VA Benefits for Veterans With Mesothelioma and Family Members

VA Disability Compensation for Mesothelioma

VA Disability Compensation for mesothelioma is a VA benefit available to veterans if at least 50% of their occupational exposure to asbestos occurred in the military. The amount of Disability Compensation a veteran receives depends on their family situation.

Filing a Claim for VA Disability Compensation

To file a claim for VA Disability Compensation, the veteran will need to submit the following to the VA:

• VA Form 21-526EZ: Application for Disability Compensation
• DD-214 or military discharge documents
• Asbestos exposure summary letter
• Copy of all medical records related to the veteran’s mesothelioma diagnosis

If the veteran is married and/or has dependent children, the veteran will also need to submit the following documents:

• VA Form 21-686c: Dependency Form
• VA Form 21-2680 if the veteran is housebound or in need of Aid & Attendance (A&A)
• Divorce decree or death certificate for any prior marriages
• Birth certificates for any dependent children (under the age of 18 or under 23 if attending high school or a full-time college or university
• Marriage license

VA Pension for Mesothelioma

VA Pension for mesothelioma is a VA benefit available to veterans who were exposed to asbestos more as a civilian than in the military.VA Pension is a means-tested benefit, meaning a veteran’s income and assets must be under the income limits set by U.S. Congress in order to qualify. The amount of Pension a veteran receives also depends on their family situation.

To qualify for VA Pension, the veteran must have wartime service, which requires at least 90 days of active duty with at least one day during a period of war. However, in-theater or battlefield service is not required. Veterans must also either be totally disabled (an official mesothelioma diagnosis from a doctor meets this requirement) or be over the age of 65.

Filing a Claim for VA Pension

To file a VA claim for Pension, a veteran with mesothelioma will need to submit the following to the VA:

• VA Form 21P-527EZ: Application for Veterans Pension
• DD-214 or military discharge documents
• Medical records related to the veteran’s mesothelioma diagnosis (if under 65 years of age)
• VA Form 21-2680 if the veteran is housebound or in need of Aid & Attendance (A&A)
• Birth certificates for any dependent children
• Marriage license (if married)

Many veterans with mesothelioma believe if the majority of their asbestos exposure did not occur in the military, they are not eligible for any VA benefits. However, many veterans diagnosed with mesothelioma connected to their civilian jobs qualify for VA Pension. Our VA-accredited claims agent, LCDR Carl Jewett, can help determine if you qualify for VA Pension.

Aid & Attendance and Housebound Benefits for Mesothelioma

Aid & Attendance and Housebound benefits for mesothelioma are additional financial assistance for veterans. These benefits are available if veterans already qualify for either Disability Compensation or Pension.

Aid & Attendance (A&A) is a financial assistance benefit available to veterans who require the assistance of another person to perform at least two activities of daily living, which include bathing, dressing, eating, using the bathroom, and managing medications. A&A adds an additional $936.04 per month to the veteran’s monthly disability pay.

Housebound benefits are for veterans unable to leave their residence due to a disability or illness. Housebound status allows the veteran to receive additional compensation on top of Disability or Pension. Housebound benefits add an additional $457.15 to the veteran’s monthly disability pay.

Filing a Claim for Aid & Attendance or Housebound Benefits

To file an A&A or housebound claim, the only form required for submission is:

• VA Form 21-2680: Application for Housebound Status or Regular Aid & Attendance.

This form is primarily filled out by the veteran’s doctor. The veteran is only required to complete the first section with their name and personal information.

Aid & Attendance for Veteran’s Spouse

Veterans receiving VA Disability Compensation or VA Pension can receive additional monthly compensation if their spouse is in need of Aid & Attendance (A&A). This benefit is for veterans who already receive VA financial assistance benefits and need additional financial support to care for their spouse.

The process for filing for A&A for a spouse is essentially identical to the process when the veteran is the claimant. The only difference is the spouse’s doctor fills out the form indicating what activities of daily living the spouse is incapable of performing on their own.

Veterans receiving Disability Compensation with a spouse who qualifies for A&A will receive an additional $195.92 to their monthly disability pay.

Dependency and Indemnity Compensation for Mesothelioma

Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) is a financial assistance benefit for the surviving spouse or dependent children of veterans who have passed away due to service-connected mesothelioma.

Spouses of veterans who pass away after having been rated 100% disabled (by any disability) for at least 10 years qualify for DIC regardless of the cause of death.

If a veteran was previously awarded a 100% disability rating for their mesothelioma, then the dependent filing for DIC needs to submit VA Form 21P-534EZ and a death certificate showing the veteran’s cause of death was mesothelioma.

In cases where the veteran never filed a VA Disability Compensation claim for their mesothelioma or received a disability rating, spouses or dependent children must submit the following:

• VA Form 21P-534EZ: Application for DIC
• Copy of the veteran’s DD-214
• Copy of the marriage license or birth certificate (as applicable)
• Copy of the death certificate showing mesothelioma was a cause of death
• Asbestos exposure summary letter*
• All medical records related to the veteran’s mesothelioma diagnosis

*Note: This letter must not only convince the VA that the veteran was exposed to asbestos in the military but must also convince the VA that the military asbestos exposure was more significant than the veteran’s civilian occupational exposure.

