Veterans Program

Did you know? As a veteran, you can receive both your VA benefits and hospice care when the VA determines that you need hospice.

How We Care

The Hospice of Huntington Veterans Program was established to ensure veterans in our area receive quality and compassionate end-of-life care.

The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have formed a partnership to empower hospice organizations to meet the unique needs of dying veterans and their loved ones. As a result, in 2010 NHPCO created the “We Honor Veterans” program, which has a mission to help hospices around the nation create veteran-specific programs for end-of-life care that are focused on respectful inquiry, compassionate listening and grateful acknowledgment.

By recognizing the unique needs of America’s veterans and their families, Hospice of Huntington, in partnership with VA staff, accompanies and guides veterans through their life stories toward a more peaceful ending. This emotional and spiritual component to care can be especially meaningful to veterans nearing the end of life, who often face issues that are related to their military experiences. Veterans who do not have a strong support network of family and friends may find the support offered by Hospice of Huntington care crucial during this time.

Hospice of Huntington Veterans Program Services

• Care for veteran-specific unique health conditions
• Emotional and spiritual support
• Veteran to Veteran Volunteer Program
• Prayer Shawl Ministry
• Recognition Momentos
• Assistance with VA and Medicare benefits

U.S. Veteran Population Facts

• Roughly 20% of the U.S. population are veterans
• There are currently 23.8 million living veterans (16.2% men, 7.6% women)
• 1 in 4 dying Americans is a veteran
• Veterans account for 28% of all U.S. deaths
• 600,000 (1,800 each day) veterans die each year
• An average of 85% of veterans do not receive care through the VA

Hospice Care Medicare Benefit

The Veterans’ Health Care Eligibility Reform Act of 1996 and the Veteran’s Millennium Health Care and Benefits Act of 1999 place hospice and palliative care as covered services under Medicare. The VAMC must offer to provide or pay for hospice care when the VA determines that an enrolled veteran needs it. If a veteran wants hospice in the home, the veteran has a choice to elect their Medicare Hospice Benefit or VA-paid hospice care through a contractual agreement with a hospice.

Unique Health Risks for Veterans

WWII/Korea

• Cold Injury
• Exposure to nuclear weapons (including testing or cleanup)
• Chemical warfare agent experiments

Cold War

• Nuclear testing

Vietnam

• Exposure to Agent Orange
• Hepatitis C

Gulf Wars

• Exposure to smoke
• Leishmaniasis
• Immunizations
• Chemicals or Biological Agents
• Depleted Uranium (DU)

Operations Iraqi Freedom/Operations Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF)

• Multi-drug resistant Acinetobacter
• Leishmaniasis
• Depleted Uranium (DU)

All Conflics

• Combined penetrating, blunt trauma and burn injuries (blast injuries)
• Traumatic brain or spinal cord injury
• Mental health issues
• Vision loss
• Traumatic amputation