How Ssdi And Va Compensation Can Work Together
Fast-track applications
If you have a 100 percent P& T rating from the VA, Social Security will speed up processing of your SSDI claim. To get expedited handling, enter Veteran 100% P& T in the Remarks section of your online application and provide Social Security with the notification letter the VA sent you about your rating.
Regardless of your P& T rating, you may qualify for expedited processing under Social Security’s Wounded Warrior program, which prioritizes claims for veterans who became disabled while on active duty on or after Oct. 1, 2001.
No ‘offset’
Workers compensation and some other types of public disability benefits can trigger what the SSA calls an offset that reduces your Social Security payments. VA disability benefits don’t affect your SSDI or vice versa if you qualify for both programs, each will pay the full amount to which you are entitled.
Health care coverage
If you get SSDI and VA disability benefits, you can receive medical coverage through both.
SSDI recipients are eligible for Medicare, although in most cases there is a two-year waiting period for coverage to begin. Veterans are eligible for coverage under the military’s Tricare program.
If you’re getting both benefits, Medicare becomes your primary payer and Tricare serves as a supplement, covering some cost-sharing, such as copayments and deductibles.
Va Disability Ratings Are Subject To Review And Are Not Always Permanent
The Department of Veterans Affairs may revisit your rating to see if your condition has improved or worsened over time.
You may receive a letter from the VA instructing you to participate in a re-examination, or you can ask the VA to review your claim again if your condition worsens.
Do not skip any re-examination appointments.
Is It Possible To Get Your Va Disability From 90 To 100
In short, yes. It is certainly possible to increase your VA disability rating from 90% to 100%.
Doing so wont always be easy. Fortunately, however, you dont have to navigate the process alone.
If youve been wondering how to increase your VA disability from 90 to 100, use our guide below to learn more and see what our team of attorneys can do to help.
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Percent Va Disability Increase Path #2 File For New Primary Disability Conditions For Direct Service Connection
If you have a new disability condition that you think was caused or made worse by your active duty military service, you should open a new claim and select the option for Direct Service Connection.
For example, maybe you have Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease thats directly due to your military service, its in your Service Treatment Records, you suffer from it, but you never filed a claim for it.
Its never too late to file a VA disability claim!
Pro Tip: You should read your Service Treatment Records in-detail to look for Active Problems, Diagnosis History, and Medical Evidence of subjective complaints of the disability condition youre filing for. It helps to give the VA Rater specific page numbers of the disability condition in your records. If you never went to the doctor for the disability condition while on active duty, you must explain this in-detail, and talk about any in-service events, injuries, or illnesses that led to the development of your disability condition. A Nexus Letter is highly recommended for veterans who have been out of the military for more than 12 months.
List Of 40% Va Rating Benefits
At the 40% disability rating level, veterans are eligible for all the benefits at the 30% level plus monthly compensation::
- Monthly disability compensation starts at $673.28 for 2022 and increases with eligible dependents
Benefits that still apply from the 30% level include:
- An increase in healthcare to Priority Group 2 for service-connected disabilities
- Travel pay for all VA healthcare at 41.5 cents per mile for 2022, not just care for service-connected conditions
- Possible Veteran Readiness and Employment support
- Burial and plot allowance
- VA-backed home loan fee waiver
- 10-point veteran preference for federal jobs
- Use of base or post commissaries, exchanges, morale, welfare, and recreation retail facilities, in-person and online
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Receive Your Va Disability Check Faster
When you file your disability claim, be sure to give the VA the routing number to your bank so you can enroll in direct deposits. This is faster and more secure and a requirement as of March 1, 2013. I recommend using a high yield savings account so you can earn more money through interest.
Call or visit your regional VA medical center with specific questions related to VA benefits.
Va Health Care Benefits For 70% Disabled Veterans
VA uses priority groups to categorize veterans and the different types of health care benefits they receive. Each priority group has a different copay.
In order to be placed in VA Health Care Priority Group 1, the highest priority group, veterans need to be service connected at 50 percent or more or be receiving total disability based on individual unemployability . Based on this criteria, veterans with a 70 percent VA disability rating are eligible for enrollment in Priority Group 1.
