What is the Camp Lejeune Family Member Program?

What is the Camp Lejeune Family Member Program?

The Honoring America’s Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012 (Public Law 112-154) was signed on August 6, 2012.   This law requires the VA to reimburse eligible Camp Lejeune Family Members for eligible health care costs related to one or more of 15 specific illness or conditions.

Both the Veteran and Family Member must meet specific criteria:

  • The Veteran must have served active duty for 30 days or more at Camp Lejeune between January 1, 1957 and December 31, 1987.
  • The Family Member (spouse or dependent) either lived or were in utero during the same time period.
  • The Family Member must have been diagnosed with one or more illnesses or conditions in the list below:
Bladder cancer
Breast cancer
Esophageal cancer
Female infertility
Hepatic steatosis
Kidney cancer
Leukemia
Lung Cancer
Miscarriage
Multiple myeloma
Myelodysplastic syndromes
Neurobehavioral effects
Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
Renal toxicity
Scleroderma

The VA is not providing direct health care to family members.  Family members are being reimbursed for eligible out-of-pocket medical expenses relating to the 15 illnesses and conditions listed above.   Reimbursement is limited to payment for treatments after receiving payment from all other health plans.

Family members are advised to keep receipts for health care expenses paid for one of the covered 15 illness or conditions on or after March 26, 2013.  This is the date the Camp Lejeune Family Member Program was funded.

The law signed August 6, 2012 applies to health care only; it does not have provision for disability compensation.

Evidence of dependency and Camp Lejeune residency  must be submitted to the VA.   Evidence can be shown through documents such as the Veteran’s military orders, base housing records, utility bill, pay stub, tax form, award citations that show dates of service at Camp Lejeune or other documents.  Proof of dependency can be shown through a marriage certificate, birth certificate, adoption papers, school records or other legal documents.

Evidence of one of the included illnesses or conditions, the date of onset of the condition and verification of current treatment must be shown through medical documentation.  This information is captured on the VA Form 10-10068b Camp Lejeune Family Member Program Treating Physician Report dated October 2014.

Proof documentation should be submitted with the VA Form 10-10068, Camp Lejeune Family Member Program Application.  While the VA will accept a claim form without documentation, you may experience a delay in processing.

Applications are also accepted online here, although proof documentation must be either mailed or faxed to:
Department of Veterans Affairs
Financial Services Center
P.O. Box 149200
Austin, TX  78714-9200
FAX:  512.460.5536

The VA Customer Service Center can be reached at 1.866.372.1144.