Back in March, we discussed how the Department of Veterans Affairs was denying disabled veterans the benefits they need in order to pursue in-vitro fertilization. For those who have served our country by putting their lives on the line, this is no small matter. The cost for fertility treatment and in-vitro fertilization can be staggering, putting our wounded vets in the precarious position of choosing between a family and significant debt.
Fortunately, the concerns did not go unheard. Just recently, the U.S. Senate passed a bill that would allow the VA to fund in-vitro fertilization for wounded and disabled vets. The effort was led by Senator Patty Murray from Washington, who has been trying to get similar legislation passed since 2012. This is good news for veterans in St. Louis and elsewhere who are unable to start families because of injuries suffered while serving our country.
Military service members are entitled to certain benefits, as we have discussed on our blog. However, the sad reality is that recovering these benefits is not always as easy as it should be. In an effort to stay within budget constraints and to prevent exploitation of the system, the Social Security Administration and VA impose strict requirements on those seeking benefits.
Certain medical proof must be provided, and sometimes even that may not be enough. Those seeking benefits, whether through Social Security disability or the VA, need to be as fully prepared as possible and they need perseverance.
To learn more about what can be done to increase their chances of recovering much needed benefits, veterans can discuss their situation with a qualified legal professional. With the knowledge of the system and what needs to be done to utilize it successfully, a strong legal arguments could be made to further a vet’s cause.
Source: KREM, “Senate passes bill to help disabled veterans have kids,” Taylor Viydo, May 19, 2016
