Here lately I’ve been getting to meet more Veterans in person for intake appointments. It’s actually pretty neat because when I meet a Veteran in person I get to learn more about them and the interaction is always great. Recently, during one of my intakes, I was speaking with a young Veteran about healthcare. When I say young, I mean he was so young he was born after Desert Storm ended. So, it definitely showed my age. That aside, he had a wonderful case for PTSD. I asked him what kind of treatment he was pursuing at this time, and replied by saying “none.” I was a little concerned, so I asked him why he was not treating, and he states that he could no longer afford it. I found this odd because he was a combat Vet who was discharged in 2012. I asked if he knew that he was able to get five years of free healthcare through the VA, and he stated that he had never heard of that before. When I explained to him how the process worked, he was immediately relieved. I was also relieved because now that he is treating again, we are a lot more likely to get him service-connected.
Granted, I talk about treating all of the time in my blogs. It’s the number one thing any Veteran can do to help their claim. But, what can you do if you can’t afford healthcare? Technically, we are all “supposed” to have healthcare now, but even with coverage, many people don’t go to the doctor because of the cost associated with copays etc. However, I find most Veterans aren’t aware that they are eligible for benefits. The reason for this is simple; they don’t know how to see if they are eligible. This really isn’t the fault of the Veteran though. If you try to call the VA, you are likely put on hold for an eternity. Recently a friend of mine called the VA regarding an exam. He was put on hold so long he could have watched the entire film “Titanic” 1.5 times. That is not an exaggeration. Most of us don’t have enough time to sit on hold for the length of a James Cameron film.
What if I told you there was an easier way to find out if you are eligible to receive VA Medical Benefits? Would you believe me if I told you the time it took to determine eligibility was shorter than it would take you to read this blog? Well, it’s the truth. I first blogged about this subject last summer when I found out about the eligibility calculator on the VA website. Since many people still have not heard about it, I wanted to remind everyone how it works again.
If you simply click this link, enter in the information when it prompts you, you can determine your eligibility in just a few short minutes. If you are found to be eligible you can actually take it one step further, and sign up for benefits. This is one of those rare instances in which the VA has something somewhat streamlined. It’s so simple, I had Alex Kyle, our IT Specialist, do a dry run for me. Alex served in the Marines from 2003-2009 and served in combat. It only took him 4 minutes to determine eligibility. He then jokingly said that it would have taken an Airmen 3 times as long.
Kidding aside, this is a great tool. If you are even a little curious about the healthcare benefits the VA can provide to you, I suggest running your information through the calculator. You don’t even have to put your name or social security number in the system to determine eligibility.
If you would like to know more about VA Disability, or if you’d like to schedule a free consultation, give us a call today. Our toll-free number is 1-877-526-3457. If you can’t talk today, fill out this form, and we’ll give you a call at a later date.
