Champva/dic

[dixipeach]

I am not old enough to receive medicare, do not qualify for medi-cal because my DIC and my age and the fact that all my children are grown disqualifies me.

I need dental care and I need glasses but cannot afford them and DIC is not enough money to even qualify me for credit. My husband is deceased by the way. A Vietnam Veteran whose death was connected to his service in Vietnam. He died in 1991. My only source of income is DIC. I won't go into my life story because it isn't necessary. The fact is there is a large group of us out here living like this.

CHAMPVA may be great if you have another source of income or receive social security or have a pension from your employment. But if you are like me, and there are a lot of us out there, CHAMPVA is not good. It helps and I appreciate that I have it, but it is less than good.

I have contacted the VA, the California Dept of Veterans Services, and many, many other social agencies and they just say sorry, that is what you get and that is it. Dental care is only approved if it is connected to something like an auto accident where other work is needed and your teeth were damaged in the accident.

What can be done? Or do we just let our teeth rot and use the cheap glasses from the drug store?

[Berta]

I get DIC and I dont think the VA ever thought DIC would be used as the sole income for a survivor-

I assume all widows with DIC also are awarded Chapter 35 too-

This benefit- if used within the limiting period of time- can help a survivor begin or continue college education and put them into a workplace situation eventually that allows them to use the DIC only to supplement the loss of the veteran's financial input during their lifetime.

Your children also might have been eligible for Chap 35 and they should certainly use this benefit if they can-

any child who goes into military has their delimited Chap 35 dates extended by their military service time period.

I dont know if your eligibility has run out for this benefit or not- the award letter for your Chap 35 states the limiting dates.

I have used Chap 35 and the VA has paid 12-15 thousand so far-

Gold Star Wives (I am member)is trying to get the time limits for widows changed so they have more time to use this benefit.

You might want to contact and join Gold Star Wives-

perhaps they have some suggestions that would help you.

http://www.goldstarwives.org/

[Pete53]

Dixiepeach:

Welcome to Hadit. Since you are under 65 and your income is limited you might consider using it at a VA Medical Center. If there is one near you there are no copays if you go there and I think that since you receive DIC they might allow Dental. I am not sure about eyeglasses but they may do that also. Its an option I know my wife who has ChampVA will never consider going to a VA Hospital for her own care.

I think that many of the VA Hospitals have set up better service for the ladies.

You are in a tough spot and I hope that things get better for you. Most who come to Hadit are survivors and find a way to deal with financial problems.

I am not sure but I don't think that DIC is not affected by other income.

Good Luck and Berta really knows her stuff on DIC.

[oldvet65]

Peach,

I think you should be receiving your husbands Social Security as well as DIC. I may be wrong,

If Dic is your only income you shoulc qualify for State benefits such as medicaid and perhaps

food Stamps. I believe you should have acess to military base health care which should be able

to provide vision and dental on a limited basis. Along with PX and commisary privileges.

Check with your local folks there is no reason why you should not have good

dental and vision there should be a way.

The VA is not the only help you should be receiving.

[Berta]

oldvet is correct-A widow can usually collect SSA beginning at age 60.It is a reduced benefit- but still can be higher than DIC-

Also DIC does not prohibit collecting SSA benefits nor does it prevent one from working.No offset at all as far as I know-even my vet rep told me that -he wanted me to apply for job as a rep with the state- 45-50 thou to start-and said there is no DIC offset.

I dont know about any state or county benefits-

except one-

some locales give the widow a property tax exemption based on the deceased veteran's service and disabilities.

Your county veteran's service agency or tax office can tell you more-

Here in my town and village I was part of the veteran's exemption being set up-for veterans not even realising they meant widows too-

I get two exemptions-

my husband died before this became a local tax law.

We have exemptions for wartime service, disabled by service, and death with 100% SC P & T in affect.and widows exceptions.

Also our volunteer fire dept members get a small property tax break-I cant get it because I already get the other 2 exemptions-I think only 2 per person-you must live on the property the exemption is on and it cannot be transferred to your heirs.

There was only a handful of us at the town meetings to help start these veterans exemptions

but it pays to get involved and even start interest in your own communities on stuff like this.

DIC is not enough to live on.It is a big help when it supplements other income.I would follow Pete's advice- there might be more help out there-

Also you get some sort of credit for federal employment-on the app- for preference-I think- as widow of a service connected veteran-I wish I had more help to offer but Pete gave good advice.And so did oldvet.

[Pete53]

I think that the Widows age comes to play and Peach alluded that she is not old enough.

[dixipeach]

I think that the Widows age comes to play and Peach alluded that she is not old enough.

Thank you to everyone for your responses. I am not old enough to collect social security. I am very aware of the benefits alloted to those of us who receive DIC. And here, believe me, it is our only income. And I do belong to Gold Star Wives. Plenty of widows are fighting for a more just amount of compensation.

I couldn't wait to be 16 for some reason, then 18 for who knows why, then 21 and now I can't wait to be old enough to get social security!! You should also know, I live in Orange County, California, which is full of immigrants, and people coming off of welfare get jobs before I do. If you know anything about southern California you know we have a large veterans population, hence a large widows population. However, those of us whose husbands died in Vietnam or after their service, related to their service as my husband did, live on DIC unless....we remarried, didn't lose our jobs for various reasons,(which I did), or have a pension, and on and on. I do not qualify for anything extra as far as social services are concerned. My only income is DIC. It is not enough to live on. There is a lot of competition for well paying jobs and I, partly because of my age and everyone here knows it, am at the bottom of the list. And yes, the VA does expect us to live on DIC.

I have lived in a small community before and know how people help each other out. That isn't the case where I live.

I could go on but I won't. Thank you though to everyone for your input.