VA Assisting Veterans with Health Care Costs
WASHINGTON (Jan. 6, 2009) -- For veterans struggling financially due to
a job loss or decreased income, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
offers an assortment of programs that can relieve the costs of health
care or provide care at no cost.
"With the downturn in the economy, VA recognizes that many veterans will
feel the effects," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James B.
Peake. "Therefore, it is important that eligible veterans learn of the
many ways VA has to help them afford the health care they have earned."
Veterans whose previous income was ruled too high for VA health care may
be able to enter the VA system based upon a hardship if their current
year's income is projected to fall below federal income thresholds due
to a job loss, separation from service or some other financial setback.
Veterans determined eligible due to hardship can avoid copays applied to
higher-income veterans. Qualifying veterans may be eligible for
enrollment and receive health care at no cost.
Also eligible for no-cost VA care are most veterans who recently
returned from a combat zone. They are entitled to five years of free VA
care. The five-year "clock" begins with their discharge from the
military, not their departure from the combat zone.
Each VA medical center across the country has an enrollment coordinator
available to provide veterans information about these programs.
Veterans may also contact VA's Health Benefits Service Center at
1-877-222 VETS (8387) or visit the VA health eligibility website at
www.va.gov/healtheligibility .
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This does NOT help veterans that had a good paying job in 2007-2008 and then lost it in Nov or Dec because they base the means test on your 2007 income tax return amount which makes most veterans ineligible for medical care for at least a year from now, the Secretary of the VA has the ability to waive the rules and grant medical care to any veteran, Congress should demand that newly laid off workers or underemployed veterans who used to have a good paying job last year, but now are only working part time and making maybe 12-18,000 a year that would make them eligible in 2010 for healthcare, but what about between now and then? What is they get sick or injured hope an emergency room takes them in and then leaves them with thousands in medical bills they will never be able to pay off.
Times are tough right now and rules need to be relaxed, this is compassionate and at a time of fiscal crisis, veterans and their families deserve some compassion. The VA Secretary can make any change they want to, I hope General Shinseki will take that in to account when he is sworn in after January 20th as the head of the VA.
I expect sanity and compassion from this administration instead of pigheadedness we got from Nicholson and Peake, even Principi was a decent human being.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
VA Assisting Veterans with Health Care Costs
