VA - Veteran benefits

Just wanted to give an update on possible Veterans Benefits.

Service connected disability: File for it if the Veteran meets the qualifications. There is a list of diseases that are presumptive for Agent Orange. Parkinson's is on the list and I believe Alzheimer's & Dementia should be. I would file for Social Security Disability first if the veteran is not old enough to be collecting SS.

If the veteran is collecting a disability pension, there are other benefits like Aid & Attendance & Caregiver support including respite care for the caregiver. There are VA memory care & nursing home facilities that the veteran may qualify for with zero or smaller copays depending on what Group the veteran is in. (group 1-8).

Non Service Connected Pension: must qualify financially (income & assets). It moves veteran up to Group 4. Note: if they qualify financially for this they may also qualify for Medicaid based on assets and income. Many states allow them to have Medicare & Medicaid.

Catastrophically Disabled: Moves the veteran up to group 4. The Veterans Health Administration has defined a “catastrophically disabled” veteran as “one who has a severely disabling injury, disorder, or disease that permanently compromises the ability to carry out the activities of daily living to such a degree that the individual requires personal or mechanical assistance to leave their home or bed, or requires constant supervision to avoid physical harm to self or others.” A veteran designated “catastrophically disabled” is not required to have a military-related disability or meet low-income thresholds to be eligible for enrollment. It doesn’t matter where you served, when you served, or what your job was. Catastrophically disabled veterans are placed into a “priority group” within the VA health care system that makes them exempt from inpatient, outpatient and prescription copayments. They are also exempt from copayments for non-institutional respite care, non-institutional geriatric evaluation, non-institutional adult day health care, homemaker/home health aide, purchased skilled home care, home based primary care, and any other non-institutional alternative extended care services. This is in addition to free hearing aids, eyeglasses and mental health support.

NOTE: Every Veteran enrolled in the VA Healthcare System has a Social Worker assigned to them. Call the veteran's primary care physician & ask for the name and number of their Social Worker who will assist in many things. Also contact your county Veteran Service Officer for assistance.

Hope this helps.

My DH Lonny passed August 12 and he was a USMC Vietnam Veteran. He received excellent care at the VA and was in a VA Facility when he passed. I promised that I would pay it forward and help other veterans when I can. Semper Fi.