VAC Client Card - 'A' client vs 'A&B' client

[evanr67]

I can shed some light on this topic.  I am a 13 year medically released Veteran who ended up working for VAC as a CR4 post release.  The A clients are those who have received a pension for an injury sustained in Canada.  Example; a soldier is out in the field and falls off a vehicle injuring his back.  He applies for a pension and it's granted, when he releases, be it an expiration of contract, retirement or medical, he will get a VAC card with A's under the benefits to which he is entitled.  Those benefits will ONLY be for those related to his pensioned disability. There are 14 categories on the VAC card and he will have an 'A' under each number to which benefits he is entitled to coverage for.  His file will indicate REG FORCE pension.  This does NOT mean he is a Reg Force member, it simply means the pensioned condition was incurred in a non SDA. (Special Duty Area)

The B client is the tricky, and often cloudy one, but it is the Cadillac of benefits.  You will NEVER see a card with a few sporadic B's on it.  B's run the full 14 slots on the VAC card because the B client is entitled to VAC coverage on ALL benefits, regardless of his pensioned condition.  The client MUST have at least ONE pensioned condition from an overseas injury.  Example; A mechanic in Afghanistan is lifting a LAV wheel and ends up slipping a disc in his back.  He applies for a pension and it is awarded.  His file will denote that it is an SDA pension. Now, this does not mean when he releases, he will automatically get B client status.  He will initially receive A client status for his pensioned condition.  He then must apply for the VIP program and be granted benefits of the VIP program.  If his application for the VIP program is because he needs help doing household chores and groundskeeping work at his home (shovelling/lawnmowing) because his back condition prevents him from doing these tasks, THEN, he will become a B client.  VIP approval based off the SDA pensioned condition is what flips the A status to B status.  This is the ONLY way a Veteran becomes a B client.

Now, as a B client, he is entitled to absolute coverage through VAC, even if it's not related to his pensioned condition.  For example, our slipped disc mechanic ends up requiring hearing aids when he's 72 due to natural hearing loss, he can go to VAC to pay the $4,000.00 bill for 2 hearing aids, DESPITE the fact that he doesn't have a hearing loss pension because he's  a B client.  Any and all travel that he needs to take for any reason, he can submit health related travel claims to get reimbursed his gas mileage and meals (if he went over a designated meal time).  The benefits available to the B client are long and extensive and I would end up writing a novel here.  The short story is, the B coverage is the best VAC has to offer and there are specific requirements to kick that B coverage in.

A final note, an A client can still apply for the VIP program and get approval, it just won't kick in B coverage when he gets it.  Our first example soldier who tweaked his back in the training area may not be able to do household chores and groundskeeping due to his injury, so he may still apply for, and get approved VIP benefits for housekeeping/groundskeeping.  I hope this clears some of the muck for some people here.

Regards

Thank You that explanation helped alot

 

[Towards_the_gap]

Long story short.... 2 classes of vets?

One VIP & A&B, one only A? Based solely upon an arbitrary decision as to what you are capable of doing at home and who you live with?

I don't get it.

 

[Occam]

One more for you, reccecrewman:

How about a member with a chronic disability that developed/worsened over a career, as opposed a single injury?  Some of the period of service includes service in SDA areas.  However, the member only has A's under benefits related to the condition.  Should/could the member be eligible for B coverage?

 

[reccecrewman]

Occan,
If the member had a condition, such as worn out knees over the course of a career with no specific injury, if a pension is approved, it will be considered a Reg Force pension and therefore, if VIP benefits are awarded, he will be an A client.  Even if he has 1 or 5 tours, the pension will be considered Reg Force and therefore, ineligible for B coverage.  The exception here would be if the member injured their knee overseas doing their job or PT, then, there would be a valid claim to have the pension considered an SDA pension, and then, B coverage could be gained by being awarded VIP benefits tied to the SDA pension.

I'll give a personal story here;  When I was medically released, I applied for VIP benefits for housekeeping/groundskeeping as I have a litany of injuries that prevent me from performing these tasks.  When I got my approval letter from VAC, I noticed the Case Manager who sent my application for VIP tied my application to my Reg Force knee pension.  I was floored. Why she opted to tie my VIP application to a Reg Force knee pension was beyond me.  I appealed the decision as I also have 2 SDA pensions for my hip and neck that the Case Manager could have tied my VIP application to.  I ended up winning my appeal and my coverage was flipped to B's by having my need for VIP benefits tied to my SDA pensions. 

The two most important pieces of the puzzle for a pension to be approved are;
1) Condition can be tied to Military service
2) There is a clear, written diagnosis

At various points over the course of a career, even without CF98's for specific injuries, chronic disabilities such as worn knees will inevitably lead to a few trips to  the UMS for treatment. (Need for a chit if knee is inflamed or swollen, pain meds etc.)  The VAC adjudicator will look through the med docs and see the member presented to the UMS at various times for their knee(s) despite no specific injury.  This will negate the need for a CF98 if a diagnosis such as arthritis is given by a doctor for worn knees.  Since there is written proof in your med docs that you did show up at the UMS at various points throughout your career, you have a clear link to your arthritis being tied to service.

Now, here's a laughable twist to all I just said.  Suppose you never injured your knee, it was just wear and tear from the demands of your job, BUT, while you WERE in an overseas theatre, your knee got aggravated and happened to swell up on you.  You head over to HSS for some ibuprofen for your knee, but while there, an astute medic or other medical personnel decides to have an x-ray done on you.  The x-ray comes back showing degenerative arthritis in your knee.  The MO gives a diagnosis of arthritis on your knee.  Now when you apply for your pension, it will be automatically considered an SDA pension because your diagnosis was given IN THEATRE, and therefore, regardless of the fact that it was simply job demands wear and tear, when you apply for VIP benefits on the grounds your arthritic knee prevents you from performing home tasks, you will become a B client if your VIP benefits are approved!

Hope this helps some, but I know how confusing it can be with all the rules and regulations governing VAC programs and benefits.  Yes, it's a two tiered system and it blows goats, but it is what it is. I'm blessed I got the opportunity to get hired by VAC post release to be able too see all the inner workings of the system.

 

[CEPTech]

Hi read in one of the Veteran's group Facebook page that if a veteran is assessed at 98% and over for his disabilities, he ought to have B's on his VAC/BlueCross benefit card.  Can someone clarify this please ?

 

[PuckChaser]

Hi read in one of the Veteran's group Facebook page that if a veteran is assessed at 98% and over for his disabilities, he ought to have B's on his VAC/BlueCross benefit card.  Can someone clarify this please ?

That's a question for VAC directly, or the veteran's group Facebook page poster to provide you a reference other than just some barracks-room lawyer advice.