July 1, 2020
The RAO plans to reopen on 6 July 2020, as the city of Olongapo is under the less restrictive Modified Community General Quarantine (MGCQ) designation. The RAO will strictly follow the IATF guidelines for business operations.

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June 25, 2020
Hi, just a quick update, to answer some of your questions. we are tentatively planning to reopen on 6th of July 2020. I say tentatively because we don't know what the next few weeks holds as far as quarantine status.

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June 17, 2020
Sorry for the delay in getting an update to you, as many have been asking the status of the RAO. As we were awaiting the announcement from the National Government and additions by local authorities, we felt it best to wait.

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Because of technical difficulties, we had to create a new Facebook page. Please click the link to like our new page (RAO Subic Facebook Page)!

'Please do not throw it away,' government pleads The IRS is in the process of sending out about 4 million economic impact payments loaded onto prepaid debit cards – but Americans may not recognize the stimulus cash when they see it. The cards will arrive in a “plain envelope” from "Money Network Cardholder Services," the IRS said. Unsuspecting individuals could mistake the envelope for junk mail or even a credit card promotion, especially since many people are likely not aware their payment will be arriving on a prepaid card instead of in the form of a check. People cannot choose to have their payments sent this way. These 4 million individuals, who did not have direct deposit information on file with the tax agency, were selected by the Bureau of the Fiscal Service. CORONAVIRUS IRS STIMULUS PAYMENTS ON PREPAID DEBIT CARDS ARRIVING: WHAT TO KNOW

The Visa name appears on the front of the card, and MetaBank – the Treasury Department’s financial agent – appears on the bank. That may further confuse individuals who do not hold an account with Visa and who are unfamiliar with MetaBank.

An information sheet included with the card will explain what it is.

One sign you may have missed your card in the mail is if you receive a letter from the IRS, signed by President Trump, which details how much money you should have received.

These letters were expected to be sent two weeks after the economic impact payments. So what should you do if you think you may have mistaken your prepaid card for junk mail? One way you might want to address the issue is by calling the number at the bottom of the IRS letter, 800- 919-9835. The agency has recalled some staff who will be available to take phone calls. Further, if you believe you threw the card away or misplaced it, you can also follow directions specifically for the prepaid cards, which will allow you to block unauthorized transactions as well. The government provides information for people whose card is lost or stolen, which directs them to log in at EIPCard.com to block unauthorized transactions and call 1-800-240-8100 to report it. A spokesperson for the IRS directed FOX Business to the aforementioned web page for the cards, adding that the agency had nothing further to add at this time regarding what taxpayers should do if they think they may have accidentally trashed their payment.

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND REMINDERS
May 17, 2020

Important Updates from VA Manila

Last week, the President of the Republic of the Philippines and the Philippine Department of Health announced further extensions of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) within Metro Manila through May 31, 2020. Manila and the National Capital Region will continue to remain in a quarantine state through the first week of June, after which time businesses and commercial activity may begin to slowly reopen based on the real-time conditions and the availability of testing for COVID19 in the Philippines. Public transportation and limited international and domestic air travel will continue likely well into the second week of June, making travel in and around the Philippines a challenge. Accordingly, the VA Manila Outpatient Clinic will remain closed for scheduled and walk-in health care appointments until July 2, 2020.

During the last several weeks, the Clinic has made significant technological advances and been able to secure remote access to our systems for our medical providers. With these improvements, VA Manila will begin offering limited telephone appointments for Primary Care and Mental Health between May 20 and July 2, 2020. Our doctors are reviewing their appointment lists of Veterans who had appointments that were cancelled in March and April, as well as those Veterans who have upcoming appointments for the rest of May and June scheduled. Based on their clinical review, we are contacting some Veterans to see if they would like to schedule a telephone appointment with their PCP. While this will be a little different of an experience for many of our Veterans, we feel it is better that you have access to your providers during your scheduled appointments. Veterans continue to have the option to have a telephone appointment. If you are not comfortable with scheduling a telephone appointment or would prefer to have a face-to-face visit, please let the scheduler know when they contact you.

If this will be your first telephone appointment, I’d like to offer a few recommendations to make sure you get the most out of the appointment.

Make sure VA has the most up-to-date and current phone number for you. If your phone has recently changed, please make sure you send a secure message to your primary care team to update your record. VA will typically try to reach you at your home phone first (if you have provided it to VA), before attempting to reach you on your mobile phone.

Please make sure you are seated in a private area without background noise a few minutes before your scheduled telephone appointment. This will make it easier for you and your provider to have a conversation and lead to fewer distractions.

Take a few minutes to prepare for the appointment by writing down any issues or concerns you would like to discuss with your provider. Additionally, it is helpful if you have your medications nearby for the appointment, so that you and your provider can conduct a reconciliation of your medications.

If you have the results of any recent lab work, diagnostic testing, your blood sugar or blood pressure levels, be sure to have that handy too so you can relay that information to your provider.

If you are not able to keep your scheduled telephone appointment, please be sure to let VA know at least 3 days in advance. This allows us to offer your appointment to another fellow Veteran.

Veterans with scheduled specialty care appointments between now and July 2, 2020, those appointments have been cancelled and will need to be rescheduled. Your team scheduler will contact you when VA Manila reopens to reschedule those appointments. It is much more challenging for a specialty care provider to conduct their appointments via telephone. VA Manila is unable to add video tele-conferencing services to our telephone appointments, mostly due to the limited availability of high speed internet services outside of Metro Manila. Also, most of our specialty providers will need for you to have x-rays, lab work, or use other diagnostic equipment during your appointment that is only available in-person at VA Manila. As such, we have had to cancel all scheduled specialty appointments through July 2, 2020. This impacts the following specialty clinics:

• Audiology
• Gastroenterology (GI)
• Otolaryngology (ENT)
• Cardiology
• Neurology
• Pulmonology
• Dermatology
• Ophthalmology
• Renal / Nephrology
• Endocrinology
• Orthopedics
• Rheumatology

If you had a scheduled appointment in one of the above clinics between May 20 to July 2, 2020, your appointment has automatically been cancelled and VA Manila will contact you once the Clinic reopens and begins conducting face-to-face appointments again. For urgently needed specialty care, Veterans may continue to seek care from community providers and seek reimbursement of your expenses through VA’s Foreign Medical Program.

IRS launches portal for non-filers to access cash www.irs.gov

The tool is designed for people who do not normally need to file tax returns.

The IRS on Friday launched a highly anticipated web portal for non-filers to give their information to the tax agency, which will allow them to collect their economic impact payments from the federal government.

The tool will help “millions” of people, according to the IRS. It is designed for people who do not normally file tax returns – which is how the tax agency is determining whether the vast majority of Americans qualify for a $1,200 stimulus check.

"People who don't have a return filing obligation can use this tool to give us basic information so they can receive their Economic Impact Payments as soon as possible," IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig said in a statement.

Some of the groups of individuals who will need to utilize this tool to get their payments include people whose incomes are below the normal limit for filing a tax return (for example: singles who made under $12,200 and married couples who made under $24,400 in 2019), veterans' beneficiaries and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients, and some other groups with qualifying dependents.

Individuals will need to input some personal information, including Social Security numbers, addresses and dependents. You will also have the option to input your direct deposit information, which will get you the money quicker.

CORONAVIRUS STIMULUS CHECKS: WHO GETS MONEY AND WHEN?

If you were supposed to file a return – and did not do so for tax year 2018 or 2019 – you must do so as soon as possible in order to collect your payment.

Social Security recipients do not have to fill out the form. They will be sent their payments automatically via the same method (mail or direct deposit) that they usually receive their regular benefit.

The payments will be $1,200 per adult for those with adjusted gross incomes of up to $75,000. The threshold for married couples is $150,000 – they are eligible for $2,400 and $500 per child.

The checks are expected to begin hitting direct deposit accounts starting next week, according to the administration. Paper checks are expected to begin being sent the week of April 20.

If the IRS does not have your direct deposit information – and you do not want to wait for your economic impact payment in the mail – the agency is rolling out a tool next week that will allow you to enter your direct deposit details. It will be available for use by April 17. The tool will also provide people with information about their payments, including when it is scheduled to be deposited.

Some of our members are running into problems getting meds now that VA is closed down. A member has forwarded the below info regarding a Dr friend of his who is interested in helping our vets. The member has known him for years and vouches for him enthusiastically!

The RAO does not know him and can't endorse but if you need help give him a try and see.

DANIEL SALVADOR L. REDOÑA, MD

Ophthalmologist-Natural Medicine

09281952272

Clinic Address: JH ORIENTAL MEDICAL CLINIC Blk 48 Lot 10 Friendship Highway Bgy Cutcut, Angeles City 2009 Pampanga

Making Subic Experience Awesome! SubicGo.com is a tourism portal designed for local and international tourists visiting the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

SubicGo

GREAT NEWS!
Its official, as of today 16 August 2018, Ace/Baypointe is authorized to accept Tricare patients under the Preferred Provider category. You will have to check with the HMO office to ensure your Dr. is also on the Preferred Provider list. There are currently 31 Dr's who are, but check to be sure or you will have to pay the Dr's fees.

