Department of Veterans Affairs
VA Services for Retirees in Korea
VA Services for Retirees in Korea
March 12, 2024
But, that does not mean there are no VA services available in Korea. Veterans can use the FMP program to receive payment for local care in Korea. Read more about the FMP program further down on this page. The closest actual VA Clinic is the VA Manila Outpatient Clinic OPC in the Philippines. Read more about the Manila OPC further down on this page Guam also has a VA clinic, which is not considered overseas being U.S. territory, but is still within reasonable distance to Korea if needed.
The BDD is NOT a clinic and does not provide any medical services. It assists with filing claims and coordinating medical evaluations. Be aware, the BDD here in Korea is primarily to assist retiring military personnel, so not all requests to them may be honored. The BDD office is located on USAG Humphreys in Maude Hall, building 6400 (OneStop) and is open for in-person walk-in or by appointment service. Make appointments through the Visitor Engagement Reporting Application (VERA) https://vets.force.com/VAVERA/s/flow/VERA_Start?office=korea_bdd_office
Korea BDD Field Office
USAG Camp Humphreys
BLDG P-6400 LTG Timothy Maude Hall (OneStop)
APO, AP 96271-5228
DSN 315) 757-2914/2913
Commercial: 050-3357-2914/2913
E-mail: KoreaBDD.vbapit@va.gov
Website: https://home.army.mil/humphreys/index.php/units-tenants/va-department-veterans-affairs
The VA Manila Outpatient Clinic (OPC) in the Philippines is the only VA health care facility located in a foreign country and is located on U.S. Embassy property. It is part of the Veterans Integrated Service Network 21 (VISN 21). VHA Directive 1521 and Title 38 United States Code (U.S.C.) 1724 provides the authority that U.S. Veterans residing in or visiting the Philippines may receive care and services for a Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) adjudicated service-connected (only) disability at the VA Manila Outpatient Clinic.
The Philippines clinic provides medical care for service connected issues only, regardless of your VA rating. Even at 100% P&T, only those service connected issues are covered. You must register with the OPC Read more about the VA Regional Office Outpatient Clinic in Manila at https://www.visn21.va.gov/locations/manila.asp.
Regional Office Outpatient Clinic Manila Address:
US Embassy Seafront Compound
1501 Roxas Boulevard
NOX3 Seafront Compound
Pasay City, Philippines 01302
+63 (02) 8550-3888
1-800-1888-5252; or #MyVA (#6982)
Clinic Manager:
+63 (02) 8396-3735
1-808-433-5254 | PH Toll Free
Website: https://www.va.gov/find-locations/facility/vha_358
There are two ways to request your military service and treatment records. Click here to read the full discussion on our Military Service Records page.
VA offers medical services through the Foreign Medical Program, which is designed for Veterans living or traveling abroad who have Service Connected medical needs. FMP will pay for health care services, medications, and durable medical equipment for service-connected conditions, and conditions associated with and held to be aggravating a service-connected condition.
FMP is not like Tricare where they contract with a provider. FMP is a 100% a reimbursable process by VA i.e. you pay for all services up front and submit claims to get your money back. Dr.'s and hospitals are not, and do not have to be, pre-approved for FMP. Your treatment must be for, and be annotated as, a service connected problem. Ensure your receipt or the record about your visit states it was a service connected treatment. Then you file a claim as described below.
FMP does NOT cover a veterans dependent(s).
Unlike typical health benefit/insurance plans, where the range of benefits is standard among all enrolled beneficiaries/subscribers, FMP benefits are limited to services that are medically necessary to treat a VA-rated, service-connected disability, or for a condition that is associated with and held to be aggravating a service-connected disability. Supporting medical documentation is always required.
In order to speed up your claim processing, have your provider submit the claim in English. Claim information submitted in a language other than English will require translation; your claim processing is then delayed.
https://www.va.gov/COMMUNITYCARE/programs/veterans/fmp/fmp_benefits_claims.asp
How to File an FMP Claim
https://www.va.gov/COMMUNITYCARE/docs/pubfiles/factsheets/FactSheet_04-02.pdf
PODCAST - FMP Explained by Veterans Corner Radio
Enrolling in FMP is simple. Fill out the FMP Registration Form VA Form 10-7959f-1 (download here) and send to VHA Office of Integrated Veteran Care. (Fillable PDFs can be completed online, saved and printed.)
