Eligibility For Benefits
By Federal law, eligibility for benefits is determined by a system of eight Priority Groups. Retirees from military service, veterans with service-connected injuries or conditions rated by VA, and Purple Heart recipients are within the higher priority groups.
Veterans without rated service-connected conditions may become eligible based on financial need, adjusted for local cost of living. Veterans who do not have service-connected disabilities totaling 50% or more may be subject to copayments for any care they received for nonservice-connected conditions.
Eligibility for VA dental care and nursing home care are much more restricted. VA nursing homes are primarily for veterans needing care for a service-connected condition, or who have service-connected disability ratings of 70% or higher. Reservists and National Guardsmen who were called to active duty by a Federal Executive Order qualify for VA health care benefits.
In 2010, there were 1 million veterans receiving disability pensions. 25% of these were Vietnam veterans with the disability of adult-onset diabetes. More Vietnam veterans are being compensated for diabetes than any other disease.
Read more about this topic: Veterans Health Administration
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