Health Care Eligibility Expanded effective Mar. 5, 2024

[broncovet]

Read about it here:

https://news.va.gov/press-room/veteran-toxins-hazards-serving-eligible-va/

   However, perhaps someone could enlighten me.  I signed up for VA health care way before Mar. 5. 2024, WITHOUT applying for benefits, and I was not exposed to any of the AO or any of the other Pact Act Stuff.  

[Lemuel]

5 hours ago, broncovet said:

Read about it here:

https://news.va.gov/press-room/veteran-toxins-hazards-serving-eligible-va/

   However, perhaps someone could enlighten me.  I signed up for VA health care way before Mar. 5. 2024, WITHOUT applying for benefits, and I was not exposed to any of the AO or any of the other Pact Act Stuff.  

I think before we had to have a 0% service connected condition.  Which I had when I signed up in 1983.  There are or were levels.  30% for travel.  50% for all conditions, service connected or not.  But rarely you would be turned away for care for a non-service connected condition even at 0%.  The Code said "if available" including for travel.  But then there was no community care.

[broncovet]

After looking into it, it looks like VA is playing games.  We were already eligible, with or without Pact Act or toxic exposure, both before or after March 5.  They just want to make themselves "sound good" for political reasons.  That is the only reason I see for this announcement.  Anyone else?  That is the way I see it.  Remember, to get disability comp, you have to have treatment..usually at the VA.  Treatment first, disability comp, later.  That is the way it worked for me.  So, I enrolled in VA health care long before I was receiving disability comp.  Any one else? 

https://www.va.gov/health-care/eligibility/

[Lemuel]

As I recall, there were a lot of veterans in PTSD groups after the AO suite win that had to have come in for health care without any disabilities recognized.