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Veterans Benefits « Benefits – Public

  • U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (Official website)
    Mission Statement:  To fulfill President Lincoln's promise “To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan” by serving and honoring the men and women who are America’s veterans.

Articles About Veterans Benefits

  • ADA: Know Your Rights – Returning Service Members with Disabilities (U.S. Dept. of Justice)
    You’ve been seriously injured while serving on active duty in the U.S. Military — perhaps you’ve lost a limb, sustained a traumatic brain injury or spinal cord injury, sustained hearing or vision loss, or are experiencing post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) — and now you’re back in the States trying to adjust to living with your injury. This publication explains your rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and provides information on where to get assistance.
  • Aid & Attendance – Pension Benefit Available to Veterans or Their Surviving Spouses (Hickman & Lowder)
    The Veterans Administration offers a variety of benefits to veterans and their families. It can be challenging to sort out the various benefits and their accompanying eligibility rules.  It is little wonder that some benefits may be overlooked. The Aid & Attendance pension is one such benefit.  It is a non-service connected cash benefit paid monthly to the veteran as a supplement to existing income. 
  • Benefit Upgrade for Military Veterans With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (HeraldNet – 1/30/10)
    More than 4,300 Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans who were diagnosed while still in service as suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, but got low military disability ratings, have won an agreement to upgrade them retroactively to 50 percent.
  • Enabling Veterans to Care for Their Special Needs Children (The Hill's Congress Blog – 4/28/09)
    Info from Rep. Bill Foster regarding Survivor Benefits, which typically can be transferred to a child. However, current law does not allow military retirees to designate Survivor Benefits to their special needs children through a “blind” special needs trust fund.
  • Extra Income for Veterans and Spouses Can Help Pay for Care
    Many people aren't aware that the VA has a special program, called "Aid and Attendance," that pays additional income to Veterans and their spouses, and to the widows (and widowers) of Veterans.
  • Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report
    Many U.S. veterans are unaware of health care, tax breaks, and other state and federal benefits they are entitled to, according to local liaisons to former troops.
  • Many Dying Vets Unaware of End-of-Life Benefits (Reuters – 4/17/09)
    U.S. military veterans' benefits include palliative care and hospice care, but a small study of terminally ill vets suggests many don't understand these benefits — or the nature of their own illness.
  • Nursing Homes for Veterans (3/6/09)
    Nursing home coverage along with other long-term care services, such as home care, and assisted living as well as geriatric care management are available through the Veterans Health Administration for qualifying veterans.
  • The Effect of Military Survivor Benefits on a Child With Special Needs (Academy of Special Needs Planners – 6/30/2008)
    When retirement looms, many military families with children with special needs face a decision about whether or not to choose the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) retirement option. Receipt of SBP payments could jeopardize the child's eligibility for SSI and Medicaid.
  • VA to Reimburse Vets Who Paid for Nursing Home Care
    The Department of Veterans Affairs, stung by criticism that its slow action has forced some severely disabled veterans to spend themselves into poverty, has moved to implement a two-year-old law requiring it to reimburse such veterans for the cost of care at state-run nursing homes.
  • Veterans' Benefit for Long-Term Care Revealed (Secret Dollars)
    One of the Veteran Administration's best-kept secrets, which is an excellent potential source of funds for long-term care (either at home or in an assisted living facility) are veteran's benefits for a non-service connected disability.

Publications About Veterans Benefits

Organizations & Services About Veterans Benefits

  • Birth Defects Assistance – Payments for Children with Spina Bifida Whose Parents Served in Vietman or Korea (Benefits.gov)
    Spina Bifida patients who are natural children of Vietnam and Korea veterans may be eligible for a monthly monetary allowance.  The allowance is paid at three different levels, depending on how severe the disability is.
  • Disability.Gov
    Connecting the Disability Community to Information and Opportunities.
    Much information about services, benefits and opportunities for affected veterans.
  • Military.com
    This free membership connects servicemembers, military families and veterans to all the benefits of service — government benefits, scholarships, discounts, lifelong friends, mentors, great stories of military life or missions, and much more.
  • Today's GI Bill
    Service members and veterans deserve access to high-quality, postsecondary education. It eases the transition into civilian life and ensures lifelong economic and social benefits. Today’s GI Bill is designed to help you make the most of your education benefits by providing clear yet comprehensive guidance.
  • TriCare
    The health care program serving active duty service members, National Guard and Reserve members, retirees, their families, survivors and certain former spouses worldwide. As a major component of the Military Health System, TRICARE brings together the health care resources of the uniformed services and supplements them with networks of civilian health care professionals, institutions, pharmacies and suppliers to provide access to high-quality health care services while maintaining the capability to support military operations. TRICARE beneficiaries can be divided into two main categories: sponsors and family members. Sponsors are usually active duty service members, National Guard/Reserve members or retired service members.
  • Understanding TriCare
    As a member of the military community, one of the most important benefits you've earned is comprehensive health care coverage. TRICARE is the Department of Defense's health care program for members of the uniformed services, their families and survivors.
  • Veterans Medical Care Benefits
    Veterans Medical Care Benefits provide outpatient medical services, hospital care, medicines, and supplies to eligible veterans. To receive health care, veterans generally must be enrolled in the VA health system.
  • Veterans Resource Center – from National Alliance on Mental Illness

Resources: Websites & Blogs About Veterans Benefits

  • Veterans Family Matters
    A newsletter to keep you updated on VA related issues, to provide interesting articles concerning veterans, and to share information relevant to Veterans and to their families.
  • Veteran's Traumatic Brain Injury Family Caregiver Panel to be Established – Brain Injury News and Information Blog
    The Department of Defense gave notice that it intends to establish the Traumatic Brain Injury Family Caregiver Panel as a subcommittee of the Defense Health Board.