Veterans Pension Versus Disability Compensation
In some cases, veterans can receive disability compensation. It’s not the same as the VA pension. Heres a way to tell the difference:
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Disability compensation is for an illness or injury that happens because of or was made worse by your military service. Its not income-based and war service is not required.
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A VA pension is for war veterans with a low income and who may have a disability that is not service-related.
Active Military And Veteran Commissary And Exchange Privileges
Those honorably discharged veterans with a service-connected disability rated at 100 percent, their un-remarried surviving spouses, Medal of Honor recipients, and their dependents and orphans are eligible for free access to exchange and commissary stores in the United States.
The VA handles disability certification. The VA may also accept applications from Reserve members and their dependents. The government of the foreign country can only grant privileges if the government agrees with the law.
Veterans can contact the nearest military installation for detailed information, even if these benefits are administered by the Department of Defense . The VA provides assistance in completing DD Form 1172, Application for Uniformed Services Identification and Privilege Card.
Military Base Commissary Privileges In
Commissaries, Exchanges, and MWR facilities are now available in-person and online for disabled veterans with a service-connected VA rating between 0% and 100%, effective January 1, 2020. If youre wondering Are all disabled veterans eligible for in-person and online commissary, exchange, and morale, welfare and recreation privileges on military installations? The answer is YES!
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What Else You Need To Know About Va Claims
Your claim will be processed more quickly and with fewer errors if you file your claim online. This can be done through the VONAPP program, which is the online VA claims program. This is a central location for filing a VA benefits claim. You can learn more here:
You dont need to pay for claims assistance. In general, you should be able to get free assistance with VA claims. There are only certain instances.
What Is Final Expense Insurance
Final expense insurance, also known as burial insurance, is a type of life insurancethat is specifically designed to cover outstanding expenses and funeral costs after aloved one passes away. Unlike pre-paid funeral plans, final expense insurance can be usedby the beneficiary you designate as and where needed rather than being limited to specificfuneral services and providers. With the cost of an average funeral running into thethousands, a final expense policy can provide much needed protection from not only burialexpenses, but also any remaining medical costs, potential legal costs as well as otheroutlays.
Final expense policies will have a lower face value than most traditional term orwhole life policies as they are intended for a specific purpose of covering those finalcosts rather than providing comprehensive support for surviving family members. These typeof policies generally dont require a medical exam, but premiums will be higher the olderyou are, and some benefit payouts may be limited during the first few years of coverage forthose with significant health issues.
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Va Health Care For Elderly Veterans
Geriatrics is health care for elderly Veterans with complex needs. Extended care also known as long term care is a program for Veterans of all ages who need the daily support and assistance of another individual. Elderly Veterans can receive geriatric and long term care programs at home, at VA medical centers, or in the community.
Va Aid And Attendance Or Housebound Program
The VA Aid and Attendance or Housebound program is a VA Pension Benefit that helps cover the costs of daily living for housebound veterans and/or those in nursing homes. Aid and Attendance benefits are a form of Special Monthly Compensation added to the amount of a monthly pension for qualified Veterans and survivors. If the Veteran requires help with daily activities or he/she is housebound, click HERE now to learn more.Pro Tip: You cant receive both Aid and Attendance and Housebound at the same time. Youll need to pick one or the other.
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Iowa Veterans Trust Fund
The State of Iowa has established a multi-million dollar fund to provide certain services to veterans. Beginning in December 2007, interest from this fund has been available to provide relief for Iowa veterans and their families. Currently, funds are used for unemployment or underemployment assistance due to service-related causes, assistance with vision, hearing, dental care, durable medical equipment, and prescription drugs counseling and substance abuse services vehicle repairs housing repair and transitional housing in an emergency. Trust fund expenditures are approved through the Iowa Veterans Commission. Apply: Iowa Veterans Trust Fund Information: Iowa Veterans Trust Fund
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Veterans Aid And Pension Benefit
The Veterans Aid and Attendance Benefit, or Veterans Pension Benefit, is a little known program designed to help elderly veterans or widows with care and assistance. The program provides assistance for home care, assisted living, or nursing home care, up to $1,800 a month for a veteran, or $900 a month for the unmarried widow of a veteran. Veterans or their widows must meet certain income and asset requirements in order to qualify for this program.
