Financial relief available to local veterans due to COVID-19

Posted on April 2, 2021

Local veterans could see some financial relief associated with the COVID pandemic, as the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced this week that it will be cancelling all medical care and prescription charges incurred from April 6, 2020, through Sept. 30, 2021.

The VA will also suspend collection of all veteran benefit overpayments that occurred during the same time frame.

Also, any payments a veteran may have made during that time period will be refunded, Taylor County Veterans Service Officer Denny Knight said. With regards to benefit overpayments (for example, if a spouse did not report the death of their wife or husband correctly), veterans will receive a letter from the VA Debt Management Center (DMC) showing current debt amount, as well as available options. Subsequent letters will be sent showing updates to veterans’ accounts.

VA will resume mailing patient statements for medical care and prescriptions received prior to April 6, 2020, once all charges for medical care and prescriptions on and/or after April 6, 2020 are canceled. However, no payments are required until at least October 2021. For benefit overpayments, no action is required through Sept. 30, 2021.

For more information, contact Knight at (850) 838-3513.