Elder Angle
Health Care for Florida’s Senior Veterans
In 2006, it was estimated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs that there were nearly 1.8 million veterans in Florida, 58 percent of them age 65 and older. With the increasing costs of medical care for Seniors, many older veterans do not realize they may be eligible to receive benefits through local VA medical centers and clinics.
After the Vietnam War and prior to the 1990s, veterans who were not career military and/or who did not have a service-connected disability were eligible for only a few VA benefits (e.g., burial in a VA cemetery, VA home loans). Since then, however, the eligibility requirements have changed. Now, as long as you were a full-time member of any branch of the military (including the Coast Guard) and were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable, you may be eligible to receive VA health care benefits, regardless of service-connected disability.
To find out your eligibility, contact either the nearest VA Medical Center or your county Veterans Service Office to register. You will be required to bring certain documentation, such as your military discharge papers (DD214), your Social Security and Medicare cards, health insurance card, income estimate, previous year’s medical expenses, date of marriage (if applicable), and next of kin contact information. If determined eligible for VA health care benefits, you are given a priority score from 1 (50 percent or more service-connected disabled veteran) to 7 (non-service connected veterans who meet VA thresholds for income and assets).
The priority score you receive determines the co-payments you make at VA medical centers or clinics for health care services, medical equipment, prescriptions, eyeglasses, etc. You may also, under certain conditions, be eligible to receive in-home assistance, such as homemaker, home health aide, respite, home adaptation services, and short- (6 months) and long-term care, such as nursing-home care in a VA nursing home, limited adult day care (certain counties only) and assisted living.
For contact information for your nearest VA Medical Center, Clinic, or Veterans Service Office, call the Elder Helpline at 1-800-963-5337, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Voice mail is available after hours.
