| Veterans' Benefits What You Should Know!
By David Lord - May 2005
Many U.S. Veterans, dependants, and survivors are not aware that they are entitled to all U.S. Government Veterans Benefits while living abroad in Mexico / Latin America.
The main benefits stem as a result of Military Service, giving their spouses as well as the Veteran, guaranteed minimal income and medical benefits in Mexico and Latin America, thus referred to as Pension - which is not dependant on injury sustained while in service. The Pension Program attends to all U.S. Veterans or their widows who meet minimum income standards. In the case of single Veterans with annual income below $10,162 USD per year from all U.S. sources, their medical expenses are deducted from the overall source of income. A single veteran with U.S. retirement income of $13,000 per year, but having medical expenses that year of more than $2,838 dollars, is entitled to benefits for pension purposes.
If married, the pension covers Veteran and Spouse and dependant children under the age of 18, and allows for all medical expenses to be deducted, dollar for dollar, for the entire family, that results in their total income being less than ($13,309 to 20,099), depending on their current medical condition. These 3 categories of medical condition are labeled (by need of assistance) a. non assisted, b. housebound, or c. aid and attendance (needing nursing care to eat, dress, etc.)
To qualify, a veteran must have served a minimum of 90 days in the active duty status, and be age 65 or over, and one of those days of service must have been during a period of war. The Veteran did not have to be in a war, only serve during a war period.
Even more interesting is the widows' benefits of a U.S. Veteran who may have passed away years ago, from a cause unrelated to his military service, like a heart attack 30 years after his military service. The Veterans dependant (surviving spouse) has a death pension benefit, which, if she has little or no yearly income (under $6,814 USD per year, up to 10,893 USD), and depending on the medical conditions mentioned above, she may have to live with family members to survive (this would be rated as housebound), or be in such condition as to warrant nursing home care if she had no family to care for her, the U.S. Government will make a monthly payment to her to bring her income up to the appropriate level due to physical condition, and, in addition, cover medical expenses in a like amount, dollar for dollar, up to the amount of pension.
I find many Mexican widows of U.S. Veterans (regardless of Nationality or Citizenship) are totally unaware of this minimum income and medical care payable to them in Mexico. You see, unlike the American Social Security benefits that are paid to surviving dependants of AMERICANS in Mexico, the survivors of a U.S. Veteran have more rights. They can receive their medical cost and treatment by Mexican doctors right here, in Mexico and Central America, and those fees are reimbursed, dollar for dollar, up to the total amount of the pension. There is no need to spend 30 calendar days per year in the U.S.A. as required by Social Security Law.
The second type of benefit payable is COMPENSATION for those injuries suffered, or as a result of something that happened while in the Military, for example, a car accident while in the military, a hostile action in war, an accident while performing duty, these are paid to the veteran, and sometimes their survivor if the disabilities are rated greater than 30% to the Veteran, when the death of the Veteran was due to, or complications from the service-connected disability, even if the death of the veteran was many years after his Military service. The benefit is known as D.I.C., and is not dependant on the amount of income the survivor has. In fact, the widow may have divorced and then remarried a non-veteran. If that remarriage ends, the widow may go back and claim benefits that are due to her, even after her divorce from the Veteran. The veteran, if remarried, gives these benefits to the new wife. However, now under new law, the widow may even be re-married after age 57, and claim benefits from her fomer un-remarried Veteran spouse! If the Veteran is rated 100% disabled, then the benefit amounts to more than $1,100. USD per month, if married to the veteran for more than 10 years immediately preceding his death.
The third type of benefit is for those that are retired with more than 20 years of military service. You are covered, not only for your monthly retirement check, but also medical coverage up to 80% of the medical bill, or related expenses as well as medications, as long as they are approved on the U.S.D.A. drug list.
I can be contacted by e-mail at mophmx@yahoo.com or from the U.S. at 1-866-834-8531 toll free. In Mexico, when dialing from the U.S., my phone is 01 322 299-5367, leave a message. I prefer e-mail for case questions and non-emergency events/questions.
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