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Know
your eligibility for VA health care benefits - If you
served on active duty and were separated under any condition other than dishonorable, you may qualify for VA health-care benefits.
- Current and former members of the National Guard or reserves who were called to
active duty by a federal order and completed the full period for which they were called or ordered may also be eligible for
VA health benefit.
- Most Veterans
who enlisted after Sept. 7, 1980, or entered active duty after Oct 16, 1981, must have served 24 continuous months or the
full period for which they were called to active duty to be eligible.
- This
minimum duty requirement may not apply to veterans who were discharged for a disability incurred or aggravated in the line
of duty, for a hardship ore early out, or those who served prior to Sept 7, 1980.
- Since there are other exceptions to the minimum duty requirements, VA encourages all veterans to apply to determine
enrollment eligibility.
Certain Veterans may be afforded enhanced eligibility status when applying and enrolling, including: - Former prisoners of war.
- Those awarded
the Purple Heart.
- Those awarded the Medal of honor
- Those with a service-connected disability of 10 percent or more.
- Those with a VA pension.
- Those discharged from the military
because of a disability (not pre-existing), early out or hardship.
- Those
who served in a theater of operation, up to five years after discharge release.
- Served in the Republic of Vietnam from Jan. 9, 1062 to May 7, 1975.
- Served
on a Navy or Coast Guard ship from Aug. 2, 1990 to Nov. 11, 1998.
- Those
stationed or resided at Camp Lejeune, N.C., for 30 days or more between Aug. 1, 1953 and Dec. 31, 1987.
- Those found by VA to be catastrophically disabled.
- Those
whose previous year’s household income falls below VA’s national income or geographically adjusted thresholds.
Find an American Legion Service Officer in your
state: www.legion.org/serviceofficers
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