And oh by the way, please resist the urge to repeat the bad news bears (you know the ones who have their names stenciled on the back of their bar stool) who are spreading rumors about ACE BAYPOINTE and Medical City Clark suspending FMP due to non payment. IT DIDNT HAPPEN! Medical city Ortigas did due to non payment by FMP. Come to find out they gave FMP the wrong mailing address to which FMP mailed the payments. All is fixed now and they have withdrawn the suspension.Â

Old saying better to be quiet and be thought a fool, than opening mouth and leave no doubt.

I have taken the opportunity to compile a list of what Drs, and Specialties AT ACE BAYPOINTE, to the best of my knowledge are also certified as preferred providers. The hospital is in the process of adding to this list. As you all are aware this list changes without notice, so before getting treatment it would be to your benefit to check with the hospital HMO office to ensure the Dr you will receive treatment from is in fact still certified as preferred. The HMO can be reached at 047-250-6070 ext 283 or 507.

Name Name	Specialization Specialization	Gender Gender
Ablang, Alberto Mariano, MD	Pediatrics, Critical Care	Male
Ablang, Marietta, MD	Internal Medicine, Cardiology	Female
Aguila, Beverly, MD	Internal Medicine, Cardiology	Female
Aguila, Beverly, MD	Internal Medicine, Cardiology	Female
Aguilar, Rodrigo	Gastronology/Int Med	Male
Alconga, Rudy	Pediatrics	Male
Bernal, Gerald, MD	Internal Medicine, Cardiology	Male
Bongco, Jesusa	Anesthesiology	Female
Bongco, Rosario	Endocrinology	Male
Bustamante, Rodrick	Anesthesiology	Male
Calapatia, David, MD	Family Medicine	Male
Cepeda, Armando, MD	Surgery, General	Male
Cepeda, Monette, MD	Neurology	Female
De Castro, Felicisimo, MD	Ophthalmology	Male
De Castro, Ma. Gloria, MD	Obstetrics & Gynecology	Female
Dela Cruz, Anthony, MD	Internal Medicine, Diabetology; Occupational Health	Male
Dela Paz, Emmanuel, MD	Orthopedics	Male
DeLeon, Roberto	Gen Surgery	Male
Edejer, Karl Erjon, MD	Anesthesiology	Male
Guevara, Luis, MD	Radiology	Male
Hipolito, Charina	Internal Medicine, Pulmonology	Female
Mallari, Lourdes	ENT Ear, Nose,Throat	Female
Mangahas, Rolan	Opthamology	Male
Manuel, Jesse Jewel, MD	Surgery, Orthopedic	Male
Mendoza, Arturo, Jr., MD	Surgery, General (Laparoscopic)	Male
Ocampo, Armida, MD	Internal Medicine, Pulmonology	Female
Pasqual, Jeanette	Orthopedics	Male
Rojo, Margaret, MD	Anesthesiology	Female
Santos, Wilfredo, MD	Surgery, General ; Surgery, Oncology	Male
Soriano, Maria Agnes, MD	Internal Medicine, Diabetology	Female
Tablan, Apolonario Jr	Urology	Male
Velchez, Carlos	Hematology/Int Med	Male
Hipolito, Charina	Internal Medicine, Pulmonology	Female
Villareal, Paolo, MD	Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology	Male

FMP/Tricare

We continue to see vets who are receiving EOB's and checks for treatment at Medical City and Baypointe (ACE). Please be aware you should not cash these checks. They should be given to the hospitals. Should you cash the check a few things can happen, 1st FMP or Tricare may demand repayment, if you don't they can notify the IRS and either a garnishment or 1099 will be received and they get their money in the end possibly including interest. It can also be placed on your credit report. Secondly, you may be refused future treatment at the hospitals as you have an outstanding balance. Worst of all we may lose the hospitals as providers for FMP or Tricare. Sure wouldn't want to be the guy who causes all your fellow vets to lose that, they might be a little pissed when they find out it was you! You know how quickly word spreads around here!

Videos

Just want to draw your attention to some very useful videos being offered for free through va by psycharmor. View their catalog at https://psycharmor.Org/course s/s-a-v-e/.

Urgent Update: Reimbursment Checks:

It appears there is a malfunction with both TRICARE and FMP regarding reimbursement checks. They incorrectly recently have been sending the checks to the veteran vice the provider. Both have been notified this is the incorrect way to handle these checks! If you receive a check for a claim that was filed by the Hospital, please do not cash it. The hospitals participation was negotiated so that the hospital would receive payment. If they do not we will lose their services. The payment must be taken to the hospital and signed over to them to be encashed.

Special thank you to police station 6 Barrio Baretto for notification of recently deceased American Citizen! Their handling of situation was extremely professional, thanks SPO De Leon.