The Department of Veterans Affairs is poised to welcome nearly 266,000 more veterans into its medical centers and clinics across the country by expanding access to health care enrollment for certain veterans who had been excluded due to their income.
Under a new regulation, the VA will enroll veterans whose income exceeds current meanstested thresholds by up to 10 percent. These veterans were excluded from VA health care enrollment when income limits were imposed in 2003 on veterans with no service-connected disabilities or other special eligibility for care. There is no income limit for veterans with compensable service-connected disabilities or for veterans being seen for their service-connected disabilities.
Veterans who have applied for VA health care but were rejected due to income at any point in 2009 will have their applications reconsidered under the new income threshold formula. Those who applied before 2009 but were rejected due to income, must reapply.
Information about enrollment and an income and assets calculator are available at www.va.gov/healtheligibility. The calculator provides a format in which veterans enter their household income, number of dependents and zip codes to see if they may qualify for VA health care enrollment.
In addition to applying online, veterans also may contact VA's Health Benefits Service Center at (877) 222-VETS (1-877-222-8387). Each VA medical center across the country has an enrollment coordinator available to provide veterans with enrollment and eligibility information.
Bill Dippery is Mifflin County VA director and can be reached at 248-6421; faxed at 248-2527; or e-mailed at bdippery@co.mifflin.pa.us.
