Changes to the Priority Group 8 Enrollment Restriction
In order to ensure the availability of quality and timely health care to veterans with service connected conditions, special authority based on military service, low income, and those with special health care needs, in January 2003 VA made the difficult decision to stop enrolling new Priority Group 8 (high income) veterans whose income exceeded VA Income Thresholds.
The new regulations went into effect on June 15, 2009 and enable the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to relax income restrictions on enrollment for health benefits. While this new provision does not remove consideration of income, it does increase income thresholds. You may be eligible for enrollment under this new provision.
Check here to see if you qualify for enrollment under new rules for VA health care:
If you have applied for enrollment on or after January 1, 2009 and you were denied enrollment because your income exceeded the VA income thresholds, you will be reconsidered and contacted by mail if you now qualify. You will receive a letter from the VA Health Eligibility Center notifying you of your eligibility for enrollment and welcoming you to the VA health care system. Included with the letter will be instructions for getting care and how to obtain a Veterans Identification Card.
If you applied for enrollment before January 1, 2009, and were denied enrollment because your income was too high, VA encourages you to take advantage of this enrollment calculator to assist you in determining if you are now eligible for enrollment under this new regulation based on your 2008 income. Whatever your enrollment determination, VA encourages all Veterans to apply for enrollment as this will help us in our future planning and budget efforts as well as allow us to be in a better position to identify necessary funding levels to Congress.
To determine if you may be eligible under this new regulation, we have developed this enrollment calculator which will help you in determining if your income falls within the new 10% income thresholds guidelines. Once you have entered all required information below, this calculator will determine if you may be eligible for enrollment under the new rule.
The new regulations (defined in Public Law 110-329) provide VA additional funding to allow expanded enrollment opportunity for certain Priority 8 veterans who may have been previously denied enrollment in VA’s health care system because their income exceeded VA’s means tests thresholds.
Effective June 15, 2009, a veteran who applies for enrollment, who does not qualify for a higher Priority Group and whose income exceeds VA’s means test thresholds by 10% or less will be placed in a Priority Group that allows the veteran to be enrolled in VA’s health care system.
Other References:
Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents
VA National Income Thresholds |
VA National Geographic Income Thresholds
Viewers, Plug-Ins, & Readers |
VA Health Care Eligibility & Enrollment Site Map
For questions about Health Care Eligibility, please visit the VA inquiry website.
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