We all have them.
No, not vaccinations.
VA disabilities.
Each service-member completes an exit physical examination, then receives a DD214 “Certificate of Release or Discharge From Active Duty” and is admonished never to lose said DD214 on pain of death.
Finally, a report is issued declaring VA disabilities and whether any were Service-Connected.
Additionally, those VA disabilities that were Service-Connected receive a percentage score, which could also include a 0% that the Foreign Medical Program (FMP) has declared as valid.
The difference between a VA disability, which is simply a disability the VA recognizes exists with the veteran, and a Service-Connected Disability is the difference between getting reimbursed by the FMP and NOT getting any money at all.
The myth is that an international FMP U.S. veteran receives full FMP coverage for all services simply because the level of Service-Connected Disability has reached 100%.
This is WRONG!
Hospital Nacional, the central hospital serves as a clearinghouse for providers of FMP insurance in the Republic of Panama; the attached document adds further clarification on this matter as it is often confused… even by seasoned international, FMP U.S. Veterans:
Service-Connected Disabilities versus VA disabilities
In short, if you just have a VA disability, then it is NOT reimbursed by the FMP.
If you have a Service-Connected Disability, then it IS reimbursed by the FMP.
Forget the percentage of disability, especially if it is 100%, as that has NO bearing on reimbursement.
- What matters to the FMP is that the diagnosis on the request for reimbursement invoice is “related to or exacerbated by” the Service-Connected Disability.