Veterans in Priority Group 1 are eligible to receive all their health care services through VA with no copays. Some of these services include:
- Preventive care
- Medical equipment/prosthetic items and aids
- Medication/supplies
- Clothing allowance benefits
- Dependents health care
- Emergency care at a non-VA facility
- Foreign medical care
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Ssa Expedited Processing For Veterans
Veterans may qualify for programs from SSA that expedite disability decisions:
State And Federal Benefits
The Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022, or PACT Act, is a new law that expands VA health care and benefits for Veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxic substances. Fact sheet. The PACT Act adds the following new presumptions: Gulf War and post 9/11 Veteran Read More
If you served at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune or Marine Corps Air Station New River in North Carolina, you may have had contact with contaminants in the drinking water there. Scientific and medical evidence has shown an association between exposure to these contaminants during military service and development of certain diseases later on. Read More
The following are added benefits for veterans based on US Department of Veterans Affairs service connection. Some of these benefits are very complex and have eligibility requirements. Contact your local MDVA service program office for details. 0% Evaluation VA medical treatment for any service connected condition VA Fee Basis card for treatment of service Read More
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How Do I Increase My 90% Disability Rating
Though 90 percent is a good rating for service-related disability using the combined disability ratings table, it is still a lower VA disability pay rate than a 100 percent rating. With that lower rating comes significantly lower monthly payments. If you have a 90 percent and do not qualify for TDIU, you may want to appeal your rating to get a higher number.
The appeals process is not an easy one, but vets who are ready to tackle it need to start at their local VA office. There, they will receive the appropriate VA form to start the appeal. You can choose one of three routes to tackle this:
- Higher-Level Review Lane This route has a rating specialist take a look at your VA disability claim to determine if the rate is fair. You are not allowed to submit any new medical evidence if you choose this path.
- Supplemental Claim Lane If you feel that you have new medical records or other evidence to submit, this path lets you do so. The VA also is required to help you gather that evidence if you choose this route.
- Notice of Disagreement Lane This is your final option, and through this option, you will appeal to the Board of Veterans Appeals to have your case looked at more closely.
While you are waiting for your case to be appealed, gather evidence about the impairments you have, unless you choose the Higher-Level Review Lane. Make sure that you consider mental health as well as medical needs in this process.
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Hunting And Fishing License
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Veterans who have a total service-connected disability from the Veterans Administration are not required to purchase a hunting or fishing license but must have on their person proof of age, residency and disability status while engaged in hunting or fishing. Miss. Code Ann., §49-7-5
660 North Street, Jackson, MS 39202
P.O. Box 3439, Jackson, MS 39207
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Va Health Benefits For Veterans With A 10% Va Disability Rating
Veterans with a 10% disability rating are generally assigned to Priority Group 3. This group has the benefit of no copay for outpatient careor free primary care, specialty care, and specialty testing. Priority Group 3 also offers 10% disabled veterans free urgent care visits for the first three visits per calendar year. Your healthcare benefits also include:
- Free inpatient VA care
- Prescription medications
Potential Barriers To Appealing Your 90% Va Disability Rating
Although there are many benefits to appealing your 90 percent VA disability rating, there are also several barriers. Specifically, the VA disability appeals timeline can be very lengthy and difficult to navigate. Additionally, in limited cases, VA may be able to reduce your disability rating if you appeal. That is, if VA reviews your condition again and finds that it has improved, there may be grounds for a rating reduction.
A VA-accredited representative may be able to help prepare a case to overcome some of the potential barriers to appealing a 90 percent VA disability rating.
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Increase Va Disability Rating Tip #: Focus On High Value Va Disability Claims
A High-Value VA Claim is a disability or condition with a HIGH likelihood of getting rated at 30% or higher on its own.
Focusing on High-Value VA disability claims is a great way to increase your VA disability rating in less time.
These includeVA claims such as Mental Health Conditions , Sleep Apnea Claims, Migraines, and Respiratory Conditions , among others.
Versus a Low-ValueVA Claim, which is a disability or condition with a LOW likelihood of gettingrated at 30% or higher on its own.
These includeVA disability claims like Tinnitus, Hearing Loss, Scars, and MusculoskeletalConditions.
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Travel Pay Disability Benefits
At the 30% rating level and higher, youre eligible to receive travel pay for any care at VA facilities and VA-approved care in your local community .
The VA may pay for these travel costs:
- Mileage to and from your appointment
- Bridge, road, and tunnel tolls
- Meals and lodging when needed in some cases
The VA uses Bing Maps to calculate the door to door mileagethe mileage from your home to the closest VA or authorized non-VA facility that can give you the care you need.
Youre also eligible for special mode transportation in an ambulance or wheelchair van if your doctor approves in advance, or this is required.
Learn how to submit a VA travel reimbursement claim. You can file a claim online using the Access VA travel portal.
