Some still-serving members apply for VAC Rehabilitation Services prior to their release. If you applied for rehabilitation services while serving, you may have received a letter from VAC about your future eligibility. However, if your release is on or after , the decision in the letter you received may change due to these changes to VAC rehabilitation services. Please contact VAC if you find yourself in this situation. To contact the nearest CAF Transition Center (CAF TC), go to the link:
Currently, all medically-released Veterans can access services through both the CAF LTD plan and payday loans in Lewisburg OH Veterans Affairs Canada. CAF LTD is, and has always been, the first payer. The goal of the change is to simplify existing supports for Veterans to reduce confusion and duplication of the services being provided.
Support will continue for medically-released Veterans. This support is more generous than Public Service Health Care Plans and is specifically tailored to support the needs of releasing CAF members. All medically releasing members have access to other benefits such as the Education and Training Benefit and Career Transition Services. Nor will support be taken away from those Veterans who experience health problem(s) after they have released that result primarily from their service and cause a barrier to re-establishment.
As the employer sponsored group disability plan, CAF LTD will continue as first payer for income support, and as the first provider of vocational rehabilitation and vocational assistance for all medically-releasing CAF members, as it has since the 1970s.
Additional benefits and services will continue to be available through Veterans Affairs Canada for those whose health problems result primarily from service.
This approach is more consistent with private and public sector long-term disability support programs, whereby, employers provide long-term disability support for their employees who experience both a work related and a non-work related injury, illness or medical condition. With this change, the same will apply for CAF members. As their employer, CAF members/Veterans with service and non-service related illnesses or injuries will receive their primary coverage through the CAF LTD plan.
What is the Canadian Armed Forces Long Term Disability (CAF LTD) plan?
The CAF LTD plan is the CAF’s group disability insurance plan that provides vocational rehabilitation, vocational assistance and income support to all medically releasing CAF members. It also provides support to members who voluntarily release and qualify as totally disabled. All CAF members are automatically covered by the CAF-LTD plan starting on their day of enrollment.
SISIP Financial administers the CAF LTD insurance plan on behalf of the Chief of the Defence Staff for CAF members and Veterans.
What will medically-releasing Veterans with health problems not related to their service have access to after the transition period (no later than )?
Once medical and psycho-social rehabilitation services are reactivated under the CAF LTD plan, medically-released Veterans with health problems not resulting primarily from service will receive all their rehabilitation services (vocational, medical and psycho-social), vocational assistance and income support from CAF LTD. They will no longer access rehabilitation services or income support through Veterans Affairs Canada for these health problems; this will further streamline and simplify the transition process for medically releasing members.
Is there a plan for these medically-releasing Veterans with health problems not related to their service?
Yes. Veterans Affairs Canada and the Canadian Armed Forces are working closely together to transition medical and psycho-social rehabilitation services from VAC back to the CAF LTD plan as soon as possible. Medically-releasing Veterans with health problems NOT related to their service will continue to have access to medical and psycho-social rehabilitation services through VAC as an interim measure only until these services are available under the CAF LTD plan, which will be no later than .