# VAC - Attendance Allowance



## bigcletus (10 Sep 2014)

Just a quick inquiry:   has anyone with PTSD/OSI been granted Attendance Allowance ??  

Thanks


----------



## prairefire (10 Sep 2014)

I have a pension under the act for a back injury at 20%. I have a disability award under the NVA for hearing loss and PTSD/OSI. One of the benefits under the Pension Act which does not apply to those under the NVA is Treatment Allowance. Since 1991 I have twice had to go in for extensive rehab and treatment so that I was able to walk without assistance and be able to gain useful employment. The first instance was for 3 months and I received at the end of each month the equivalent of a 100% disability pension less the 20% I was already receiving. Effectively I was 100% temporarily pensioned while in treatment. The second time was several years later and was for 2 months.

Treatment Allowance is not payable for my non-pensioned disability awarded conditions.

The link here explains in detail: http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/department/policy/document/1224

_General

Treatment allowances are payments made to eligible pensioners (Veteran pensioners, civilian pensioners, military service pensioners, members who are entitled to a pension under the Pension Act for a disability related to military service other than World War I or World War II, service in a theatre of operations as defined in the Veterans Benefit Act or special duty service, Red Cross pensioners, flying accident pensioners, and special duty service pensioners or members who are entitled to a pension under the Pension Act for a disability attributable to or incurred during special duty service) in respect of a period of acute care for a pensioned condition provided in a hospital or on an out-patient basis.

Treatment allowances may be paid to an eligible pensioner:
during periods of hospitalization or on an out-patient basis for acute care of a pensioned condition, when the care is prescribed by a treating physician and a consulting departmental medical officer has confirmed the care to be “acute care”; or
when the person undergoes a medical examination as requested by the Veterans Review and Appeal Board and is hospitalized in order to undergo the examination.

Treatment allowances are payable to eligible pensioners, however, treatment allowances are not payable to clients who are entitled to a Disability Award under the Canadian Forces Members and Veterans Re-establishment and Compensation Act (CFMVRA). 
_
This is one example of the benefits lost under the NVC. This is a short duration but easily accesible program that for me was of great benefit. Trying to go into full time treatment and rehab for a couple of months so that I could strengthen my core and gain or keep full time employment is critical to ones quality of life.


----------



## prairefire (11 Sep 2014)

The guidelines to receive the Attendance Allowance are set out here: 

http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/services/after-injury/disability-benefits/benefits-determined/table-of-disabilities/ch-05-2006

The requirements are quite restrictive and are as follows:

Entitlement
Definitions:
For the purposes of Attendance Allowance eligibility:

"awarded a pension or compensation" is defined as in receipt of a Disability Pension of 1% or more or Prisoner of War compensation.

"totally disabled by reason of military service or not" is defined as an applicant who meets the definition of "totally disabled" in accordance with Table 1 of this policy.

"in need of attendance" is defined as the need for assistance or supervision of another individual with feeding, bathing, dressing, toileting, mobility or medication administration, that is not already being met by benefits, services or care provided to the client by VAC pursuant to veterans' legislation or any other program, including but not limited to federal, provincial, municipal or community programs, whereby the benefits services or care is provided at no expense to the client.

I have a couple of colleagues who are rated as high as 70% for their PTSD/OSI but unless there are other physical disabilities none of them would qualify for attendance allowance.


----------



## stokerwes (13 Sep 2014)

I was asking VAC about this and was told it, attendance allowance, is being Incorporated into the permanent impairment allowance. Then I asked how much the PIA was going up since the attendance allowance would be a component of the PIA and was told it is not going up.

Seems to me that the attendance allowance will not be around much longer, unless you already receive it.


----------

