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What Benefits Come With Tdiu - P & T

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hedgey

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Okay. So today I got the actual letter from the VA about my TDIU award. My combined rating is still 80%, but they'll be paying me at 100% with no examinations scheduled in the future. They also state that basic eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance has been established from my claim date back in 2009. (Could this mean they might retro and pay for my kid's last year of college?!)

The decision letter goes on to say that I "may" be entitled to:

CHAMPVA for my dependents

a waiver of my VGLI premiums, if I already have a policy (I don't. Butt bruised about that one)

Armed Forces Commissary & Exchange privileges

Discharge of Federal Student Loans

VA Healthcare (already in the system and using it!)

Vocational Rehabilitation.

Also they included a VA Form 21-8760 which says I might qualify for Adaptive housing, Special Home Adaption Grant, Adaptive Automobile Equipment, Dental Treatment, and again, Commissary & Exchange Privileges, etc.

I tried again this afternoon to call the 1-800-827 number to ask about the certification rating paper I need to apply for an ID card, but couldn't get through to them.

Which of these items am I really eligible for? The Adaptive Housing, Auto, etc., I know not just now, because I can still get around with just a cane, and I can drive okay. But Dental? Really?

I'm finding it hard to breathe. This all feels so overwhelming. My mind is spinning.

I've been awarded all this mainly because of my PTSD. But my PTSD makes me feel unworthy and that I can't possibly deserve it. I feel like there's a pair of disagreeing cats fighting it out in my insides right now.

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Your child will be eligible for Dependents Educational Assistance from the date of your award, provided: That they have attended a school that is accredited by the VA and following a curriculum resulting in an approved certificate/degree. My daughter went through this same thing this past year.

Your dependents will get CHAMPVA.

I am not sure about Dental, as the VAMC where I go you have to be 100% SC'ed for full coverage. It may vary, I don't know.

You have to apply for VGLI within two years of getting a NEW service-connected disability.

And I'm not sure of Vocational Rehabilitation, as it seems to me that they are trying something screwy there. If you apply and get it and then find employment, then you aren't eligible for TDIU anymore. I am 100% SC P&T and they didn't offer it to me. Maybe someone else will chime in.

Edited by Bonzai
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Thanks Bonzai. I wondered about the Voc Rehab, too. I don't think I could manage school, not even part time, but why offer it? Weird.

So did your daughter get the benefit? My kid is at an accredited school in a standard 4-year program to become a teacher, just about to start the final semester, and a Dean's List student. I would think the VA would approve of the school since they have a lot of vets using their GI Bill there. If the VA says they've granted DEA benefits back to 2009, will they retro the $$$$ we've paid the school so far? That would be beyond awesome!!!!!

My dear spouse is highly interested in the possibility of the ID card that will allow us to shop in the commissary....

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hedgey,

I borrowed this information from elsewhere and some of it might be out dated

but here it is anyways.

Be sure to double check everything as always.

Hope this helps a vet.

What benefits does my state provide Disabled Vets? Click here and find out.

ADDITIONAL BENEFITS AVAILABLE FOR SERVICE CONNECTED DISABLED VETERANS

0% To 20%

•Certification of Eligibility for home loan guaranty.

•Home loan guaranty fee exemption.

VA Priority medical treatment card.

•Vocational Rehabilitation and Counseling under title 38 USC Chapter 31 (must be at least 10%)

•Service Disabled Veterans insurance (Maximum of $10,000 coverage) must file within 2 years from date of new service connection.

10 point Civil Service Preference (10 points added to Civil Service test score).

Clothing allowances for veterans who use or wear a prosthetic or orthopedic appliance (artificial limb, braces, or wheelchair) or use prescribed medications for skin condition, which tend to wear, tear or soil clothing.

•Temporary total evaluation (100%) based on hospitalization for a service connected disability in excess of 21 days; or surgical treatment for a service connected disability necessitating at least 1 month of convalescence or immobilization by cast, without surgery of more major joints.

30% In addition to the above:

•Additional allowances for dependent(s) [spouse, child(ren), step child(ren), helpless child(ren), full-time students between the ages 18 to 23, and parent(s)]

•Additional allowances for a spouse who is a patient in a nursing home or helpless or blind or so nearly helpless or blind as to require the aid and attendance of another person.

40% In addition to the above:

•Automobile grant and/or special adaptive equipment for an automobile provided there is loss or permanent loss of use of one or both feet, loss or permanent loss of one or both hands or permanent impaired vision of both eyes with central visual acuity of 20/200 or less in better eye.

•Special adaptive equipment may also be applied for if there is ankylosis of one or both knees or one or both hips.

50% In addition to the above:

•VA Medical outpatient treatment for any condition except dental.

•Preventive health care services.

•Hospital care and medical services in non-VA facilities under an authorized fee basis agreement.

60% In addition to the above:

•Increased compensation (100%) based on individual Unemployability (applies to veterans who are unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment due to service connected disability)

100% In addition to the above:

•Dental treatment.

•Department of Defense Commissary privileges.

•Veteran’s employment preference for spouse.

•Waiver of National Service Life Insurance premiums.

•National Service Life insurance total disability income provisions.

•Specially adapted housing for veterans who have loss or permanent loss of use of both lower extremities or the loss or blindness in both eyes having light perception only plus loss or permanent loss of one lower extremity or the loss or permanent loss of use of one lower extremity with loss or permanent loss of use of one upper extremity or the loss or permanent loss of use of one extremity together with an organic disease which affects the function of balance and propulsion as to preclude locomotion without the aid of braces, crutches, canes or wheelchair.

•Special home adaptation Grant (for veterans who don’t qualify for Specially Adapted Housing) may be applied for if the veteran is permanently and totally disabled due to blindness in both eyes with visual acuity or 5/200 or less or loss of or permanent loss of use of both hands.

