Benefits for PALS who are veterans

About a year ago, I learned about programs offered by the VA for PALS who had done active military service. The VA doctor visited the George Washington University ALS Clinic. She was interested in setting up a similar multi-disciplinary clinic at the VA Center in Washington, D.C. I learned from her that, even with as little as two years active duty, I was eligible for some VA benefits that would help me defray the costs of this disease.

The VA offers two programs for PALS vets: the first program provides major medical benefits. The extent to which a veteran can enjoy these benefits depends on whether he or she can prove that ALS is service-connected. The discussion of health benefits which follows covers programs offered by the Washington VA Center and may not apply to all other VA Centers in the country. The second major program provides pension benefits for disabled vets. Again, service connection results in more benefits and the VA goes through a detailed disability assessment to determine the level of pension benefits.

The extent and quality of the VA medical benefits I am receiving from this facility is outstanding. The doctors are excellent and highly knowledgeable. Because my illness is not service-connected, I am not eligible for all the benefits offered; for example, a grant to help cover the cost of a van conversion. I have not applied for a VA disability pension because many other vets have a greater need than I for this support. The local chapter of the ALS Association has worked closely with the DC VA in the cases of PALS veterans. In the area of medical benefits, ALSA has helped to increase VA support. In the pension area, it will take a great deal of time and effort to get the VA to tailor its disability criteria to the vets with our unusual disease. The progression of ALS rapidly reaches the condition of total disability but the military yardstick is more appropriate to vets who have lost a limb. Many PALS with full military careers have found it very difficult to get disability benefits commensurate with their condition. ALSA is putting together a briefing package on VA benefits that I contributed to; it should appear on their national website soon. What follows in the next few posts is a piece which will summarize the medical benefits I am receiving from the DC VA Center relative to those that I am familiar with under Medicare.