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Oklahoma veterans benefits

Oklahoma State Veteran's Benefits

At a very successful meeting of the Dept. OK (state) Purple Heart Executives (in November at the the Claremore Veterans Center), the Veterans Center Administrator Cindy Adams announced that a bill was recently passed in OK that would eliminate all co-pays for long term care at all of the OK state veterans centers, if you are rated between 70-100% disabled.

This is great news-I think it previously was 50% of your monthly income for ALL (no matter what that income was).

Don't know much more than this right now-including when it takes effect, etc.

Yet another reason for a veteran to move here or stay here...:-)

Bruce Dwyer

Now's the time this year to yell at your Senators and Congressmen (2010) about supporting last year's SB489!

On 20May09, Rep. Coody got the House Conferees signed off on the bill. So now the Senate and the House have both signed off saying that could not concur on the bill. What this does is allow Senator Barrington to "capture" the bill for next session (2010). The good thing about this action is that it means the bill will only need a conference committee next session to agree on the bill and sign it. Please call Rep Coody at 557-7398 and Sen. Barrington at 521-5563 and thank them for working so hard to save our bill. They both put in alot of work and called in some favors to keep this alive for next session.

OK SB 489 was recently introduced into the 2009 legislative session by Sen. Don Barrington (R-Lawton) and Sen. Randy Bass (D-Lawton)-It would extend the state's sales tax exemption to the surviving spouse of a 100 % disabled veteran, if the surviving spouse does not remarry; not to exceed $15,000 per person per year.Lower than the $25,000 figure for the living OK veteran-to make it easier to pass-because of the costs involved. This is something all OK veterans should get behind...

Beginning Jan. 1, 2009, the State of Oklahoma exempts disabled war veterans or their surviving spouses from personal property taxes.

To qualify, a veteran has to be head of the household and have an honorable discharge with a permanent disability contracted while on active duty. For more information, contact your local tax assessor's office in Oklahoma or contact the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs at 405-521-3684 405-521-3684.

The state of Oklahoma provides several veteran benefits.

This section offers a brief description of each of the following benefits.

· Housing Benefits

· Financial Assistance Benefits

· Employment Benefits

· Other State Veteran Benefits

Oklahoma Veteran Housing Programs

State Veterans Center
The following are state nursing homes located in Oklahoma:

· Ardmore--175 nursing care beds

· Claremore--302 nursing care beds

· Clinton--148 nursing care beds--8 domiciliary beds

· Lawton--200 nursing care beds

· Norman--301 nursing care beds

· Sulphur--132 nursing care beds

· Talihina--175 nursing care beds

Oklahoma Veterans Centers:

http://www.ok.gov/ODVA/Veterans_Centers/index.html

To be eligible for admission to any of the Centers, the Oklahoma veteran must have served in the active Armed Forces of the United States during wartime and discharged under conditions other than dishonorable.
1. Wartime dates are:

WWI from 4/6/17 to 11/11/18
WWII from 12/7/41 to 12/31/46
Korean Conflict from 6/27/50 to 1/31/55
Vietnam Era from 8/5/64 to 5/7/75 (2/28/61 for Veterans who served "in country" before 8/5/64)
Persian Gulf War from 08/02/90 through future date to be set by law or presidential proclamation.

2. Veterans must have served at least ninety (90) days, except where discharged due to or as a result of a service connected disability, with one or more days being during a wartime period as prescribed in Item (1) above. (Oklahoma Statutes, Title 72.)

3. A veteran must be disabled by age, disease or other reason as determined through physical examination by an Oklahoma Veterans Center physician to be eligible for admission. For domiciliary, the veteran must be ambulant, be able to dress, and perform necessary bathroom needs. For nursing care, the veteran must be disabled or diseased to a degree that requires intermediate or skilled type nursing care.

