"Veteran Issues by Colonel Dan" <VeteranIssues@yahoogroups.com>
From: "ColonelDan" <ColonelDan@worldnet.att.net>
Date: Tue, 28 Dec 2004 11:09:33 -0600
Subject: [VeteranIssues] VA Means Test Thresholds for 2005
THIS GOES FOR MILITARY RETIREES AS WELL AS VETERANS IN GENERAL. THE NEXT TIME THE GOVERNMENT ASKS YOU TO "GO TO WAR" = MEANS TEST THE GOVERNMENT
HERE'S THE TEST:
1. IS THE WHOLE NATION SACRIFICING IN THE WAR EFFORT?
2. IF NOT, THEN IT MUST NOT BE A NATIONAL EMERGENCY OR A WAR?
3. WHAT IS OUT "PLAN" FOR IMPLEMENTING THIS WAR EVEN IF THEIR IS NATIONAL SACRIFICE AND MOST IMPORTANT WHAT IS THE EXIT STRATEGY?
4. LASTLY, ARE THOSE WHO HAVE TO FIGHT THIS WAR GOING TO BE ADEQUATELY EQUIPPED, TRAINED, AND THEIR FAMILIES CARED FOR WHILE THEY ARE GONE, WHEN THEY RETURN, AND HEAVENS FORBID SHOULD SOMETHING HAPPEN TO THEM? OR SINCE THE NATION AS A WHOLE "IS NOT" SACRIFICING ARE WE BACK TO QUESTION NUMBER ONE? ARMYDAD
These are the $$ amounts that determine if you are eligible to get into
VA health care based on Priority and what if any co-pays you might
have.
also see eligibilty and priority groups at:
http://www1.va.gov/elig/page.cfm?pg=1
http://www1.va.gov/Elig/page.cfm?pg=37
Reprinted below..
Department of Veterans Affairs
VHA DIRECTIVE 2004-071
Veterans Health Administration
Washington, DC 20420
December 17, 2004
MEANS TEST AND GEOGRAPHIC-BASED MEANS TEST THRESHOLDS FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2005
1. PURPOSE: This Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Directive provides the Means Test Thresholds, Medicare Deductible Rate, and Child Income Exclusion for calendar year 2005. In addition, this Directive provides an internet link to the United States (U.S.) Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) income limits for Fiscal Year (FY) 2004 for use by VHA in calendar year 2005.
YOU SEE THE "MEANS TEST" IS WHAT TURNS THE VETERANS BENEFITS SYSTEM INTO A WELFARE SYSTEM = A SOCIAL BENEFIT SYSTEM AS OPPOSED TO THE BENEFITS WE "EARNED" FOR "SERVING OUR COUNTRY."
THAT IS WHAT THE CHICKENHAWKS ON THE RIGHT-WING INCLUDING THE GOP VETERANS MOST OF WHOM "DO NOT" USE THE VA HEALTH CARE SYSTEM WHAT US TO BELIEVE AS THEY CONTINUE TO DISMANTLE THE SYSTEM. IF YOU DON'T BELEIVE THIS IS TRUE WHY DO YOU THINK ARTIE MULLER'S ROLLIN BLUNDER MOTORCYCLE GROUP ENDORSED GEORGE BUSH FOR PRESIDENT KNOWING FULL WELL BUSH INTENDED CLOSING VA HOSPITALS? THESE RIGHT-WING VETS AGREED WITH CLOSING OF THOSE HOSPITALS BECAUSE THEY RODE SCOOTS AND DIDN'T NEED THEM = YET. THEY ONLY NEEDED ACCESS TO OUTPATIENT CLINICS WHICH BUSH PROMISED TO BUILD IN ABUNDANCE.