100% (Permanent and Total) in addition to the above:

•Civilian Health and Medical Program for dependents and survivors (ChampVA)

•Survivors and dependents education assistance

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Thanks Bonzai. I wondered about the Voc Rehab, too. I don't think I could manage school, not even part time, but why offer it? Weird.

So did your daughter get the benefit? My kid is at an accredited school in a standard 4-year program to become a teacher, just about to start the final semester, and a Dean's List student. I would think the VA would approve of the school since they have a lot of vets using their GI Bill there. If the VA says they've granted DEA benefits back to 2009, will they retro the $$$$ we've paid the school so far? That would be beyond awesome!!!!!

My dear spouse is highly interested in the possibility of the ID card that will allow us to shop in the commissary....

The Dependents Educational Assistance (DEA) will pay retro back to when you became eligible for your TDIU. They will not, however, pay for ALL of your child's educational expenses, only $915 a month. So, from whatever the date in 2009 was, up until now, and up until your child graduates, they will get $915 a month. And, yes, if the school accepts GI Bill students, then they, by law, have to accept you child's $915 a month. Tell your kid to go to the financial aid office and let them know that your child is eligible. They handle this stuff all the time and know how to send in the stuff to get your child's money comin' in. You don't need to do anything..........this is, after all, your kid's money.....and that's the way the VA will look at it. Not even a good idea to call Muskogee VA about any questions...........they'll just tell you that they need to speak with the kid!

To get the proper "letter" from the VA to allow you and your dependents MWR privileges, get ahold of the VA via the #800 number and tell them or send them an IRIS, requesting the MWR letter. Then take this letter to the base that you will be visiting, to the visitor's shack, actually, and they will process you and your's at that time. Take your vehicle registration(s) and insurance card to get your vehicle stickers at the same time (and usually at the same visitor's shack). If you will be using more than one vehicle on base, then take the registration and insurance documents for ALL your vehicles at the same time (I didn't, and wound up being in line more than once waiting for my ID stickers).

You can apply for your life insurance at this time.,... you will be entitled to the "basic" for free and then you can take out another $10K and pay for it.........a pretty good deal.

And, then there is the CHAMPVA, which, to my way of thinking is one of the BEST benefits of being TDIU.

BTW, if you have been paying any VA healthcare co-payments........now is the time to get all that money back.

Oh, yeah, one other thing................congradulations!

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  • Founder

100% gets you dental, if they are willing to give you the auto grant it may be better to get it now so you have it when you need it, but i'm not sure on that one.

The letter the VA sent you stating that you are 100%(TDIU) Plus permanent (no future exams) maybe enough, but when you get them on the phone, just keep calling, it's frustrating ask them for a letter to take to the base for an ID that states you are considered 100% Total and Permanent and that should do it. I just keep calling till I get through, then I press1, 2, 3, 0 and I get a person or a recording that I need to call back later, so hang up and redial and there goes my morning :)

Okay. So today I got the actual letter from the VA about my TDIU award. My combined rating is still 80%, but they'll be paying me at 100% with no examinations scheduled in the future. They also state that basic eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance has been established from my claim date back in 2009. (Could this mean they might retro and pay for my kid's last year of college?!)

The decision letter goes on to say that I "may" be entitled to:

CHAMPVA for my dependents

a waiver of my VGLI premiums, if I already have a policy (I don't. Butt bruised about that one)

Armed Forces Commissary & Exchange privileges

Discharge of Federal Student Loans

VA Healthcare (already in the system and using it!)

Vocational Rehabilitation.

Also they included a VA Form 21-8760 which says I might qualify for Adaptive housing, Special Home Adaption Grant, Adaptive Automobile Equipment, Dental Treatment, and again, Commissary & Exchange Privileges, etc.

I tried again this afternoon to call the 1-800-827 number to ask about the certification rating paper I need to apply for an ID card, but couldn't get through to them.

Which of these items am I really eligible for? The Adaptive Housing, Auto, etc., I know not just now, because I can still get around with just a cane, and I can drive okay. But Dental? Really?

I'm finding it hard to breathe. This all feels so overwhelming. My mind is spinning.

I've been awarded all this mainly because of my PTSD. But my PTSD makes me feel unworthy and that I can't possibly deserve it. I feel like there's a pair of disagreeing cats fighting it out in my insides right now.

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THANK YOU, everyone, for all the great information!!!

Really, my head is whirling with all this! It seems way too good to be true, but I have all these papers that say that it is. Part of me wants to sing out loud, and part of me wants to crawl into the closet and lock the door behind me. Crazy, crazy.

Tbird, I called the 1-800 number late yesterday and a very pleasant fellow in Nashville was "more than happy" to do a letter for me, and he put it into an envelope with a DD-1172 while I waited on the phone. One of the nicest phone calls I've ever had with the VA... usually they leave me shaking, but this guy was an angel.

Larry, while I was on the phone with the VA guy, I asked him about submitting the 21-674 to get my daughter on as my dependent, retro'd back to 2009. He said "WHOA!! Don't do that!!" He said that if I want her to get the DEA benefit, absolutely DO NOT do the 21-674, because I can't get the dependent payment if she's getting the DEA and vice-versa. It has to be one or the other, and the DEA payment is so much more ($915 per month, like you said).

He gave me the phone number that she could call to apply for the DEA (again, like you said, they won't talk to me - this is her benefit!) and told me to have her call ASAP.

It's okay with me, but I'm confused. If I don't do the paperwork to ID her as my college-student dependent, how will they see her as my dependent for DEA purposes? I'd MUCH rather see her get the DEA benefit, if it's a matter of choice.

Carlie (spelled it right this time!!)

Thanks for the info, especially the link to my state info!

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