Mail your information to:
VHA Office of Integrated Veteran Care
Foreign Medical Program (FMP)
P.O. Box 469061
Denver, CO 80246-9061
After enrollment in VA health care you will receive a Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC), a photo ID card you’ll use to check in at your VA health care appointments. This secure ID card keeps your personal information safe while giving the VA the information needed to easily access your VA health record. This ID card also gives the cardholder access to military installations.
As for medical care, as stated above, there are no VA medical services provided in Korea, thus no paid medical care available if you are not a retiree in Korea. Everything will be out-of-pocket and you will have to work reimbursements with FMP (if you have FMP).
For details on filing a claim go to https://www.va.gov/disability/how-to-file-claim/ OR
view the Disability Claims video on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ORYYo-Q2Jc
Filing VA claims today is different, and easier, than what many of us remember. The passing of the PACT Act made changes that make filing for compensation easier to get. If you have not applied for an update, or filed for a claim at all, since the passing of the PACT Act, Re-file Today!
STANDARD CLAIM: The standard claims process assumes that VA will be helping gather information about your case. It is this process that has improved. In the past the VA would pretty much only verify your evidence with your medical records. If there was no nexus between your claim and your medical records, it pretty much was ignored and denied. But now, since the passing of the PACT Act, the VA goes further in validating your claim to include searching beyond your medical records AND making appointments for you via QTC or VES with doctors to evaluate you.
FULLY DEVELOPED CLAIM: The fully developed claim process requires YOU to gather all of the important information. You will have to submit that information as part of your application for disability benefits. This is more in line with how the old standard claims process worked. The VA assumes you have done your due diligence and what you are submitting should be all that's needed. Learn more about the VA Fully Developed Claims program at https://www.va.gov/disability/how-to-file-claim/evidence-needed/fully-developed-claims/
- Gather as much evidence to support your claim as you can find.
- Determine of you need additional forms. Learn about additional forms you may need at https://www.va.gov/disability/how-to-file-claim/additional-forms/
- File your claim online using VA Disability Compensation Form 21-526EZ. Go to File Disability Compensation Claim online at https://www.va.gov/disability/file-disability-claim-form-21-526ez/
- File your VA Disability Compensation Form 21-526EZ by mail. Download and Send it to this address:
Department of Veterans Affairs
Claims Intake Center
PO Box 4444
Janesville, WI 53547-4444
- Download Disability Compensation Form 21-526EZ at https://www.va.gov/disability/file-disability-claim-form-21-526ez/
Once VA has processed your claim, you'll get a notice of the decision. You don’t need to do anything while you’re waiting unless the VA sends you a letter asking for more information. If they schedule exams for you, be sure not to miss them.
To check claim status go to https://www.va.gov/track-claims
Certain illnesses are associated with Gulf War service in the Southwest Asia theater of military operations from August 2, 1990 to present. Medically unexplained illnesses (also commonly referred to as Gulf War illness or Chronic Multi-symptom illness) are a significant concern for some Veterans who served during the Gulf War. VA offers eligible Veterans a free Gulf War Registry health exam to find possible long-term health problems related to Gulf War service. VA also offers health care, disability compensation, and other benefits to eligible Veterans. Their dependents and survivors may also be eligible for benefits.
VA understands that many Veterans are especially concerned about exposure to the smoke and fumes generated by open burn pits. VA encourages all Veterans who are eligible to participate in VA’s Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry (AHOBPR). By joining the registry, you can provide information that can help us better understand the long-term effects of burn pit exposures. Even if you have not experienced any symptoms or illnesses you believe are related to burn pit exposure, your participation could help VA provide better care to all Veterans
VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (VA DIC) is a VA tax-free monetary benefit to qualifying survivors of service members and veterans. If you’re the survivor of a service member who died in the line of duty, or of a veteran who died from a service-related injury or illness, you may qualify.
