Congressman Cole: Concurrent Receipt Bridging the Gap

Washington, D.C. – Now more disabled veterans than ever before are receiving concurrent receipt because of the plan that was included in the Department of Defense Authorization Act of 2004 that passed in November. Hundreds of thousands of veterans will receive about $22 billion in additional payments over the next ten years for their service and sacrifice to our country.

"This legislation goes a long way in bridging the gap between the amount of coverage veterans receive and the amount they deserve. I am proud that we were able to make such tremendous progress on this century old issue," Congressman Cole said. Congressman Cole worked with a group of lawmakers this past year to pass this agreement through Congress.

Currently, the Defense Finance and Accounting Service is working closely with the Department of Veterans Affairs to implement the new benefits. Concurrent receipt is being automatically phased in and, in most cases, does not require an application.

On January 1, concurrent receipt became available for any military retiree who has at least 20 years of service, a Purple Heart and/or injuries sustained while performing military duty in a combat situation, or with military equipment or during military training. Also the new law authorizes concurrent receipt for retirees with at least 50% disability rating, regardless of the cause of disability.

"I will continue working to ensure that the government is meeting the needs of those who make tremendous sacrifices for this country," Congressman Cole said. "I intend to work with the Blue Ribbon Commission to address the shortcomings and gaps in this legislation." The Blue Ribbon Commission will be appointed by the White House and Congressional members to further study the current VA disability system and recommend future improvements to cover all disabled veterans.

It could take several months for the Defense Finance and Accounting Service to identify who is eligible for concurrent receipt and to fully implement the legislation. Eligible retirees will be paid retroactively to January 1, 2004. For more information, veterans can visit the Defense Finance and Accounting Website at Http://www.dfas.mil.

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