*Note: The application for this benefit can be complicated to apply for. This is one of the times it can be well worth using a professional to help you apply for this program.
Percent Disabled Veteran Student Loan Forgiveness Program
The Disabled Veteran Student Loan Forgiveness Program discharges the Federal Student Loan Debt of 100 percent disabled veterans. Its officially called the Total and Permanent Disability discharge program and has been a huge success to date. And guess what else? A little-known fact is that if youre a veteran with a 100 percent scheduler VA disability rating , youre also eligible for federal Disabled Veteran Student Loan Forgiveness! Weve seen hundreds of fellow disabled veterans get their student loans COMPLETELEY discharged in under 30 days Literally hundreds of thousands of dollars wiped clean overnight. Apply right now if you qualify!
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Property Tax Exemption For 100 Percent Disabled Veterans
One of the top 100 percent VA disability benefits available is PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTIONS! While many states offer property tax exemptions for disabled veterans, did you know there are 18 states with full property tax exemptions for 100 percent disabled veterans? While not all 50 states offer the same tax breaks for disabled veterans, and the criteria to qualify for a waiver differs from state to state, its in your best interest to check with your state county tax assessors office to see if you qualify. You may be eligible to save thousands of dollars each year with this incredible state benefit due to reduced or no property taxes owed on your primary residence.
Is There Anything That Will Make Me More Likely To Get These Benefits
Yes. You may qualify for enhanced eligibility status if you meet at least one of these requirements. Enhanced eligibility means that well place you in a higher priority group. This makes you more likely to get benefits.
At least one of these must be true:
- You receive financial compensation from VA for a service-connected disability
- You were discharged for a disability resulting from something that happened to you in the line of duty
- You were discharged for a disability that got worse in the line of duty
- Youre a combat Veteran discharged or released on or after September 11, 2001
- You get a VA pension
- Youre a former prisoner of war
- You have received a Purple Heart
- You have received a Medal of Honor
- You get Medicaid benefits
- You served in Southwest Asia during the Gulf War between August 2, 1990, and November 11, 1998
- You served at least 30 days at Camp Lejeune between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987
Or, you must have served in any of these locations during the Vietnam War era:
If none of these descriptions apply to you, you may still qualify for care based on your income. Learn more about how the amount of money your family makes can affect whether you qualify for VA benefits.
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Am I Eligible For Va Disability Compensation
You may be eligible for VA disability benefits or compensation if you meet both of these requirements.
Both of these must be true:
- You have a current illness or injury that affects your mind or body, and
- You served on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training
And at least one of these must be true:
- You got sick or injured while serving in the militaryand can link this condition to your illness or injury , or
- You had an illness or injury before you joined the militaryand serving made it worse , or
- You have a disability related to your active-duty service that didnt appear until after you ended your service
How Do I Get Help For A Veteran Whos In Crisis
If youre concerned about a Veteran in crisis, connect with our caring, qualified Veterans Crisis Line responders for confidential help. Many of them are Veterans themselves. This service is private, free, and available 24/7.
To connect with a Veterans Crisis Line responder anytime day or night:
- If you have hearing loss, call TTY: 800-799-4889.
If youre concerned about a Veteran whos homeless or at risk of becoming homeless
Call the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at for help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You or the Veteran can talk privately with a trained VA counselor for free.
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Expedited Claims For Qualified Active
If you have a VA disability compensation rating of 100% Permanent & Total OR if you develop a disability while on active military service on or after October 1, 2001 , you may qualify for expedited claim processing. We usually identify veterans automatically. However, in rare instances, a veteran may need to self-identify and provide the VA notification letter as proof.
The Pact Act And Your Va Benefits
The PACT Act is a new law that expands VA health care and benefits for Veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic substances.
The PACT Act adds to the list of health conditions that we assume are caused by exposure to these substances. This law helps us provide generations of Veteransand their survivorswith the care and benefits theyve earned and deserve.
This page will help answer your questions about what the PACT Act means for you or your loved ones. You can also call us at . And you can file a claim for PACT Act-related disability compensation or apply for VA health care now.
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Permanent And Total Disability
Those veterans who have permanent and disabled status, or P& T, have disabilities that are both total and permanent . VA benefits are available for life if your condition has been deemed permanent and total by government entities. P& T ratings are not subject to re-evaluation or reduction during your lifetime.
