Qualified military veterans receive health benefits from the Veterans Administration.
The Veterans Administration, or VA for short, is a government agency that assists prior members of the United States military. According to the official Veterans Administration website, the VA was founded in 1930, and has a mandate to "coordinate government activities affecting war veterans." One of the services provided by the VA to veterans is health care assistance. Veterans must meet certain criteria to be eligible for this assistance.
Discharge Status
To be eligible for VA health care benefits, a veteran must have an honorable discharge from the military. This discharge indicates that an individual performed their duties properly and has earned veteran benefits. Other types, such as "dishonorable" and "less than honorable" discharges, are automatically disqualifying. These discharges occur if a veteran violated military law while serving. Veterans do not need to be prior members of the Army. All military branches, including the Navy, Coast Guard and Air Force, are eligible.
Time Served
The amount of time that a veteran served in the military is relevant for qualification. The Department of Military and Veterans Affairs notes that soldiers discharged from active duty after September 7, 1980, need at least two years of service to qualify for VA benefits. Only time spent on active duty counts toward years of service; reserve or inactive duty does not. For older veterans discharged before this date, the minimum time requirement does not apply and any length of service qualifies.
Duty Type
While VA health benefits are intended for veterans who served in the active duty military, people who served in the National Guard or military reserve can also be eligible if they meet certain duty conditions. Guardsmen or reservists must have been called to active duty, and must have served for the entire time of the activation.
Income Level
Individuals applying for VA health benefits must meet certain income level requirements. These qualifications help ensure that government assistance goes only to veterans who truly need help. The exact minimum income level varies from year to year and is also influenced by the number of dependents in a veteran's household. For fiscal year 2011, a veteran with one dependent must have an income that is no greater than $35,284 to qualify for free VA health care, states the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Tags: active duty, must have, health benefits, meet certain, Veterans Administration
