As a Veteran, you may be eligible for a variety of benefits for you and your family related to health care, disability, education, housing, burials, and more. This section describes some of these benefits as well as other resources that may be useful to members of the cancer community. Download the free VA Welcome Kit to learn more.

TRICARE is the U.S. health care program for active duty service members (ADSMs), active duty family members (ADFMs), National Guard and Reserve members and their family members, retirees and retiree family members, survivors, and certain former spouses worldwide. Find out if you qualify here.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs provides health care benefits to more than 9 million eligible U.S. Veterans. Find out if you are eligible or apply here.

You may also qualify for benefits if you have been diagnosed with certain types of cancer due to exposure to certain substances while in the military. See below for information on Military Service & Cancer Risk.

You can find a local VA location or in-network community care provider here.

VA Community Care provides health care for Veterans from providers in local communities outside of the VA. Veterans may be eligible to receive care from a community provider when the VA cannot provide the care that is needed. This care is paid for by VA. Community Care is available to Veterans based on certain conditions and eligibility requirements. Community care must be first authorized by the VA before a Veteran can receive care from a community provider. Learn more about Community Care:

• Eligibility for Community Care
• Getting Appointments and Care
• General Care
• Urgent Care
• Emergency Care
• Billing and Payments

Understand your options for telehealth care. The VA recognizes the importance of access to telehealth services and has a Digital Divide Consult program to help Veterans get access to the internet and internet-connected devices to improve their access to telehealth services.

The VA App Store offers tools to help Veterans and their VA care team manage physical and mental wellness.

Vet Centers are community-based centers that offer counseling to help with a successful transition from military to civilian life or after a traumatic event experienced in the military. They provide a wide range of social and psychological services, including professional counseling to eligible Veterans, service members, including National Guard and Reserve components, and their families.

See below for information on Long-Term Care.

The VA has a new rule on medical debt that may help you.

MyHealthcareFinances is a tool to help individuals better understand finances related to healthcare and steps one may take to lower your costs.

For more information about health insurance: TriageCancer.org/HealthInsurance.  

On December 29, 2022, the Cleland-Cole Act was signed into law. Section 101 of the Act expands VA health care benefits for Veterans of World War II.

To qualify, you have to have served in the U.S. Military from December 7, 1941 to December 31, 1946. However, enrollment is not automatic. You have to apply for benefits. Even if you applied before and were denied, you may now qualify for these benefits. The length of your service and your income level do not matter.

Benefits include:
• No enrollment fees, monthly premiums, or deductibles
• Exemption from co-payments for inpatient and outpatient care
• Eligibility for VA Community Care (see Health Care section above)
• When enrolled in VA health care, you can also use your private providers, Medicare, and other health insurance to meet your care needs

To apply:
• Apply online
• Call the VA’s toll-free hotline at 1-800-MyVA411 (800-698-2411)
• Visit your nearest VA medical center or clinic

In VA health care, you can appeal two kinds of decisions: medical determinations and health benefits decisions.

A medical determination is a decision made by your health care team about your health care. Those decisions can include whether to prescribe a certain medication, treatment, or physical therapy. It can also mean a decision to refer you to a community provider for your health care.

A health benefits decision is about whether or not you are eligible for VA health benefits, such as VA health care, VA nursing home or other long-term care program, and reimbursement for non-VA emergency care and certain medical devices.

For more information about health insurance appeals: TriageCancer.org/Cancer-Finances-Appeals.

If you are looking for your service records or those of a family member, learn more about how to access records from the National Archives or National Personnel Records Center.

If you have received care at a VA facility and would like to access your medical records, learn more here.

Individuals who use VA Health Care and use Apple iOS devices, may also be able to access their records on those devices.

TRICARE covers participation in National Cancer Institute (NCI)-sponsored Phase I, Phase II, and Phase III clinical trials.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs also allows eligible Veterans to participate in clinical trials at VA Medical Centers.

For more information about clinical trials: TriageCancer.org/Cancer-Clinical-Trials.

VA Disability Compensation pays tax-free cash benefits to individuals who got sick or were injured while serving in the military and to Veterans whose service made an existing condition worse. You may qualify for VA disability benefits for physical conditions (like a chronic illness or injury) and mental health conditions (like PTSD) that developed before, during, or after service. You may also qualify for benefits if you have been diagnosed with certain types of cancer due to exposure to certain substances while in the military. See below for information on Military Service & Cancer Risk.

Veterans are eligible to receive these long-term care services at home and in the community as part of the VA Standard Benefits Package:

• Geriatric Evaluation to assess your care needs and to create a care plan
• Adult Day Health Care
• Homemaker and Home Health Aide Care
• Respite Care
• Skilled Home Health Care

However, to get the service you must have a clinical need for it, and the service must be available in your location.

The VA has a number of programs for care in nursing homes and residential settings. The VA also offers nursing home, domiciliary, or adult day care through State Veterans Homes.

Individuals who have served in the U.S. Military may have been exposed to certain substances that increase their future risk of cancer. If you have served in the U.S. Military, talk with your doctor about your possible exposure and whether increased cancer screenings are important for you. You may also have legal rights to certain health care, disability compensation, and other benefits.

Learn more about potential exposures to hazardous chemicals and materials.

The VA also provides a number of programs and tools to help Veterans quit smoking. Learn more about these programs.

The PACT Act is a law that was recently passed to expand health care and other benefits for Veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxic substances while serving in the military. The full name of the law is The Sergeant First Class (SFC) Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act.

Under the PACT Act, if a Veteran’s active military service meets certain requirements (location and time of service), then certain cancers and other illnesses are considered “presumptive conditions.” This means that Veterans do not need to prove that their military service actually caused the condition to get a VA disability rating. A VA disability rating (0-100%) determines what kinds of benefits you may receive as a Veteran:

• Veterans with a 20% rating are eligible for no-cost health care and prescription medications for service-connected disabilities.
• Veterans with a 50% rating are eligible for no-cost health care and prescription medications for all conditions.

If you’re a Veteran or survivor, you call the VA at 800-698-2411 (TTY: 711). You can file a claim for PACT Act-related disability compensation or apply for VA health care now:

• File a disability claim online
• Apply for VA health care

Next PACT Act Deadline Sept. 30: Direct Health Care Enrollment

Veterans who deployed to a combat zone, never enrolled in VA health care, and left the military between September 11, 2001, and October 1, 2013, are eligible to enroll directly in VA health care through the PACT Act. This special enrollment period ends at 11:59 p.m. local time on Sept. 30, 2023. APPLY NOW!

Under the PACT Act, if you are a surviving family member of a Veteran, you may be eligible for these benefits:

• A monthly VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (VA DIC) payment. You may qualify if you’re the surviving spouse, dependent child, or parent of a Veteran who died from a service-connected disability. Learn how to apply for VA DIC
• A one-time accrued benefits payment. You may qualify if you’re the surviving spouse, dependent child, or dependent parent of a Veteran who we owed unpaid benefits at the time of their death. Learn about the evidence needed for accrued benefits
• A Survivors Pension. You may qualify if you’re the surviving spouse or child of a Veteran with wartime service. Learn how to apply for a Survivors Pension

To learn more about the different ways the PACT Act helps Veterans, read our blog: Are You a Veteran? How the PACT Act May Help You.

Read this flow chart to get an overview of the health and disability benefits that might be available.

You can also listen to the Drive On Podcast from November 22, 2022, about the PACT Act and Veteran Legal Resources.

If you served at either of these locations between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987, you may be eligible for disability and health care benefits, because of your exposure to contaminated water:

• Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, or
• Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River, North Carolina

The Camp Lejeune Family Member Program (CLFMP) is for family members of Veterans who lived or served at U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987, and were potentially exposed to drinking water contaminated with industrial solvents, benzene, and other chemicals.

Section 804 of the PACT Act also addresses people who lived at Camp Lejeune. This law is also called the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022.

This law allows Veterans, survivors, and families to file for appropriate relief for harm caused by exposure to the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

You (or your legal representative) can file an administrative claim with the Department of the Navy, if either of these is true:

• You lived, worked, or were otherwise exposed at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days total between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987; or
• Your mother lived, worked, or was otherwise exposed at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days total between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987, while pregnant with you.

The spouse or dependent child of a Veteran or service member may qualify for certain benefits, like health care, life insurance, or money to help pay for school or training.

For members of the U.S. Military who have children with cancer or other special needs, the Exceptional Family Member Program assists by identifying and enrolling family members with special medical or educational needs; finding out what services are available at current or new duty stations; and supporting families with information, referrals when appropriate, and non-clinical case management to access services. They also provide useful checklists to manage different situations, such as moving to a new duty station.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers Caregiver Support Programs.

The CSP offers Primary Family Caregivers enrolled in the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) access to legal and financial planning services.

The U.S. Department of Defense offers a Caregiver Resource Directory (CRD).

The National Alliance of Caregiving also provides information on access to no-cost respite care for military or Veteran caregivers.

The VA also offers Survivors benefits. This checklist describes the benefits that may be helpful to your family, including help with burial costs.

For more information about caregiving: TriageCancer.org/Caregiving.

The VA can help Veterans, service members, and qualified family members with education needs, such as paying for college tuition, finding the right school or training program, and getting career counseling.

For more information about education rights: TriageCancer.org/Cancer-Finances-Education

The VA offers a variety of programs to support Veterans in their career, including vocational rehabilitation programs, career counseling, and support for Veteran-owned small businesses.

LinkedIn offers Veterans, VA caregivers, and Fry Scholars a free 1-year premium career subscription, including one year of access to LinkedIn Learning, with a library of more than 16,000 business, technical, and creative courses.

There are also a number of federal employment laws that protect members of the military and Veterans in the workplace.

The Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA) includes Military Caregiver Leave, which allows a spouse, parent, child, or next of kin to care for a qualifying Veteran, and receive up to 26 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave from work, in a 12-month period.

The FMLA may also provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave when urgent demands arise out of the foreign deployment of the employee’s spouse, child, or parent. This urgent need is called a “qualifying exigency.”

Veterans with disabilities are protected from discrimination in the workplace under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Uniform Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA). USERRA requires employers to make reasonable efforts to accommodate Veterans with disabilities and provides up to 2 years for Veterans to return to their jobs. USERRA also requires employers to reemploy qualified returning service members in the same jobs, with the same seniority, status, and pay.

For more information about employment rights: TriageCancer.org/Employment.

Other employment-related resources:

• Hiring Our Heroes helps Veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses find employment.
• Social Security Administration’s Ticket to Work connects Veterans with disabilities to employment support services.

The VA provides housing assistance through a variety of loans and programs to help Veterans with disabilities, Veterans facing homelessness, and aging Veterans:

• VA Loans to Buy, Refinance, or Improve a Home
• Disabled Veteran Housing Assistance helps Veterans with disabilities related to service or aging make adaptations to their homes. For Veterans temporarily living with a family member, these loans and grants may pay for necessary changes to that home.
• Veterans Homeless Services and Resources
• Housing Help for Older Veterans provides in-home care, assisted living, and retirement homes for Veterans.

For more information about housing rights: TriageCancer.org/Cancer-Finances-Housing.

The VA offers a number of life insurance options for members of the military, Veterans, and family members. For some programs, you may be able to qualify even if you already have a medical condition that would normally make you ineligible for life insurance.

For more information about life insurance: TriageCancer.org/cancer-finances-life-insurance.

The Veterans Pension program provides monthly cash payments to Veterans who served during wartime, meet certain age or disability requirements, and who have certain income and asset levels. Find out if you’re eligible for this benefit.

The VA Aid and Attendance or Housebound benefits provide monthly payments in addition to the pension amount for qualified Veterans and survivors. If you need help with daily activities, or you’re housebound, find out if you qualify.

The VA also offers VA Survivors Pension cash benefits to qualified surviving spouses and unmarried dependent children of wartime Veterans who meet certain income and asset limits. Find out if you qualify and how to apply.

The VA’s Veterans Transportation Program (VTP) offers Veterans these programs for free or no cost, to help with getting to and from their VA health care facilities:

• Veterans Transportation Service (VTS)
• Beneficiary Travel (BT)
• Highly Rural Transportation Grants (HRTG)

The VA also has a pilot VHA-Uber Health Connect Initiative to help Veterans get to their medical appointments.

The VA partners with other organizations to provide resources to Veterans and their families. To learn about these benefits, sign up for the monthly newsletter. Benefits have included discounts on Amazon Prime membership and Amtrak, free yoga, help to quit smoking, free flu shots, service dogs, free toolboxes, and much more.

There are many other organizations that provide financial assistance and other support programs for military members, Veterans, and families. Here are a few examples:

• Operation First Response offers a Family Assistance Program for military and Veteran families, that provides financial help for basic needs such as groceries, clothing, mortgage, rent, utilities, and vehicle payments.
• Fisher House Foundation provides military and Veteran families free housing close to a loved one in the hospital. These homes are located at military and VA medical centers around the world. They also provide assistance with airline tickets and scholarships for military children and spouses.
• Semper Fi & America's Fund provides a number of programs to support military members, Veterans, and families.
• Disabled American Veterans provides free transportation to and from VA medical facilities for injured or ill Veterans. Use the DAV Hospital Service Coordinator Directory to find out if there is a van near you.

For more financial assistance resources: TriageCancer.org/Cancer-Finances-Financial-Assistance.

• Veterans can get free help to file for VA health care and disability benefits from a VA-recognized Veterans Services Organization (VSO)
• National Veterans Legal Services Program
• American Bar Association Military & Veterans Legal Center
• ABA Military Pro Bono Project
• Stateside Legal

• Veterans Canteen Service (VCS) offers Veterans enrolled in VA Health Care, their families, and VA employees exclusive online shopping benefits.
• The National Resource Directory is a database of validated resources that support recovery, rehabilitation, and reintegration for service members, veterans, family members, and caregivers.
• Consumer Finance Protection Bureau’s Office of Servicemember Affairs (OSA) works to help military families overcome unique financial challenges by providing educational resources, monitoring complaints, and working with other agencies to solve problems faced by servicemembers.
• The VA provides free cookbooks and recipes for Veterans to better understand their nutrition.
• Dreams for Veterans fulfills final Dreams for terminally-ill U.S. military veterans, active service members, and members of the Reserve and National Guard.
• Coping with Cancer as a Veteran
• GO2 for Lung Cancer provides information about Veterans and lung cancer.
• The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society offers a Veteran Dental Assistance Program to help any Veteran diagnosed with blood cancer, regardless of dental benefit class through the VA. The Program covers the cost of dental services required to begin lifesaving therapy or as a consequence of therapy for blood cancer.
• Veterans Prostate Cancer Awareness (VPCa) is dedicated to saving lives by promoting awareness, early detection, and providing solutions among Veterans, active-duty military, and all men.
• Veterans can get help after a natural disaster, through the VA and other resources on this page.
• Navigating the VA Healthcare System: Tips and Resources
• Patient Empowerment: A Guide for Veterans’ Health
• Drive on with Scott DeLuzio: How to Get the VA Benefits You Deserve