According to the Centers for Disease Control, military veterans have a higher rate of tobacco use than other demographics. Due to its addictive qualities, many are drawn to it despite the risks of heart disease, cancer, and other illnesses it causes. Many also struggle to quit the habit. Did you know there are Department of… Read more »
In late April 2024, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced permanent changes to VA benefits approval guidelines, offering veterans without honorable discharges the right to be considered for VA healthcare benefits. Under past VA policy, the VA medical system was not open to those without Honorable discharges or those characterized as Under Honorable Conditions. Revised… Read more »
VA programs are always subject to change, but some changes are more dramatic than others. In the past, when major changes resulted from a program overhaul, one feature was commonly the ability to reapply for benefits previously denied, but that could be available under new guidelines. If you have been turned down for a VA… Read more »
The Department of Veterans Affairs has changed its guidelines for offering VA benefits to those with military discharges that are not characterized as honorable. The new regulations were published in the last full week of April 2024, changing VA guidelines to expand its healthcare program to “some former service members discharged under other than honorable… Read more »
The Department of Veterans Affairs offers a program for caregivers of disabled veterans. The VA Caregiver Support Program is described on the VA official sire as a source of “clinical services to caregivers of eligible and covered Veterans enrolled in the VA health care system. The program’s mission is to promote the health and well-being… Read more »
The Department of Veterans Affairs announced the end of the VET TEC pilot program, a five-year experiment formally known as the Veteran Employment Through Technology Education Courses (VET TEC). When it was operational, the VET TEC program offered $45 million in annual benefits to qualifying military members through partnerships with civilian companies nationwide. What Was… Read more »
Applications for the 2024 VA Specially Adapted Housing Assistive Technology grant are now open through midnight on April 28. The SAHAT program funds developers, researchers, and “individuals” working to innovate adaptive technologies to benefit disabled veterans, including thought-based assistive technology for those suffering from neuromuscular conditions as a result of their military service. These new… Read more »
3M has agreed to settle a major lawsuit brought by a quarter of a million veterans who claim they received faulty hearing protection gear for use in combat zones in Afghanistan and Iraq. The 3M Lawsuit Settlement: $6 Billion Over Allegedly Defective Hearing Protection CBS News reports approximately a quarter million veterans are set to… Read more »
The Veterans Affairs Schedule for Rating Disabilities, or VASRD, is the VA reference for assigning disability ratings for service-connected medical conditions. It was updated in 2024. Those updates include modified ratings and criteria for some 55 medical conditions, including changes to how the VA rates certain digestive conditions. VA Secretary for Benefits Josh Jacobs, quoted… Read more »
The Department of Veterans Affairs offers updated COVID-19 vaccines for the 2024 season. The updated vaccines, which include an additional shot for those 65 or older, are meant to offer protection against the latest COVID variations. According to the VA official site, “Due to changes in the virus, it is important to get the updated… Read more »