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The Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center in Iron Mountain has earned another national honor, and while that recognition is certainly worth celebrating, the bigger message for veterans across the Upper Peninsula and northeastern Wisconsin is this:
If you have never enrolled in VA health care -- or were turned down in the past -- it may be worth taking another look.
The Iron Mountain facility has been named one of the nation’s top VA facilities for the sixth time, receiving the Department of Veterans Affairs’ 2025 Best Experience Award for Level III small, low-complexity facilities.
That is an impressive record for a medical center serving veterans across 15 Upper Peninsula counties and nine counties in northeastern Wisconsin. The facility has also received national recognition for patient experience, innovation and overall performance.
More important, the center’s record suggests that veterans in this region have a VA facility that is committed to providing accessible care.
The center has consistently ranked among the VA’s top performers for employee and patient satisfaction since 2012. It also has expanded services for rural veterans, including telehealth, same-day access clinics and Home Based Primary Care.
Those improvements matter in a region where distance can sometimes be a significant barrier to health care.
But perhaps the most important part of the latest announcement is the center’s effort to reach veterans who have never enrolled in VA care.
Eligibility rules have changed in recent years, including expanded eligibility under the PACT Act. A veteran who was previously denied benefits may now qualify for services that were not available to them before.
There is no reason to assume that a past denial automatically means a veteran is ineligible today.
And veterans shouldn’t wait until they are facing a serious health problem before finding out what benefits might be available.
Depending on eligibility, VA health care can include primary and specialty care, mental health services, rehabilitation, prescription coverage and telehealth. The center also has outreach teams that travel throughout the region to help veterans navigate the enrollment process.
That last point is particularly important. Government programs can sometimes seem complicated and the paperwork alone may discourage someone from applying. But veterans don’t have to figure everything out by themselves.
The Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center is encouraging veterans to learn what they may qualify for. That’s a worthwhile invitation to accept. Veterans interested in checking their eligibility can call Enrollment and Eligibility at 906-774-3300, ext. 32810, or visit the medical center at 325 E. H St. in Iron Mountain, Room 1101.
For those who served their country, taking a few minutes to learn about available benefits is not asking for a favor. It is making use of benefits earned through service.