Federal Benefits for Veterans
What are the basic eligibility requirements for Veteran's Administration (VA) health care benefits?
A person who served in the active military, naval, or air service and who was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable, may qualify for VA health care benefits. Reservists and National Guard members may also qualify for VA health care benefits if they were called to active duty (other than for training only) by a Federal order and completed the full period for which they were called or ordered to active duty.
What are the minimum duty requirements?
Veterans who enlisted after September 7, 1980, or who entered active duty after October 16, 1981, must have served 24 continuous months or the full period for which they were called to active duty in order to be eligible. This minimum duty requirement may not apply to veterans discharged for hardship, early out, or a disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty.
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How do I apply?
For most veterans, entry into the VA health care system begins by applying for enrollment. To apply, complete VA Form 10-10EZ, Application for Health Benefits, which may be obtained from any VA health care facility or regional benefits office, online at http://www.va.gov/1010ez.htm or by calling 1-877-222-VETS (8387). Once enrolled, veterans will receive health care at VA health care facilities anywhere in the country. Contact the Veteran Services Department of the Ventura County Human Services Agency by calling 1-805-477-5155 or online at http://www.vchsa.org/veterans.php.
The following four categories of veterans are not required to enroll, but are urged to do so to permit better planning of health resources:
- Veterans with a service-connected disability of 50 percent or more.
- Veterans seeking care for a disability the military determined was incurred or aggravated in the line of duty, but which the VA has not yet rated, within 12 months of discharge.
- Veterans seeking care for a service-connected disability only.
- Veterans seeking registry examinations (Ionizing Radiation, Agent Orange, Gulf War/Operation Iraqi Freedom and Depleted Uranium).
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What are priority groups?
During enrollment, each veteran is assigned to a priority group. The VA uses priority groups to balance demand for VA health care enrollment with resources. Changes in available resources may reduce the number of priority groups the VA can enroll. If this occurs, the VA will publicize the changes and notify affected enrollees. A description of priority groups follows:
- Group 1:
- Veterans with service-connected disabilities rated 50 percent or more and/or veterans determined by the VA to be unemployable due to service-connected conditions.
- Group 2:
- Veterans with service-connected disabilities rated 30 or 40 percent.
- Group 3:
- Veterans with service-connected disabilities rated 10 and 20 percent; veterans who are former Prisoners of War (POW) or who were awarded a Purple Heart medal; veterans awarded special eligibility for disabilities incurred in treatment or participation in a VA Vocational Rehabilitation program; and veterans whose discharge was for a disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty.
- Group 4:
- Veterans receiving aid and attendance or housebound benefits and/or veterans determined by the VA to be catastrophically disabled.
- Group 5:
- Veterans receiving VA pension benefits or eligible for Medicaid programs, and non-service-connected veterans and non-compensable, zero percent service-connected veterans whose gross annual household income and net worth are below the established VA means test thresholds.
- Group 6:
- Veterans of World War I; veterans seeking care solely for certain conditions associated with exposure to radiation during atmospheric testing or during the occupation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki; for any illness associated with participation in tests conducted by the Department of Defense (DOD) as part of Project 112/Project SHAD; veterans with zero percent service-connected disabilities who are receiving disability compensation benefits and veterans who served in a theater of combat operations after November 11, 1998, as follows:
- Veterans discharged from active duty on or after January 28, 2003, who were enrolled as of January 28, 2008, and veterans who apply for enrollment after January 28, 2008, for five years post discharge
- Veterans discharged from active duty before January 28, 2003, who apply for enrollment after January 28, 2008, until January 27, 2011
- Group 7:
- Veterans with income and/or net worth above the VA national income threshold and income below the geographic income threshold who agree to pay co-pays.
- Group 8:
- Veterans with income and/or net worth above the VA national and geographic income threshold who agree to pay co-pays.