Allowance for Housebound Status
What is Housebound Allowance?
The VA’s Housebound Allowance is an additional compensation amount available to eligible veterans and dependents that are entitled to VA pension or VA disability compensation.
Who is eligible for the housebound allowance?
A veteran, dependent spouse or surviving spouse who because of their physical limitations is unable to walk or travel beyond their home.
This allowance may be granted for those unable to meet the requirements of the greater aid and attendance allowance. If their disabilities are severe enough to confine them to their immediate premises for the foreseeable future, they may be entitled to higher income limitations or additional benefits, depending on the type of benefit received.
How do I apply?
You should furnish a medical statement covering the findings, diagnosis and prognosis of any recent medical treatment or examination. The doctor’s statement or medical report should describe how your ability to perform the personal functions of daily living, such as dressing, feeding, bathing, and attending to the needs of nature, is limited by your medical condition. It should also include the number of hours you spend in bed and describe your posture and general appearance. You may also furnish any other information indicating that you are unable to care for yourself or walk or travel beyond your home because of your condition.
Note: You are not required to incur the expense of the physical examination by a private physician in order to receive consideration. If the detailed medical information about your ability to care for yourself is not available from the doctor’s or hospital’s current records, VA may arrange for a physical examination.
Does this special allowance help me with medication expenses?
Veterans who have been adjudicated through the VA Regional Office for Aid and Attendance Compensation Pension, Allowance for Housebound or approved by the MEDVAMC for Fee Basis are entitled to receive medications through VA Pharmacy without being assigned to a Primary Care Provider. The medication prescribed must be on the VA formulary.
Who should I consult for help?
Veterans are advised to contact their Veterans Service Officer (VSO) if they have one. If not, contact your nearest VAMC for help by calling 1-800-827-1000.
Download Examination for Housebound Allowance Status Form
VA Program Name Change
The Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) is changing the name of a program that helps veterans find work.
Veteran Readiness and Employment, formerly called Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment, will help veterans explore employment options and adjust the training they need.
Typically, veterans who apply to the program are veterans with a service-connected disability, but they have a barrier to achieving employment because of those disabilities. The program helps veterans through the process of identifying what their specific new goal should be and then supporting them through education training and a host of wrap-around services to make sure that they are successful.
The VR&E is shifting its program to ensure they are engaged with veterans during the pandemic.
The program is also implementing a VA video connect platform to keep in contact with veterans during the pandemic, and help them with employment.
To be part of this program, you must have a service-connected disability rated at 10% or higher, or you must not have passed 12 years since the date of service discharge or the first receipt of a compensation decision for a disabling factor.
Those That
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Free Computer Training
The Microsoft Software & Systems Academy (MSSA) is offering free training to the veteran community. This free, formal training takes place in some of the technology industry’s most in-demand roles.
Transitioning service members’ and Veterans’ experiences often uniquely prepare and qualify them for the skills and security clearances technology companies need.
MSSA provides 16-17 weeks of online training for high-demand careers in cloud development or cloud administration. MSSA also offers a Tech Transition Toolkit
with simple tips for how you can build a career in technology, including how to create a strong resume, learn “tech lingo” to sound like a pro, set up your virtual workspace, use your virtual professional network to your advantage, and learn lessons from MSSA graduates.
To get started for an invite to attend one of the weekly information sessions held every Tuesday at 12:00n & 3:00 p.m. (EST). This is a mandatory part of the application process. Please complete form below.
Free Will Development for Veterans
GoodTrust offers a step-by-step wizard that makes creating a will easy, secure and comprehensive, and can be stored and shared within a GoodTrust account. When you’re finished creating a will with GoodTrust, it only requires two signatures from witnesses to make it legally valid. This is a free service for veterans. To get started click here.
Highlights of The New Ipsos Survey
The Ipsos survey finds that 80% veterans are satisfied with their healthcare compared to 70% of all U.S. adults. However, many veterans are not familiar with non-healthcare VA services. When asked how they feel about them, 63% of veterans were unsure how to rate VA's financial services or fiduciary services, 54% career and employment services, 50% life insurance and service-disabled veterans' insurance, and 45% burial and memorial benefits, indicating an overall lack of familiarity.
The study also reveals that most veterans know little or nothing about the PACT Act or the benefits it provides, including 75% of those who say they were likely exposed to environmental hazards while in the military.
The Ipsos study was conducted October 13 – October 17, 2022 on its KnowledgePanel with a nationally representative probability sample of 1,021 adults age 18 or older, including 518 veterans who received all or some benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs.