WDVA proudly provides the Health Care and Subsistence Aid Grant Program to assist veterans and military families who are experiencing financial hardships after all other sources of support are exhausted
Health Care Aid and Subsistence Aid
Application Window: Ongoing
The Health Care Aid and Subsistence Aid Grant programs provide limited financial assistance to those in need and who have exhausted all other sources of aid. The grants may be used for specified health care and subsistence needs up to maximum grant limits. Certain eligibility requirements must be met.
Note: Applications for the Health Care Aid and Subsistence Aid Grants may be submitted through your local County or Tribal Veterans Service Office (CVSO/TVSO).
If you have any questions, please contact WDVA Grants Department at DVAMBCOVetsBenefitsGrants@dva.wisconsin.gov.
Dental care – aid for dental procedures may not exceed $800 in any consecutive 12-month period. Aid for extended dental care may not exceed $4,000 in any consecutive 24-month period.
Vision care – means a vision exam provided by a licensed vision care provider and a prescription for lens and frame. Vision care aid may not exceed $400.00 in any consecutive 12-month period.
Hearing care – means any care provided by a licensed audiologist realted to hearing, including hearing exams or hearing aids. Hearing care may not exceed $200 in any consecutive 12-month period. Aid for each hearing aid may not exceed $1,875 in any consecutive 24-month period.
Grant awards for Health Care Aid and Subsistence Aid combined cannot exceed the grant program lifetime limit of $7,500.
Approved applicants will receive a Description of Benefits (DOB) that will list approved care and the time period during which the care must be provided. The DOB should be given to the health care provider you chose who will return it to WDVA with billing information. Payments will be sent directly from WDVA to the health care provider.
If an outstanding DOB exists, binding quotes from a provider are necessary in order to have an additional DOB issued. Invoices for health care services provided that are received more than 60 days after the expiration of the DOB or any applicable extension will be denied.
Note: The department may not provide health care aid under this program unless the aid recipient’s health care provider agrees to accept, as full payment for the health care provided, the amount of the payment, the amount of the recipient’s health insurance or other third-party payments, if any, and the amount that the department determines the applicant is capable of paying.
Financial aid may be provided when there is a loss of income due to illness, injury, or natural disaster and all other sources of aid have been exhausted. Applications for Subsistence Aid must be submitted to the department no later than 12 months following the verified loss of income.
Grants are awarded for subsistence aid for any 30-day period, up to a maximum of three months (90 days). Grant awards cannot exceed $3,000 during any consecutive 12-month period or the Health Care Aid and Subsistence Aid grant program $7,500 lifetime limit.
Unremarried surviving spouses and dependent children of an eligible veteran who died in the line of duty while on active duty or inactive duty for training OR, the qualified spouse and dependent children of an activated or deployed military service member, who have suffered or are suffering a loss of income because of the activation or deployment and have experienced an economic emergency, may qualify for assistance.
An economic emergency includes:
- Failure of the sole means of transportation.
- Failure of a stove or refrigerator or of heating, electrical or plumbing systems, etc.
- A medical emergency.
- Severe damage to the primary residence as a result of a natural disaster.
The service member must be a member of the U.S. Armed Forces or of the Wisconsin National Guard who has been activated or deployed to serve in the U.S. Armed Forces. The service member must be a resident of Wisconsin. For military family members, federal poverty guidelines do not apply, although a loss of income due to the deployment or activation must be demonstrated.