Oklahoma is among the top two states in the number of Veterans Centers providing intermediate to skilled nursing care and domiciliary care for its wartime veterans. All centers undergo annual inspections by the U.S. Veterans Administration and follow the guidelines established by other health and safety agencies. Professional personnel provide diversified health services for every facet of complete health care in the Veterans Centers. These health services include but are not limited to laboratory, x-ray, pharmaceutical, dietary, social, and recreational. Thus, a well-rounded state veterans program is created to administer care not otherwise available to over 1,400 Oklahoma war veterans. The Veterans Centers operate much like private communities, situated on spacious, landscaped acreage. In addition to the above, they include administrative offices, recreational halls, auditoriums, cafeterias, laundries, power plants, and maintenance shops. In recent years, the latest in Life Safety Code features have been installed in all structures which accommodate patients. Expansion and growth are evident at the Centers as continual construction is underway building new additions, cafeterias, offices and other such needed arrangements. A continual review of these facilities is made to ensure that each meets current safety and fire codes.

Email our Information Officer Scott Clymer sclymer@odva.state.ok.us

Oklahoma Financial Assistance Benefits

Tax Exemption
Tax Exemption for 100% Disabled Veterans for sales tax,

excise tax, and ad valorem tax (Spouse included for ad valorem tax only)

Learn more about Tax Exemption

Oklahoma Employment Benefits

Veterans Preference
In establishing employment lists of eligible persons for competitive and noncompetitive appointment, certain preferences shall be allowed for veterans honorably discharged from the Armed Forces of the United States.

1. Five points shall be added to the final grade of any person who has passed the examination and has submitted proof of having status as a veteran or unremarried surviving spouse of a veteran.

2. Ten points shall be added to the final grade of any war veteran of the Oklahoma Statutes who has passed the examination and has submitted proof of having a service-connected disability as certified by the Veterans Administration or Agency of the Defense Department within six months of date of application.

3. In addition to the 10 points preference such eligible war veterans who are in receipt of benefits payable at the rate of 30% or more because of the service-connected disability, shall be considered Absolute Preference Veterans. Their names shall be placed at the top of the register, ranked in order of their examination scores. Absolute Preference Veterans shall not be denied employment and passed over for others without showing cause.

Learn more about Veterans Preference

Other Oklahoma State Veteran Benefits

Free Hunting and Fishing Permit
Free hunting and fishing permit for legal residents with 60% or more disability.

Learn more about Free Hunting and Fishing Permits

Emergency/Disaster Financial Assistance Program

Learn about Emergency/Disaster Financial Assistance Program

Reduced Fee Auto Tags

Learn about Reduced Fee Auto Tags

The Claims and Benefits Division
The Claims and Benefits Division provides many different services to the veterans and their dependents. The primary function is to assist veterans and their dependents with their claims before the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Claims worked through the Muskogee Claims Office help claimants obtain compensation and pension benefits. Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs Service Officers and Claims Officers are accredited with a number of service organizations in order to better represent the claimant with their claims and appeals. The Claims Officers will assist in the appeals process, and if necessary, represent the claimant at a personal hearing before the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Hearing Officer. The Muskogee Claims Office handles lifetime hunting & fishing permits, special veterans license plates, and the Financial Assistance Program.

Learn more about the Claims and Benefits Division

Veterans Benefits Overview - Oklahoma

The State veterans program, administered by the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs (ODVA), provides services to the State’s veterans that include:

· Health Care Benefits provided by Oklahoma’s six Veterans Centers – Medical services that include short and long-term skilled nursing care and domiciliary care for ambulatory patients as well as rehabilitative inpatient and outpatient services to physically disabled individuals.

· Financial Assistance Program – provides emergency financial aid to needy veterans and their dependents, and

· Counseling in the filing of claims for Veterans Affairs and the State of Oklahoma for benefits which include:

o Disability Compensation – a monetary benefit paid to veterans who are disabled by injury or disease incurred or aggravated during active military service.

o Pension – support provided to eligible veterans with low income a who are permanently and totally disabled.

o Education and Training – education benefits for active duty and honorably discharged veterans.

o Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment – an employment-oriented program that assists eligible veterans prepare for, find and keep suitable employment.

o Home Loan Guaranties.

o Life Insurance