Army retirement & health benefit ?s

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epkennedy

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Maine
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My husband is still in the Army reserves. We are fighting for retirement rather than discharge bc he has ALS both for the respect he & other Veterans deserve as well as the health benefits the boys & I will receive.

I have a few ?s:
1) is tricare prime better than champva?

2) How does one get the army AND the VA to compensate if soldier has been discharged?

3) anyone else fighting for retirement?

Thank you!
 
With Champ VA, you have no copays upfront, they usually cover about 75%. There is no cost per yr for the coverage. Kids are covered till they finish school, you are covered till you turn 65 and get Medicare. With VA disability compensation, the amount per month goes as high as $7,000 a month.
 
A few things I think I know:

Pension is taxable--disability compensation is not taxed, and cannot be garnished even by the IRS.

Army and VA are totally separate, make their own decisions with their own criteria. You can be paid by both simultaneously.

Tricare Prime is excellent for my family. We pay $460 a year for the family and $12 copays.

ChampVA is described here: CHAMPVA Frequently Asked Questions - Health Administration Center

Tricare and ChampVA are mutually exclusive: See Who's Not Eligible?

When you apply for SSDI, the Social Security rep will automatically sign you up for Medicare A (Free) and ask if you want MC B coverage for $100 monthly.

The decision to retire, or not, and get TC, MC B, or ChampVA is complex, as they all inter-relate. Call each one and ask.
 
Thanks Atsugi!

Pretty sure, bc of the length of time hubby has served he is no eligible for pension $ - (20 + years and/or 60 something). We are very grateful for the comp&pen we receive thru VA.

Gotta call SS re MC B.
 
ALS is automatically a service connected disability as was passed by congress a few years ago. I think your first step is to get the retirement approved. They cannot just discharge him because of ALS, he should be going to a medical review board and looking for Medical Retirement. This is on the ALS website

Service Connected Benefits
Eligibility
Thanks to the efforts of The ALS Association, key members of Congress, advocates and the Department of Veterans Affairs, ALS has been listed as a disease entitled to presumptive service connection. This means that if a service member is diagnosed with ALS his or her condition will be presumed to have occurred during or been aggravated by military service and as such be entitled to service connection and full benefits. These benefits are described briefly below. An overview of benefits available to veterans, survivors and dependents is available from the VA here: http://www1.va.gov/opa/publications/benefits_book/federal_benefits.pdf
 
Thanks Atsugi!

Pretty sure, bc of the length of time hubby has served he is no eligible for pension $ - (20 + years and/or 60 something). We are very grateful for the comp&pen we receive thru VA.

Gotta call SS re MC B.

Not sure what you sitch is, or the latest rules. Talk to the Retired Activities Office on the base, and the Transition Assistance people in the personnel office.
 
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