Effective October 27, 2001, the Department of National Defence (DND) will begin to administer treatment benefits on behalf of VAC for still-serving Canadian Forces (CF) clients who have been awarded a disability pension for injuries sustained while serving in the Armed Forces.

Still-serving CF clients who are receiving a VAC disability pension:

• will get a new VAC-CF eligibility card to use to access care and treatment benefits required for their pensioned condition; and
• will be entitled to appeal treatment decisions related to their pensioned condition directly to VAC.

As part of this administrative change, VAC will need to share some basic pension information with DND medical staff. This will include the name, service number, medical pension description, code and the effective date of pension eligibility. No information will be shared about benefits or services that members may have received in the past through VAC.

The decision to share information with DND has been done to protect the health, safety and well-being of our clients, their families and their colleagues. DND medical staff must be aware of any disability that could impair a member's ability to perform their military duties. This obligation is one that CF members already will be familiar with under Sections 19.18 and 34.13(2) of Queen's Regulations and Orders for the Canadian Forces.

To find out more about these changes, please call our toll-free line: 1-888-447-9211.