RAO Bulletin Update
15 October 2007
THIS BULLETIN CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES
VA Physician Quals ---- (Hiring system validity questioned)
Marine Reserve Bonus ----------------------------- (Expanded)
Overseas Holiday Mailing 2007 -------------- (mailing dates)
VA Obesity Initiative [02] ------------ (Epidemic of diabetes)
VA Flu Shots --------------------------------- (2007/08 Season)
VA Health Care Funding [11] --------------- (IL referendum)
West Virginia Vet Cemetery ------------ (Funded by Lottery)
VA Polytrauma Rehab Centers ------------ (Not up to speed)
VA Clinic Indianapolis IN ---------------------- (Fund source)
VA VistA [01 ----------------- (Outage cripples patient care)
Check/Money Order Scams --------- (Consumers easy prey)
Funeral Honors [03] --------------- (Customs and Traditions)
Arlington National Cemetery [01] -------- (Good thru 2060)
VA Facility Expansion [10] -------------- (Chicago VA-DoD)
MA DPL Data Breach ------------- (450,000 SSN’s released)
SBP Basics [02] -------------------------- (Good or Bad deal?)
Tricare Reserve Select [08] -------- (Continuation coverage)
CT Vets Wartime Service Medal ------ (270K Vets Eligible)
VA CWT & IT ------------------------ (Change in Tax Status)
VDBC [22] ------------------------- (25% Disability Pay Hike)
VDBC [23] ------------------------ (Action delayed until 2008)
Medicare Rates 2008 --------------------- ($2.90 Increase/mo)
NDAA 2008 [09] ------------------------- (Senate Bill Passed)
VA Polytrauma Care [01] -------------- (5th PRC Announced)
Medicare Part D [16] ---------- (Closing the Doughnut Hole)
Canadian Nat Mil Cemetery --------- (Available to U.S. Vets)
Military Related Job Fairs [01] -------------- (15 thru 31 Oct)
Veteran Legislation Status 30 SEP 07 ---- (Where We Stand)
VA PHYSICIAN QUALIFICATIONS: Sens. Dick Durbin and Barack Obama say
their own investigation raises serious questions about Veterans Affairs
Department claims that officials couldn't have known about a surgeon's
troubling history before he was hired at an Illinois VA hospital. In a
harshly worded letter to acting Secretary of Veterans Affairs Gordon
Mansfield on 11 OCT, the Illinois Democrats said their staffs easily
found enough information to warrant a closer look at the qualifications of
Dr. Jose Veizaga-Mendez. Veizaga-Mendez resigned from the Marion, Ill.,
VA hospital in August, shortly before the hospital suspended inpatient
surgeries because of a spike in post-surgical deaths, reportedly from
OCT 2006 to March of this year. Durbin has said he was told that nine
people died at the Marion hospital during an unspecified six-month
period when the typical mortality rate would have been two. He also has said
that after hearing from Dr. Michael Kussman, a VA undersecretary, it
is clear Veizaga-Mendez had some involvement with those surgeries.
Veizaga-Mendez was hired in Marion even though he was barred from
practicing in Massachusetts last year after accusations of grossly
substandard care. "It appears the VA's efforts to discover the truth about
Dr. Veizaga-Mendez, his past professional history, and the
circumstances surrounding his license forfeiture were far from adequate and may
have put the veterans seeking care at Marion in danger," the senators
wrote. In a statement Thursday, the VA said it conducts a thorough
background check that includes verification of professional credentials,
competence, personal backgrounds and checks them against the national
Practitioner Data Bank-Healthcare Integrity and Protection Data Bank. But
Durbin and Obama said Kussman and another VA undersecretary, Dr. Gerald
Cross, had said it was impossible for the VA to know whether
Veizaga-Mendez had accurately described why he had surrendered his license in
Massachusetts. "A cursory check by our staff of publicly available
information has cast doubt on the validity of that claim," they wrote. Some of
the information was readily available on the website of the Massachusetts
Board of Registration in Medicine, the senators said. At the time the
doctor was hired at Marion, information about medical malpractice
payments he had made in 2004 and 2005, as well as the fact that he had been
the subject of a hospital disciplinary action, were available on the
website, they said.
In a separate announcement the VA said that they will be adding
2,000 advanced residency positions for Doctors in the next 5 years. The
VA already helps to train nearly half of all physicians in the United
States. Presently every year 31,000 medical residents and 16,000 medical
students receive some of their training at a VA facility. In JUL the VA
added 341 new positions. Through its affiliations with medical schools
and universities, the VA is the largest provider of health care
training in the United States. Currently, 130 VA medical facilities are
affiliated with 107 of the nation's 126 medical schools. These training
positions address VA’s critical needs and provide skilled health care
professionals for the entire nation. The additional resident positions will
also encourage innovation in education that will improve patient care,
enable physicians in different disciplines to work together and will
incorporate state-of-the-art models of clinical care, including VA’s
renowned quality and patient safety programs and electronic medical record
system. [Source: AP article & TREA Washington Update 12 Oct 07 ++]
MARINE RESERVE BONUS: The Marines are offering the following expanded
bonuses for affiliation with a Marine Corps Reserve drilling unit:
• Prior-service corporals, sergeants and staff sergeants who join a
unit within three years of leaving active duty will get a $15,000 bonus.
• Enlisted Marines already assigned to a drilling unit who re-enlist
for three years will garner $7,500 for a first-time re-enlistment and
$6,000 for subsequent re-enlistments. Such re-enlistments include a
supplementary “kicker” of up to $350 monthly under the Montgomery GI
Bill-Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR).
• High school graduates who agree to serve in drilling units for six
years after completing initial pipeline training, plus an additional two
years in the Individual Ready Reserve, will receive a $20,000 bonus.
They also will be eligible for the $350 MGIB-SR kicker.
• Company-grade officers who left the active component within the last
three years and join a drilling unit in fiscal 2008 will be eligible
for a $10,000 affiliation bonus.
MarAdmins 567/07, 568/07, 572/07 and 573/07 apply to enlisted Marines,
and MarAdmin 566/07 applies to officers. [Source: Armed Forces News 12
Oct 07 ++]
OVERSEAS HOLIDAY MAILING 2007: Officials at the Military Postal
Service Agency in Washington have established dates by for sending mail from
the United States to overseas military mailing addressees for the
holidays. In order to get holiday gifts to deployed service members by 25
DEC, mailers should heed the U.S. Postal Service’s suggested deadlines.
Parcel post packages to deployed troops and those living on overseas
installations should be sent by 13 NOV. Customers missing the parcel
post deadline have the following options: Space-Available Mail (SAM) – 27
NOV; Parcel Airlift Mail (PAL) – 4 DEC (except for ZIP codes starting
with 093, which is 1 DEC); Priority Mail and first-class letters and
cards – 11 DEC (093 ZIP codes: 4 DEC); Express Mail Military Services – 18
DEC (not available to 093 ZIP codes). Parcel post packages sent to
arrive by the start of Hanukkah at sundown 4 DEC should be mailed by 23
OCT. For other Hanukkah mailings, subtract 21 days from the deadlines
listed above. To check mailing costs, visit http://www.usps.com, click on
“calculate postage,” then “calculate domestic postage.” [Source: Armed
Forces News 12 Oct 07 ++]
VA OBESITY INITIATIVE UPDATE 02: NC8-TV Washington, DC broadcast on 9
OCT a report on a growing problem that's troubling the Department of
Veterans Affairs. Namely, why are so many military veterans becoming
obese and developing diabetes? Now the VA is looking into possible causes
and promising cures. Former VA Secretary James Nicholson was shown
saying, "We have an epidemic of diabetes among veterans in our country, and
it's mostly adult-onset Type 2 diabetes, which is preventable." NC8
added, "At health fairs like this one at Washington's VA Medical Center,
they're getting the word out. ... On the food front, they're
researching veteran-specific nutrition." VA researcher Dr. William Yancey was
shown saying, "We've specifically looked at low-carbohydrate diets and
found pretty profound effects that their blood sugar's improved
dramatically and they can come off some of their diabetes medications." The
station added, "Like most doctors, VA health providers say diet and exercise
are important to preventing obesity and the diabetes that often comes
with it, but they say there are factors that might make veterans more
susceptible to these diseases. A key worry – stress. ... The VA says
it's adding stress-reduction therapy to weight loss programs and doing
what it can to encourage vets." Nicholson was shown saying veterans are
being urged to be more conscious of how they're eating and we're giving
them prescriptions of how to do this better too. [Source: VSLO Office
of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 9 Oct 07 ++]
VA FLU SHOTS: Flu season will soon be here and veterans, especially the
more elderly, are encouraged to get their shots. Most VA Medical
Centers (VAMCs) are making preparations to administer these shots at no
charge to enrolled veterans. If in doubt whether or not yours will be
scheduling shots it is recommended you contact them. Shots are at no
charge to enrolled veterans who would normally pay $20 to $30 if they were
to obtain them through local medical services. Following are a few
locations that have already made announcements:
• The Portland VA Medical Center has announced a series of flu
vaccination clinics for enrolled veterans. The clinics will be held at VA
facilities in Southwest Portland, East Portland, Bend, Salem, Warrenton and
Vancouver Oregon.For a schedule of dates and times, go to
www.visn20.med.va.gov/portland or call 503-220-8262, ext. 155725.
