Donating to a program like MedCure can be a simple way for veterans to make their final arrangements as easy as possible on the loved ones they leave behind.
The VA rewards former service members with a few key veterans benefits, including a death benefit. This is money the VA gives out to reimburse a veteran’s end of life costs. Many vets count on this money to cover all their final expenses. Unfortunately, the limits on this benefit can be an unwelcome surprise for them and their families. It’s important to understand what is provided by the veterans burial benefit and what requirements must be met in order to qualify.
Veterans benefits can be paid to the veteran’s spouse, children, parents, executor of the estate, or survivor of a legal union with the veteran. To qualify for the burial benefit, the veteran must have a discharge other than dishonorable, and meet certain conditions set by the VA. Some of these conditions include, but are not limited to:
Death as the result of a service-connected disability
Died while hospitalized by VA or while receiving care under VA contract
Receiving VA pension or compensation at time of death
Died while a patient at a VA-approved state nursing home
The amount paid by the veterans benefit varies depending upon whether the death was service related or non-service related. For non-service related deaths, the benefit will also be affected by whether or not the veteran was hospitalized by the VA at the time.
MedCure is pleased to be able to offer this option for veterans in addition to the end-of-life provisions offered by government programs like the US Veterans Administration. For veterans who made such valuable contributions to this country in life, whole-body donation can offer one last opportunity for service that will memorialize them long after death.
Choosing MedCure’s whole-body donation program as a no-cost end of life option can free veterans and their families from worries about final costs. Donors don’t just save money, they also make a lasting contribution to science and medicine. MedCure matches donations to researchers working on treatments and cures for diseases that affect millions. We have also worked with investigators who develop the equipment and technologies that protect service members in combat. A donation to MedCure can contribute to thousands of future lives saved, improved, or made longer through better medical science.
“My father was a Korean War veteran, commercial flight instructor, and father of three. He regretted he did not have much to leave to his grandchildren, but with MedCure, it made him feel like he did have something to give them. They made it so easy on all of us.”
