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Veteran Student Medical Assistance Program

Veteran Student Medical Assistance Project and Policy  

Aims:  To provide medical assistance grants for eligible Veterans transitioning to PA school or eligible veteran dependents in the amount of $500.00 to be used to assist in defined and approved uncovered medical expenses while attending PA school.   Grant will be awarded through an application and selection process on a biannual basis an eligible veteran and or veteran dependent.

Reasoning:  Veteran health maintenance is unique and may involve serious concerns which often vary from private civilian sector care.  Further, Veteran health issues often go unrecognized by civilian medical systems ill equipped to recognize the unique and serious health issues that impact Veterans.  Combine this with the stress of transitioning into the civilian education system with the intensity of Physician Assistant program curricula and many Veterans may ignore health issues and become overwhelmed in finding help for themselves or their loved ones.  Veterans are also faced with negotiating many layers of health care coverage which can be confusing and difficult to access.  Some of this coverage may include VA care; TRICARE or private sector coverage to include College based insurers.  Limitations in coverage exist in all forms of insurance and can lead to co-pays; high deductibles and limited coverage for Veterans and dependents.  Costs of PA school combined with uncovered medical bills in the setting of unique veteran health issues and educational stressors may be devastating to Veteran PA students and their families.  Poorly covered or uncovered medical expenses in this setting may prevent the Veteran or veteran dependent in seeking medical attention for serious service related health issues. 

Mission:

Ø  To provide monetary assistance in the form of a grant to eligible Veterans (active or separated) or their dependents to defray uncovered medical expenses while attending an accredited U.S. Physician Assistant Program. 

 

Vision:

Ø  Supporting the health and wellbeing of transitioning Veterans or their dependents while attending PA school by assisting in eligible uncovered or unforeseen medical expenses incurred.  This effort will lead to improvements in health care affordability which in turn will lead to increased health care access for Veteran PA students and their loved ones.   These measures will help the Veteran continue health care management/ maintenance by elevating some of the financial burden of uncovered costs. 

 

 

Values:

Ø  Health and wellbeing of Veteran Physician Assistant Students and their dependents.

Ø  Promote management and health care maintenance of the Veteran PA student and their family.

Ø  Veteran PA students contribution to the PA Profession

Ø  Veteran PA student contribution to other veteran PA’s

Ø  Aiding Veteran transition into Civilian education system by alleviating some financial worries about health care affordability

Ø  Helping Veteran PA students and their families continue in training without monetary worries from uncovered health expenses.

 

Proposition:

Ø  The Veterans Caucus of the American Academy of Physician Assistants values the health and wellbeing of transitioning Veterans into PA schools and strives to help in their health care maintenance during this time.  In such, the Veterans Caucus, in efforts to alleviate unforeseen hardships created by uncovered eligible medical expenses incurred by the Veteran Physician Assistant Student and/or eligible dependents, will offer two monetary grants per year in the amount of up to $500.00 each.  Grants will be awarded to defray uncovered medical /dental/vision expenses with appropriate documentation of need.  Each Grant will be for a selected eligible Veteran PA student attending an accredited Physician Assistant School in the U.S. each year or eligible veteran dependent.  Grants will be awarded to the successful Veteran PA student by application process electronically.  Eligibility criteria will be followed for each applicant with inclusion and exclusion criteria which will be at the discretion of the Board of Directors.  Selection of the winning candidate will be determined by the Caucus Board of Directors and the Veterans Health Committee with oversight by the Caucus President.   Timing of grant selection and awards will be twice yearly and roughly coincide with bi-yearly Caucus business meetings. All Grant decisions made by the Veterans Caucus board of Directors will be final and non- negotiable by applicants.    

 

Administration of Yearly Grants:

  •  Veterans Health Committee Chair and members
  •  Caucus Board of Directors
  •  Oversight by Veterans Caucus President

Grant Funding:

  • Funds to be distributed from yearly budget of the Veterans Health Committee.
  • Veteran Health Committee budget will be $1000.00 per year and supply funds for two $500.00 grant awards per year. 
  • Grant amount; number and frequency can change at the discretion of the Caucus Board of Directors vote only and not made at the committee level.

Eligibility Criteria:

  • Criteria will be approved by and at the discretion the Board of Directors and Caucus President
  • Honorably discharged or retired veterans including their dependents
  • Current U.S. military members of the uniformed service including national guard and reserve components including their dependents
  • Physician Assistant Student attending an accredited U.S. Physician Assistant Program.
  • PA program must be an accredited program by the Accreditation and Review Commission for Physician Assistant Education (ARC-PA)
  • Must have approved applicant letter of need including insurance information with documentation of uncovered medical/ dental expenses/ copays or deductibles.
  • Must have approved recommendation from Program Director or Dean of Students.
  • No discrimination by age, military rank or branch, length of service, gender, race or PA program attending will be made.
  • Application received within grant period

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Criteria will be approved by and at the discretion the Board of Directors and Caucus President
  • All costs involving cosmetic medical or dental work with the exception of reconstructive surgery for other than cosmetics. 
  • Costs for refractive eye surgery except for corneal disease; cataracts or visual surgery for sight disability.
  • Non Veteran status including dishonorably discharge status
  • Students not in good standing in their program – determination by Program director or Dean of Students
  • Expenses that are covered by their insurance or by their school
  • Previously awarded a veteran caucus within the same year

Application Process

  • Year round with two separate consideration periods.
  • Complete online application available at www.veteranscaucus.org.  Upon application completion and submission a confirmation of receipt will be sent to each applicant.  Following this, only those selected will be notified of the award.  Applicants not selected for Grant awards will not be notified of unsuccessful application. 
  • There will be two grant periods per year. At the end of each period, one (1) grant will be awarded to one (1) successful applicant
  • Each Grant will be in the amount of up to $500.00, but can be less depending on need
  • First Grant period is from June 1st to November 1th with the grant being awarded by November 30th
  • Second Grant period is from December 1st to April  30st with the grant being awarded by Memorial Day
  • Applications reviewed in order in which they are received
  • Applications received past the designated grant period will be considered for the next grant period
  • Application must be complete and include a copy of students DD214
  • Completed applications are the property of the Veterans Caucus.  Due to confidentiality, review of applications will be by members of the Veterans health committee and the Board of Directors only. 
  • Applications that are not considered for grant award will be destroyed following document destruction policies.
  • Applications of grant awardees will be retained for one year following award and then destroyed following document destruction policies.
  • Electronic application process via e-mail to Veterans Caucus Veterans Health committee Chairperson within above application periods.   

 

Selection Process:

  • By completed application to the Veterans Caucus to include but not inclusive of the following:
  1. Personal statement of need which does not contain protected medical information ie diagnosis, prognosis or treatment plans
  2. Statement of insurance payment gaps ie uncovered deductibles, co-payments, no coverage etc.
  3. Program Director or Dean of Students review statement
  4. Statement or bill of uncovered medical expenses. 
  5. Name,  address, phone number, program/ school information
  • Other objective criteria approved by the Veterans health committee and the board of directors. 
  • Meets all inclusion criteria and no exclusion criteria
  • Grading criteria not to be released to general public to avoid compromise of integrity policy.
  • All decisions made by the Veterans health committee and board of directors are final and not negotiable outside of the Board of Directors.