• "The Jack C. Montgomery VA Medical Center reminds all enrolled
veterans that the flu vaccine is now available to veterans during their
regularly scheduled appointments beginning 22 OCT through JAN 07. There will
be also be a walk-in flu clinic from 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m.
5-9 NOVin the medical center's auditorium on the second floor at the
south end.
• Veterans enrolled in VA health care may obtain flu vaccines at
upcoming walk-in clinics scheduled the following Saturdays and Sundays, 13,
14, 20, 21, 27, and 28 OCT at VA Western New York Healthcare System,
3495 Bailey Avenue. Enrolled veterans may also contact their primary care
provider to obtain the vaccine. There is no charge for the flu vaccine
for veterans enrolled in VA health care.
[Source: Various Oct 07 ++]
VA HEALTH CARE FUNDING UPDATE 11: Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn has asked county
boards in all 102 counties to approve placing an advisory referendum on
the February primary election ballot asking voters whether the federal
government should be required to adopt mandatory full funding of the
Department of Veterans Affairs for the purpose of ensuring that all
eligible honorably discharged U.S. veterans receive quality and accessible
health care. In a letter to county clerks, Quinn said the issue of
veterans' health care is of paramount importance to Illinois voters. Many
county clerks agree with Quinn, but said costs for the county will be
increased if any referendum is placed on the primary ballot. Perry County
Clerk Kevin Kern, who serves as treasurer of the Illinois Association
of County Clerks and Recorders (IACCR), said election costs are driven
by the number of ballot styles that must be produced. With a referendum
on the primary ballot, a non-partisan ticket would need to be printed
in addition to specific party tickets. Costs of the programming of the
ballots, paired with printing expenses and newspaper listing
publication, would cost each county thousands of dollars, said Jackson County
Clerk Larry Reinhardt, who serves as president of the IACCR.
The increased cost is not the only concern of county clerks. Kern
said since the referendum is advisory, it is simply meant to
demonstrate support and would not create any binding effects. "Advisory basically
means it isn't worth the paper it was printed on," Kern said. Placing
a referendum on the primary ballot would also require additional
education and training for poll workers. Quinn and his citizen support
organization sent letters petitioning support for the referendums in
September, stating that three counties, including Jefferson County, had already
approved the referendum. Jefferson County Clerk Connie Simmons said
the county board did approve the referendum but did not consult her
before doing so. She would have advised the board to discuss placing the
referendum on the November 2008 general election ballot. Reinhardt said a
vast majority of county clerks in attendance at the IACCR's convention
in September agreed that supporting a November referendum would be the
preferred action. After the September convention and the letter from
Quinn, Kern sent a letter of response to the lieutenant governor,
addressing some of his concerns and also showing support for the overall goal
of the proposal. "I think most all citizens would share Lt. Gov. Qinn's
view that veterans' health care should rightfully be a high priority,"
Kern wrote in the letter. "Knowing that the lieutenant governor is
also a watchdog for government waste and inefficiency, I would hope he
would advocate that such a referendum be placed on a general election
ballot when there would be much less added cost or confusion." [Source: The
Sourthern Illoisan Testa article 10 Oct 07 ++]
WEST VIRGINIA VET CEMETERY: West Virginia veterans might get a final
resting place near Institute in the first state-run veterans cemetery
if a proposal sparked by Veterans Affairs Director Larry Linch is
acceptable to Gov. Joe Manchin. Linch compiled a lengthy study on the
proposal and outlined much of its contents 9 OCT to Select Committee B on
Veterans Issues, saying the Veterans Council eyed two other potential sites
— Carnifex Ferry Battlefield State Park near Summersville and land
offered by a church in Logan County. “That was one of the issues that
actually has been on the books since 1970 — that the state should run a
veterans cemetery. But there had never been a funding source.” Linch said.
All that changed, however, with the advent of the special veterans
scratch-off lottery, and Linch is asking Manchin to sanction a second one
in case a backup is needed. Linch quoted Lottery Commission officials
as telling him the veterans scratch-off is the most consistently
selling of the state-run lotteries. On average, it rakes in $952,000 in
sales, of which $700,000 is dedicated to bonds. That leaves $252,000, along
with $70,000 a year in interest, meaning the Veterans Council is only
about $5,000 shy of meeting the estimated $327,105 to get the cemetery
functioning. Dow Chemical is putting up a 300-acre tract on which a
house of worship is going up, Linch pointed out.
The West Virginia Veterans Council is composed of men and women
who served in World War II, Korea, Vietnam and Desert Storm and Operation
Enduring Freedom in Iraq and Afghanistan. A federally run cemetery in
Grafton contains some 5,690 graves, adding 30 each month. For years,
prevailing sentiment has focused on creating a veterans cemetery in
southern West Virginia, the director said. “This is something that can be
done in two to three years, if the governor gives us authority to
proceed,” he said. There are some 32,000 veterans in southern West Virginia,
and by that, Linch defines them as residents south of U.S. 33. Of that
number, more than half — 19,000 — are in Kanawha County, it was pointed
out. Sen. Jon Blair Hunter, D-Monongalia, himself a Korean War veteran,
suggested the idea of a state-run cemetery open exclusively to
veterans and their spouses would be an appealing idea, based on the
camaraderie among those once in uniform. “There’s a sense among veterans that
they want to be with other veterans,” he said. [Source: Register-Herald
Reporter Mannix Porterfield article 10 Oct 07 ++]
VA POLYTRAUMA REHABILITATION CENTERS: On 25 SEP 07 the House Veterans'
Affairs Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee held a hearing on
the Department of Veterans' Affairs (VA) Polytrauma Rehabilitation
Centers (PRCs) and their management issues. The hearing focused on VA Central
Office’s oversight over the PRCs and specific management issues
affecting the Palo Alto PRC. Polytrauma Rehabilitation Centers provide acute
rehabilitative care to seriously injured service members. They are
managed locally, but are part of a national program supervised by the
Office of Patient Care Services in the Veterans Health Administration. The
Committee found that PRCs were not using or had never heard of the
Joint Patient Tracking Application and the Veteran Tracking Application
systems. Critical medical information was being transferred through
multiple phone calls, e-mails, faxes, and videoconferencing instead of using
an electronic system. In addition, PRCs have not completed securing
access to department facilities and computer network. Two PRCs were
highlighted with specific issues. Visits to Palo Alto PRC by the VA’s Office
of Medical Investigations and Congressional staffers found disarray,
morale problems, insufficient programs for families, and a lack of
leadership. This lack of staffing and resources has caused a history of
empty beds. Data revealed Palo Alto on average has been filled only 60%,
while the remaining PRCs combined have been operating at 98% of capacity.
Palo Alto’s policy of not accepting minimally responsive brain injured
patients resulted in a higher rejection rate. The VA has since forced
Palo Alto to accept these patients. In addition to the inefficiencies
at Palo Alto, the Minneapolis PRC was found to have an unusually high
turnover rate of active duty military liaisons. [Source: NMFA
Government and You E-News 10 Oct 07 ++]
VA CLINIC INDIANAPOLIS IN: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
will augment its health care to local veterans with a $9.9 million grant
received 10 OCT from the Lilly Endowment Inc. The Indianapolis-based
philanthropic foundation is providing the funds to the Richard L.
