How Do I Pay My VA Bill?
VA charges for medical care and prescriptions are based on Congress-established guidelines. Service-connected veterans who meet a low-income threshold are exempt from copayments for inpatient care and long-term care services.
A VA debt is created when the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) determines that it paid a veteran more than their designated disability benefit or other VA benefit amount. If the veteran doesn’t return the money, it will be “recouped” by withholding current and future disability payments. The first step in avoiding the recoupment process is to request a waiver of the debt within 30 days after receiving notice from the VA. The VA will consider your request based on several factors, including whether the VA was at fault in creating the debt or if you could demonstrate that the creation of the debt would unfairly disadvantage you.
Specifically, the VA will look at whether it would be against equity and good conscience to collect on the debt because doing so could prevent you from providing for your basic needs. For instance, if you were given benefits to help you meet your food and clothing needs, the VA will look at whether it would create an undue hardship by withholding your benefits. In some cases, the VA will waive part or all of a debt. Fill out a Financial Status Report – VA Form 5655 to request a waiver. Specify “Request for Waiver” in Block 3. You can also write a letter to the VA explaining your situation.
You can check your VA debt balance online with the help of a new tool developed by the Department of Veterans Affairs. This new, simple, and user-friendly site allows Veterans to manage their debt in one convenient place.
VA Overpayments
The most common way a Veteran accrues debt with the VA is through overpayments. These are the result of VA determining that a veteran received more than they were entitled to in benefits. Most often, this happens when a veteran’s income changes and they fail to report this change to the VA.
After an overpayment is discovered, the VA will send a letter letting the veteran know they have a debt. This letter will also let them know that they plan to withhold a portion of their monthly benefit payments until the debt is paid off. VFW has found that many of these letters are not sent through certified mail and don’t allow the veteran to request alternative forms of payment or relief.
Veterans who feel they cannot repay their debt can apply for a waiver. If approved, the VA will forgive (or waive) all or part of the debt, and the veteran will not need to pay it back. The application process for a waiver is not as simple or user-friendly as it needs to be.
