Persons serving in the military may be eligible for VA hospice benefits.
A person who was released from military service as any discharge other than dishonorable may be eligible for veteran's benefits. This includes federal reservists and national guard members called to active duty by a Federal order which was completed in full, according to the order. Hospice benefits are included in the health care benefits available to veterans.
Enrollment
Enrollment into the VA system is the first step for most veterans.
Most veterans will need to enroll with the VA by completing VA form 10-10EZ for health before they can become eligible for hospice care which may be granted 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in either a long term care setting or at home. However, there are four groups that are not required to enroll, but, are encouraged to do so, to permit additional health care resources at their disposal.
VA Groups Not Required to Enroll
Some VA groups are not required to enroll to be eligible.
Veterans with service connected disabilities of 50 percent or more and/or veterans seeking care for only a service connected disability are not required to enroll. This includes veterans who incurred or aggravated in the line of duty, a disability within 12 months of discharge, that they are now seeking care for, but the VA has not yet rated.
Veterans seeking Ionizing Radiation, Agent Orange, Gulf War/Operation Iraqi Freedom and Depleted Uranium exams are not required.
Hospice Criteria
Hospice care focus on the comfort of the patient.
Hospice benefits may be granted to a veteran who has either enrolled or was not required to do so and has been determined to be eligible for VA benefits. If the veteran has been diagnosed with an incurable disease in which he is in the last phase of hospice services may be granted. Hospice services generally require the physician, patient and family to acknowledge that the disease is terminal. The understanding that the care provided is comfort care as opposed to healing treatment and that this treatment will be relinquished once hospice care begins, must also be acknowledged.
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