Roudebush VA Medical Center to support a new clinic for injured service
members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan and other projects, including a
“comfort home” serving families of hospitalized service members while
their loved ones undergo rehabilitation. The grant will provide $5.8
million for a 24,000-square-foot Seamless Transition Integrated Care Clinic
where returning troops will receive comprehensive multidisciplinary
health care. Another $3.5 million will be used to build a 28-suite
comfort home that will provide accommodations for veterans’ families during
extended periods of care. In addition, the endowment is funding
retreats at which veterans and their spouses or loved ones can reunite and
learn to work through readjustment issues typically associated with
returning from deployment. Another $500,000 is designated for rehabilitation
events, including the National Veterans Golden Age Games, which the
Roudebush VA Medical Center will host in the summer of 2008. This senior
adaptive rehabilitation program is designed to improve the quality of
life for older veterans, including those with a wide range of abilities
and disabilities. The Lilly Endowment was established in 1937 by
members of the Lilly family as a vehicle to pursue their personal
philanthropic interests. It is separate from the Eli Lilly and Co. pharmaceutical
firm and is independently managed. [Source: VACO OPIA Report 10 Oct 07
++]
VA VISTA UPDATE 01: A day-long system outage at a new Veterans Affairs
Department data processing center in northern California on 31 AUG 07
crippled critical information systems used to manage patient care at VA
hospitals and clinics scattered across more than a third of the world,
according to details from an internal VA after-action report. The
outage at the VA's Sacramento, Calif., regional center was the longest of
14 disruptions since that facility started hosting the suite of clinical
applications that make up the Veterans Health Information System and
Technology Architecture (VistA) earlier this year. According to internal
briefings, the Sacramento facility was created as part of a move by
the VA to shift VistA computer operations from 126 local sites to four
regional centers. Since April, problems at the Sacramento center resulted
in VistA downtime ranging from 15 minutes to the nine-hour outage on
31 AUG. That event knocked out vital information systems at hospitals
and clinics operated by the Veterans Health Administration in Alaska,
northern California, Los Angeles, Hawaii, Guam, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon,
west Texas, American Samoa, the Philippines and Washington state.
The Sacramento failure first publicly surfaced at a hearing of the
Senate Veterans Affairs Committee on 19 SEP, when Robert Howard, the
VA's assistant secretary for information and technology, acknowledged it
in response to a question by Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA). Howard
characterized the outage as a big deal, but provided no details on its scope,
scale or impact on patient care. But Dr. Ben Davoren, director of
clinical informatics at the San Francisco VA Medical Center, told a hearing
of the House Veterans Affairs Committee last week that the failure on 31
AUG was "the most significant technological threat to patient safety
VA has ever had." Dr. Bryan Volpp, associate chief of staff for clinical
informatics at the VA's Northern California Healthcare System, told
the House that the 31 AUG outage all but sent VA hospitals and clinics in
the western United States back to the paper age. The outage, Volpp
testified, forced medical staff to shift from the use of electronic
medical records to writing notes and summaries on paper. Outpatient surgery
was delayed because clinicians could not access forms, and doctors could
not access electronic records for patients with scheduled
appointments. Patients discharged that day could not be scheduled for follow-up
appointments electronically. Pharmacies at VA facilities connected to the
Sacramento data center sputtered to a halt, Volpp said, because
labeling and automatic dispensing equipment are controlled by VistA
applications. Paper records from 31 AUG must be inputed into the electronic
system by hand, Volpp said, a process that will take months.
Both Volpp and Davoren testified that the outage hit 17 VA medical
facilities. But more than one VA medical staffer told Government
Executive that this figure understates the scope of the outage, because the
17 are in turn electronically linked to numerous clinics and outpatient
facilities. A VA source in Hawaii said the Honolulu VA medical
center's information systems were knocked out "because we use the Sacramento
server, and Guam was knocked out because it goes through us." The San
Francisco VA hospital, another source said, is electronically linked to
multiple clinics in its area, as are hospitals and clinics in the region
connected to the Sacramento data center. While top VA information
technology managers have touted the establishment of regional data centers
as a way to eliminate downtime, insure continuity of operations and
improve disaster recovery, Davoren told the House hearing that the 31 AUG
outage indicated to him that the regional model introduced a new single
point of failure. He testified that in case of an outage, the
Sacramento data center was supposed to "failover" to another regional center in
Denver, but did not. The after-action report did not address why this
switchover did not happen. Volpp testified that another backup system,
a read-only backup of patient data, was unavailable on 31 AUG due to
work by the Sacramento center to recreate accounts holding the data.
The VA's plans to establish four regional data centers are part of
an overall effort to centralize IT resources and personnel to help
eliminate the computer security breaches that have plagued the VA over the
past year. But Davoren told the House hearing that medical center
employees expressed concerns as early as 2005 that "the regionalization of
IT resources would create new points of failure that could not be
controlled by the sites experiencing the impact, and that the system
redundancy required to prevent this was never listed as a prerequisite to
centralization of critical patient care IT resources." The VA did not
immediately respond to queries from Government Executive about the outages in
Sacramento or how it intends to remedy the situation. Howard, the VA
IT director, told the Senate VA hearing on 19 SEP that the department
intends to add "more robust backup capability" to help mitigate system
downtime at the regional data centers. Howard added that his staff is
examining whether or not there is something about the VistA software
itself -- developed over years and hosted at the local medical facility
level -- that does not lend itself to hosting at a regional data center.
Until that process is completed, Howard said the VA will cease any
further migration of VistA applications to regional data centers. [Source:
GOVExec.com Bob Brewin article 5 Oct 07 ++]
CHECK/MONEY ORDER SCAMS: Investigators led by the U.S. Postal
Inspection Service have arrested 77 people as part of a global fraud crackdown
that intercepted more than $2.1 billion in counterfeit checks bound for
the United States. The eight-month investigation involved schemes in
Nigeria, the Netherlands, England and Canada, and has stopped more than
half a million fake checks from being mailed to American victims.
International scammers have found U.S. consumers easy prey and are
increasingly targeting them. "All fake check scams have the same common pattern:
Scammers contact victims online or through the mail and send them
checks or money orders. They then ask that some portion of the money be
wired back to them," said Postmaster General John Potter. "The best thing
our citizens can do to protect themselves is learn how to avoid these
scams. The old adage still holds true: If someone offers you a deal that
sounds too good to be true, it probably is." Susan Grant, vice
president of the National Consumers League said, "Most Americans don't
realize they are financially liable when they fall for these scams. There is
no legitimate reason anyone would mail you a check or money order and
then ask you to wire money in return. People need to know that checks
can take months to clear, even if the money initially looks like it's in
your account. The scammers know that, and most consumers don't." The
six most popular scams are:
• Foreign Business Offers: Scammers pretend to be businesspeople or
government officials and promise millions of dollars. But real companies
and government agencies don't offer legitimate business propositions to
people they don't know.
• Love Losses: The scammer poses as a romantic interest online, and
promises to come to the U.S. to be with the victim. Soon after, the online
friend asks the victim to cash a check or money order to cover "travel
expenses."
• Overpayments: Scammers buy merchandise online, and then claim they
mailed the wrong amount by mistake. The seller is asked to deposit the
"wrong" check anyway, and then return the "excess" amount to the scammer.
But the check doesn't clear, and the victim has sent the scammer his
own money.
• Rental Schemes: Scammers claim to be moving to the area, and put down
a rental deposit. Then they tell their landlord they have unexpected
expenses, so they ask for some of their deposit back as a favor. They
never move in, and the deposit check never clears.
• Sudden Riches: The scammer claims the victim has won a foreign
lottery or sweepstakes. The notice comes by mail, phone, fax or email.
Consumers should know that winners of real cash prizes are notified by
certified mail. Also, keep in mind that you can't win a lottery you didn't
enter.
• Work-at-Home: The scams promise easy money by "processing" checks.
