Department Service Officer Newsletter
Volume 2,
Issue 1
January 2007
Department Service Officer Newsletter
Volume 2,
Issue 1
January 2007
Department Service Office Business
Hours:
The Department Service Office will be open each Monday through Friday
from 8:00 AM until 4:00 PM. Appointments
are not necessary for visits. You may contact the Department Service Office by
calling (603) 222-5784, faxing (603) 222-5787; or by using the following e-mail
address:
§
New American
Legion Heroes to Hometowns (H2HT) Contact at the Pentagon: By now, most
Legion members know about the Legion’s Heroes to Hometowns program in which
local posts organize community welcome home ceremonies and community assistance
activities to help recently discharged seriously disabled veterans reintegrate
into civilian life. Essentially, post
officials are ask to arrange events and community cooperation agreements long
before receiving notice of a returning seriously disabled veteran, then put the
program into action whenever the Pentagon Legion contact notifies the local
post of a seriously disabled veteran returning to the their community. The
Legion’s new Pentagon contact information is as follows: Scott Sundsvold; The
American Legion, Heroes to Hometowns Liaison, Military Severely Injured Center
(Pentagon): legion.h2h@itc.dod.mil;
703-692-2054. Post should contact Mr.
Sundsvold and let him know when their H2HT program is ready.
§
Heroes to
Hometowns (H2H) Program: We have previously published
several articles explaining how individual posts may want to accept responsibility
for setting up and organizing local H2H programs. As noted before, the purpose
of the H2H program is to help seriously injured recently discharged servicemen
and women reintegrate into the local community. Post commanders are asked to
register their H2H program with the Department Service Office (603-222-5784) so
we may help coordinate referrals from our National Headquarters.
More
information on the Heroes to Hometowns program is available at:
http://www.legion.org/?content=heros2hometown.
§
VA Performance
Standards vs. Quality: A September 20, 2006 American Legion Bulletin
brought out some interesting facts about Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
Performance Standards. The Bulletin states: “The emphasis on production
continues to be a driving force in the VA regional office, often taking
priority over such things as training and quality assurance. Performance
standards of adjudicators and rating specialist are centered on productivity as
measured by work credits, known as ‘End Products.’ Both veteran service representatives (VSRs)
and rating veteran service representatives (RVSRs) have minimum national
productivity requirements that must be met each day. Some stations also set
their own standards, based on their claims backlog and other station specific
requirements that are over and above the national requirement. Unfortunately,
the end product work measurement system essentially pits the interests of the
claimant against the needs of VA managers. The conflict is created because the
regional offices have a vested interest in adjudicating as many claims as
possible in the shortest amount of time. This creates a built-in incentive to
take shortcuts so that the End Product can be taken. The system, in effect,
rewards regional offices for the gross amount of work they report, not whether
the work is done accurately or correctly, often resulting in many claims being
prematurely adjudicated…The result has been a traditionally high remand rate by
the Board of Veterans Appeals’ (BVA) and the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans
Claims (CAVC). The BVA’s combined remand
and reversal rate (59.4 percent) for Fiscal Year 2005 is arguably a direct
reflection of the greater emphasis placed on production over training and quality
assurance.”
The Bulletin recording The American
Legion’s statement before Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial
Affairs Committee on Veterans’ Affairs United States House of Representatives
goes on to state: “It seems to The American Legion VBA (VA’s Veterans Benefits
Administration) management has been reluctant to establish a rigorous quality
assurance program to avoid exposing the longstanding history of the
manipulation of workload data and policies that contribute to poor quality
decision-making and the high volume of appeals.” Until this problem is
resolved, if ever, VA claimants are encouraged to appeal any VA decision the
claimant perceives unfair.
§
Additional
Compensation Benefits Available for Former Prisoners of War: For purposes
of disability compensation, Congress has recognized that certain diseases are
associated with Former POW's captivity. These are called
presumptive medical conditions, and if a former POW is diagnosed as having one
or more of these conditions to a degree of 10% disabling, VA presumes that it
is associated with the POW experience. The presumption of
association is made for seven conditions regardless of the length of captivity:
If a former POW was interned for 30
days or more, the following additional diseases are presumed to be
service-connected:
Extended
Healthcare Eligibility for Former Prisoners of War: The VA health
care system affords priority treatment for former POWs. Former POWs who have a
service–connected disability are eligible for VA health care. This includes
hospital, nursing home, and outpatient treatment. Former POWs need not have a service-connected disability to
be eligible for VA hospital and nursing home care – without regard to their
ability to pay. They are also eligible
for outpatient care on a priority basis – second only to veterans with
service-connected disabilities. While former POWs are receiving treatment in an
approved outpatient treatment program, they are eligible for needed medicines,
glasses, hearing aids, or prostheses. Former POWs are also eligible for all needed
dental care. There is no co-payment
requirement for former POWs at VA pharmacies.
Extended Benefits
for Survivors of Former Prisoners of War: The major benefit is Dependency and Indemnity
Compensation (DIC) which is a monthly benefit payable to the surviving spouse
(and the former POW’s children and parents in some cases) when the former POW:
DIC is terminated for a surviving
spouse who remarries, but can be resumed if the remarriage ends in death,
divorce, or annulment. However, a
surviving spouse who remarries on or after attaining age 57, and on or after
December 16, 2003, can continue to receive DIC.
(The words in italics note the
extended part of DIC regulation concerning POWs.)
Former Prisoners
of War Claims Filing Contacts: Indianapolis VA Regional Office coordinator
for former POWs, Bill Young, provided the Former POW benefits information
within this article. Bill can be reached at Bill Young at (317) 916-3444. Each
VA medical Center also has a POW coordinator. Former POWs and their survivors
may receive claims filing assistance and advised by contacting their local
county veterans service officer or The American Legion Department Service
Office.
§
Blue Water Navy
Veterans Update: On
16 AUG 06, the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans' Claims (CAVC) in the case of
Haas v. VADC-Nicholson determined that Vietnam veterans who served in the
waters off Vietnam and did not set foot in Vietnam are entitled to a
presumption of exposure to herbicide agents, to include Agent Orange. This class of veterans is generally known as
blue water Navy veterans; but any claim, regardless of branch of service, may
be a Haas case. Prior to this decision,
VA’s interpretation of 38 CFR 3.307(a)(6)(iii) was that a service member had to
have actually set foot on Vietnamese soil or served on a craft in its rivers
(also known as brown water) in order to be entitled to the presumption of
exposure to herbicides. Specifically, the Court held the following:
The reference to service in Vietnam as
used in the statute was ambiguous because there are many definitions of the
territory of a nation.
VA’s regulation defining Vietnam
service for purposes of granting the presumption of exposure to herbicides is
ambiguous when viewed together with 38 CFR 3.313, which also defines service in
Vietnam. The Court pointed to the use of
different conjunctions as well as the differing placement of a comma in each
regulation to prove the ambiguity and observed that VA had merely replaced
legislative ambiguity with regulatory ambiguity.
Because of its determination that
ambiguity was present, the Court looked to a procedural manual (M21-1)
provision from 1991 that stated that possession of a Vietnam Service Medal
(VSM) would be conceded as proof of Vietnam service in the absence of
contradictory evidence. The Court held
this to be a substantive rule establishing entitlement to the presumption of
exposure to herbicides. It held that
VA’s attempted rescissions of that M21-1 provision were void because they
failed to comply with the notice and comment requirements of the Administrative
Procedures Act (APA). The Court also
held that within the meaning of VA’s manual provisions: (1) proof that a
veteran had blue water service without setting foot on mainland Vietnam would
not necessarily be contradictory evidence, but (2) proof that a veteran served
in a location that reasonably precluded exposure to Agent Orange could be
considered contradictory evidence.
VA has appealed the Haas decision to
the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. The VA director subsequently issued a letter
that provides interim procedures for controlling claims affected by the CAVC
decision. Regional offices have been
directed that claims with Haas issues will not be adjudicated until this
litigation is resolved but will be acknowledged upon receipt with specific
language approved by the Office of General Counsel and controlled as indicated
in this letter. Among other things it
provides general answers to typical questions VA employees may receive during
interviews or when answering telephones.