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What To Do When Applying For Va Compensation For Service
Apply for VA compensation before your final out-processing appointment, if possible.
In any case, service members and veterans must supply copies of discharge paperwork, including a DD-214, medical records, supporting documentation for the medical claim and a completed VA Form 21-526.
You may need supporting evidence that shows how your condition affects your ability to work, socialize or pursue hobbies or how your condition has worsened over time, depending on your claim. Medical records and personal statements from family and coworkers who have witnessed your conditions impact on your daily life can help your case.
About 2023 Va Disability Compensation Rates
Your 2023 VA disability compensation is a monthly tax-free payment from the Department of Veterans Affairs paid to former military service members who sustained an illness or injury during their time in service. Veterans with preexisting conditions exacerbated by their time in service, or who develop service-connected disabilities following their time in service, may also apply for benefits. Veterans may also receive additional benefit due to extenuating circumstances, including their number of dependents, loss of limb or other severe injury, or by having a disabled spouse.
It is important to note that this benefit is not permanent, and it may be subject to review. On a wider scale, the VA may change its rating schedule at any time, but it may also reexamine your individual claim to judge whether your disability has improved or worsened, thus affecting your benefit amount. In case of the latter, you would want to initiate the review yourself to ensure they receive a higher benefit for a worse disability.
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Disability Ratings Are Awarded On A Case By Case Basis
To rate a disability claim, the VA first tries to determine whether or not you sustained your illness or injury in military service. Then, they assign a rating for each illness or injury.
If the VA determines your injury or illness isnt related to your military service or didnt happen while you were in the military, they will deny your claim. If the VA approves your claim, they will assign it a rating between 0% 100%.
A 0% rating shows there is an illness or injury that is connected to your military service, but it doesnt warrant compensation at this time. It is still good to get a 0% rating compared to no service-connected link because if the condition worsens at a later date, you can apply to have your disability rating upgraded.
How To Use The Vmsdep After Approval
Each semester you intend to use VMSDEP benefits, you must identify the intent of such by following the listed To Update Your Enrollment Information instructions. After you have completed the listed instructions, you must contact the attending school for detailed information pertaining to your student account balance.
If you do not complete your enrollment update by the listed Close date and time, you must request retroactive approval from your attending Virginia public college or university and if approved, the respective institution will notify the VMSDEP Office of such approval upon which, the Office will authorize the qualifying semester.
How to Update Enrollment Information for the Child of the Veteran or Servicemember:
- Please login to the myVMSDEP portal
- Select Step 6 Application Management
- Select the Manage Benefits button
- Select the Add Term Benefit Information button
- Add your Term Information then
- Select the Save Term Information button
How Update Enrollment Information for the Spouse of the Veteran or Servicemember and for the Parent Updating Information for the Child Under Age 18:
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Discounts For Licenses And State Parks
Louisiana Veterans can enjoy discounts and fee waivers for hunting and fishing licenses as well as entrance to Louisiana state parks. Certain qualifications apply.
Beginning June 1, 2022For Non-Resident Disabled Veterans who have a permanent service-connected classification of 50% or more:
- LDVA will certify the application and email the completed application to LWF , where LDWF will certify and send the veteran his/her initial hunting/fishing license.
- Each year after that, the veteran may purchase that new years hunting/fishing license either online on your website or in person at any one of the retailers listed at your hunting or recreational fishing license listing on your website under
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How to Apply
Visit your local VAC. Find your nearest LDVA Veterans Parish Service Office here.
Monthly Compensation Rates For 90 Percent Disabled Veterans
For 2020, the cost-of-living-adjustment was increased by approximately 1.6 percent, resulting in a rise in benefits for veterans. On December 1, 2020, veterans rated as 90 percent disabled without any qualifying dependents began receiving $1,887.18 in VA disability compensation. Depending on the type of qualifying dependent, veterans rated as 90 percent disabled began receiving the following monthly compensation amounts:
- Veteran and Spouse $2,044.19
- Veteran, Spouse, and Parent $2,170.82
- Veteran, Spouse, and Parents $2,297.44
- Veteran and Parent $2,013.80
- Veteran, Spouse, Parent, and Child $2,287.31
- Veteran, Spouse, Parents, and Child $2,413.94
- Veteran, Parent, and Child $2,119.16
- Veteran, Parents, and Child $2,245.78
For each additional child under the age of 18, veterans who are rated as 90 percent disabled can add $78 to their monthly compensation amount. Moreover, for each additional schoolchild over the age of 18, veterans who are 90 percent disabled can add $253.25 to their monthly compensation amount.
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