Some could get $100K in retroactive benefits

[unhappycamper]

Some could get $100K in retroactive benefits
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Jul 28, 2008 6:20:57 EDT

More than 1,600 severely disabled veterans could receive retroactive traumatic injury insurance payments as a result of a newly released review of how benefits have been paid under the 3½-year-old supplemental benefits program.

The payments, which range from $25,000 to $100,000, could be paid as early as this fall as a result of discussions between the Department of Veterans Affairs, which runs the program, and doctors who are treating severely wounded combat veterans. The average retroactive payment would be $32,000, according to the review, dated July.

About 4,400 people have received traumatic injury insurance payments since the program was created in 2005. The estimated 1,640 people who would receive retroactive benefits as a result of the review include some who did not previously qualify and some who received payments but now would get more, according to VA officials.

Officials said the report offers 11 recommendations to expand definitions of traumatic injury for insurance purposes, and all are expected to be included in a revised regulation likely to be issued by VA this fall.

No payments can be made until final regulations are issued, but the new definitions would apply to new injuries and also retroactively to injuries since Oct. 7, 2001.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/07/army_traumatic_072708w/