Veterans who qualify for a 100 percent disability rating from the VA are entitled to additional benefits not afforded to other veterans. Below is a list of benefits for 100 percent disabled veterans and their dependents.
health
When enrolling in the VA health care system, each veteran is assigned to a priority group. The VA uses priority groups to balance demand for VA health care enrollment with resources. Veterans with a 100 percent disability rating are eligible to enroll in Health Care Priority Group 1, with no co-payments required.
Medical benefits package includes:
Preventative care
Primary care
Specialty care
Mental health
Home health care
Dental care
Vision care
Geriatrics and extended care
Medical equipment/prosthetic items and aids
Nursing home placement
Medically related travel benefits
Hearing aids
Dependent’s health care (if dependents are not eligible under TRICARE)
Foreign medical care
Housing
Service members or veterans with a permanent and total service-connected disability may be entitled to a grant from the VA to help build a new specially adapted house, adapt a home they already own or buy a house and modify it to meet their disability-related requirements. Eligible veterans or service members may now receive up to three grants, with the total dollar amount not to exceed the maximum allowable. Previous grant recipients who received assistance of less than the current maximum allowable may be eligible for an additional grant.
Specially Adapted Housing Grant
The VA may approve a grant of not more than 50 percent of the cost of building, buying or adapting existing homes or paying to reduce indebtedness on a currently owned home that is being adapted, up to $64,960. In certain instances, the full grant amount may be applied toward remodeling cost.
Special Home Adaption Grant
The VA may approve a benefit amount up to $12,992 for necessary adaptations to a service member’s or veteran’s residence or to help him or her acquire a residence already adapted with special features for his or her disability. This grant may also be used to purchase and adapt a home or to make adaptations to a family member’s home in which they will reside.
Temporary Residence Adaption
Eligible veterans and service members who are temporarily residing in a home owned by a family member may also receive a TRA grant to help them adapt the family member’s home to meet his or her needs. Those eligible for a $64,960 grant would be permitted to use up to $28,515 and those eligible for a $12,992 grant would be permitted to use up to $5,092. Grant amounts are adjusted October 1 each year based on a cost-of-construction index. These adjustments will increase the grant amounts or leave them unchanged; grant amounts will not decrease. Under the Honoring America’s Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012, TRA grant amounts will not count against SAH grant maximum amounts as of Aug. 6, 2013.
Veterans and service members with available loan guaranty entitlement may also obtain a guaranteed loan or a direct loan from the VA to supplement the grant to acquire a specially adapted home.
Financial
Service members or veterans with a permanent and total service-connected disability may be eligible for a variety of compensation packages, including insurance and pension benefits.
Disability compensation is a tax-free monetary benefit paid to veterans with disabilities that are the result of a disease or injury incurred or aggravated during active military service.
The VA can pay an added compensation known as Special Monthly Compensation in addition to the regular Disability Compensation under certain circumstances.
If a veteran has a service-connected disability at the 100% rate and is “housebound, bedridden or is so helpless to need the aid and attendance of another person,” then payment of additional SMC can be considered. This additional monthly payment is referred to as Aid and Attendance and Housebound Allowance.
Service members Group Life Insurance Traumatic Injury Protection
TSGLI helps severely injured service members who have suffered physical losses with a one-time payment. TSGLI helps with unforeseen expenses or provides a financial head start on life after recovery. After Dec. 1, 2005, all service members who are covered by Service members’ Group Life Insurance (SGLI) are automatically covered by TSGLI.
Service-Disabled Veterans Insurance
Veterans who are totally disabled may apply for a waiver of premiums and additional supplemental insurance coverage of up to $30,000. However, premiums cannot be waived on the additional supplemental insurance.
Veterans Mortgage Life Insurance
VMLI is mortgage protection insurance available to severely disabled veterans who have been approved by the VA for a SAH. Maximum coverage is the smaller of the existing mortgage balance or $200,000, and is payable only to the mortgage company.
Improved Disability Pension
Veterans with low incomes who are permanently and totally disabled, or are age 65 and older, may be eligible for a type of monetary support known as Disability Pension. To qualify for this benefit, veterans must have 90 days or more of active military service, at least one day of which was during a period of war.