Disability Insurance Articles
How Disability Insurance Coverage Assists Military Veterans
2010-12-22
With all of the problems of veteran care uncovered in recent years, it can be risky to rely solely on the veterans disability provided by the government. Veterans hospitals have been shown to be lacking both in personnel and technology, so veterans are not getting the treatment they need to retain a comfortable and fulfilling life. For this reason, financial and health experts urge all military veterans to purchase private disability insurance coverage in order to ensure their needs and the needs of their families are met.
While all military veterans are automatically covered by the veterans disability insurance overseen by the U.S. Veterans Administration, actually receiving a compensatory claim can be a difficult experience. To receive compensation or care, the disability must be service-related, and the individual must not have been discharged dishonorably.
Many veterans seeking disability compensation do not get past the 23-page application without assistance, and once they do, they find themselves staring at a letter of denial. For over 40 percent of applicants, that letter doesn't arrive for over four months. Appeals require the help of an attorney and can take years longer to complete. The bureaucracy surrounding the system leaves many veterans so frustrated they give up hope and do not follow through with their applications. Statistics show that the V.A. has a backlog of over 600,000 claims. Some applicants are still waiting for claims to go through that occurred during the Vietnam War and Desert Storm.
On the books, once approval goes through, disability insurance coverage is very beneficial. Disabled veterans are eligible for the Disabled Transition Assistance Program to find employment they can perform. Mandatory medical care is provided for free by the V.A. hospital. Compensation payments are provided for, and veterans can apply for up to $10,000 of free life insurance.
In many cases, disability insurance coverage is not met so precisely. If disability compensation is granted, payments can be as little as $123/month. Additionally, care is only provided at V.A. hospitals for which some disabled military veterans must pay their own transportation costs. Once at the hospital, it can be so understaffed that long waits are required to see a doctor for diagnosis and treatment. When a doctor does see the disabled veteran, the level of care may be subpar or deficient to the point of causing further physical deterioration.
Private insurance coverage can solve many of the problems veterans are facing with the V.A. Decisions on compensation are made more quickly and are not limited to service-related injuries. Compensation is tax-free if premiums are paid for with taxed income. All-in-all, the process is easier and the coverage more complete with private disability insurance coverage for military veterans.