Aid to Needy Veterans

The Aid to Needy Veterans grant programs provides limited financial assistance to those in need and who have exhausted all other sources of aid. The Health Care Aid Grant and the Subsistence Aid Grant may be used for specified health care and subsistence needs up to a maximum lifetime cumulative grant limit of $7,500 per veteran.

An applicant can be a veteran who meets military service and state residency requirements or in some cases a spouse or dependent child.

The applicant must be a resident of Wisconsin. Applicants must have applied for and been denied or determined to be ineligible for all other applicable aid programs, including Unemployment Insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, BadgerCare, federal VA health care, etc.

Financial need must be demonstrated through an assessment of current income and the household's liquid assets. The household income limit for this program is set by law at 130% of current federal poverty guidelines. Liquid assets, including checking and savings accounts, stocks, bonds, life insurance policies with a cash value, and funds in retirement accounts, cannot exceed $1,000 in order to be eligible for the health care portion of this program.

For more detailed information on the household income limit or for an application for this grant contact this office. 

Health Care Aid Grant

The Health Care Aid Grant will help with the following:

• Dental care—Restorative care shall not exceed $500 in any consecutive 12 month period except when an upper and lower denture is required and each denture shall not exceed $1,875 in any consecutive 48 month period.

• Vision care—means a vision exam by a licensed vision care provider and a prescription for lens and frame. Vision care shall not exceed $400.00 for both a vision exam and the purchase of lens and frame in any consecutive 12 month period.

• Hearing care—is limited to $200 in any consecutive 12 month period except when a left or right hearing aid is required, each hearing aid shall not exceed $1,875 in any consecutive 48 month period.

Approved applicants will receive a Description of Benefits (DOB) that will list approved care and the time period during which the care must be obtained. 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 that are received more than 30 days after the expiration of the DOB or any applicable extension will be denied.

Subsistence Aid Grant

Financial aid may be provided when there is a loss of income due to illness, injury, or natural disaster. Grants are awarded for subsistence aid for a 30-day period, up to a maximum of three months. Grant awards cannot exceed $3,000 during any consecutive 12-month period, or the Assistance to Needy Veterans grant program $7,500 lifetime limit.

The applicant must be unable to meet basic costs for subsistence while incapacitated and is required to use all available resources including income from family members living with the applicant and all liquid assets. In addition, the applicant must apply for all other sources of aid (such as FoodShare,  Energy Assistance, etc.).