The primary one is, “We have received your claim for (insert the
disability) based upon claimed herbicide exposure. Your claim may be affected by recent judicial
action by the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims in Haas v. Nicholson. VA has appealed that action to the Federal
Circuit. We must await the outcome of
that appeal and receive guidance from the Department of Veterans Affairs
General Counsel prior to taking further action on your claim. We will advise you further when we receive
guidance.”
The Secretary’s brief is due to be
filed in the Haas appeal on 8 JAN 07. The National Veterans Legal Services (who
are representing Hass) brief will be due to be filed 40 days after the
Secretary’s brief is served on NVLSP. The Secretary then may file a reply brief
14 days after that. Thus, the briefing will likely be completed by early March,
but there is a small possibility that either party may ask for, and be granted,
extensions for those filings. The Court will then likely schedule oral argument
and, after it hears the argument, issue a decision. The decision will likely be
issued several months after the oral argument and will be posted on the NVLSP
website www.nvlsp.org. Questions should be submitted to Richard V.
Spataro, Staff Attorney, National Veterans Legal Services Program, 1600 K
Street, NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20006-2833 [Source:
www.vawatchdog.org 14 Dec 06 ++]
§
VA PRESCRIPTION POLICY UPDATE: The Department of Veterans Affairs is helping
some veterans get generic prescriptions for half the VA price. Veterans in
health care priority categories 4 through 8 normally must make an $8 co-pay for
drugs from the VA that might be available at the $4 rate being offered by
Wal-Mart Stores Inc., and Target Corp. VA deputy undersecretary William Feeley
has told VA providers they can write prescriptions that can be filled at any
private-sector pharmacy. They cannot transfer the veterans’ prescriptions
directly to a private-sector pharmacy, but they can write new prescriptions if
they meet state requirements and cancel existing VA prescriptions.
§
VA Extends Presumptive Period for Compensation for Gulf War
Undiagnosed Illness:
VA issued an interim final rule, effective December 18, 2006, extending the
current presumptive period, which was set to expire at the end of year 2006, to
December 31, 2011, for compensation for disabilities resulting from undiagnosed
illnesses suffered by veterans who served in the Persian Gulf War. More than 16
years have passed since the 1991 Gulf War and major questions regarding the
etiology of the chronic unexplained multi-symptom illnesses suffered by
thousands of Gulf War veterans remain unanswered; research is ongoing.
Moreover; neither Congress nor the President have established an end date for
the Gulf War, and Southwest Asia Theater of operations continue. (Resource,
American Legion bulletin, 32-06, December 19, 2006)
§
VA Reaches out to
Veterans and Spouse’s “Aid and Attendance” an Under-Used Benefit: The Department
of Veterans Affairs (VA) is reaching out to inform wartime veterans and
surviving spouses of deceased wartime veterans about an under-used, special
monthly pension benefit called Aid and Attendance.
“Veterans have earned this benefit by
their service to our nation,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim
Nicholson. “We want to ensure that every
veteran or surviving spouse who qualifies has the chance to apply.”
Although this is not a new program,
not everyone is aware of his or her potential eligibility. The Aid and Attendance pension benefit may be
available to wartime veterans and surviving spouses who have in-home care or
who live in nursing-homes or assisted-living facilities.
Many elderly veterans and surviving spouses
whose incomes are above the congressionally mandated legal limit for a VA
pension may still be eligible for the special monthly Aid and Attendance
benefit if they have large medical expenses, including nursing home expenses,
for which they do not receive reimbursement.
To qualify, claimants must be
incapable of self support and in need of regular personal assistance.
The basic criteria for the Aid and
Attendance benefit include the inability to feed oneself, to dress and undress
without assistance, or to take care of one’s own bodily needs. People who are bedridden or need help to
adjust special prosthetic or orthopedic devices may also be eligible, as well
as those who have a physical or mental injury or illness that requires regular
assistance to protect them from hazards or dangers in their daily environment.
