Newsbytes February 7, 2025 

In this Issue:
Doug Collins Confirmed as VA Secretary
Kroger Pharmacy Joins TRICARE
More Time to Switch to VA’s New Online Sign-In 
 

Doug Collins Becomes New VA Secretary
On February 4, 2025, the U.S. Senate confirmed Doug Collins as the new Secretary of Veterans Affairs with a strong vote of 77-23. This is an important moment for veterans, as Collins is the first post-9/11 veteran to lead the VA. His background as a former Republican congressman from Georgia and an Air Force Reserve colonel gives him both military and government experience. He also served as a military chaplain, helping service members during difficult times. 

Collins has made several promises to improve the VA and ensure that veterans receive the care and benefits they deserve. Some of his top priorities include: 

Protecting Veterans’ Benefits – He has vowed to prevent any budget cuts that could reduce benefits for veterans. 

Expanding Healthcare Access – Veterans will have more options to receive medical care, both at VA facilities and from private doctors if needed. 

Modernizing VA Hospitals – Many VA medical centers are outdated, and Collins plans to upgrade them to provide better care. 

Fixing Electronic Health Records – The VA’s computer system has had problems for years, making it harder for veterans to get the care they need. Collins wants to fix these issues. 

Faster and Easier Benefits – He plans to cut through red tape, making it easier and faster for veterans and their families to access their benefits. 

Holding the VA Accountable – He supports laws that ensure VA employees do their jobs well and that whistleblowers can report problems safely. 

 
Many veterans may see improvements in how quickly they receive care and benefits. Those in rural areas may have better access to private doctors if VA hospitals are too far away. However, some veterans' groups worry that shifting more care to private providers could take money away from VA hospitals. Collins has said he will work to keep VA hospitals strong while also giving veterans more healthcare choices. 
One of Collins' first actions will be reviewing the VA's hiring freeze to ensure there are enough doctors and nurses to care for veterans. He also plans to simplify the process for getting benefits, so veterans don’t have to deal with long delays. 

As the first post-9/11 veteran to lead the VA, Collins understands the challenges today’s veterans face. His leadership will be closely watched by Congress, veterans' groups, and the veteran community. Many hope he will keep his promise of putting veterans first. 

TRICARE Pharmacy Network Expands With Kroger Pharmacies 
Good News! If you use TRICARE for your prescriptions, there are now more pharmacy options available to you. As of February 5, 2025, the Kroger Family of Pharmacies has rejoined the TRICARE Pharmacy Program. This means that over 2,200 new pharmacies are now part of the network across 35 states! Whether you live in a rural area, the suburbs, or a city, you can now access these additional pharmacies for your medication needs. 

What Does This Mean for You? If you fill your prescriptions at a Kroger pharmacy, you’ll pay the same network copayments as other retail pharmacies in the TRICARE network. Here’s a quick look at the costs for up to a 30-day supply of medication: 

Generic drugs: $16 
Brand-name drugs: $43 
Non-formulary drugs: $76 

Please note that some medications, especially non-formulary and maintenance drugs, may not be available at all retail network pharmacies. 

Is There a Kroger Pharmacy Near You? Kroger operates pharmacies under several brand names. In addition to Kroger, look for these names in your area: 

Baker's Pharmacy 
City Market 
Dillons 
Fred Meyer 
Fry’s 
Harris Teeter 
King Soopers 
Mariano’s 
Pick’n Save 
QFC 
Ralphs 
Smith’s 

To check if there’s a Kroger pharmacy near you, you can use the Find a Pharmacy tool. 

Other Prescription Filling Options TRICARE offers several convenient ways to get your prescriptions filled. You can choose what works best for you: 

Military pharmacies: Get your medications at no cost. Learn more here 
Home delivery: Have your medications mailed to your home, often at lower costs. Learn more about home delivery 
Other network pharmacies: Find more TRICARE network pharmacies near you. Find other network pharmacies 
Non-network pharmacies: You can also use non-network pharmacies, but you may pay higher costs. Learn about non-network pharmacies 

Need More Information? For more details about TRICARE’s pharmacy benefits and costs, visit the following pages: 

TRICARE Pharmacy Program 

TRICARE Network Pharmacies 

TRICARE Costs and Fees 

More Time to Switch to VA’s New Online Sign-In 
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has announced that Veterans will get extra time to switch to a new and improved online login system. This new system will make it faster and safer to access information about your VA health care and benefits. 

What’s Changing? In July, the VA shared plans to phase out the old My HealtheVet and DS Logon sign-in options. These will be replaced by two new, more secure options: Login.gov and ID.me. These changes are designed to better protect Veterans, their families, and caregivers. 

New Deadlines 

The deadline to stop using My HealtheVet for VA.gov and other online VA services has been extended to March 4, 2025. After that, you’ll need to use Login.gov or ID.me to sign in. 

The deadline to switch from DS Logon to ID.me or Login.gov is still September 30, 2025. 

What Should You Do? Many Veterans are already using Login.gov or ID.me, but the VA wants to make sure everyone makes the switch before the old sign-in systems are retired. The VA is offering in-person help at VA Medical Centers to assist those who haven’t switched yet. 

Learn More To find out more and get ready for these changes, visit: 

Prepare For VA’s Secure Sign-In Changes | Veterans Affairs.