1. Healthcare

Retired Military
Newsletter
February 2015
1099Rs. Military retirees and annuitants receive a 1099R tax
statement either electronically via myPay or as a paper copy in
Table of Contents their mail each year. You can also request additional copies of the
1099Rs ……………….1
1099R tax statements in several different ways. The fastest and
Tax preparation ………1
most secure way to obtain a copy of your 1099R is myPay. Just
Health tax …………….2
login to myPay and you can print your 1099R out in the comfort
VA Loans …………….2
VA Benefits ………….2
of your own home. Not a myPay user yet? Then the fastest and
Preventative care …….2
easiest way to get a copy of your 1099R besides MyPay is to use
Burial benefits ……….2
DFAS’s telephone self-service option. Telephone self service
Aid & Attendance …...2
requests are logged instantly and are sent to your current address
Military Pharmacies …3
Military Lodging….…3
of record within three business days. Call800-321-1080.If you’re
not a myPay user, and the mailing address you have on file is out
of date, the easiest quickest way to get your 1099R sent to an updated address is to submit your
request through the internet. You can update your mailing address, enter your email address, and
request your 1099R be sent to the new address using one easy form. Your transaction will be
logged instantly and it will be in the mail to you within 7 to 10 business days. Find the link and
complete
instructions
at
http://www.dfas.mil/retiredmilitary/manage/taxes/getting1099r/viaaskdfas.html.If you prefer
traditional mail, send DFAS a written request by fax or mail, and make sure you leave time to
reply. Keep in mind; it takes 30 to 60 days to process requests received by fax or mail. Retirees
with unique situations can speak directly to one of DFAS’s customer care representatives by
calling 1-800-321-1080. Depending on call volume, you may have to wait on hold while they
assist other customers.
Tax Preparation. Military OneSource (http://www.militaryonesource.mil/) offers no-cost tax
consultation and no-cost tax preparation and filing to service and family members, as well
separated service members until 180 days after their retirement. Military OneSource, is teaming
with H&R Block to offer no-cost tax preparation to the military community with a promise of
guaranteed accuracy, a service that otherwise could cost you hundreds of dollars or more.
Health Care tax. For the first time since the Affordable Care Act passed in 2012, all U.S.
citizens, including military retirees must report health care coverage on their 2014 taxes. For this
year only, taxpayers will “self-attest” on their 2014 tax forms to each month in which they had
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health care coverage. The act mandates that health care must meet minimum essential coverage.
TRICARE coverage meets that criteria for retirees and their families.
VA Loans. Zero-down-payment mortgages are a great option, but eligible borrowers can expect
access to additional benefits if they are qualified, disabled veterans. And, they may qualify for
fee waivers and valuable grants too.
Two decades. That’s how long John Swanson lived in inadequate housing with hallways and
doorways too narrow for his wheelchair. The 100-percent disabled Vietnam-era Veteran endured
broken toes and bruised kneecaps before finally taking steps toward using his VA loan benefits
for a handicap-accessible home.
VA Benefits. Learning about and applying for VA benefits shouldn’t be complicated for
Veterans and their families. With that in mind the VA has improved Explore.VA.gov, the
website that makes it easy to see all the benefits that VA has to offer to help Veterans buy
homes, earn degrees, start careers, stay healthy and do so much more after
service. www.explore.VA.gov looks like a very helpful site for military retirees.
Preventive care. Exercising is a good way to keep healthy. Another important way to stay
healthy is by staying up to date on all recommended immunizations and health screenings.
TRICARE helps beneficiaries stay healthy with access to cost-free preventive care including
immunizations, cancer screenings, and blood pressure and cholesterol screenings. All TRICARE
beneficiaries are covered for preventive services. For more information about TRICARE’s
covered preventive care services go to www.tricare.mil/livewell/preventive.
Burial Benefits. Generally speaking, funeral directors know how to make arrangements for
burials at national cemeteries. Sometimes they don’t. With that in mind, the VA has an online
funeral directors’ resource kit. Funeral directors nationwide may use the kit when helping
Veterans and their families make burial arrangements in VA national cemeteries.
The website was created to enable funeral directors to find the most pertinent information to help
families plan burials and apply for VA memorial benefits quickly. It has links about eligibility,
benefits and services plus videos and information regarding services offered with and without
military funeral honors. The videos are available in English and Spanish. The website is
available at http://www.cem.va.gov/cem/funeraldirector.asp.
Information about VA burial benefits can be obtained from national cemetery offices, from the
Internet at www.cem.va.gov or by calling VA regional offices toll-free at 800-827-1000.
