Posted: 9/17/2012 10:45:53 AM EDT
| I need a little guidance in navigating the VA system. My dad is a veteran (Vietnam) and needs some dental work done. I've read through the VA dental benefits and it looks like they only cover service-realted issues. His issues are more from growing old rather than war related. Does anyone know if there are any other dental benefits that he could be eligible for from either the VA or other military programs? He is located near Prescott, AZ if that matters. Thanks, guys! |
| Unless things have changed you are correct. It must be a service related condition. Still - check with them and they will refer you to a dentist / clinic that will only charge according to what he can afford. If there is a dental school in your area try them also along with any charity organizations. Good Luck |
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Here is a thread in the General - Hall of Heroes subforum where I quoted the relevent material directly from the VA's web site.
And, here's the post where I quoted it: From the VA's own website: Outpatient Dental Treatment Dental benefits are provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) according to law. In some instances, VA is authorized to provide extensive dental care, while in other cases treatment may be limited by law. This Fact Sheet table describes dental eligibility criteria and contains information to assist Veterans in understanding their eligibility for VA dental care. By law, the eligibility for Outpatient Dental Care is not the same as for most other VA medical benefits. It is categorized in classes. If you are eligible for VA dental care under Class I, IIC, or IV you are eligible for any necessary dental care to maintain or restore oral health and masticatory function, including repeat care. Other classes have time and/or service limitations. If you: You are eligible for: Through Have a service-connected compensable dental disability or condition. Any needed dental care. Class I Are a former prisoner of war. Any needed dental care. Class IIC Have service-connected disabilities rated 100% disabling, or are unemployable and paid at the 100% rate due to service-connected conditions. Any needed dental care. [note: Veterans paid at the 100% rate based on a temporary rating, are not eligible for comprehensive outpatient dental services. Class IV Apply for dental care within 180 days of discharge or release from a period of active duty (under conditions other than dishonorable) of 90 days or more during the Persian Gulf War era. One-time dental care if your DD214 certificate of discharge does not indicate that a complete dental examination and all appropriate dental treatment had been rendered prior to discharge.* Class II Have a service-connected noncompensable dental condition or disability resulting from combat wounds or service trauma. Needed care for the service-connected condition(s). A Dental Trauma Rating (VA Form 10-564-D) or VA Regional Office Rating Decision letter (VA Form 10-7131) identifies the tooth/teeth eligible for care. Class IIA Have a dental condition clinically determined by VA to be associated with and aggravating a service-connected medical condition. Dental care to treat the oral conditions that are determined by a VA dental professional to have a direct and material detrimental effect to your service connected medical condition. Class III Are actively engaged in a 38 USC Chapter 31 vocational rehabilitation program. Dental care to the extent necessary to: Make possible to enter, achieve goals, and prevent interruption of a rehabilitation program, or Hasten the return to a rehabilitation program for leave status, or placed in discontinued status because of a dental condition, or Secure and adjust to employment during employment assistance, or enable to achieve maximum independence in daily living ClassV Are receiving VA care or are scheduled for inpatient care and require dental care for a condition complicating a medical condition currently under treatment. Dental care to treat the oral conditions that are determined by a VA dental professional to complicate your medical condition currently under treatment. Class VI Are an enrolled Veteran who may be homeless and receiving care under VHA Directive 2007-039.. A one-time course of dental care that is determined medically necessary to relieve pain, assist in gaining employment, or treat moderto severe gingival and periodontal conditions. Class IIB *Note: Public Law 83 enacted June 16, 1955, amended Veterans’ eligibility for outpatient dental services. As a result, any Veteran who received a dental award letter from VBA dated before 1955 in which VBA determined the dental conditions to be noncompensable are no longer eligible for Class II outpatient dental treatment. Veterans receiving hospital, nursing home, or domiciliary care will be provided dental services that are professionally determined by a VA dentist, in consultation with the referring physician, to be essential to the management of the patient’s medical condition under active treatment. For more information about eligibility for VA medical and dental benefits, contact VA at 1-877-222-8387 or www.va.gov/healtheligibility |
| That was the same info I came up with as well. Thanks for the link to that other thread, there is some good info in there for a complete newbie dealing with the VA. I'll see if they can get him qualified on a financial need basis, as he is sort of dirt poor right now. A dental school is a good idea and might be a good cost effective option. He is talking about going to Mexico to get treatment and I'm not a big fan of that decision so I'm trying to look for other options for him. |
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Quoted:
Here is a thread in the General - Hall of Heroes subforum where I quoted the relevent material directly from the VA's web site. And, here's the post where I quoted it: From the VA's own website: Outpatient Dental Treatment Dental benefits are provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) according to law. In some instances, VA is authorized to provide extensive dental care, while in other cases treatment may be limited by law. This Fact Sheet table describes dental eligibility criteria and contains information to assist Veterans in understanding their eligibility for VA dental care. By law, the eligibility for Outpatient Dental Care is not the same as for most other VA medical benefits. It is categorized in classes. If you are eligible for VA dental care under Class I, IIC, or IV you are eligible for any necessary dental care to maintain or restore oral health and masticatory function, including repeat care. Other classes have time and/or service limitations. If you: You are eligible for: Through Have a service-connected compensable dental disability or condition. Any needed dental care. Class I Are a former prisoner of war. Any needed dental care. Class IIC Have service-connected disabilities rated 100% disabling, or are unemployable and paid at the 100% rate due to service-connected conditions. Any needed dental care. [note: Veterans paid at the 100% rate based on a temporary rating, are not eligible for comprehensive outpatient dental services. Class IV Apply for dental care within 180 days of discharge or release from a period of active duty (under conditions other than dishonorable) of 90 days or more during the Persian Gulf War era. One-time dental care if your DD214 certificate of discharge does not indicate that a complete dental examination and all appropriate dental treatment had been rendered prior to discharge.* Class II Have a service-connected noncompensable dental condition or disability resulting from combat wounds or service trauma. Needed care for the service-connected condition(s). A Dental Trauma Rating (VA Form 10-564-D) or VA Regional Office Rating Decision letter (VA Form 10-7131) identifies the tooth/teeth eligible for care. Class IIA Have a dental condition clinically determined by VA to be associated with and aggravating a service-connected medical condition. Dental care to treat the oral conditions that are determined by a VA dental professional to have a direct and material detrimental effect to your service connected medical condition. Class III Are actively engaged in a 38 USC Chapter 31 vocational rehabilitation program. Dental care to the extent necessary to: Make possible to enter, achieve goals, and prevent interruption of a rehabilitation program, or Hasten the return to a rehabilitation program for leave status, or placed in discontinued status because of a dental condition, or Secure and adjust to employment during employment assistance, or enable to achieve maximum independence in daily living ClassV Are receiving VA care or are scheduled for inpatient care and require dental care for a condition complicating a medical condition currently under treatment. Dental care to treat the oral conditions that are determined by a VA dental professional to complicate your medical condition currently under treatment. Class VI Are an enrolled Veteran who may be homeless and receiving care under VHA Directive 2007-039.. A one-time course of dental care that is determined medically necessary to relieve pain, assist in gaining employment, or treat moderto severe gingival and periodontal conditions. Class IIB *Note: Public Law 83 enacted June 16, 1955, amended Veterans’ eligibility for outpatient dental services. As a result, any Veteran who received a dental award letter from VBA dated before 1955 in which VBA determined the dental conditions to be noncompensable are no longer eligible for Class II outpatient dental treatment. Veterans receiving hospital, nursing home, or domiciliary care will be provided dental services that are professionally determined by a VA dentist, in consultation with the referring physician, to be essential to the management of the patient’s medical condition under active treatment. For more information about eligibility for VA medical and dental benefits, contact VA at 1-877-222-8387 or www.va.gov/healtheligibility Damn that's some great info. Bookmarked - Thanks |
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Looks like I have no help from the VA at this point for dental. Oh well, at least he as had good luck getting medical through them. Thank god for that! I found a dental school in the Phoenix area and $100 buys him an exam and treatment plan. The dental treatment costs are suppose to be subsidized by the school so the services should be discounted. We will see; fingers crossed! |
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As a veteran, I've went to the VA hospitals and clinics before for a few minor things.
I am pretty sure another option, unless I am missing something, is to fill out an eligibility form (based on his income) for health benefits - basically if you do not make a ton of money, you are eligible for complete coverage with most stuff... or partial coverage, depending on how much you make. So you might look into that... go fill out the form or call the closest VA facility and have them send it to you. There's usually a VA clinic close by, if an actual VA hospital is not near you. I guess coverage may be different for dental, but I thought it was the same... don't know, never went for anything dental. |
| I think he does do that for medical and he has some pretty great docs that he really likes a lot. I'll have to ask him again about the eligibility form. I think he dodged that question when I asked him about it over the weekend. It's hard sometimes to get him to accept help from the VA. I'll keep after him. |