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New Legislation Plans to Help More Veterans Use Rehabilitation Services

According to an article in The State Column, 2 bills recently introduced in the House and the Senate aim to correct Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) spending costs on transportation for veterans with disabilities to rehabilitation services.

For veterans with spinal cord injuries, blindness, or multiple amputations, the VA pays for their costs of travel to their rehabilitation centers. On the other hand, for those veterans with disabilities that occur or develop later in life, those costs are not generally covered.

U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud and Senator Jon Tester have introduced companion bills to address this lack of compensation problem facing veterans with non-service connected disabilities in need of specialized disability rehabilitation programs.

Granting access to these rehabilitation programs would help those veterans with such disabilities “remain independent,” which is often a critical element of the healing process. The average veteran in need of such specialized care is over 60 years old and living on a very limited income.

Although many veterans may qualify to receive rehabilitative services, getting to those services poses a considerable hurdle. Veterans who cannot access such services often find themselves no longer able to live independently, and the cost of assisted living and/or nursing care far outweighs the costs of travel to their rehabilitation centers.

If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, a South Florida disability attorney from LaVan & Neidenberg is ready to help. To learn if you are entitled to certain programs and benefits contact our veteran’s disability rights firm today – 1-888-234-5758.