YEP THESE RIGHT-WING VETERANS LEFT A GENERATION OF WWII, KOREAN WAR AND ELDERLY VIETNAM WAR VETS BEHIND WHO DON'T RIDE MOTORCYCLES
ARMYDAD. 2. BACKGROUND
a. Title 38 United States Code (U.S.C.) Section 1722© requires that on January 1 of each year, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs increase the means test threshold amounts by the same percentage the maximum rates of pension benefits were increased under 38 U.S.C. Section 5312(a) during the preceding calendar year. Under the provisions of 38 U.S.C. Section 5312, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is required to increase the benefit rates and income limitations in the pension and parents' Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) Program by the same percentage and effective date as increases in the benefit amounts payable under Title II of the Social Security Act.
b. On November 15, 2004, the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) announced that effective December 1, 2004, veterans' benefits will receive an increase of 2.7 percent.
c. Public Law 107-135, the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Programs Enhancement Act of 2001, directed VA to implement a Geographic-based Means Test (GMT) (see 38 U.S.C. Section 1705(a)(7)). VA uses HUD's "low-income" geographic-based income limits as the thresholds for VA's GMT. NOTE: The Health Eligibility Center (HEC) controls the GMT for VA; as such, HEC will install Patch IVMB*2*819 before January 1, 2005. A veteran's income from the previous year is compared with the appropriate GMT threshold for the previous fiscal year to determine if the veteran should be placed in priority category 7.
PRIORITY 7 BEING THE NEXT TO LAST LOWEST PRIORITY FOR TREATMENT. OF COURSE ACCESS TO VA HOSPITALS IS "TEMPORARILY" DENIED FOR CATAGORY 7&8 VETERANS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. ARMYDAD.
HUD's "low income"
geographic-based income limits for FY 2004 can be found at:
http://www.huduser.org/datasets/il/il04/index.html The easiest way to
find the limit for a geographical area is to click on the State on the
map. NOTE: Be sure to use only the "low income" limits or 80% of median
income in the chart.
d. Definitions
(1) "Below the means test threshold." "Below the means test threshold"
is defined as those veterans whose attributable income and net worth
are such that they are unable to defray the expenses of care; therefore,
they are not subject to co-payment charges for hospital and outpatient
medical services. Within the Veterans Health Information Systems and
Technology Architecture (VistA) system such veterans are designated as
"Means Test Copay Exempt."
(2) "Above the means test and GMT threshold." "Above the means test and
GMT threshold" is defined as those veterans whose attributable income
and net worth are such that they are able to defray the expenses of
care; therefore they must agree to pay a co-payment for hospital care and
outpatient medical services. Within the VistA system these veterans are
designated as "Means Test Copay Required."
(3) "Above the means test and below the GMT threshold." "Above the
means test and below the GMT threshold," is defined as those veterans whose
attributable income and net worth are such that they are able to defray
the expense of care, but whose inpatient medical care co-payments are
reduced 80 percent. Within the VistA system these veterans are
identified as "GMT Copay Required."
3. Means Test Thresholds. The following new Means Test Thresholds are
effective January 1, 2005, through December 31, 2005:
(1) Veterans with No Dependents
(a) Below Means Test Threshold: $25,842.
(
Above Means Test Threshold: $25,843. (2) Veterans with One Dependent
(a) Below Means Test Threshold: $31,013.
(
Above Means Test Threshold: $31,014. (3) Veterans with Two Dependents
(a) Below Means Test Threshold: $32,747.
(
Above Means Test Threshold: $32,748. (4) Veterans with Three Dependents
(a) Below Means Test Threshold: $34,481.
(
Above Means Test Threshold: $34,482. (5) Veterans with Four Dependents
(a) Below Means Test Threshold: $36,215.
(
Above Means Test Threshold: $36,216. (6) Veterans with Five Dependents
(a) Below Means Test Threshold: $37,949.
(
Above Means Test Threshold: $37,950. c. Dependent threshold amount increase (above two dependents): $1,734.
d. Child Income Exclusion: $8,200.
e. Medicare Deductible: $912.
f. Income and/or asset threshold for net worth development: $80,000.
g. Maximum annual Rate of Pension: Base rate.
(1) The base rate is $10,162. NOTE: The base pension rate is also used
to determine if certain veterans are subject to co-payments for
Extended Care Services.
(2) The base rate with one dependent is $13,309.
(3) Add $1,734 for each additional dependent.
5. REFERENCES
a. Title 38 U.S.C. Sections 1705(a) (7) and 1722.
b. Title 38 Codes of Federal Regulations (CFR) Sections 17.36(
(7), 17.47(d), and 7.111(f)(2).
c. VHA Directive 2003-005, Implementation of Geographic Means Testing
and Revised Inpatient Co-payments Requirements.
6. FOLLOW-UP RESPONSIBILITY: The Chief Business Office (16) is
responsible for the contents of this Directive. Questions may be addressed to
202-254-0406.