VA opens health care eligibility for Vietnam, Gulf War, post-9/11 Veterans under PACT Act

Washington — On October 1, The Department of Veterans Affairs will expand and extend eligibility for VA health care for certain Veterans of the Gulf Wars and post-9/11 era.

This expansion will increase health care eligibility for hundreds of thousands of toxic-exposed Veterans. Additionally, VA has already expanded health care eligibility for certain Veterans of the Vietnam War. More detailed information about this expansion can be found on VA.gov/PACT.

President Biden signed the bipartisan PACT Act into law August 10, authorizing one of the largest expansions of VA health care and benefits in U.S. history. Veterans can go to VA.gov/PACT to apply for health care or learn more about what this bill means for them and their families. Read the full press release.

VA Disability Claims for Burn Pits, Agent Orange and More

If you served in Vietnam, Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan or select locations, in the past 60+ years, the PACT Act established new, presumptive conditions for those exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, radiation, and more. In this episode of theSITREP, the hosts chat with leadership in Washington, DC about how many Veterans are affected by the PACT Act and how to prepare for submitting a new or supplemental claim for VA Disability Compensation. To watch the short video please go to #theSITREP. 

New National Parks Pass

Just announced. A new lifetime pass for National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands, called America the Beautiful.

This new lifetime pass for Gold Star Families & Veterans is being offered to demonstrate the country's immense gratitude and respect for those who have served and defended our country.

The Interagency Military Pass has been part of the America the Beautiful – The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass Series since 2012. On December 27, 2021, President Biden signed into law S. 1605 “The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022” (NDAA). Section 641 of the NDAA makes Gold Star families and Veterans eligible for lifetime passes to federal recreational lands.

Learn More at VA News

VA Life Insurance

Important changes are coming to VA Life Insurance programs. Veterans Affairs Life Insurance (VALife) is launching on Jan. 1, 2023, as a new guaranteed acceptance whole life insurance program for service-connected Veterans. VA’s current offering for service-connected Veterans—Service-Disabled Veterans Life Insurance (S-DVI)—closes to new enrollment after Dec. 31, 2022. Veterans currently enrolled in S-DVI may keep their coverage or switch to VALife.

While both VALife and S-DVI cover Veterans with any level of service-connected disability (0-100%), there are key program differences to consider before deciding which program is right for you.

So, what is the difference between VA Life Insurance and Service-Disabled Veterans Life Insurance? Read more at VA News.

FEDVIP Open Enrollment

Sponsored by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), FEDVIP is a voluntary, enrollee-pay-all dental and vision insurance program. It replaced the former TRICARE Retiree Dental Program (TRDP). In general, retired uniformed service members, their families, and survivors are eligible for FEDVIP dental coverage and, if enrolled in a TRICARE health plan, FEDVIP vision coverage. Please note: Opportunities to enroll outside of open season are limited.

The Federal Benefits Open Season is your annual opportunity to enroll in, change, or cancel a FEDVIP dental and/or vision plan. This year, open season runs from November 14 through December 12, 2022, with coverage effective January 1, 2023.
Learn More

Virtual Benefits Fair

The Virtual Benefits Fair is an online health fair that houses 2023 FEDVIP plan information in a single location, allowing military families to browse exhibits, download plan brochures, register for educational webinars and chat with BENEFEDS and FEDVIP representatives. BENEFEDS is the secure online portal to enroll in FEDVIP.

Log in anytime during the Federal Benefits Open Season, from November 14 to December 12, 2022. Representatives will be available to take your questions during a live chat day:

Thursday, Dec 8, 2022 10 am-5 pm ET

Learn More and Register

USFHP 

The Uniformed Services Family Health Plan (USFHP) @ Saint Vincents is a TRICARE® Prime military health plan sponsored by the Department of Defense (DoD). Lunch and Learn briefings are now scheduled in New Jersey.

Learn more about USFHP from Roberta McNeill, Chief Medical Officer at USFHP @ Saint Vincents.

Did You Know There is a New, Special myPay Account Just for You?

June 29, 2022 • Defense Finance & Accounting Service

For Army National Guard, Air National Guard, Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve and Air Force Reserve Gray Area Retirees, there is a new avenue to stay connected and informed between the time they stop drilling and the time they start receiving retired pay.

It’s a new kind of myPay account especially for Gray Area Retirees.

If you are a Gray Area Retiree who uses your new myPay account to keep your contact information updated, you will benefit from receiving important information from DFAS and your Branch of Service, such as news about changes in laws or policies that impact your retirement benefits, reminders about applying for retired pay, and your Service’s retiree newsletter.

Plus, coming soon: with a current email address in your new myPay account, when DFAS receives your completed application for retired pay from your Branch of Service, DFAS will send email status notifications to you. Note: Gray Area Retirees should always work with their Branch of Service to complete their retired pay application.
Learn More

2023 Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA)

Based on the increase in the Consumer Price Index, there will be an 8.7 percent Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for most retired pay and Survivor Benefit Plan annuities effective Dec. 1, 2022. Retirees will see the change in their Dec. 30, 2022 payment and annuitants in their Jan. 3, 2023 payment.

