Veterans' Rights - Health Care

Veterans are generally required to enroll with the VA in order to be eligible for HEALTH CARE benefits. Some veterans are exempted from the enrollment requirement if they fall within certain categories, such as those who have a disability of 50 percent or more caused by service of duty and those who seek care only for a disability suffered as a result of service. Enrollment of other veterans depends upon the appropriations granted to the VA by Congress. The VA has established a priority list of those who apply to be enrolled in the health care benefits program. Priorities depend largely upon the severity of the disability and the financial need of the veteran. In order to determine whether a veteran is eligible for benefits due to financial need, the VA calculates the annual income and net worth of the veteran, and then compares this amount with the "means test," a financial threshold calculated on an annual basis. If the veteran's income and net worth fall below the means test, then the veteran may be eligible for health care benefits.

A wide range of health care benefits are available for qualified veterans, including nursing home care, domiciliary care, outpatient pharmacy services, outpatient dental treatment, alcohol and drug-dependence treatment, and funding to make home improvements necessary to accommodate a veteran's disability. Veterans who are seriously injured in the line of combat and who have suffered a major disability are generally eligible for a variety of additional benefits. On the other hand, veterans with disabilities that are not service-connected and veterans whose income and net worth are above the means test qualify for fewer programs and may be required to participate in a co-payment plan in order to qualify for VA assistance.