The victim deposits the checks and sends the money to the scammer, minus
a small fee. Legitimate companies don't do business like this.
If consumers believe they have been defrauded by a scam, the
Postal Inspection Service wants to hear from them. These crimes can be
reported by calling 1(800) 372-8347.
[Source: Consumer affairs article 4 Oct 07 ++]
FUNERAL HONORS UPDATE 03: As with the military itself, our armed
forces' final farewell to comrades is steeped in tradition and ceremony.
1. Prominent in a military funeral is the flag-draped casket. The blue
field of the flag is placed at the head of the casket, over the left
shoulder of the deceased. The custom began in the Napoleonic Wars of the
late 18th and early 19th centuries, when a flag was used to cover the
dead as they were taken from the battlefield on a caisson.
2. One will notice, during a military funeral that the horses that
pull the caisson which bears the body of the veteran are all saddled, but
the horses on the left have riders, while the horses on the right do
not. This custom evolved from the days when horse-drawn caissons were the
primary means of moving artillery ammunition and cannon, and the
riderless horses carried provisions.
3. The single riderless horse that follows the caisson with boots
reversed in the stirrups is called the "caparisoned horse" in reference to
its ornamental coverings, which have a detailed protocol all to
themselves. By tradition in military funeral honors, a caparisoned horse
follows the casket of an Army or Marine Corps officer who was a colonel or
above, or the casket of a president, by virtue of having been the
nation's military commander in chief. The custom is believed to date back to
the time of Genghis Khan, when a horse was sacrificed to serve the
fallen warrior in the next world. The caparisoned horse later came to
symbolize a warrior who would ride no more. Abraham Lincoln, who was killed
in 1865, was the first U.S. president to be honored with a caparisoned
horse at his funeral.
4. Graveside military honors include the firing of three volleys each
by seven service members. This commonly is confused with an entirely
separate honor, the 21-gun salute. But the number of individual gun
firings in both honors evolved the same way.
a. The three volleys came from an old battlefield custom. The
two warring sides would cease hostilities to clear their dead from the
battlefield, and the firing of three volleys meant that the dead had been
properly cared for and the side was ready to resume the battle.
b. The 21-gun salute traces its roots to the Anglo-Saxon empire,
when seven guns constituted a recognized naval salute, as most naval
vessels had seven guns. Because gunpowder in those days could be more
easily stored on land than at sea, guns on land could fire three rounds
for every one that could be fired by a ship at sea.
c. Later, as gunpowder and storage methods improved, salutes at
sea also began using 21 guns. The United States at first used one round
for each state, attaining the 21-gun salute by 1818. The nation reduced
its salute to 21 guns in 1841, and formally adopted the 21-gun salute
at the suggestion of the British in 1875.
5. A U.S. presidential death also involves other ceremonial gun
salutes and military traditions. On the day after the death of the president,
a former president or president-elect -- unless this day falls on a
Sunday or holiday, in which case the honor will rendered the following
day -- the commanders of Army installations with the necessary personnel
and material traditionally order that one gun be fired every half hour,
beginning at reveille and ending at retreat.
6. On the day of burial, a 21-minute gun salute traditionally is fired
starting at noon at all military installations with the necessary
personnel and material. Guns will be fired at one-minute intervals. Also on
the day of burial, those installations will fire a 50-gun salute --
one round for each state -- at five- second intervals immediately
following lowering of the flag.
7. The playing of "Ruffles and Flourishes" announces the arrival of a
flag officer or other dignitary of honor. Drums play the ruffles, and
bugles play the flourishes – one flourish for each star of the flag
officer's rank or as appropriate for the honoree's position or title. Four
flourishes is the highest honor.
When played for a president, "Ruffles and Flourishes" is followed by
"Hail to the Chief," which is believed to have been written in England in
1810 or 1811 by James Sanderson for a play by Sir Walter Scott called
"The Lady of the Lake." The play began to be performed in the United
States in 1812, the song became popular, and it became a favorite of
bands at festive events. It evolved to be used as a greeting for important
visitors, and eventually for the president, though no record exists of
when it was first put to that use.
8. The bugle call "Taps" originated in the Civil War with the Army of
the Potomac. Union Army Brig. Gen. Daniel Butterfield didn't like the
bugle call that signaled soldiers in the camp to put out the lights and
go to sleep, and worked out the melody of "Taps" with his brigade
bugler, Pvt. Oliver Wilcox Norton. The call later came into another use as a
figurative call to the sleep of death for soldiers. Another military
honor dates back only to the 20th century. The missing-man formation
usually is a four-aircraft formation with the No. 3 aircraft either
missing or performing a pull-up maneuver and leaving the formation to signify
a lost comrade in arms. While this can change slightly from
service-to-service, and -- based on preferences of family members, below is the
standard sequence of events for a military funeral at Arlington National
Cemetery:
• The caisson or hearse arrives at grave site, everyone presents arms.
• Casket team secures the casket, NCOIC, OIC and chaplain salute.
• Chaplain leads the way to grave site, followed by casket team.
• Casket team sets down the casket and secures the flag.
• The NCOIC ensures the flag is stretched out and level, and centered
over the casket.
• NCOIC backs away and the chaplain, military or civilian, will
perform the service.
• At conclusion of interment service and before benediction, a gun
salute is fired for those eligible ( i.e. general officers).
• Chaplain concludes his service and backs away, NCOIC steps up to the
casket.
• The NCOIC presents arms to initiate the rifle volley.
• Rifle volley complete, bugler plays "Taps."
• Casket-team leader starts to fold the flag.
• Flag fold complete, and the flag is passed to the NCOIC, OIC.
• Casket team leaves grave site.
• NCOIC, OIC either presents the flag to the next of kin, or if there
is a military chaplain on site he will present the flag to the
chaplain, and then the chaplain will present to the next of kin.
• Arlington Lady presents card of condolences to the next of kin.
• The only person remaining at the grave is one soldier, the vigil.
His mission is to watch over the body until it is interred into the
ground.
[Source: http://dva.state.wi.us/Ben_funeralhonors.asp Jul 07 ++]
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY UPDATE 01: The nation's shrine to its
military dead had 6,785 funerals in the just-concluded fiscal year, an
all-time record. Now, as the dying of the World War II generation peaks,
the cemetery is so busy that despite careful choreography, people
attending one funeral can hear the bugle and rifle salutes echoing from
another. As a result, the cemetery is about to begin a $35 million expansion
that would push the ordered ranks of tombstones beyond its borders for
the first time since the 1960s. The Millennium Project has been in the
works for years as the cemetery has grown busier, dead from the Iraq
war have been laid to rest with the veterans of wars past, and visitors
have flocked to the see the Tomb of the Unknowns and the graves of such
figures as President John F. Kennedy. Timing at Arlington has become
critical. Some of the funerals can be fairly elaborate, with a band, a
procession and a horse-drawn caisson, and can take up to 2 1/2 hours.
Others might last only 35 or 40 minutes. All must be meticulously
scheduled to minimize distractions and avoid traffic tie-ups on the cemetery
roadways.
The Millennium expansion has involved, among other things, the
sensitive transfer of 12 acres within the cemetery from the National Park
Service's historic Arlington House, the onetime home of Robert E. Lee.
The Park Service has lamented the likely loss of woodland and the
cemetery's encroachment on the majestic hilltop home, which dates to 1802.
The project, which focuses on the northwest edge of the cemetery,
includes expansion into about 10 acres taken from the Army's adjacent Fort
Myer and four acres of cemetery maintenance property inside the
boundaries, officials said. The extra space would provide room for 14,000 ground
burials and 22,000 inurnments in a large columbarium complex,
officials said. The project comes on the heels of extensive work underway to
utilize 40 acres of unused space in the cemetery, creating room for
26,000 more graves and 5,000 inurnments. And there are plans for further
outside expansion in the years ahead.
The cemetery, established in 1864, covers more than 600 acres, and
more than 300,000 people are buried there. The expansions are, in
part, a response to the deaths of members of the country's World War II
generation, about 16 million of whom served in the armed forces. The
Department of Veterans Affairs says more than 3 million World War II
veterans are alive. About 1,000 die each day. The department's National
Cemetery Administration says the number of veteran deaths is peaking, at
about 680,000 annually, and is expected to fall gradually to 671,000 in
2010, 622,000 in 2015 and 562,000 in 2020. At Arlington, which is run by
the Army, the steady death toll from Iraq and Afghanistan has added to
the numbers, although the cemetery gets only about 11% of those cases.
