareNJ.org.