(Source: U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs)
Aid & Attendance. Veterans are entitled to health benefit programs from our federal
government; however few take advantage of the Non-Service Connected ―Improved Pension
benefit, commonly referred to as the Aid and Attendance benefit. The program‘s purpose is to
assist veterans, as well as spouses, widows or widowers of veterans, with paying up to $1,949
per month in assistance for their out-of-pocket medical costs. Benefits continue for as long as the
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Veteran or their spouse is living. This program offers veterans what could potentially become a
significant source of financial aid for long-term care services provided either at home or in a
facility. Unfortunately, most veterans do not know about it, or how to apply. Though nearly 1/3
of veteran seniors qualify for the Aid and Assistance benefit, government statistics show that
only 5% are actually receiving it.
To qualify, the veteran must be at least 65 years of age or have a medical qualification of
disability, meaning he or she requires the regular assistance of another person to perform daily
tasks. The veteran must have served 90 days or more of active duty for any branch of the armed
services with just one day served during an official war time period, as designated by Congress.
Veterans who were dishonorably discharged do not qualify. Widows or widowers of veterans are
eligible to participate in these benefits, if they qualify medically and financially.
The Aid and Attendance benefit can provide up to $1,632 per month to a veteran, $1,055 per
month to a surviving spouse, or $1,949 per month to a couple, in addition to monthly pension
rates. It takes 4 to 6 months on average (depending on volume) to process an application.
Applicants who are 70 years of age or older may request that their application process be
expedited. Applicants must complete the VA Form 21-526 (veterans) or VA Form 21-534
(spouses). This form is available at www4.va.gov/vaforms/. The applicant must also include a
letter, all required documentation and evidence of their age or disability. For additional
information visit: www.vba.va.gov/VBA/ or call 1-800-827-1000. If you require assistance with
the application process, a qualified veterans’ benefits consultant can help you apply for benefits.
Start by contacting your regional VA office.
Military pharmacies. The Military Health System has deployed electronic prescribing in
military pharmacies across its system of clinics and hospitals in the United States (and in Guam
and Puerto Rico). This capability allows civilian providers to send prescriptions electronically to
military pharmacies, reducing the need for handwritten prescriptions.
Publisher’s note: You have many military lodging opportunities as a military retiree. We will
mention one or two over the next few months to “wet your whistle.”
Military lodging. Accommodations owned by the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast
Guard, and Joint Services will save you a bundle on traveling expenses. Lodges on installations
are available, of course. But whether you’re traveling for business or pleasure, you also can stay
in offsite homey condos, in luxury resorts, at rustic campsites, and even in a lighthouse.
Eligibility requirements vary, but in general, all are available to retired servicemembers
(regardless of branch) and their families. Here are some in relatively warm climates:
California:
San Diego. The new North Island cottages on Breakers Beach have two bedrooms, full kitchens,
flat-screen cable TVs/DVDs, WiFi, private bathrooms, a patio, and a barbecue. Have an RV?
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Fiddler’s Cove RV Park overlooks the San Diego Bay. You’ll have plenty of comforts, from
laundry facilities to bike paths, a dog run, boat rentals, WiFi, grills, fire rings, and a store. Read
eligibility policies before booking. Call (877) NAVY-BED (628 9233) or (619) 435-1227 for
more information. Here is their RV site http://get.dodlodging.net/propertys/Fiddlers-CoveMarina--RV-Park
San Francisco. Marines’ Memorial Club &Hotel located in the theater district. Built as a “living
memorial,” the Marines’ Memorial Club was dedicated as a “tribute to those who have gone
before and to provide a service to those who carry on,” with displays, photos, biographies,
plaques, memorial walls, and other tributes in its lobby and halls. The full-service, 138-room
hotel is classic, comfortable, and inviting. Though full of history, it offers all the modern
comforts, plus a large theater, fine-dining restaurant, library/museum with military memorabilia,
business center, and fitness center. The Memorial Club is open to all veterans in any branch, as
well as current servicemembers. Club membership offers preferred access and exclusive hotel
rates. To learn more, call (800) 562-7463 or (415) 673-6672and/or check this site
http://www.marineclub.com.
Puerto Rico - Holiday Inn Express El Caney Lodge at Fort Buchanan in
the heart of San Juan opens its doors to active and retired members of the
armed forces. The hotel offers free breakfast, free internet, guest laundry
facilities, a playground, a business center, and free DVD rentals; plus it’s
near on-post activities, such as a nine-hole golf course, a fitness center, a
bowling center, and a water park. Call (877) 711-8326 for details.
This DoD site http://get.dodlodging.net/ provides links to all Services’ lodging. Go see the
world.
How to contact us
The Retired Activities Office, Naval Weapons Station, Seal Beach, California is located at 800
Seal Beach Blvd in Bldg. 22, Rm 2, Seal Beach, CA 90740-5000. We are here to serve all
Armed Forces retirees and are open M-Th 0900 to 1500; Fri 0900 to 1200. You may contact us
at (562)-626-7152 or by emailing us at [email protected]
Ralph Vogel, RAO Director, Captain SC, USN (Ret).
James Angeley, Don Cullen, Bill Eveland, and Rick Fuller—Editors
John Ryan, Publisher
Retired Activities Website
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HappyPresidents’
Day