Local hospitals and Humana offer free screenings and benefits navigation to O'Fallon veterans

Lisa Meadows, who said she works in community programming for BJC Saint Charles/Progress West, told the O'Fallon Veterans Commission she plans to bring free clinical and educational services to local veterans, including balance and falls-prevention screenings, heart-health checks, cholesterol and A1C testing, nutrition consultations and flu shots.

"I'm very interested in being able to bring services to our vets," Meadows said, asking commission members for suggestions about partners and scheduling. She said the work may take time to organize but emphasized the program's flexibility to serve groups of varying sizes.

The importance of basic, low-barrier screening surfaced repeatedly in the discussion: a commission member said veterans sometimes avoid VA care and suggested community-based, nonclinical settings may encourage attendance. Meadows said the BJC team would try to match specific speakers from the hospital system or community providers to the commission's needs.

Trisha Layton, who identified herself as a Humana employee, offered to serve as a local resource for veterans navigating Medicare, Medicaid and provider networks. "I'm just would like to be a resource in the community," Layton said, adding that Humana can often connect people to nonmedical supports and a broad network of private providers that could help with needs such as dental screenings.

Both presenters said they could coordinate with the commission's veterans benefits fairs. Commission members encouraged using those twice-yearly fairs (spring and fall) as opportunities to host screening stations and to publicize dates once they are set.

Next steps: Meadows and Layton asked the commission to share event dates and contacts so they can follow up; commission members said they will circulate information and consider inviting the presenters to the next benefits fair.