Here’s How Veteran Employment Benefits Work

Whether you’ve landed your first post-deployment civilian job or you’re on your way to one, you’re going to navigate employee benefits.

You can subscribe here to AARP Veteran Report, a free e-newsletter published twice a month. If you have feedback or a story idea then please contact us here.

Under TRICARE, you were accustomed to not being charged premiums and not having out-of-pocket costs for medical care and prescriptions during active duty. Enrolling in health coverage and paying for it through your employer may be a different story.

Here’s a quick overview of what to expect in the civilian world.

Health coverage

Veterans Affairs benefits should be your first go-to, considering eligible vets receive coverage for preventive care, inpatient hospital services, urgent and emergency care, mental health services and prescriptions written by or approved by a VA physician.

Your comprehensive benefits coverage is dependent on your priority group, input from your VA primary care provider and medical standards for your health conditions. Some vets may qualify for dental care. 

AARP Membership— $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal

Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine.

Join Now

If you apply for VA health care and it’s denied, you will find that your employer’s plan can have intricate rules regarding your monthly premium, out-of-pocket costs for various services and whether doctor visits are flat fees or a percentage of the total cost with a maximum annual cap. A plan will either be a health maintenance organization (HMO), which is a network of doctors, hospitals and health care providers, or a preferred provider organization (PPO) to see practitioners in or out of the network. Companies may also provide dental and/or vision plans.

Mental health support and additional benefits

Your company may offer mental health counseling, which can be especially useful for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). 

Additional benefits may include tuition reimbursement, paid time off for volunteering and employee discounts, among others.

401(k) employer match

Your company’s 401(k) plan provides you with an investment opportunity toward your retirement. Your employer may match your contributions to a certain extent.

An financial adviser may suggest funds to select within the plan. Keep in mind it relies on pretax dollars; your contributions are deducted from your pay before it’s taxed. Taxes are paid upon withdrawals.

If your company offers a match, find out how much and when it happens. Typically, it’s a percentage, but it may be a dollar amount.