Mesothelioma Guide’s VA-accredited claims agent, retired LCDR Carl Jewett, has helped hundreds of veterans and their spouses write VA asbestos exposure summary letters. Click below to obtain free help writing your exposure summary, and file your DIC claim.

VA Survivors Pension for Mesothelioma

VA Survivors Pension for mesothelioma is a monthly financial assistance benefit available to the surviving spouse and unmarried dependent children of wartime veterans with mesothelioma. This benefit is dependent on income and net worth.

To be eligible for VA Survivors Pension, you must meet the following criteria:

• You must be the unmarried surviving spouse or unmarried dependent child of a veteran who has died.
• The veteran must not have been dishonorably discharged.
• The veteran must have served at least one day during a wartime period.
• Your annual income plus your net worth must be below $159,240.
• For veterans entering active duty before September 7, 1980, the veteran must have served for at least 90 days. Veterans entering active duty after that date must have served for 24 months.
• Your income alone must be less than the applicable Maximum Allowable Pension Rate (MAPR).

To apply for the VA Survivors Pension, the family member will need to provide the VA with the following documents:

• A completed and signed VA Form 21P-534EZ: Application for Survivors Pension
• A copy of the veteran’s DD-214
• A copy of the veteran’s death certificate
• A copy of your marriage certificate (if you are the surviving spouse)
• Proof of your income and net worth

VA Aid & Attendance for Survivors

A surviving spouse who qualifies for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) or Survivors Pension may receive additional monthly compensation as financial assistance through Aid & Attendance (A&A) benefits. If the surviving spouse requires the assistance of another person to perform at least two activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing, using the bathroom, eating or managing medications and finances, they may be eligible for A&A.

Any spouse already receiving Dependency and Indemnity Compensation or Survivor Pension can apply for A&A by submitting a VA Form 21-2680. This form is filled out by the patient’s doctor indicating which activities of daily living their patient can and cannot perform on their own.

A spouse can also file for A&A at the time they file a Dependency and Indemnity Compensation or Survivor Pension claim. However, approval of the A&A is contingent on the spouse’s approval of the Dependency and Indemnity Compensation or Survivors Pension benefit.

CHAMPVA Health Care for Family Members

CHAMPVA is a health care program the VA offers to eligible family members of disabled veterans. The veteran must have or had a disability rating meeting the requirements for their family members (spouse and dependent children) to receive CHAMPVA.

Veterans with a service-connected mesothelioma almost always qualify for a permanent 100% disability rating, which means their families would be eligible for CHAMPVA health care benefits.

This benefit is for the immediate family members (spouse and dependent children) of disabled veterans who are alive or who have passed away.

Surviving dependents of a veteran who passed away can qualify for CHAMPVA if the veteran either:

• Passed away from a service-related condition, such as mesothelioma
• Died from a non-service-connected condition but was granted a permanent 100% disability rating for another disability before their death

To file a claim for CHAMPVA, surviving family members must submit the following:

• Copy of the veteran’s DD-214
• Copy of Medicare card (if applicable)
• VA Form 10-7959c: Other Health Insurance Certification
• VA Form 10-10d: Application for CHAMPVA benefits
• A VA rating confirming the veteran is/was in receipt of a permanent 100% disability rating
• Birth certificate for dependent children

PCAFC for Primary Family Caregivers of Veterans With Mesothelioma

The VA Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) is a financial assistance and support program for family caregivers of eligible veterans, such as those with mesothelioma cancer. The program provides a range of services – financial stipends, access to health insurance, training, counseling and respite care – to help family members care for the veteran.

Caregivers enrolled in PCAFC may also qualify for CHAMPVA health coverage if they do not qualify for other health coverage such as Tricare, Medicare and Medicaid. This allows non-dependent adult children and other relatives who are the primary caregivers for a veteran to receive CHAMPVA health coverage.

VA Burial Benefits for Mesothelioma

The VA offers burial benefits for veterans who have passed away, which includes contributing to funeral costs or transporting the veteran’s remains. This benefit is for the family of veterans who passed away.

If the veteran died from a service-connected disability, the VA will pay $2,000 for funeral or burial costs. The VA will also pay the costs associated with transporting the veteran’s remains from the place of death to the final resting place if the veteran is buried or interred at a national cemetery.

For veterans who died from a non-service-connected condition on or after Oct. 1, 2024, the VA will pay $978 towards burial and $978 for a plot. If the veteran died prior to Oct. 1, 2024, the amount is less. Ask your VA claims representative for the amount you’ll receive

To file a burial benefits claim, the family must submit the following to the VA:

• VA Form 21-530EZ: Application for Burial Benefits
• Copy of the veteran’s DD-214
• Copy of the veteran’s death certificate
• A receipt or invoice showing the costs associated with the funeral and burial, as well as transportation costs if the veteran is buried or interred in a national cemetery