More than 400 members of the armed forces who have died in Iraq and
Afghanistan have been buried there.
The initial work, to be contracted through the Army Corps of
Engineers, would control drainage into the new sections. Katherine Basye
Welton, cemetery project manager for the Corps of Engineers, said the
first contracts were to be awarded by this month, but because of inadequate
bids, the work might not be awarded until the end of the year. The
project is expected to unfold over the next 10 years with funding hoped
for from Congress. But it has not thrilled everyone. Although the
transfer of the Arlington House land from the Park Service was decreed by law
five years ago, it still rankles there. The parcel, which could lose
many of its trees, has not been logged since the Civil War. The cemetery
also plans to acquire the Navy Annex in 2010 and demolish it in 2013,
and move underground utility lines within the next year or so, to gain
more space. The projects should keep the cemetery open through about
2060. Meanwhile, the pace at Arlington remains brisk. The cemetery handles
25 to 30 funerals a day. Some, involving cremated remains, are
scheduled for next year. [Source: Washington Post Michael E. Ruane article 7
Oct 07++]
VA FACILITY EXPANSION UPDATE 10: A unique health care facility
combining the resources of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the
Department of Defense (DoD) will be named in honor of local native, Navy
veteran and astronaut James A. Lovell. The new VA-DoD Federal Health
Care Facility, scheduled to open in 2010, will care for nearly 100,000
veterans, sailors, retirees and family members. The new facility will
result from the merger of the North Chicago VA Medical Center and the
Great Lakes Naval Hospital. This joint $130 million initiative marks the
first totally integrated federal health care facility in the country. Jim
Lovell, a Chicago native, naval aviation veteran of the Korean War and
former astronaut, was command pilot of Apollo 8, the first Apollo
mission to enter lunar orbit. He also commanded Apollo 13, which suffered
an explosion enroute to the Moon and was brought back safely to Earth
by the efforts of its crew and mission control. Lovell is a recipient
of the Congressional Space Medal of Honor and the Presidential Medal of
Freedom. [Source: VA News Release 5 Oct 07 ++]
MASSACHUSETTS DPL DATA BREACH: The Massachusetts Division of
Professional Licensure (DPL) last month mailed out 28 computer disks containing
publicly available information such as names and addresses of state
licensees to 23 individuals who requested the public records. This week,
it followed up those mailings by informing 450,000 individuals that
their Social Security numbers were also inadvertently included in the
public data contained on those 28 disks, which were mailed out between 13
and 17 SEP. The letter urged affected individuals to contact the major
credit bureaus and place fraud alerts on their credit. The agency also
assured them that there has been no indication yet that the exposed
information was misused. The letter also noted that all of the disks but
two have already been recovered from the individuals who got them. DPL
Director George K. Weber said in a letter posted on the division's Web
site that none of the individuals who received the disks has indicated
that they were even aware the disks contained Social Security
information. The Massachusetts DPL, is an agency within the state's Office of
Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation which regulates more than 40
trades and professions.
According to a description of the incident on its site, the
foul-up was the result of a programming error and the upgrading of computer
hardware and software at the DPL. Several categories of licensed
professionals were affected by the breach, including licensed nurses, health
care professionals, certified public accountants, engineers and land
surveyors. Such snafus are by no means uncommon. Earlier this year, the
Chicago Board of Elections found itself facing charges that it failed to
adequately protect the privacy of voters in the city after it
inadvertently distributed more than 100 computer disks containing the Social
Security numbers of more than 1.3 million voters to alderman and ward
committee members. In FEB 06, the Boston Globe found itself having to
apologize to about 240,000 subscribers after an attempt to recycle office
paper ended up with the company labeling newspaper bundles with routing
slips containing customer credit card information. That same month, a
human error at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina allowed the
Social Security numbers of more than 600 members to be printed on the
mailing labels of envelopes sent to them with information about a new
insurance plan. If you are concerned about your financial data being
compromised it is recommended that you obtain insurance against identity
theft. One such company which I use with very reasonable rates can be
located at www.lifelock.com. [Source: Computerworld Security Jaikumar
Vijayan article 4 Oct 07 ++]
SBP BASICS UPDATE 02: A question raised by many older retirees is,
"I've been paying into SBP for decades. The government has made a lot of
money on me. Why can't I get some of that money back after all these
years?" On the flip side, those nearing military retirement want to
know "Is SBP really worth it? It seems awfully expensive - how much bang
for my buck am I going to get?" Anyone who thinks the government is
making money on SBP is way off-base. As shown in the premium vs. payment
chart at http://www.moaa.org/lac_issues_fully_retired_sbp.htm for the
years 1985 though 2006 the government has paid out more than twice as
much in SBP benefits to survivors than it collects in retiree premiums.
And that difference will continue to grow, since we recently won a
benefit increase for survivors age 62 and older. For members retiring after
20 or more years of active duty, the government expects that the
average retiree's lifetime SBP premiums will only cover about 60% of the
average benefits that will be paid to the retiree's survivor. That means
three things:
• Your SBP benefit is 40% subsidized by the government to help
recognize the value of your service...(much different than the negative subsidy
of civilian insurance, for which premiums must cover 100% of benefit
costs, as well as company overhead, salaries, commissions, and profit).
• Much like Social Security, every dollar you pay in SBP premiums goes
toward paying part of the benefit for someone else’s survivor, just as
other retirees' premiums will help fund your survivor's benefits in the
event of your death.
• Any civilian insurance that provides cash back if you don't die is
going to cost you a lot bigger premium per death benefit dollar (and we
don't know of any civilian insurance that provides a fully
inflation-protected annuity like SBP does).
[Source: MOAA Leg Up 5 Oct 07 ++]
TRICARE RESERVE SELECT UPDATE 08: Tricare outreach efforts are
ensuring that nearly all of the 11,000 Tricare Reserve Select (TRS) members
under the “tier” version of TRS will stay covered under the restructured
program. As of 1 OCT approximately 90% had either switched over to
the new program—or were in the process. The restructured TRS has also
attracted interest from members of the Selected Reserves not previously
covered under the tier program and nearly 10,000 have begun the process
of qualifying for TRS. On 30 SEP, all current members in the tier
program were disenrolled as the restructured TRS went into effect 1 OCT under
changes mandated by the 2007 National Defense Authorization Act.
Despite an instruction letter sent out in early August, less than half had
transferred to the restructured program by mid-September. The few
remaining Tier TRS members who still have not heard about the need to make
the switch will not be left out in the cold. They have a 60-day window
to qualify for the new program with coverage retroactive to 1 OCT under
a new provision called continuation coverage.
The number of new TRS members represents a moving target as
it climbs daily. Already, the number of Selected Reservists purchasing
coverage is nearly double the average number of members in the old
TRS. With the end of the complicated tier program and its many
qualifications, the majority of National Guard and Reserve members in the Selected
Reserve are now eligible for TRS at a monthly premium of $81 for the
Service member only and $253 for the Service member and their family.
Coverage is comparable to Tricare Standard and Extra. The restructured
TRS also features continuously open enrollment. National Guard and
Reserve members must be in the Selected Reserve to be eligible for TRS.
There is an important exclusion: Selected Reserve members cannot be
eligible for Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB), or currently covered
under FEHB (either under their own eligibility or through a family
member). Members of the Selected Reserve can find out about TRS costs,
what’s covered, and how to purchase coverage through the “My Benefit”
portal at www.tricare.mil. Selected Reserve members who wish to see if they
are qualified to purchase TRS coverage under the restructured program
should go to the TRS Web application at
https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/appj/trs/ and follow the instructions. If
qualified, the member can print out the TRS Request Form; attest that they
are not eligible for or covered by an FEHB plan; then send the form
with one month’s premium to the appropriate Tricare regional MCSC.
