January 2023 By Courtney Kube, NBC News

Unlike for most other medical benefits, veterans do not have to be enrolled in the VA system to be eligible for the free emergency mental health care.

Beginning Tuesday, U.S. military veterans who find themselves in suicidal crisis will be eligible for free emergency medical care at any Department of Veterans Affairs facility or any private facility. 

Unlike for most other medical benefits, veterans do not have to be enrolled in the VA system to be eligible. More than 18 million veterans in the U.S. could be eligible. 

The new policy, which the VA will announce Friday, will include up to 30 days of inpatient or crisis residential care and up to 90 days of follow-on outpatient care.

The VA already provides emergency suicide care, but with the new benefit, veterans will not have to pay any copays or fees for their care. If the veterans receive care at a private facility rather than at a VA facility, the government will cover the costs. The VA will also reimburse veterans for ambulance rides to hospitals.

“Veterans in suicidal crisis can now receive the free, world-class emergency health care they deserve — no matter where they need it, when they need it, or whether they’re enrolled in VA care,” VA Secretary Denis McDonough said in a statement. “This expansion of care will save Veterans’ lives, and there’s nothing more important than that.”

The VA has about 9 million veterans enrolled in medical care and an estimated 9 million more who are not enrolled and are potentially eligible for care. Under the new policy they will be eligible for the same care at no cost. 

The VA reported that 6,146 veterans died by suicide in 2020, or an average of 16.8 per day. While that number was 343 fewer than in 2019, suicide and veterans in crisis remain the VA’s top clinical priority.....

Unfortunately, some educational institutions and programs use misleading practices and overpromise their degrees’ value and earning power. Without knowing the warning signs to protect yourself, this could lead to a depletion of your education benefits.

VA wants to ensure Veterans are informed when using their G.I. Bill benefits and to help them make the best education decisions. We encourage Veterans and their beneficiaries to know these education fraud warning signs and the best practices to avoid falling victim to a scam.

What are the types of scams targeting your education benefits? 

• Job scams. Job Boards or Advertisements targeting specific demographics may be misleading or fake and require you to give personal information or money to get a job. You can find free, official information about federal jobs at USAJOBS.gov, FedsHiresVets.gov, and CareerOneStop.org. Your state’s Department of Labor may have job listings, contacts for local job offices, and resources for counseling and referrals.
• Student loan scams. Educational institutions may promise immediate student loan forgiveness or debt cancellation to entice Veterans to enroll in classes. For most borrowers, loan forgiveness is only available through programs requiring many years of qualifying payments or other qualifying criteria. Here is a list of Student Debt Relief “Do’s and Don’ts” to help borrowers avoid scams. 
• Scholarship scams. Educational institutions may “guarantee” Veterans a scholarship in exchange for a redemption/processing fee.  
• Seminars. Veterans may be promised a scholarship and financial aid under the guise of high-pressure sales pitches where they feel pressured to pay a fee immediately or risk losing the so-called “opportunity.”   
• Free gifts. Veterans may be promised incentives such as free laptops, gift cards or other “freebies” for enrolling in courses.   

How can you protect your education benefits?  

• Choose G.I. Bill approved schools. Use the WEAMS Institution Search Tool to find G.I. Bill approved schools.
• Use the G.I. Bill Comparison Tool. Compare the benefits you’ll receive at different schools.
• Learn about the Principles of Excellence Program. This program requires schools that receive federal funding through programs such as the G.I. Bill to follow certain guidelines.   
• Check out the National Resource Directory Database. This database provides validated resources that support recovery, rehabilitation and reintegration for service members, Veterans, family members and caregivers. Scammers may try to appear legitimate by using official sounding names, logos, websites or showcasing a false affiliation with VA.
• Find schools that take part in the Yellow Ribbon Program, which can help you pay for school costs not covered by the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill.   
• VA recognizes the importance of professional growth and training for a meaningful career after your service to your country. If you suspect you are a victim of fraud, please contact the VA Office of Inspector General at VAOIG Hotline.You may also file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission by visiting reportfraud.ftc.gov. If you miss a VA benefits payment, identify a discrepancy in payments, or find suspicious activity with your direct deposit account, contact VA immediately at 1-800-827-1000.

The Congressional Veterans Caucus provides an in-depth look at every member of Congress who has served in the military. These men and women are key influencers when it comes to legislation that impacts service members, their families, DoD civilians and defense companies. Navigate the Congressional Veterans Caucus to learn more about these leaders, and highlight veteran politicians by state, political party, war era and more.

Greetings,

The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) is providing information about utilizing alternatives to in-person Compensation and Pension (C&P) examinations during the COVID-19 pandemic to support social distancing and the safety and health of Veterans and clinicians. VBA will continue to complete as many examinations as possible using virtual means that do not involve a face-to-face examination. This message is intended to advise you about the change and provide guidance and resources.

• C&P examinations are forensic examinations used to gather evidence used by VBA claims processors in making decisions on Veterans’ claims for disability compensation and pension benefits. C&P exams are scheduled when the evidence already in the Veteran’s record does not contain all the information needed to make a decision on the claim.
• Disability Benefits Questionnaires, or DBQs, are standardized forms used by clinicians when performing C&P exams. The purpose of a DBQ is to ensure the clinician performing the exam captures and records all the information needed by VBA claims processors to make a decision.
• For many years, both Veterans Health Administration (VHA) clinicians and VBA contract vendors have conducted C&P examinations using DBQs. In FY19, VBA completed about 65 percent of the more than 1.6 million examination requests generated by regional office claims processors....

August 2021, Military Times, Leo Shane III

The VR&E program had about one-fifth the enrollment and about one-tenth the price tag of the GI Bill last year. To be eligible, veterans must be at least 10-percent disabled with a service-connected injury.

GAO officials said it may be more beneficial for many disabled veterans because of the flexibility of the program, and the focus not just on degree completion but also job training and independent living.

“Unlike the GI Bill, VR&E participants work with an assigned vocational rehabilitation counselor, who helps the veteran identify a suitable employment goal and draft an employment plan,” the report states.

“To develop the plan, the counselor and veteran review labor market information for jobs, taking into consideration the veteran’s identified abilities, aptitudes, and interests.”