Special Care For New Vets

[deltamedic]

Effectivew immediately the VA has implemented policies and
procedures to provide free health care svc and nursing home care to combat vets for a 2 yr period beginning on the date of seperation from active military svc.
This benefit will cover all illnesses/injuries EXCEPT those clearly unrelated to military svc; for ex: common cold, injuries from accidents that occured after discharge, disorders that existed before joining the military. Care may not be provided for any disability found to have resulted from a cause other than the military svc in combat ops.
Combat vets skg treatment for health cond. claimed to be related to combat ops are evaluated clinically by means of a physical exam & appropriate diagnostic study. In making this determination, the Dr must consider that the following types of conditions are not ordinarily considered to be due to occupational or military svc: (1) Congenital or developmental conditions, i.e. scoliosis, (2) Conditions which are known to have existed before military svc, and (3) Conditions have a specific and well established cause and that began after military combat svc.
Coverage extends for a two (2) year period following seperation from active military svc.

Who's eligible?:
Vets who served active duty in a theater of combat ops during the period of war after the Gulf War or in combat against a hostile force during a period of "hostilities" after Nov. 11, 1998 and have been discharged under other than dishonorable cond.
National Guard and Reserve members are also eligible for VA health care if they were ordered to active duty by a federal declaration, served the full period for which they were called or ordered to active duty, and have seperated from active military svc under other than dishonorable cond. Active duty, Nat'l Guard, and Reserve members who are activated to a combat mission and then seperated from active duty receive a DD 214, which should show an award of the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.
Individuals skg svcs under this authority should bring their DD 214 when rpt to a VA health care facility.

Hostilities is defined as: conflict in which Armed Forces members are subjected to the danger comparable to that faced in a period of war.

What's Changed?:
Unlike other veterans who do not have VA-adjudicated svc-connected cond., vets who qualify under this special eligibility authority ARE NOT subject to VA means testing or co-payment requirements. There is no burden placed on these veterans to prove that their heakth problems are related to their military svc or prove that they have low income to qualify for cost-free VA health care.

What happens after 2 years?

The co-payment still will depend on whether the vet's illness or injury is found to be service connected or whether the vet is otherwise qualified for VA health care. Each vet will be enrolled for VA health care in the approp. priority group. Some vets--those in the lowest prioirty gp--whose income is above the means test threshold must agree to make co-pmts required. If the vet does not agree to make co-pmts, the vet will be ineligible for care.

Addt'l in avail at nearest VA facility or call 800 827-1000 or 877 222-8387


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