National Guard and Reserve members may also contact their Reserve Component if
they have additional questions about eligibility for TRS. [Source: TMA
News Release 5 Oct 07 ++]
CONNECTICUT VETERANS WARTIME SERVICE MEDAL: All Connecticut veterans
with qualifying wartime military service are eligible to receive the
Connecticut Veterans Wartime Service Medal. Since last fall, the
Connecticut State Department of Veteran's Affairs has hosted invitation-only
ceremonies during which veterans of all wars receive the Medal. It is the
first of its kind that the state has minted since the end of World War
I. The 270,000 veterans who will receive it are Connecticut natives or
current residents who served in a war and received honorable
discharges. All living war veterans from World War II to the current war in Iraq
are entitled to the medal. The medal can also be mailed to the
veteran's home. In order to receive the medal, the veteran must meet all of
the following requirements:
1. Submit documentary proof of qualifying military wartime service (90
days wartime service, unless the war or operation lasted less than 90
days); (i.e. DD Form 214 or other documentation if DD Form 214 is
unavailable)
2. Submit proof of an honorable discharge from military service (or
discharge due to injuries received in the line of duty) for the qualifying
wartime service.
3. Submit proof that you currently are a resident of the State of
Connecticut or that you were a resident at the time of your qualifying
wartime service. (e.g., photocopy of State of Connecticut driver’s license).
4. Submit a Completed and signed application form (CTMD VM-1) availabe
online at http://www.ct.gov/ctva/cwp/view.asp?a=1992&q=313194
Awards will not be made posthumously. Send applications & supporting
documentation to: Department of Veterans' Affairs, ATTN: Wartime Medal
and Registry, 287 West Street, Rocky Hill, CT 06067 or Fax: (860)
721-5919. [Source: Military.com 1 Oct article ++]
VA CWT & IT: The Department of Veterans Affairs Compensated Work
Therapy (CWT), and Incentive Therapy (IT) programs are work therapy
programs intended to help veterans receiving treatment at VA Hospitals to
return to employment. Veterans who have participated in these programs and
received payments from VA as part of their therapy may have had their
payments reported to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), if they
received over $600 in any year. The payments from these programs may have
been treated as taxable income, based on IRS regulations in place at the
time. The United States Tax Court has recently determined that the
payments from these VA programs are not taxable because they are tax-exempt
veterans’ benefits. Veterans who reported CWT or IT work therapy
program payments as taxable income may be eligible to file amended tax
returns claiming refunds of the tax they paid on program payments. Veterans
who reported these payments as taxable income are advised to speak with
a tax advisor regarding this matter. [Source: Veterans Service
Organizations Liaison, Office of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs notice 2
Oct 07 ++]
VDBC UPDATE 22: A presidential commission has called for an immediate
25% increase in veterans’ disability compensation while awaiting a
larger overhaul of disability and transition benefits. The Veterans’
Disability Benefits Commission (VDBC) says the current compensation system is
outdated and fails to consider the complete impact that a
service-connected disability has on the life of veterans and their families. The
current system also is unnecessarily cumbersome to the point that it
discourages veterans from getting the help they deserve, says the
commission report, a copy of which was obtained 2 OCT by the Military Times. The
562-page report was released 3 OCT, although what happens next is
unclear. Most of the recommendations, including the proposed 25% benefits
boost, would require congressional action before they could take effect.
With the Bush administration already balking at the $4 billion
increase in veterans’ health care and benefits programs being pushed by
Congress, it is unlikely that administration officials would support further
increases. However, an overhaul of the veterans’ disability rating
system, streamlined claims processing and an easier transition from
military to veterans programs are all issues under consideration by Congress,
and could end up included in the Wounded Warrior Assistance Act that
lawmakers expect to pass later this year. An overhaul of the military’s
complicated disability retirement and physical evaluation process is
expected to be part of that bill.
The report by the 13-member commission, led by retired Army Lt.
Gen. James Scott, caps more than two years of work, including several
precedent-setting studies of disabled veterans and their compensation that
looked at their total income and compared military and veterans’
benefits to those received by disabled workers who never served in the
military. In calling for an overhaul of the military and Department of
Veterans Affairs rating systems, the commission said a revised system needs
to be fair so that people who have experienced similar losses receive
similar compensation. Veterans with mental disorders, including
post-traumatic stress disorder, are particularly poorly served by the current
rating system, the report says. The VA ratings schedule that sets
disability levels has not been changed in 62 years, and needs to be updated,
the commission says, with top priority going to revising the ratings
for PTSD, traumatic brain injury and other mental health and neurological
body systems says. This could be done quickly, in time to help Iraq
and Afghanistan war veterans, while leaving a review of the rest of the
ratings to roll out over five years.
The commission comes down squarely on the side of veterans on
several controversial issues. For example, it supports allowing disabled
retirees to receive full veterans’ disability compensation and military
retired pay when they are eligible for both, and to allow survivors to
receive their full veterans’ and military survivors’ benefits. On both
of those issues, the Pentagon has resisted efforts in Congress to allow
both payments in full, although in recent years lawmakers have been
phasing out the mandatory offsets in one pay or the other that had been on
the books for decades. One recommendation that may not please veterans
calls for periodic reviews of case in which disability pay is based,
in part, on the fact that a veteran’s disability prohibits him or her
from holding a job. When former VA Secretary R. James Nicholson made a
similar recommendation several years ago, veterans went wild about the
government trying to cut their payments. The commission calls for
periodical and comprehensive evaluations of disabled veterans’ employability
status, and a way to slowly wean veterans off benefits if it is possible
for them to return to work at some point. [Source: ArmyTime Rick
Maze article 3 Oct 07 ++]
VDBC UPDATE 23: The House Veterans' Affairs Committee likely will not
consider until next year legislation to address the recommendations of
two major commissions created to study veterans' health and disability
issues. A commission chaired by former Sen. Bob Dole and former Health
and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala examined servicemembers'
transition from military to civilian life and released its report in JUL
07, while the congressionally mandated Veterans' Disability Benefits
Commission released its report 3 OCT. Committee Chairman Bob (D-CA) said
that he plans to combine the recommendations of the two reports in a
single piece of legislation that the panel likely would not mark up until
next year. Retired Army Lt. Gen. James Terry Scott, chairman of the
Veterans' Disability Benefits Commission, said that his commission and
the Dole-Shalala commission have parted on some issues, which could prove
a challenge in drafting legislation. However, Filner suggested that
the commissions' findings would give a new secretary a window of
opportunity to make major changes at VA.
At the hearing Scott said, “A VA pilot program that would allow
veterans to get benefits without having to prove their claim first,
subject to random audits later for validity, might work if the new VA
secretary works closely with Congress to ensure there are no unintended
consequences. Such a proposal has been touted before by Harvard professor
Linda Bilmes and more recently by former VA Secretary Jim Nicholson in
his final days before leaving office." Separately, two major veterans
groups expressed impatience with government delays in improving care for
wounded troops. They called on President Bush to move quickly to
nominate a new VA secretary who would finally make the needs of our nation's
veterans a national priority. "This is no time for the president to
fill such an important position with a placeholder for the remainder of
his term," said David W. Gorman, an executive director of Disabled
American Veterans. Testimony to Congress by Scott is the first among several
commissions and task forces to weigh in on the issue of reducing
intractable delays in veterans disability pay. In early OCT the 13-member
commission issued a 544-page report on the ailing system that called the
current 177-day wait unacceptable. It called for better technology,
standardized procedures and additional staff to reduce the claims backlog
to about 90 days within two years.
Under questioning Scott acknowledged that more radical efforts
might be needed. "The VA as an institution has been hit about the head and
shoulders so much that trying something new is sometimes resisted
because they're afraid they'll be left holding the bag," Scott told the
House Veterans Affairs Committee. "I wouldn't object to a pilot program.
The current system is so complicated, it's a wonder to me that anyone
can get a claim processed." Scott said. The comments come as the Bush
administration and Congress struggle to find clear answers to some of the
worst problems afflicting wounded warriors more than seven months after
disclosures of shoddy outpatient treatment at the Pentagon-run Walter
Reed Army Medical Center. The Government Accountability Office earlier
this month in particular cited Army problems in providing personalized
medical care and the VA's backlogs in disability pay. Nicholson, who
stepped down 1 OCT, has said his successor will have "think outside the
box" to solve intractable delays in disability pay. Gordon Mansfield,
the VA's deputy secretary, is serving as acting secretary pending a
nomination of a successor by Bush. On 10 OCT the group Iraq and Afghanistan
Veterans of America aired a new television ad that chastises both
Congress and the Bush administration for continuing problems in veterans
care. [Source: AP Hope Yen and USA Today articles 11 Oct 07 ++]
MEDICARE RATES 2008: The Bush administration announced 1 OCT that the
standard Medicare premium would rise to $96.40 a month next year, an
increase of $2.90 a month. The 3.1% increase is the smallest since
1999-2000, when the premium was at the same level, $45.50, for two years in
a row. Most of the 43 million beneficiaries pay the standard premium
for Medicare Part B, which covers doctors’ services, outpatient hospital
care, X-rays, laboratory services and other diagnostic tests. About 5%
of beneficiaries, with annual incomes exceeding $82,000 for individuals
and $164,000 for couples filing joint tax returns, will pay higher
premiums on a sliding scale. The maximum will be $238.40 a month for the
most affluent, individuals with annual incomes exceeding $205,000 and
each member of a couple reporting combined income of more than $410,000.
For an individual with annual income from $102,000 to $153,000, the
premium will be $160.90 a month. Most beneficiaries pay separate premiums
for Medicare coverage of prescription drugs on top of the standard
premium. The drug premiums typically range from $25 to $40 a month.
The increase in the standard Part B premium was less than many
experts had expected, in part because officials decided to correct an
accounting error. As a result of the error, money for certain hospice
benefits was inadvertently drawn from the Part B trust fund rather than a
separate trust fund that pays hospital costs. The money will be paid back
in the coming year. In addition, the premium for 2008 is artificially
low because it assumes that Medicare payments to doctors will be cut
about 10% next year, as required by law. Congress has usually stepped in
to avert such cuts, and the cost is passed on to beneficiaries in
subsequent years. The chief Medicare actuary, Richard S. Foster, said, “The
low increase in premiums is good news for 2008,” but added that it was
probably a one-time phenomenon. The annual deductible for doctors’
visits and other Part B services will be $135, up from $131. The deductible
was fixed at $100 a year from 1991 to 2004. It now increases to
reflect the growing average cost of Part B services for beneficiaries 65 and
older. For a beneficiary admitted to a hospital, the deductible will be
$1,024 next year, up from $992. [Source: the New York Times Robert
Pear article 2 Oct 07 ++]
NDAA 2008 UPDATE 09: On 1 OCT the Senate finally passed their version
of the National Defense Authorization Bill (H.R. 1585) by a vote of
92-3. The bill now moves to conference with the House to work out
differences. The bill faces a possible veto by President Bush over an
expansion of federal hate-crime laws, unrelated to national defense but stuck
in regardless, if that provision makes it through the conference. Among
the many amendments added to the bill are several items of imminent
interest to retirees and their families. They include:
• The Lautenberg amendment to prohibit increases in TRICARE fees for
FY2008 and to express the sense of the Senate that military service is
unique and that military members have earned their benefit by virtue of
their service and sacrifices.
• The Nelson amendment to eliminate the SBP/DIC offset and accelerate
30-year paid-up Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) coverage to 1 OCT 07.
• The Reid amendment providing full, immediate concurrent receipt to
disabled retirees deemed “unemployable” by the VA retroactive to 1 JAN
05.
• An amendment by Sen. Lott concerning the Armed Forces Retirement
Home. This amendment would prohibit “privatization” of the Home into a
non-government charitable institution.
• The Chambliss amendment to reduce the Reserve retirement age by three
months for each 90 days served on active duty since 11 NOV 01.
• The Lincoln amendment to authorize Guard or reserve members to use
their mobilization GI Bill benefits up to 10 years after separating from
the Selected Reserve.
One NAUS supported provision that did not make the final bill as an
amendment was the Clinton sponsored Postal Bill to provide vouchers for
the families and loved ones of deployed troops in order to send free
mail and packages to them. It is, however, in the House passed bill.
Additionally the Wounded Warrior Act was reinserted into the NDAA. This
legislation addresses the care and treatment of our wounded warriors. It
would:
• Authorize $50 million for improvements in diagnosis, treatment and
rehabilitation of service members who have Traumatic Brain Injury or Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder.
• End the inconsistent ratings awarded for the same disabilities by DoD
and the VA.
• Provide for seamless transition from DoD to VA care by requiring the
Secretaries of the DoD and VA to develop a comprehensive plan
• Authorize medically retired (Chapter 61) with 50% disabilities and
higher to receive active duty medical benefits for three years after
leaving active service.
• Authorize VA and military health care providers to provide urgent and
emergency medical care and counseling to family members.
• Extend eligibility for VA healthcare for combat veterans from two
years to five years after discharge.
• Establish a joint DoD/VA program to develop and implement a joint
electronic health record.
• Require Secretary of Defense to establish standards for housing for
military outpatients and for military hospitals, clinics and specialty
medical care facilities.
• Increase minimum severance pay to one year’s basic pay for those
separated for disabilities incurred in a combat zone or combat related
operations, and six months basic pay for all others.
• Eliminate that severance pay be deducted from disability compensation
for disabilities incurred in a combat zone or combat-related
operations.
The Senate has appointed its conferees for H.R.1585, the FY 2008
National Defense Authorization Act. House conferees have not yet been
announced. The conferees will meet to discuss differing provisions of the
NDAA. The Senate conferees are as follows: Senators Levin; Kennedy; Byrd;
Lieberman; Reed; Akaka; Nelson FL; Nelson NE; Bayh; Clinton; Pryor;
Webb; McCaskill; McCain; Warner; Inhofe; Sessions; Collins; Chambliss;
Graham; Dole; Cornyn; Thune; Martinez; and Corker. [Source: NAUS Special
Update for 2 OCT 07 ++]
VA POLYTRAUMA CARE UPDATE 01: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
announced 28 SEP the Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital located
in San Antonio, Texas will house the Nation’s newest Polytrauma
Rehabilitation Center (PRC). This Center will provide intensive medical
rehabilitation for seriously injured and wounded service members and
veterans who suffer from Traumatic Brain Injuries, amputations, burns,
blindness, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders. Care has been structured
around teams of specialists. There are currently four VA PRCs in
Minneapolis, MN; Richmond, VA; Tampa, FL; and Palo Alto, CA. The San Antonio
project will consist of two stages. In the first, VA will construct an
84,000 square-foot, three-level building for rehabilitation, transitional
living and prosthetics. This will be followed by renovation of 32,500
square feet of office and exam room spaces in the main medical center
building at the VA’s medical center. The Center will eventually house one
floor of polytrauma ward space (12 beds) and transitional housing (12
apartments); one floor of polytrauma rehabilitation and multi-purpose
space; and one floor for physical medicine and prosthetics service. The
cost of the entire project is estimated at $66 million. Construction
is expected to begin next year. [Source: VA News Release 28 Sep 07 ++]
MEDICARE PART D UPDATE 16: Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) has introduced
a bill - the Medicare Prescription Drug Gap Reduction Act of 2007
(S.2089) - to give the Secretary of Health and Human Services authority to
negotiate prescription drug prices on behalf of Medicare beneficiaries.
Currently, more than one-quarter of all Medicare Part D recipients
are affected by a large gap in coverage, often referred to as the
doughnut hole. After $2,400 in prescription expenses, seniors receive no
prescription drug coverage but continue to pay premiums until they exceed
$5,451 in expenses. Savings generated by prescription drug negotiation
under S.2089 would be directed toward reducing this gap in coverage.
[Source: St. John’s DC Updates 2 Oct 07 ++]
CANADIAN FORCES NATIONAL MILITARY CEMETERY: An expansion of the
Canadian Forces National Military Cemetery (NMC) in Ottawa earlier this year
allows veterans of British forces, along with those of France, the
United States and Poland, to be buried alongside Canada's military
casualties. Former members of allied merchant navies can also be laid to rest
there. Eligibility criteria for internment in the NMC is:
- All former members of the Canadian Forces, both Regular and Reserve
Force, including the Merchant Navy of Canada.
- Former members of Her Majesty’s Forces.
- Allied Active Service members (i.e. U.S. military veterans) who
became residents of, and died while residing in Canada, and were honorably
discharged.
- A family member or friend of the service member
Allied Force members, or a member of their estate must provide
documents demonstrating that the applicant was honorably released. Upon
determination of eligibility, the applicant or their estate will coordinate
burial arrangements directly with the staff of Beechwood Cemetery.
Family members and/or funeral directors will facilitate burial arrangements
directly with Beechwood Cemetery, once the NMC application has been
approved. Burial and most associated costs will be borne by the military
for serving members of the Regular Force and Reserve Class C Service and
by the estate for veterans. Charges for burial and services are based
on rates approved annually by the Ontario Ministry of Corporate and
Consumer Relations. Beechwood offers pre-payment options so that those
wishing to be buried at the NMC can take advantage of current prices.
Plots will not be pre-selected nor will they be allocated on the basis of
rank, service, regiment, or personal preference. Registration
applications are available online at
http://www.forces.gc.ca/hr/nmc-cmn/engraph/coverpage_e.asp?docid=2.
Applications should be forwarded to: Director Casualty Support and
Administration 6, National Defense Headquarters
Major-General George R. Pearkes Building, 101 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa,
ON, K1A 0K2. [Source: VVA Post 75 Tom O’Malley article 1 Oct 07 ++]
MILITARY RELATED JOB FAIRS UPDATE 01: The Veteran Eagle is a
newsletter for veterans, transitioning military, their family members, and
friends and supporters of VetJobs. It provides informational assistance to
users in finding the job that best meets their needs. Interested vets
can review data that will enable them to find a job and/or subscribe to
the newsletter at www.vetjobs.com. The site also provides information
to employers on the advantages of hiring vets. Following are the
scheduled military related Job Fairs for 15 thru 31 OCT:
• TX, 10/16, NCOA Job Leader National Job Fair, Fort Hood Conference
and Catering Center, Bldg. 5764, 24th and Wainwright Streets, Fort Hood,
10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
• NY, 10/16, TECHEXPO Top Secret, Hilton New York, 1335 Avenue of the
Americas, New York, 12pm to 6pm
• KY, 10/17, Fort Knox Job Fair, Leaders Club, 1118 Chaffee Avenue,
Fort Knox, 10 AM to 3 PM
• SC, 10/17, Career Fair, Fort Jackson, 9 AM to Noon
• AZ, 10/18, Military Stars Western Regional Career Expo, Pointe South
Mountain Resort, 7777 South Pointe Parkway, Phoenix, Noon to 5 PM
• VA, 10/18, Corporate Gray Security Clearance Job Fair, Crystal City
Embassy Suites Hotel, Arlington, 9 AM to 1:30 PM
• KY, 10/18, CivilianJobs.com Job Fair, visit www.civilianjobs.com for
details.
• VA, 10/18, TECHEXPO Top Secret, Hyatt Regency Reston Town Center,
1800 Presidents Street, Reston, 10 AM to 4 PM
• TX, 10/21-22, Bradley-Morris, Inc. Hiring Conference for
Transitioning Military, Dallas, visit www.Bradley-Morris.com for more information.
• CA, 10/21-22, Bradley-Morris, Inc. Hiring Conference for
Transitioning Military, San Diego, visit www.Bradley-Morris.com for more
information.
• PA, 10/21-22, Orion International Military Hiring Conference,
Philadelphia, visit www.orioninternational.com for details.
• IL, 10/21-23, Orion International Military Hiring Conference,
Chicago, visit www.orioninternational.com for details.
• MD, 10/23, TECHEXPO Top Secret, BWI Marriott, 1743 West Nursery Road,
Baltimore, 10 AM to 4 PM.
• OH, 10/23-24, AFCEA InfoTech Career Fair, Dayton Convention Center,
322 East Fifth Street, Dayton, 11 AM to 4 PM.
• KS, 10/24, ACAP Job Fair, Frontier Conference Center (FCC) 350 Biddle
BLVD, Fort Leavenworth, 10 AM to 2 PM.
• VA, 10/25, Cleared Job Fair, The Westin Tysons Corner, 7801 Leesburg
Pike, Falls Church, 11 AM to 4 PM.
• AZ, 10/25, Career Fair, The Windemere Hotel & Conference Center, 2047
South Highway 92, Sierra Vista, 1 PM to 5 PM.
• VA, 10/25, Military Job Fair of Virginia, Hampton Roads Convention
Center 1610 Coliseum Drive, Hampton, 9 AM to 3 PM.
• MO, 10/25, Mini Job Fair, Audie Murphy Club, Fort Leonard Wood, 9:30
AM to 2:30 PM.
• GA, 10/25, ACS Job Fair, The Commons, Bldg 650, Fort McPherson, 10 AM
to 2 PM.
• GA, 10/25-26, Lucas Group Military Hiring Conference, Atlanta, visit
www.lucasgroup.com/services/military.asp for more information.
• IL, 10/25-26, Lucas Group Military Hiring Conference, Chicago, visit
www.lucasgroup.com/services/military.asp for more information.
• WA, 10/25-26, Lucas Group Military Hiring Conference, Seattle, visit
www.lucasgroup.com/services/military.asp for more information.
• VA, 10/26, USO JETS, SOSA Community Center 9800 Belvoir Road, Bldg
200, Fort Belvoir, 10 AM to 2 PM.
• GA, 10/28-29, Bradley-Morris, Inc. Hiring Conference for
Transitioning Military, Atlanta, visit www.Bradley-Morris.com for more information.
• GA, 10/29, MilitaryStars Southeast Regional Career Expo, Cobb
Galleria Centre, Two Galleria Parkway, Atlanta, Noon to 5 PM.
• VA, 10/25-26, Lucas Group Military Hiring Conference, Norfolk, visit
www.lucasgroup.com/services/military.asp for more information.
• NY, 10/30, National Veterans Job Expo, Rochester Museum & Science
Center, 657 East Avenue, Rochester, 10 AM to 2 PM.
[Source: VetJobs Veteran Eagle 1 Oct 07 ++]
VETERAN LEGISLATION STATUS 13 OCT 07: For a listing of Congressional
bills of interest to the veteran community that have been introduced in
the 110th Congress refer to the Bulletin House & Senate attachments.
By clicking on the bill number indicated you can access the actual
legislative language of the bill and see if your representative has signed
on as a cosponsor. Support of these bills through cosponsorship by
other legislators is critical if they are ever going to move through the
legislative process for a floor vote to become law. A good indication on
that likelihood is the number of cosponsors who have signed onto the
bill. A cosponsor is a member of Congress who has joined one or more
other members in his/her chamber (i.e. House or Senate) to sponsor a bill
or amendment. The member who introduces the bill is considered the
sponsor. Members subsequently signing on are called cosponsors. Any number
of members may cosponsor a bill in the House or Senate. At
http://thomas.loc.gov you can also review a copy of each bill,
determine its current status, the committee it has been assigned to, and if
your legislator is a sponsor or cosponsor of it. To determine what bills,
amendments your representative has sponsored, cosponsored, or dropped
sponsorship on refer to http://thomas.loc.gov/bss/d110/sponlst.html.
The key to increasing cosponsorship on veteran related bills is letting
our representatives know of veteran’s feelings on issues. At the end
of some listed bills is a web link that can be used to do that.
Otherwise, you can locate on http://thomas.loc.gov who your representative is
and his/her phone number, mailing address, or email/website to
communicate with a message or letter of your own making. [Source: RAO Bulletin
Attachment 13 Oct 07 ++]
Lt. James "EMO" Tichacek, USN (Ret)
Director, Retiree Assistance Office, U.S. Embassy Warden & IRS VITA
Baguio City RP
PSC 517 Box RCB, FPO AP 96517
Tel: (760) 839-9003 when in U.S. & Cell: 0915-361-3503 when in
Philippines.
Email: raoemo@sbcglobal.net Web:
http://post_119_gulfport_ms.tripod.com/rao1.html
AL/AMVETS/DAV/FRA/NAUS/NCOA/MOAA/USDR/VFW/VVA/CG33/DD890/AD37 member
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