Veteran’s Affairs

1. Veteran’s Affairs Public Resource for Medical Care, Prosthetics, DME & Other Supports AgrAbility National Training Workshop 2008

2. History • Established in 1930 to administer the veteran’s benefits program • First federal commitment dates back to the Revolutionary War • Department of Veterans Affairs is the largest single medical care system in the U.S.

3. Eligibility • Honorable discharge from active military service • Some periods of military service have length of service requirements • Priorities for service are tied to service-connected disabilities, former POWs, veterans awarded special eligibility classifications, veterans meeting income & assets guidelines, but all veterans are eligible • Once enrolled, eligibility is automatically renewed annually unless there are budget cuts

4. Benefits • Benefits available to eligible veterans based on military service include: • Disability compensation • Vocational rehabilitation • Service-disabled life insurance • Home loan guarantees • Health care (SCI, TBI, VI, Prosthetics) • Adapted home provisions • Uniform Benefits package created a standard health benefit plan for all veterans (Veterans Health Care Eligibility Reform Act of 1996)

5. How to Apply • May enroll at any time • No time limit tied to your last service date • Must provide your DD214 (discharge papers) • If DD214 unavailable, other documentation is allowed but the process is much longer • St. Louis fire created a documentation problem • Documentation of any other medical insurance • Enrollment allows a veteran to access services at 1,100 facilities across the country

6. VA Structure • Veteran Affairs Medical Centers (VAMCs) provide a full range of services • Other locations of care are available • Community Based Outpatient Clinics are the most common vehicle for determining eligibility and setting up a Primary Care team • Reduces travel in rural areas • Increases availability of local medical networks • Independent clinics serving as private sector contract affiliates

7. VA Services: • Preventive services • Primary medical care including outpatient surgery • Diagnosis and treatment • Surgery • Mental health and substance abuse treatment • Home healthcare • Respite and hospice care • Emergency care • Drugs & pharmaceuticals

8. Service Teams Available at VAMCs • Spinal Cord Injury Team • Traumatic Brain Injury • Prosthetics Teams • Vision Impairment Team (VIST) • A referral from your local PC team expedites the process

9. Equipment & Modifications • Durable medical equipment • Prosthetics • Adapted software and computers for independence at home • Automobile adaptations (hand controls, lifts) • Home improvements to provide access to the home and personal care areas of the home • Adapted home grants if the veteran has a significant military-related disability

10. Kansas Examples • Farmer who had arthritis and was losing color contrast and visual acuity received funds for color contrast mats for tools, color contrast work mats for workshop floor and adapted tools • Older farmer received home modifications for an accessible bathroom, widened interior doors and put a ramp on the side porch • Veteran received hand controls and funds toward purchase of an adapted vehicle

11. To apply: • Contact the local Veterans Benefits Office or call 877-222-VETS • Everyone should apply, even if she or he doesn’t expect to be eligible for services • The application can be helpful for future healthcare needs • Availability of funds can influence what services, DME and modifications are available from year to year

12. Questions? 877-222-VETS Community Based Outpatient Clinics Veterans Affairs Medical Center