New Jersey helps veterans get counseling

If you want to assume veterans are treated by the VA for free, think again. Until there is a service connected rating, they are charged for treatment unless their income is too low. For too many veterans they will hear from a VA doctor they are suffering because of their service but until their claim is approved, they are not covered. The other factor is that private insurance companies will turn down claims for mental health as soon as there is a diagnosis linking it to service.

How do I know this? My husband's claim took six years to become service-connected, years after a VA doctor said it was and even more years after a private psychologist said it was. The VA charged for his care because his claim was not approved yet. Our insurance company said they would no longer cover mental healthcare for him because it was the responsibility of the government to treat him. This all ended up leading the VA to take our tax refund to cover what we couldn't pay for. Once his claim was approved, we got back most of the money but the stress and heartache of getting from admitting he needed help to having the need covered was a nightmare.

What New Jersey legislators want to do is very much needed!

NJ Senate Passes Tax Credit For Veterans In Need Of Post-War Counseling

Thursday, December 23, 2010
TRENTON — Legislation to provide an income tax credit to veterans who require psychological counseling and treatment upon returning home from war has been passed by the state Senate.

Senate Majority Leader Barbara Buono said her bill would help prevent suicides by returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who are suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Under the measure (S-1026), returning veterans would be eligible for a direct state income tax credit up to $10,000 of unreimbursed psychiatric treatment — counseling that is not covered by insurance

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NJ Senate Passes Tax Credit For Veterans