For a wartime veteran or surviving
spouse to qualify for this special monthly pension, the veteran must have
served at least 90 days of active military service, one day of which was during
a period of war, and be discharged under conditions other than dishonorable.
Wartime veterans who entered active
duty on or after September 8, 1980, (October 16, 1981, for officers) must have
completed at least 24 continuous months of military service or the period for
which they were ordered to active duty.
If all requirements are met, VA
determines eligibility for the Aid and Attendance benefit by adjusting for
un-reimbursed medical expenses from the veteran’s or surviving spouse’s total
household income. If the remaining
income amount falls below the annual income threshold for the Aid and
Attendance benefit, VA pays the difference between the claimant’s household
income and the Aid and Attendance threshold.
The Aid and Attendance income
threshold for a veteran without dependents is now $18,234 annually. The threshold increases to $21,615 if a
veteran has one dependent, and by $1,866 for each additional dependent. The annual Aid and Attendance threshold for a
surviving spouse alone is $11,715. This
threshold increases to $13,976 if there is one dependent child, and by $1,866
for each additional child.
Additional information and assistance
in applying for the Aid and Attendance benefit may be obtained by calling
1-800-827-1000. Applications may be submitted
on-line at:
www.vabenefits.vba.va.gov/vonapp/main.asp/
Information is also available on the
Internet at http://www.va.gov/ or from any local veterans service organization.
§
Global War on
Terrorism Bonus:
Bonus of $100 for those with active service of 90 days or more between August
5, 1964, and August 15, 1973, or those who served in Vietnam between July 1,
1958, and August 5, 1964, and earned the Vietnam Service Medal or the Armed
Forces Expeditionary Medal. Must have been a bona fide resident of New
Hampshire at the time of enlistment and have received an honorable discharge.
Claims made after August 22, 1977, must be approved by the Adjutant General and
the Governor and Executive Council. (See RSA 115-A:3).
Persian Gulf War Bonus of $100. Each
person who actively served as a member of the armed forces of the United States
between August 2, 1990, and November 30, 1995, and who earned the Southwest
Asia Service Medal, and who was discharged, released or has a certificate of
service there from, under honorable conditions, and who at the time of entry on
such service, and at the time of such service was a bona fide resident of this
state shall be entitled to a $100 bonus. However, no individual who has
received a Persian Gulf War Bonus payment from another state shall be qualified
to receive the NH bonus. Program expires August 31, 2002, but there are
provisions that allow for acceptance of applications after that date. (See RSA 115-A:9).
Global War on Terrorism Operations
Service Bonus of $100. Each person who actively served in any capacity as a
member of the uniformed services of the United States on or after September 11,
2001 and on or before a date to be determined by the Secretary of Defense, and
who earned the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal or Afghanistan
Campaign, or Iraq Campaign Medal; and who was discharged, released or has a
certificate of service there from, with an honorable discharge, or who is
missing in action or who was killed in action; and who at the time of entry on
such active service, and at the time of such service was a bona fide resident
of this state shall be entitled to the benefits provided under this
subdivision. Program ends on June 11, 2009, but there are provisions that allow
for acceptance of applications after that date. (See RSA
115-A:16). For questions concerning these benefits, please contact the
Department Service Officer or State Veterans Council at 275 Chestnut Street
Room 517, Manchester, NH 03103-2411 or telephone (603) 624-9230 or
1-800-622-9230 (in state only).
§
National Registry of Veterans with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
(ALS): The Department of
Veterans Affairs (VA) is developing a nationwide registry of veterans who have
ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease. The goal of this registry is to collect important
information for studies on the causes of ALS in veterans. In addition, the
registry will provide a way for the VA to inform veterans with ALS about
clinical trials and other studies for which they may be eligible.
The ALS registry is also
developing a DNA bank. The DNA Bank will involve the collection and storage of
DNA and plasma from blood samples provided by registry participants. The
samples will be available for studies that examine genetic factors associated
with ALS. ALS researchers will be able to request access to the DNA samples in
this bank, as well as the clinical data that have been collected from
participants.