Do you qualify?
Go to the VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation page to find out. https://news.va.gov/116978/new-dependency-indemnity-compensation-qualify/
Must Apply!
If you’re a qualified surviving spouse or child of a Veteran you must apply using VA Form 21P-534EZ. Enrollment into DIC is not automatic.
VA operates 155 national cemeteries and 34 soldiers' lots and monument sites in 42 states and Puerto Rico. More than 4 million Americans, including Veterans of every war and conflict, are buried in VA's national cemeteries. For Veterans not buried in a VA national cemetery, VA provides headstones, markers or medallions to commemorate their service world-wide and in any cemetery.
https://www.va.gov/burials-memorials/pre-need-eligibility/
To assist veterans and families in planning funeral arrangements, NCA developed pre-need eligibility determination. Families no longer need to wait until the time of death to find out if a veteran is eligible for burial in a national ceremony. Pre-need applications require some basic information, such as the veteran’s Social Security number and a copy of the veteran’s DD-214 or other separation documents. Applications can be found on the NCA website. Pre-need is very popular because it gives veterans peace of mind, knowing their family won’t have to search for their military discharge documents after their death. Since pre-need eligibility was established in December 2016, NCA has approved almost 300,000 applications.
https://www.va.gov/burials-memorials/memorial-items/headstones-markers-medallions/
Veterans don’t have to be buried in a national cemetery to receive VA memorial benefits. The VA furnishes, at no charge, a government headstone or marker for the unmarked grave of any deceased eligible veteran in any cemetery around the world, regardless of when they died.
Granite, marble and bronze flat markers and granite and marble upright headstones are available, as well as bronze niche covers to mark columbaria where cremated remains are kept.
For veterans who already have a privately purchased headstone, marker or niche cover marking their interment site, families may receive a government-furnished bronze medallion with the word “veteran” and the appropriate branch of service on it. The VA will mail the medallion along with a kit that will allow the family or the staff of a private cemetery to affix the device to a headstone, grave marker or columbarium niche cover. Since 1973, more than 14 million headstones and markers have been furnished to veterans worldwide.
VLM is the nation’s first digital platform dedicated entirely to the memory of veterans interred in national cemeteries as well as in VA-funded state, territorial and tribal veterans cemeteries. Launched in 2019, the site featured individual veteran profile pages that are populated with military service and cemetery information, including service branch, dates of birth and death, rank, war period, military decorations, emblem of belief and burial location. Interactive features allow family, friends and others to preserve a veteran’s legacy by posting tributes (comments), uploading images, and sharing their veteran’s biographical information and historical documents. Everything uploaded to the site is reviewed to ensure it complies with the VLM User Policy. Since 2019, more than 44,000 contributions have been made to veterans’ VLM pages. The site can be accessed at va.gov/remember.
“The last thing families should be doing after the loss of a loved one is scramble at the last minute to properly honor and lay their veteran to rest,” said DAV National Commander Joe Parsetich. “By planning how best to use your VA memorial benefits earlier, you’ll ensure they won’t be needlessly burdened with these significant decisions while in the grieving process.”
Veterans can electronically access their VA decision letters online. The Decision Letter Download Tool allows Veterans to download their decision letters using VA.gov.
Your first call should be to your local base hospital i.e. Brain G. Allgood Army Community Hospital USAG Humphreys, 51st Medical Group Osan AB, or others as listed under the Direct Care page. They should assist you in beginning the process.
You should contact a Retirement Service Officer (RSO), if you have one available, as soon as possible, probably your second call.
If you do not have an RSO available in your area/location, here are some contacts you should make:
You should contact a Retirement Service Officer (RSO), if you have one available, as soon as possible, probably your second call.
If you do not have an RSO available in your area/location, here are some contacts you should make:
No, there is not a Veterans Affairs / Administration hospital or clinic in Korea. The nearest VA Clinic is the VA Outpatient Clinic (OPC) Manila, Philippines.
