Introduction to Special Monthly Compensation SMC

1
Introduction to Special Monthly Compensation
(SMC)

• Texas Veterans Commission
• Fall Conference 2008

2
Overview

• Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) Concept
• SMC Levels
• Description of SMC
• K, L, M, N, O, R S
• References

3
Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) Concept

• Certain disabilities, payment not sufficient for
  level of disability
• SMC recognizes severity of certain disabilities
  or combinations by adding an additional
  compensation
• Award of SMCs are listed on the rating letter

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Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) Concept (Cont.)

• Basic SMC conditions
• Loss or loss of use (LOU) of specific organs
• Disabilities that confine the veteran to their
  residence
• Disabilities rending veteran permanently
  bedridden or in need of aid and attendance (AA)

5
Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) Concept (Cont.)

• Combinations of disabilities that affect
  locomotion
• Multiple, independent disabilities rated at 50
  or 100
• Multiple disabilities rending the veteran in need
  of special skilled assistance that, without same,
  would be permanently confined to a skilled-care
  nursing home

6
SMC Levels

• 60 Levels of SMC
• 6 Designators (K, L, M, N, O, Q, R, S)
• Intermediate Levels (1/2 Step)

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SMC K

• Condition
• Anatomical loss or LOU of one hand or one foot
• Loss or LOU of both buttocks
• Loss or LOU of one or more creative organ(s)
• Blindness of one eye
• Deafness of both ears
• Complete organic aphonia
• Female Veterans, loss of breast tissue or
  following receipt of radiation treatment of
  breast tissue.

8
SMC K (Cont.)

• Note Its possible for entitlement to multiple
  Ks as long as
• the qualifying disabilities involve separate and
  unrelated body functions, and
• each is considered only once.
• Current entitlement 91.00

9
SMC L

• Condition
• Anatomical loss or LOU of both feet or one hand
  and one foot
• Blindness in both eyes with bilateral visual
  acuity of 5/200 or less
• Being permanently bedridden
• In need of AA.

10
SMC L (Cont.)

• Current Entitlement
• Veteran 3,145
• Veteran Spouse 3,287
• Veteran, Spouse Child 3,390
• Rates change for additional children,
• and / or dependent parents.

11
SMC M

• Condition
• Loss or LOU of both hands
• Both legs without use of knees
• 1 arm without use of elbow 1 leg without use of
  knee
• Light perception only in both eyes

12
SMC M (Cont.)

• Current Entitlement
• Veteran 3,470
• Veteran Spouse 3,612
• Veteran, Spouse Child 3,715
• Rates change for additional children,
• and / or dependent parents.

13
SMC N

• Condition
• Both arms without use of elbows
• Both legs so near hips unable to use prosthetics
• 1 arm 1 leg and unable to use prosthetics
• Complete blindness

14
SMC N (Cont.)

• Current Entitlement
• Veteran 3,948
• Veteran Spouse 4,090
• Veteran, Spouse Child 4,193
• Rates change for additional children,
• and / or dependent parents.

15
SMC O

• Condition
• 2 or more "L," "M," or "N" rates, no single
  condition is considered twice
• Bilateral deafness rated of 60 or greater, with
  SC blindness with 5/200 or less bilaterally
• Total deafness in one ear or bilateral deafness
  rated at 40 or more, with SC blindness (light
  perception only)
• Loss of both arms so near the shoulder as to
  prevent prosthetic appliance use
• Paralysis of both lower extremities, with the
  loss of anal and bladder sphincter control

16
SMC O (Cont.)

• Current Entitlement
• Veteran 4,412
• Veteran Spouse 4,554
• Veteran, Spouse Child 4,657
• Rates change for additional children,
• and / or dependent parents.

17
SMC R

• Condition
• SMC "R" for veterans who require aid and
  attendance
• Stops if veteran is hospitalized at govt expense
  
•  Two "R" levels. They are "R-1" and "R-2."
• R1 Veterans receiving the max amount under SMC
  "O") and need of aid and attendance
• R2 is awarded if the Rating Team finds that,
  without the regular aid and attendance of another
  person, the veteran would require
  hospitalization, nursing home care, or other
  residential care

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SMC R (Cont.)

• Current Entitlement R-1
• Veteran 6,305
• Veteran Spouse 6,447
• Veteran, Spouse Child 4,550
• Rates change for additional children,
• and / or dependent parents.

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SMC R (Cont.)

• Current Entitlement R-2
• Veteran 7,232
• Veteran Spouse 7,374
• Veteran, Spouse Child 7,477
• Rates change for additional children,
• and / or dependent parents.

20
SMC S

• Condition
• Requires a single 100 SC disability, and
• additional SC disability or disabilities
  independently ratable at 60 or
• be factually housebound due to SC disability.

21
SMC S (Cont.)

• Current Entitlement
• Veteran 2,829
• Veteran Spouse 2,971
• Veteran, Spouse Child 3,074
• Rates change for additional children,
• and / or dependent parents.

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Review

• Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) Concept
• SMC Levels
• Description of SMC
• K, L, M, N, O, R S
• References

23

• QUESTIONS?

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Review Exercise

• 1. Veteran is S/C deaf in one ear. Entitlement to
  SMC? If so, which one?
• 2. Veteran S/C lose of sight in one eye.
  Entitlement to SMC? If so, which one?
• 3. Veteran has mumps in service and, suffers
  complete atrophy of both testes. Entitlement to
  SMC? Which one how many?
• 4. Is it possible to be properly granted
  entitlement to three SMC K s?

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Review Exercise (Cont.)

• 5. Is it possible to be properly granted
  entitlement to SMC L SMC K? 
• 6. Permanently bedridden is same as AA.
  True/False
• 7. Female Veteran has breast cancer both breasts
  in service, treated successfully with radiation
  only. Eligibility to SMC? Which one how many?

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Review Exercise (Cont.)

• 8. Veteran temporary 100 disability
  temporarily confined to residence while
  recuperating. Eligibility to SMC? If so, which
  one?
• 9. Veteran has 60 for back condition 10 for
  hypertension. Suffers a heart attack, warranting
  a temporary 100 for the heart. Eligibility to
  SMC? If so, which one?

27
Review Exercise (Cont.)

• 10. Veteran has 100 disability of respiratory
  system no future exams. Condition so severe
  they cannot leave their house because of it.
  Eligibility to SMC? If so, which one?