All veterans who have been
diagnosed with ALS, or their friends or family members, are encouraged call
1-877-DIAL-ALS (1-877-342-5257) or email ALS@med.va.gov
for more information. Additional information about the registry can also be
found at the following website:
http://www.va.gov/durham/alsregistry.asp.
§
Money for Child Care for Reserve Families: Army Reserve
families will receive a minimum of $100 per child per month towards their child
care costs when they begin participating in the Child & Youth Services
child care programs. Some families may qualify for more money based on their
individual situation. To apply, visit
the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NCCRRA)
website at http://www.naccrra.org.
NCCRRA and DOD also offer child care services to severely injured
service members in locations across the United States when they are receiving
in-patient or out-patient medical care. For more information, visit http://www.naccrra.org/MilitaryPrograms/injured.php.
§
Some Families due Retroactive Payments: The National Defense
Authorization Act 2006 increased the amount of death benefits paid to
beneficiaries of all deceased active duty Service-members. The amount has been
increased for the Service-members Life Insurance (SGLI) from $250,000 to
$400,000 and the death Gratuity from $12,000 to $100,000. If you suffered the
loss of a loved one between October 7 2001 and December 31, 2006, you may be
eligible for a retroactive death payment. For additional information contact
the Families First Casualty Call Center at 866-272-5841. The Families First
Casualty Call Center (FFCCC) assists surviving family members with their needs
for long term advocacy and support services.
§
TRICARE Expands Healthcare Benefit: The expansion of TRICARE
Reserve Select by Congress earlier this year allows all qualified members of
the selected Reserve to purchase health care coverage. Tier 2 and Tier 3
coverage began Oct. 1, 2006 for members whose request form and premium is
postmarked or submitted to a TRICARE Service Center Aug. 1 through Sept. 25,
2006. Coverage begins Jan. 1, 2007, for members whose request form and premium
is postmarked or submitted Sept. 26 through Nov. 25, 2006. TRICARE Reserve
Select Tier 1 members must contact their Reserve Component to obtain
qualification guidance. Beneficiaries can find the most current information
about TRICARE Reserve Select on the TRICARE Website at http://www.tricare.osd.mil/reserve/reserveselect/index.cfm.
TRICARE Prime
Portability:
When you move to a new TRICARE region where
Prime is available, you do not have to change your TRICARE Prime coverage.
However, you must transfer your enrollment to the new regional contractor and
select a new primary care manager to avoid expensive point-of-service charges
and interruption of coverage. In addition,
when you move, you must update your address in the Defense Eligibility
Enrollment Reporting System (DEERS) as soon as possible. You can update DEERS online at http://www.dmdc.osd.mil/rsl/owa/home.
TRICARE
Eligibility for Newborns, Adoptee's:
It
is important to register newborns and adoptee's in DEERS to establish TRICARE
eligibility and avoid potential claims problems. It is important for you to
apply for your child’s social security number at the Social Security
Administration Website at http://www.ssa.gov
or by calling (800) 772-1213. Once you
receive your child’s social security number, visit your nearest identification
(ID) card-issuing facility to update their DEERS information. For more
information on newborn or adoptee DEERS registration, contact your military
personnel office, uniformed service ID card-issuing facility, or call (800)
538-9552. A list of ID card facilities
is available at http://www.dmdc.osd.mil/rsl/owa/home. DEERS eligibility information is also
available on the TRICARE website at http://www.tricare.osd.mil/deers/default.cfm
New TRICARE
Standard Handbook Released: TRICARE
officials are making a handbook available to all beneficiaries covered under
TRICARE Standard. This new manual goes into much greater detail than the old
booklet. Although the handbook is full of useful data from what's covered to
how to file a claim, it does not include cost information. Beneficiaries may
ask for copies of the TRICARE Standard handbook or the summary of beneficiary
costs flyer from their regional contractors or from a local TRICARE Service Center,
or view the documents on the TRICARE Smart Site at http://www.tricare.osd.mil/TRICARESmart.
Basic information on TRICARE Standard
is available at http://www.tricare.osd.mil/Factsheets/viewfactsheet.cfm?id=318.
Reactivated?