Ssa Expedited Processing For Veterans
Veterans may qualify for programs from SSA that expedite disability decisions:
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More About Your Medical Benefits Package
We cover preventive care services, like:
- Health education
- Immunization against infectious diseases
- Counseling on genetic diseases
We cover inpatient hospital services, like:
- Kidney dialysis
- Specialized care
We cover urgent and emergency care services, like:
- Urgent or emergency care at some VA health facilities.
- Urgent care for injuries and illnesses that need attention right away, but arent life threatening, at urgent care locations that are part of our contracted network. This may include care at a VA-approved:
- Walk-in retail health clinic for minor illnesses like a sore throat or earache
- Urgent care facility for more pressing illnesses or injuries that require treatment like splinting, casting, or wound care
We cover other services and needs, like:
- Mental health services to treat certain issues like posttraumatic stress disorder , military sexual trauma , depression, and substance use problems.
We may cover services that your VA primary care provider concludes you need to support your treatment , like:
- Tests used to diagnose health conditions, including blood work, X-rays, and ultrasounds
- Therapy and rehabilitation services, including physical therapy, vision rehab, and therapy for traumatic brain injury
- Additional services, including prosthetic items, audiology , and radiation oncology
You may be able to get help with some non-medical services, like:
All of these must be true:
Yes.
Va Medical Benefits Eligibility
The VA offers health care benefits to certain veterans. There are many misconceptions about who is eligible for these benefits. The good news is that many people are eligible for VA medical benefits, even if they dont know about it.
An important note: Being eligible for VA medical care does not mean you will receive 100% free health care. Each veteran who is eligible for VA health care benefits is assigned a priority number which helps determine what types of health care they are eligible to receive, and whether or not they are required to pay a co-pay or other fees.
In general, VA health care is potentially available to anyone who served on active duty. Guard and Reserve members may also qualify if they were called up on Federal Executive Orders . Eligibility is based on several factors, including when and where the veteran served, service-connected disabilities, whether an injury or illness occurred while on active duty, income, and other factors.
Veterans of the Vietnam War and the Persian Gulf War are generally eligible. Servicemembers returning from the Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns are usually eligible for VA health care for up to 5 years after returning from the AOR, and sometimes longer, depending on their status. Note: The following are not required to be eligible for VA health care benefits: a service-connected disability, combat action, wounded in combat, etc.
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Free Va Dental Care For 100 Disabled Veterans
VA dental care services depend on several factors, such as your VA disability rating, service-connected dental disabilities, current home/living situation, etc. Based upon these factors, the VA places veterans into a Benefits Class and youll get the specific VA dental benefits assigned to that class. Generally, a disabled veteran must have a 100% disability rating to qualify for completely FREE VA dental care. Click HERE to learn more about FREE VA dental care eligibility for disabled veterans.
Veteran Child And Spouse Pay
Dependency and Indemnity Compensation is a monthly benefit paid to surviving spouses whose spouses died on active duty or after entering active duty with a service-connected disability or who died after being considered permanently disabled by the VA. A service member who retired from the military may have contributed to the Survivors Benefit Plan. In that case, a spouse or a disabled dependent child might be entitled to receive payments from the plan.
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Free Entrance To National Parks For Disabled Veterans
Disabled veterans with a 100% permanent and total VA rating are eligible to receive FREE lifetime access to more than 2,000 federal recreation areas, including national parks, wildlife refuges, and forests. The completely free Military Pass is a way to thank Americas veterans, Gold Star Families, and current military and their dependents for their support of our country and to encourage them to explore recreational opportunities on their public lands and waters. Certain disabled veterans qualify for the Interagency Access Pass, which is a lifetime free pass for any veteran with a permanent disability. An Access Pass may also provide discounts for expanded amenities like camping, guided tours, etc. For more information visit USGS Store Access Pass.
Veterans Benefits Banking Program
Effective December 20, 2019, disabled veterans and their beneficiaries may use the Veterans Benefits Banking Program to identify and apply to open an account at a participating bank or credit union. Participating banks and credit unions are available to help disabled veterans and their families make finding a financial institution easier. The VBBP can ensure you get paid faster, safer, and with fewer fees.
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