For details, see the Fiscal Year 2023 COLA Memorandum.

Social Security Benefits Increase in 2023

October 13, 2022 • By Jeff Nesbit, SSA Deputy Commissioner for Communications

Approximately 70 million Americans will see a 8.7% increase in their Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments in 2023. On average, Social Security benefits will increase by more than $140 per month starting in January.

Federal benefit rates increase when the cost-of-living rises, as measured by the Department of Labor’s Consumer Price Index (CPI-W). The CPI-W rises when inflation increases, leading to a higher cost-of-living. This change means prices for goods and services, on average, are higher. The cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) helps to offset these costs.

We will mail COLA notices throughout the month of December to retirement, survivors, and disability beneficiaries, SSI recipients, and representative payees. But if you want to know your new benefit amount sooner, you can securely obtain your Social Security COLA notice online using the Message Center in your personal my Social Security account. You can access this information in early December, prior to receiving the mailed notice. Benefit amounts will not be available before December. Since you will receive the COLA notice online or in the mail, you don’t need to contact us to get your new benefit amount.
Read Full Article

Which Veteran ID Card Do You Need?

Did you know there are four different forms of acceptable Veteran ID cards? The VA has a webpage that explains each ID card type, their necessity, uses, and eligibility requirements as well as how to acquire the card of your choice when you are ready. To learn more click here.

Veterans Benefits Banking Program

Washington | November 29, 2022

Today, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced that its Veterans Benefits Banking Program has converted more than 200,000 Veterans and beneficiaries from paper checks to direct deposit for receiving their VA benefits payments.

Switching from paper checks to direct deposit helps protect Veterans and beneficiaries from fraud and ensure that they receive their earned benefits in a timely manner.

Read Full News Release

Active Duty Service with Honorable Discharge

Effective December 4, 2020, State law (P.L. 2019, c. 413) eliminated the wartime service requirement for the $250 Veterans Property Tax Deduction. Veterans must have active duty service with an honorable discharge. Reservists and National Guard personnel must be called to active duty service to qualify. Active duty for training continues to be ineligible.

You also may qualify if you are a surviving spouse/civil union/domestic partner of an honorably discharged veteran with active duty military service. Learn More.

Active, Guard, Reserve, IRR, IMA Soldiers and Veterans

Do you need to view your iPERMS documents but do not have access to a CAC enabled computer? No problem! You can use your DS Logon to access your documents from the HRC Portal. The HRC Portal link is iperms.hrc.army.mil/login.

Download the guide to assist users with the DS Logon registration, upgrade, and log in process as well as how to navigate to your documents in the HRC Portal at hrc.army.mil/asset/18300.

Guard and Reserve

National Guardsmen and Reservists will receive a Defense Department Form 214 following their completion of service, according a new Pentagon policy published recently.

DoD Instruction 1336.01 dated February 17, 2022 gives the services three years to implement the change. Learn more.

Social Security Account

A Social Security account provides personalized tools for everyone, whether receiving benefits or not. Those not currently receiving benefits can:

• Estimate future benefits and compare different dates or ages to begin receiving benefits.

• Get instant status of the Social Security application.

• Review work history.

• Request a replacement Social Security card (in most states).

Learn more on the SSA website at ssa.gov.

How to Report

Contact the Army Casualty and Mortuary Affairs Operations Division anytime by calling (800) 626-3317. You will be immediately referred to a local Casualty Assistance Center, who will report the death to the Defense Finance and Accounting Service to stop retired pay and initiate the survivor benefits process. When reporting the death, provide as much of the information below as you have:

• Full name
• Disability Rating
• Copy of death certificate

• Social security number and/or service number

• Circumstances surrounding the death

• Retirement date

• Date and place of birth

• Next of Kin information

• Retired rank

If you or your spouse needs assistance filling out the paperwork, contact me at 609-500-4327 or marie.s.durling.civ@army.mil.

Newsletters

• VA VetResources

• VBA Veterans Benefits

• DFAS Survivor SBP

• DFAS Retiree Newsletter

• Social Security Administration

• Army - Survivor Link

• Soldier for Life - Army Echoes

• Navy - Shift Colors

• Marine Corps - Semper Fidelis

• Air Force - Afterburner

• Coast Guard - The Long Blue Line

Websites

• Uniformed Services Blended Retirement System

• eVetRecs - Veterans' Service Records

• Military OneSource Transitioning Veterans

• ETS Sponsorship Program

• eBenefits

• milConnect

• Military LES Requests

• Soldier for Life

• Army Transition Assistance Program

• Army Survivor Outreach Services

• MyArmyBenefits

• Prudential Pathways Seminars for the VA

• Army Board for Correction of Military Records

Downloads

• NJ Veterans' Benefits Guide

• NJ Military, Veterans and Families Resource Guide

• VA Federal Benefits for Veterans, Dependents and Survivors

• 2022 Army Retirement Planning Guide

• 2023 Army Retired Soldier Handbook

• Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP)

• Line of Duty Process

• Behavioral Health Offerings