Don’t Lose Your TRICARE Prime Coverage: The families
of National Guardsmen and Reservists enrolled in TRICARE Prime under the
Transitional Assistance Management Program (TAMP) are automatically switched to
TRICARE Standard when their sponsors are recalled to active duty. But new rules
allow them to keep their Prime coverage when they re-enroll up to 30 days after
the sponsor’s activation. The new policy authorizes a 30-day retroactive
TRICARE Prime enrollment period for transitioning family members. As long as
the family gets reenrolled in TRICARE Prime within 30 days of the member’s
reactivation, Prime coverage remains unchanged, with coverage back to the date
the sponsor was recalled to active duty.
A TAMP fact sheet explains details of
this policy, at http://www.tricare.osd.mil/Factsheets/viewfactsheet.cfm?id=317.
§
VA Services for
Veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom: The Department of Veterans Affairs
(VA) and the Department of Defense (DOD) continue their partnership to meet the
needs of our newest veterans – the men and women who served in Operation Iraqi
Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF) – by assisting them with a
smooth transition from active duty to civilian life.
VA’s goal is to ensure that every
seriously injured or ill serviceman and woman returning from combat receives
priority consideration and world-class service.
Together VA and DOD are finding ways to move records more efficiently
between the two agencies; share critical medical information electronically;
protect the health of troops stationed in areas where environmental hazards
pose a threat; process benefits claims quickly and efficiently; and, in every
way possible, hold open the doors to an uncomplicated passage from soldier to
citizen.
Benefits and
Services: Active-duty personnel, and Reservist or
National Guard members who serve in a theater of combat operations are eligible
for hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care for injuries or
illnesses they believe are related to combat service for a period up to two
years beginning on the date of discharge or release from service. This two-year eligibility for medical care is
available even if there is insufficient medical evidence to conclude that the
veteran’s illness is the result of combat service. At the end of the two-year period, these
veterans can continue to receive free health care for injuries and illnesses
officially connected to military service.
In addition to health care, VA offers
a spectrum of programs for veterans, including disability compensation,
vocational rehabilitation, prosthetic services, life insurance, pension,
education benefits, specially adapted housing and automobile grants, and
survivor and burial benefits. Many VA
services are provided at a higher priority or on an expedited basis for this
newest generation of combat-disabled veterans.
VA programs for veterans with a service-connected injury or illness
apply equally to those who served in the regular active duty forces and to
National Guard members or reservists returning from federal activation.
Seamless Transition –
2/2/2/2
VA Outreach: In an effort to assist wounded military
members and their families, VA placed benefits counselors and social workers at
key military hospitals where severely wounded service members from Iraq and
Afghanistan are frequently sent.
Currently,
six staff members are assigned
full-time to work with patients at both the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in
Washington, D.C., and the Bethesda Naval Medical Center in Maryland. Four of the counselors specialize in benefit
programs and two are social workers who facilitate health care coordination as
service members transition from military to VA care.
Similar
teams work with patients, discharge planners, and other military staff at six
other key DOD medical centers caring for seriously injured troops: Eisenhower Army Medical Center, Ft. Gordon
(Ga.); Brooke Army Medical Center, Ft. Sam Houston (Texas); Madigan Army
Medical Center at Western Regional Medical Command, Tacoma (Wash.), Darnall
Army Medical Center at Ft. Hood (Texas); Evans Army Hospital at Ft. Carson
(Colorado); and Camp Pendleton Naval Medical Center in San Diego, (Calif.).
Throughout
the nation, VA officials identify service members from Iraq or Afghanistan for
special outreach efforts. Iraqi Freedom
and Enduring Freedom coordinators at each VA benefits office and medical center
coordinate with DOD discharge staff to ensure a smooth transition to VA
services at locations nearest to the veteran’s residence after discharge. Through this coordination, the veterans are
known at the local VA facilities that process their benefits claims, and
continuity of their medical care, including medications and therapy, is
ensured.
Military Services Briefings:
Military
Services Briefings are designed to ensure that service-members are aware of
their VA benefits and to provide assistance as needed. Briefings include separation and retirement
seminars, pre- and post-deployment briefings as well as the formal Transition
Assistance Program. For those leaving
active duty due to medical problems, the outreach effort is intensified to
ensure a full understanding of the VA compensation process and vocational
rehabilitation and employment programs.
