[Lea N]

Originally Posted by ROCKETMAN

I served in Vietnam July 70 -July 71. Had desk job on flight line taking orders for airplane parts. Fast foreward to 2003 had prostrate cancer and had it removed with some side effects. Moved to the villages 2005 and got in the VA health system which was a small space in Laurel Manor. Started working at Publix and in 2009 a co-worker mentioned a fellow employee had passed and found out he was a Vietnam vet who died of Prostrate cancer and was getting a service connected amount every month because agent orange could be the cause of the cancer. Checked with the va and they sent me to Gainesville for tests. End result was rated 0% but given $100.00 a month for losing a reproductive organ, but even though I was at 0% was given free glasses and hearing aids for life. This past October got a call and case worker looked at my medical records and was surprised I was rated 0%. Program called Pact Act expanded areas of coverage and also found out they recently added hyper tension (high blood pressure), and hyper thyroid ism to agent orange. Bottom line went to 3 exams and now rated at 30% which between the reproductive organ and 30% comes out to $715 a month non taxable. If you have any questions call your local veterans service officer which for me was Robert if you live in Sumter county. Any questions let me know.

Thank you for your service.

My husband is a disabled vet, disability not service related. There is a VA program called the Directed Care Program (DCP) that he qualifies for. The program is based on the veterans level of care needed. My husband requires a high level of care with all day to day activities (dressing, feeding, bathing, etc.) He doesn't get paid through the VA. Instead the VA considers this a health benefit to the veteran. The VA sends the money to a second party (area agency on aging.) They in turn have an outside source pay an individual that the veteran chooses to care for the veteran. The caregiver can NOT be from a health care agency. It must be a family member, friend or neighbor. I believe there is a waiting list, or there was at one time but they keep expanding the program.

[nancyre]

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