The Department of Veterans Affairs has eliminated the use of net worth as a factor in determining veteran health care eligibility and copayment responsibilities. This update gives lower income veterans more accessibility to health care benefits and goes in line with the Department of Veterans Affairs’ My VA initiative which focuses on veteran needs.
“Everything that we do and every decision we make has to be focused on the veterans we service,” Secretary Robert A. McDonald stated in a press release. “We are working every day to earn their trust. Changing the way we determine eligibility to make the process easier for veterans is part of our promise to our veterans.”
The VA will now only consider a veteran’s gross household income and deductible expenses from the year prior. With the elimination of net worth, lower income, non-service connected veterans will have fewer out-of-pocket costs. Approximately 190,000 veterans will become eligible for reduced health care costs in the next 5 years.
Veterans should visit their local VA health care facility or submit updated income information at www.101ez.med.va.gov.
Reference:
