Information For Veterans with ALS from the ALS Association

Following is from the ALS Association:

As you know from the great news we shared last night, the VA has officially published regulations establishing ALS as a service connected disease. As of today, September 23, all veterans with ALS automatically will be eligible for benefits - no matter when or where they served and no matter how soon after discharge they were diagnosed.

The ALS Association worked closely with the VA in announcing the new policy and we will continue to partner with the Department to identify veterans with ALS and ensure they receive the benefits they need and have earned. Additional information on the benefits available as well as how to obtain benefits can be found below. To read today's press release from the Veterans Administration click here. Click here to read The ALS Association's press release.

Thank You
We again would like to thank all veterans for their efforts to advocate for this vital benefit. In particular, we would like to recognize three veterans with ALS whose outreach to Congress and the VA played critical roles in this victory: Jeff Faull, from our Greater Philadelphia Chapter, Tom Mikolajcik (USAF) Ret. who helped found our South Carolina Chapter and Jim Thew, from the Greater Chicago Chapter. Jeff, Tom and Jim deserve our thanks for their tireless efforts to make this benefit a reality. Click here to read more about these great advocates.

Additional Information Available
Now that we have won this battle, it's time to make sure veterans with ALS receive the benefits they need as soon as possible. Therefore, we are providing the following links that include additional information on the new policy as well as guidance on how veterans can access benefits. The Association will be posting this and other information to our website in the coming days, including answers to frequently asked questions. However, if you have other questions about accessing benefits or about the new policy, please contact The Association's toll-free hotline at 1-800-782-4747 or alsinfo@alsa-national.org.
Select the following links for additional information:
Accessing Benefits
Service Connected Benefits
Summary of New Regulation
Text of New Regulation
Veterans Service Organizations: Local Contact Information

Coming soon: Frequently Asked Questions
Join the Roll Call of Veterans Our success on this and other issues important to veterans with ALS is the direct result of the active involvement of veterans in our advocacy efforts. Through our Roll Call of Veterans, we have helped empower veterans with the information and tools they need to improve benefits and advance research in the fight for a treatment and cure. It's clear that we have made a difference.
However, we still have more work to do. We need to learn why veterans are at greater risk of ALS, develop new treatments for the disease and even prevent this disease from striking in the first place. By joining the Roll Call of Veterans, you too can make a difference. If you are a veteran, please join the Roll Call of Veterans! Visit our website at: http://capwiz.com/alsa/mlm/verify/.