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Though the U.S. has a long history of caring for its
veterans, today’s Department of Veterans Affairs
is a fairly recent development.
Established in March 1989, the Department succeeded
the former Veterans Administration to become the second
largest Cabinet level department within the United States
government. Nationwide, the VA operates programs for
health care, financial assistance and burial benefits
for eligible Americans.
As
a veteran, you are among one in four Americans (approximately
63 million) who are potentially eligible for VA benefits
and services.
Eligibility doesn’t depend solely on personal
military service, however; your dependents such as a
surviving spouse or child may be eligible,
as of course are active duty military service members
and members of the Reserve or National Guard.
The
nation’s responsibility to care for veterans and
their families can last decades. According to the Department
of Veterans Affairs, five children of Civil War veterans
still draw VA benefits. And about 440 children and widows
of Spanish-American War veterans still receive VA compensation
or pensions.
According
to the most recent figures available, the VA fiscal year
spending for 2005 was $71.2 billion. Of that, $37.1 billion
went to pay for benefits, $31.5 billion for health care,
and $148 million for the national cemetery system.
When
you contemplate those figures, consider this: If you
were to spend a $1,000 a day, for seven days a week,
it would take you 2,737 years, 10 months, 7 days to spend
just 1 billion dollars.1
Needless
to say, the VA is a massive benefits system.
How do you get your share?
There are eight major categories of benefits available
through the VA:
- Compensation and pension
- Education and training
- Medical care
- Research
- Home loan assistance
- Insurance
- Vocational rehabilitation
- VA National Cemeteries
Download
booklet “Federal Benefits for Veterans
and Dependents, 2006 Edition”
The most visible of these benefits is health care;
more than 5.3 million people received care in a VA facility
in 2005.
Care is typically not automatic. To receive VA health
care benefits, you must enroll.
The only exceptions to this rule are: 1) if you
have a service-connected disability of 50 percent or
more; 2) if you’ve been discharged in the last
year but have not yet been rated for a VA disability
benefit; and 3) if you are seeking care for only a service-connected
disability.
Once
you enroll, you are placed in priority groups or categories
for access to care.
These range from a Priority 1 for veterans with service-connected
disabilities of 50% or more, or those unable to work
because of service connected conditions, down to Priority
8 (now restricted) for veterans with no service-connected
disabilities and who meet income guidelines. (View a
complete list of priority
rankings.)
What You Can Expect from the VA Health Care
System
From 54 hospitals in 1930, the VA’s health care
system now includes 154 medical centers, with at least
one in each state, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia.
Because the VA manages one of the largest medical education
and training programs in the U.S., it is also a world
leader in medical research.
VA researchers played key roles in developing the cardiac
pacemaker, the CT scan, and improvements in artificial
limbs. The first liver transplant was performed by a
VA surgeon. VA clinical trials helped develop effective
treatments for tuberculosis, schizophrenia, and high
blood pressure.
One of the reasons the VA excels in research is because
it tends to bring more diverse physicians to its staff.
Because VA doctors are not limited by state-of-residence
certifications, the VA can cast for a wider pool of talent.
That’s why, as you navigate your VA health care
benefits, you are more likely to be treated by partially
retired, recently certified, or foreign-certified physicians
than you might be in a private health care clinic or
community hospital.2
Claiming your benefits
Once
you enroll, your condition or situation will be evaluated,
and you’ll need to meet eligibility requirements
and income thresholds for any benefit claim.
One fact: No matter what benefit you are claiming, there
will be forms to fill out and files to complete.
That’s why it pays to take a few moments now to
learn about your rights and how to claim them.
For a comprehensive listing of what is available to
you, visit the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs online,
or phone toll free 1 (800) 827-1000.
Reference:
“Fact Sheet,” The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Available
online at http://www1.va.gov/opa/fact/
Additional sources:
1Classroomtools.com. Available online at http://www.classroomtools.com/billion.htm
2 How to File and Collect on VA Claims, John
D. Roche. © 2002 Potomac Books, Inc., Washington,
D.C., pp. 23-24.
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