Veterans can continue to receive health care from the military after they are discharged, but the majority apply to the Department of Veterans Affairs for benefits, a disability rating and health care. The Veteran will receive healthcare from the Veterans Health Administration, but must first be given a disability rating by the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA).
- Veterans Health Administration (VHA): The VHA is the USA’s largest integrated health care systems consisting of 167 medical centers, more then 1400 outpatient clinics, community living centers, Vet Centers and Domiciliaries. These health care facilities provide comprehensive care to more then 9.1 million Veterans each year.
PVA provides healthcare advocacy and collaborates with the healthcare providers and our National Service Officers (NSO) at 25 Spinal Cord Injury and Disease (SCI/D) Centers and over 100 outlying VA Medical Centers across the country. PVA NSOs specialize in helping Veterans with:
- Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
- Other Spinal Cord Diseases and Motor Neuron Diseases (MND)
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Do you have a Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)?
There are 25 VAMC Spinal Cord Injury and Rehabilitative Centers across the US, which provide lifelong, highly specialized, expert care to Veterans with SCI. Services include medical/surgical care with specialized nurses, therapists and physicians; Psychosocial support with individual and group therapy, peer mentorship, household assistance and caregiver assistance; Sexual health, infertility, and Genito-Urinary expertise; Physical, Occupational, Speech, Recreational and Kinesiotherapy services; Vocational Rehabilitation; Adaptive Driving Education; Comprehensive Wound Care; Women’s Health Care; Diet and Nutrition; SCI education; Caregiver Support, and much, much more.
The PVA Medical Services team of healthcare experts collaborates with these teams across the country, ensuring they have the resources and means from the VHA to continue to offer these services to every Veteran with SCI who needs it.
Learn more about the resources PVA provides Veterans with Spinal Cord Injury.
Do you have Multiple Sclerosis (MS)?
VA is the only Veteran Service Organization that specializes in advocacy for Veterans with all four types of MS. While there is no cure for MS, treatments commonly involve medications to slow the progression of the disease and therapies to promote comfort and prevent complications. MS is a presumptive condition, which means that it is presumed the disability is caused by military service if diagnosed within a certain time frame. With a service connection, Veterans with MS can receive all of the latest treatments and therapies for their disease at little-to-no cost to them.
All of the 25 SCI/D Centers and many of the outlying VAMCs offer comprehensive health care for Veterans who have been diagnosed with MS. The PVA Medical Services Team works with the Subject Matter Experts at the MS Centers of Excellence, which create national standards of care and collaborate with over 90 VHA MS Centers of care across the country, and also with the neurologists and care teams at VAMCs across the country.
Do you have Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)?
Most Veterans with ALS qualify for 100% service-connected VA benefits rating. The PVA Medical Services Team consists of Subject Matter Experts (SME) in the healthcare needs of Veterans with ALS and the multitude of needs of their families. PVA provides collaborative support with the Neurologists and ALS Health care teams at over 200 ALS clinics and 11 ALS Treatment Centers of Excellence across the country, which exceed nationally accepted standards of care. Our compassionate SME Team understands the progression of ALS, and the needs of physical, emotional, functional, and social needs of Veterans diagnosed with their disease and their caregivers.
Our NSOs and the ALS teams at each SCI/D Center ensure Veterans with ALS quickly obtain desperately needed durable medical equipment, Specially Adaptive Housing grants to build, buy or remodel an accessible home, Automobile grants to buy a disability-accessible vehicle, and Aid and Attendance funds to help pay for care at home. Veterans with ALS can easily receive care from a healthcare team dedicated to ALS. This team includes a Neurologist, Nursing Professionals, Psychologist, Social Worker, Speech Language Pathologist, Registered Dietician, and Occupational, Physical, and Respiratory Therapists. They are also introduced to other service organizations that serve people with ALS, including Veterans.
Veterans seeking care at these Centers receive compassionate, highly skilled care from a multitude of disciplines, and PVA continually works with these teams to recognize and share best practices to Veterans and Centers across the country. Veterans with ALS can expect the full spectrum of supportive care from PVA and healthcare experts at the VAMCs.
Do you have a Spinal Cord Disease or Motor Neuron Disease (MND) other than ALS?
Other Spinal Cord Diseases include, but are not limited to, Syringomyelia, Poliomyelitis, Transverse Myelitis, Spinal Cord Tumor, Cauda Equina Syndrome and Spinal Stenosis. Other Motor Neuron Diseases include, but are not limited to, Progressive Bulbar Palsy (PBP), Progressive Muscular Atrophy (PMA), and Primary Lateral Sclerosis (PLS).
Many of these diseases are treated with expert SCI/D teams at VAMCs across the country, and treatments and therapies for these diseases often mimic those for MS and ALS as appropriate. The PVA Medical Services team works with the NSOs and staff at the SCI/D centers to ensure all healthcare needs of Veterans diagnosed with these diseases are met.
While they are less common than MS and ALS, these diseases impact the functional, physical and emotional wellbeing of Veterans and their families. The PVA Medical Services Team understands this, and works tirelessly to ensure Veterans get the expert care they need and deserve.
Learn more about the benefits available by reaching out to you by reaching out to a National Service Officer.
Who is eligible for VA healthcare benefits?
In order to receive benefits and receive healthcare from the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans must:
- Have proof of an honorable discharge from their service. Veterans must c For more information on the types of discharges, and to see whether you qualify, click here.
- Complete an Enrollment Application for Health Benefits.
- Complete a physical evaluation.
Veterans will then be given a disability rating. This disability rating may be different from the military rating. However, the Veteran can decide which rating is most beneficial. After the Veteran has completed the application for benefits and are rated by VA, they become the responsibility of the Veterans Administration and will receive free, high-quality health care the rest of their life.
Toxic Exposures
The VA has established health registries for Veterans exposed to environmental toxins during their service. The registries offer free medical examinations, laboratory and other diagnostic tests. Learn about the different types of exposure recognized by the VA on their website.
The PACT Act expands VA benefits to Veterans exposed to certain toxic substances, and adds to the list of presumptive conditions caused by exposure to toxic substances. See if the PACT Act impacts your benefits on the VA’s website.
Dental Care
The VA provides outpatient dental care to eligible Veterans. See if you’re eligible to receive VA dental care on their website.
Pharmacy Services
Although some Veterans may be eligible for free outpatient prescription services, most will be charged a copay.
Learn more about the VA’s pharmacy services, including their Meds by Mail service on their website.
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Understanding VA facilities
The Veterans Health Administration has specialized care at some of its hospitals that specialize in the treatment of catastrophic disabilities. There are:
- 25 VA centers of Spinal cord injuries and disease (SCI/D) that are scattered around the country. They are Hubs to which surrounding VA Medical centers are attached as spokes. The Hub and spokes system will insure that all SCI/D patients are linked into the SCI system of care.
- 5 Polytrauma Rehabilitation centers of care VA Amputation system of care.
- 7 Regional Amputation Centers system of care
- 13 Blind Rehabilitation Centers
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Women Veterans
VA offers specialized services for women Veterans. Learn more about the healthcare options available for women Veterans on their website.
Long-term Care, Rehabilitation Services, Home Health Services and Nursing Home Care
VA offers specialized services for women Veterans. Learn more about the healthcare options available for women Veterans on their website.
