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COASTAL LIVING
February 3, 1999
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Hank Gotard
Veterans Services Officer |
Government Retiree Tax Refund Information |
A
recent landmark NC Supreme Court decision exempted all local, state, and federal retirees
(military included) who had five years of credible service prior to Aug. 12, 1989, from
paying state income tax on retirement pay. As a result of this court decision,
monies collected on retirement pay from 1989 to 1997 will be refunded with appropriate
amounts of interest.
This past week IRA Achwarz, the Director of
Administration for the Class Counsel, Bailey/Emory/Patton Settlement briefed over 600
retirees at the Crystal Coast Civic Center of the particulars on the Court's approved Plan
of Settlement Administration which provides for the distribution of over $790,000,000 to
government retirees.
At this presentation, Mr. Schwarz provided the
attendees with three informative handouts, a settlement Highlights, a Settlement Status
Report, and a Claimant Notice of Current Address Form. If you desire a copy of these
documents contact Carteret County Veterans Services at (252) 728-8440 or by e-mail at
ccvso@coastalnet.com.
If you have special tax refund questions, the
Class COunsel has set up a telephone information center which is available to assist class
members at 1-877-TAX-CASE (1-877-829-2273) Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00
p.m. A web site can be found at the mirror sites taxcase.wcsr.com, www.baileypatton.wcsr.com, and
baileypatton.wcsr.com, which provides additional information to class members.
The meaning of VA Health Care
Enrollment
On January 26th, the Carteret County Veterans
Council sponsored its fifth in-county VA Outreach Program where local veterans were
afforded an opportunity to enroll in the new VA Health Care program. To date, over
1,900 Vetrerans have enrolled at these outreach opportunities with an estimated 2,500
county veterans now in this new program.
To review the bidding and to clarify some of the
issues the following Key Points of Eligibility Reforms are offered:
 | A veteran may apply to enroll at any VA health
care facility at any time, in any year. There is no time limit regarding application
for enrollment.
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| Veterans must be enrolled to receive care from
a VA health care facility.
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| Enrollment is on an annual basis, and
enrollments are reviewed every year.
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| Renewal is automatic, unless the veteran
chooses not to enroll or if VA resources limit the number of veterans to whom VA can
provide care.
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| Enrollment levels are based on seven priority
groups established by Congress.
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| Comprehensive care includes all needed
opupatient and inpatient services.
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| Domiciliary care, nursing home, limited dental
care and community nursing home care are not part of the uniform benefits package, though
some enrolled veterans may be eligible for these programs under other VA authorities for
eligible for these programs under other VA authorities for care.
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| Medications are covered by the program.
Some veterans will be required to make a co-payment for medication, ($2.00 per 30-day
prescription).
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| Veterans are encouraged to retain any existing
health care coverage they may already have.
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| Veterans may choose their preferred facility
for receiving primary care, that is, anywhere in the country.
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| An enrolled veteran can receive a uniform level
of care anywhere in the VA system, over 1,100 facilities in all.
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National Salute to Hospitalized
Veterans
The VA has announced that the week of February 14th
has been designated as National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans, a special opportunity to
say thanks to a special group of men and women who are cared for every day in VA Medical
Centers. During the National Salute, the VA invites individuals, Veterans Groups,
civic organizations, and schools to participate. The activities and events include
letter writing, special ward visits, valentine distributions, school essay contests, and
veteran recognition programs.
For further information on this program, call the VA
Medical Center at Durham and ask for Ms. Alice Jower, Voluntary Services at (919) 286-0411
ext. #7810.
VA Insurance Hoax
For well over 40 years, the Department of Veterans
Affairs has been attempting to eliminate a rumor that periodically surfaces which
states that the VA is now paying a dividend of several hundred dollars based solely on the
number of months a vereran's insurance was in force while he/she was on actrive duty,
whether the insurance is now in force. While plenty of us wish it were, the
information concerning a special dividend is simply not true.
The VA Insurance Center had received thousands of
requests from veterans ofr dividends on insurance that was in force while the veteran was
on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces. The bottom line is that Congress passed no
such legislation nor is any such bill pending.
If you have questions concerning government life
insurance, please call the Government Life Insurance Center at 1-800-669-8477 or call
Veterans Services at (252) 728-8440.
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