Generally briefings range from one to
three hours; however, the formal TAP workshop is a three-day seminar conducted
by VA, DOD and the Department of Labor at military installations for personnel
within 90 days of separation. It
provides a number of services to assist military personnel in making a smooth
transition to civilian life. All
military services briefings cover the full range of benefits administered by VA
including compensation, education, vocational rehabilitation and employment,
health care, insurance and more.
Seamless
Transition – 3/3/3/3
Benefits
Delivery at Discharge:
A
joint VA-DoD initiative is helping personnel file for and receive
service-connected disability compensation benefits more quickly than in the
past. The goal is to adjudicate claims
within 30 days of discharge by examining service members as part of the
discharge process. By comparison, VA's
national average processing time is 163 days for claims requiring a disability
rating.
In the
Benefits Delivery at Discharge program, the medical information needed to begin
the VA claims process carries over from DOD to VA seamlessly. In addition, if a service member is found to
be disabled,
additional
applicable vocational and employment services may be quickly initiated.
Additional
Resources: VA has
brochures and other information for veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and
Operation Enduring Freedom available on the Web:
Veterans Benefits Information http://www.vba.va.gov/
Information for Iraqi
Freedom Veterans http://www.va.gov/gulfwar/
Afghanistan Service Information http://www.va.gov/environagents/
PTSD and Iraq Veterans http://www.ncptsd.org/topics/war.html/
VA Health Care Enrollment Information
Brochures and Publications,
Including: (A
Summary of VA Benefits for National
Guard and Reserve Personnel, * Health Care and Assistance for U.S. Veterans of
Operation Iraqi Freedom)
http://www.vethealth.cio.med.va.gov/Pubs/Index.htm/
http://vabenefits.vba.va.gov/vonapp/
Online Benefits Applications
(Women Veterans Health and Benefits Information)
http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/Topics/Women/
§
VA Benefits for Survivors of Military Personnel Involved in
Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom: The Department of Veterans Affairs
(VA) has a variety of programs to assist the survivors of military personnel
who die on active duty. These provisions
also apply to those serving on active duty outside of the combat theater.
Summary of Benefits:
Survivors
receive certain payments or benefits regardless of whether the in-service death
is due to combat, accident or disease, including:
More information about how VA
services apply in individual cases is available from veterans services
representatives at 800-827-1000.
Casualty Assistance Program: VA
has a Casualty Assistance Program to give personal attention to surviving
family members after in-service deaths, and to help them with benefit
information and applications. A casualty
assistance officer is designated at each of VA's 57 regional offices. These VA officers work closely with military
casualty officers to ensure timely assistance is available to beneficiaries.
Reservists and National Guard Eligibility: When a member
of the Reserves or National Guard dies while federally activated or on inactive
duty for training, the death is considered service-connected for VA death
benefits. Activation of a National Guard
unit by a governor alone in support of current security operations does not
qualify unit members for these VA benefits, except life insurance.
VA
Benefits for Survivors 2/2/2
Monthly Payments for Spouse and Children:
When
a service member dies while on active duty, the death is considered
service-connected unless it was due to willful misconduct. VA pays at least $993 a month in Dependency
and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) to surviving spouses. In most cases, survivors' claims are
processed within 48 hours.
In some cases VA can pay more than
$993 a month, such as a $247 benefit for each dependent child who is unmarried
and under age 18, or up to age 23 if studying at a VA-approved school. Also, for a surviving spouse who has one or
more dependent children below age 18, an additional $250 is added to the
monthly DIC from the date DIC entitlement begins. This additional amount is removed at the end
of two years following the date DIC entitlement began or earlier if all the
dependent children attain age 18.
Payments are increased if the
surviving spouse is housebound or needs a home aide. The basic rate for survivors is adjusted
annually and payments continue generally until the death or remarriage of the
spouse before age 57. Remarriage after
age 57 does not affect benefits.
Additional information about benefits for family members, to include
low-income parents of the veteran, is available at http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/dependents/.