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US Veteran Affairs
The following has been compiled by the experience of long-time Histio Community advocates to help you navigate the care you may need and resources you may be eligible to receive.
“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. Compensation may also be paid for post-service disabilities that are considered related or secondary to disabilities occurring in service and for disabilities presumed to be related to circumstances of military service, even though they may arise after service. Generally, the degrees of disability specified are also designed to compensate for considerable loss of working time from exacerbations or illnesses.”
* The VA has developed a Schedule of Rating Disabilities (VARSD)
* Veteran must provide a Nexus letter and VA doctors are prohibited from writing this letter.
(A nexus letter is a document prepared for a veteran by a medical professional that explicitly connects an in-service event to the current condition for which a veteran is seeking service-connected compensation.)
* If your symptoms appear within one year after discharge—even if they weren’t there while you were serving—VA will conclude that they’re related to your service.
* Histiocytic disorders are not on the VA scheduler so an analogous rating is used.
“When an unlisted condition is encountered it will be permissible to rate under a closely related disease or injury in which not only the functions affected, but the anatomical localization and symptomatology are closely analogous. Conjectural analogies will be avoided, as will the use of analogous ratings for conditions of doubtful diagnosis, or for those not fully supported by clinical and laboratory findings. Nor will ratings assigned to organic diseases and injuries be assigned by analogy to conditions of functional origin.”
* VA Compensation ratings are in 10% increments from 0% to 100% (yes you can get a zero rating) Multiple ratings will be combined using VA math to determine your total rating. Ratings can be either temporary or permanent and total (P&T) as determined by the VARSD.
* VA monetary awards are based on percentage of disability and not by rank, time in service or branch of service. They are set by congress and receive same COLA (cost of living allowance) as social security.
* VA Comp rates increase significantly as percentages increase. A 10% rating for a single veteran is currently $144, 50% is $905 but a 100% rating is $3,146. More is added based on family size.
* Permanent and Total awards receive an additional benefits package which includes medical insurance for spouse, education for children and spouse, and property tax breaks to name a few.
Helpful Sites
VA.gov | Veterans Affairs: Apply for and manage the VA benefits and services you’ve earned as a Veteran, Servicemember, or family member
2021 Veterans disability compensation rates | Veterans Affairs
View 2021 Veterans disability compensation rates.
https://benefits.va.gov/benefi
https://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/fo