Improving Daily Life
By Coates, Gary; PN: Paraplegia News, Vol. 62, No. 4, pp. 35-36Publication Date: April 2008
Article outlines key steps to be taken for U.S. armed-forces veterans to receive prosthetic equipment and sensory aids services through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Healthcare System. VA programs for which a veteran’s service connection has a role in eligibility outlined include: (1) Automobile Adaptive Equipment (AAE), a program providing equipment and training necessary for certain service-connected patients who have been awarded an Automobile Grant and completed driver training to enter, exit, and operate a vehicle; (2) the Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) grant program awarding financial assistance to veterans for home modifications such as ramps, railings, lowered countertops, widening doorways, and accessible bathrooms; (3) an annual Clothing Allowance to replace clothing worn or damaged by prosthetic devices, wheelchairs, or topical ointments to treat service-connected skin conditions; and (4) provision of hearing aids and eyeglasses. Also discussed is veterans’ eligibility for VA-funded specialty medical equipment such as prosthetic limbs, wheelchairs, crutches, and canes, for which written prescriptions are required by the VA. Steps to follow when seeking prosthetic medical equipment are outlined, and a resource list of contacts for resolving problems and getting equipment repairs is appended.
Published by: PVA Publications (Website:http://www.pvamagazines.com)
Paralyzed Veterans of America (Web Site: http://www.pva.org )
