Additional Medical Benefits for Veterans

By: Dan Meyer
The office hours for the Lac qui Parle County Veterans Service Office are 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Monday through Friday. My office phone number is (320) 598-3445.

The American Flag at the Lac qui Parle County Courthouse will be flown this week in honor of Leo James Vonderharr. Leo was a Sergeant in the U.S. Army, who served our nation proudly during the Korea Conflict. He was born on 6 February 1928 and passed away on 25 September 1992. When you go past the front of our beautiful County Courthouse this week, take the time to look up at our Nation's Flag and remember Leo's sacrifice to the United States of America. Mr. Leo James Vonderharr, a true American hero, because freedom isn't free.

Attention family members of veterans. VA offers limited medical benefits for family members of eligible veterans. These include the following programs:

The CHAMPVA program provides reimbursement for most medical expenses of eligible family members.

The CHAMPVA In-house Treatment Initiative (CITI) pronounced "city" is a voluntary program that allows for the treatment of CHAMPVA beneficiaries at VA medical centers.

The Spina Bifida Program is for children of Vietnam Veterans born with Spina Bifida who may be eligible for specific benefits through VA health care system.

The Children of Women Vietnam Veterans Program. Biological children of women veterans who served in Vietnam during the period beginning February 28, 1961 and ending May 7, 1975, may be eligible for monetary allowances if their birth defects are associated with the mother's service in Vietnam and resulted in permanent physical or mental disability.

Certain VA medical centers provide services to eligible TRICARE family members. TRICARE beneficiaries who utilize a participating VA Medical center receive a reduced copay rate. However, these services may be limited and provided only on a space available basis.

Bereavement counseling is available to veteran patients and family members, whether is through personal pastoral care/counseling means in daily ministry or through more structured programming.

Bereavement counseling is also offered to parents, spouses and children of Armed Forces personnel who died in the service of their country. Also, eligible are family members of reservists and National Guardsmen who died while on duty. Counseling is offered at Vet Centers.

Services for Care Givers. VA is unable to treat family members outside of treatment for the veteran. For example, VA often provides family and marital counseling. and they also provide caregiver support groups for spouses of veterans with disabilities and chronic illnesses. Those services are in support of the treatment of the veteran. But they can't legally provide any services to family members of active duty service members whom VA is not treating.

Until next week, take care and "Fair Winds and Following Seas!"