RAO Bulletin Update
1 April 2007
THIS BULLETIN UPDATE CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES:
== Tricare Uniform Formulary (18) -------------- (More Tier Changes)
== FL Disabled Vet Tax Exemption (01) -------- (Property Tax Discounts)
== Vet Healthcare Mandatory Funding----------- (Impact on Care)
== Tricare Pharmacy Policy (02) ---------- (Medicare Part “D” Impact)
== Wounded Warrior Assistance------------------ (WRAMC Fallout)
== Small Business Administration (01) ---------- (H.R.0109)
== FL Dept of Revenue Data Breach ------- (Identity Theft Protection)
== Mobilized Reserve 28 MAR 07 --------------- (Net Decrease 1,511)
== SBP SSA Offset (09) --------------------------- (1 April Decrease)
== National Uniform Claim Committee --------- (VHA Membership)
== Angioplasty vs. Drugs ------------------------- (Equally Effective)
== Traumatic Brain Injury (03) ------------------ (Vets Helping Vets)
== Diabetes (03) ------------------------------------ (Take the Test)
== Tricare Emergency Facility Use ------------- (Claim Submission)
== Marines' Memorial Assn -------------- (San Francisco Military Club)
== Medicare Fraud -------------------- (Federal False Claims Act)
== Vet Home Patient Neglect -------------------- (AZ/AL Vet Homes)
== Tricare EOBs ----------------------------------- (Policy Change)
== Base Decals--------------------------- (AF No Longer Requires)
== Referral Bonus (02) ------------ (Expanded to Army Civilians)
== SBP Legislation-------------------------------- (Inequities)
== AFRH (02) -------------------------- (Poor Conditions Alleged)
== STROKE (02) -------------------------- (Transient Ischemic Attacks)
== VDBC (15) ------------------------------------- (CR Recommendations)
== Military Pay Tax Bill ------------------------- (Active Duty Only)
== Medal of Honor Day -------------------------- (March 25th)
== Tricare/CHAMPUS Fraud (05) ---------- (PI Claim Pmt Suspensions)
== Filipino Vet Inequities ------------------------ (Wartime Promises)
== VA Facility Maintenance --------------------- (1,100 Problems Cited)
== Veterans Benefit Protection Act ------------- (Hiring Attorneys)
== Echo Taps Worldwide ------------------------ (Armed Forces Day Plan)
== Recruiter Misconduct (02) ------- (Video Surveillance Contemplated)
== WRAMC (07) ------------------------ (Alternate Closing Proposal)
== Bug Safety (Children) ------------------------ (Summer Safety tips)
== WRAMC (06) ---------------------------- (May Not close)
== Millennium Cohort Study --------------- (Military Health Survey)
== NDAA 2008 ----------------------------------- (TMC Priorities)
== Tax on Home Sale ---------------------------- (Exclusion rules)
== COLA 2008 (04) ------------------------------ (-0.3% thru FEB 07)
== VBDR---------------------------------- (DR Program Abolishment)
== Supplemental Appropriations Act ---------- (Impact on VA)
== Will Rogers Memorial Museum ------------- (Words of Wisdom)
== Future for Vets Commission ----------------- (Tampa Meeting)
== DFAS Death Notification (01) --------------- (Where to Notify)
== Returning GWT Heroes TF ------------------- (Inviting Feedback)
== Hepatitis & Liver Cancer --------------------- (Five Known Viruses)
== VA Hepatitis “C” Web Site ------------------ (Where to Look)
== Military Retirement Taxation ---------------- (What is/is not)
== Awards Replacement (01) ------------------- (What to Expect)
== Awards Replacement (02) ------------------- (Letter Request Format)
== Veteran Legislation Status 31 MAR 07 ------- (Where we stand)
Editor’s Note: Attached is a listing of veteran legislation with
current cosponsor status that has been introduced in the 110th Congress. To
see any of these bills passed into law representatives need input from
their veteran constituents to guide them on how to vote. For the
Easter holiday the House will recess 2-13 April and the Senate 2 to 9 April.
TRICARE UNIFORM FORMULARY UPDATE 18: On March 22, a DoD panel proposed
moving several pain narcotic, glaucoma, and anti-depressant medications
to the third tier ($22 copay vs $3 or $9 for drugs on first and second
tiers), along with some newer sedatives.
- Ultram ER (extended release) will be moved to the third tier with a
90-day implementation time. There are 38 other medications in this
class that remain available at the lower copays, including the
immediate-release form of Ultram.
- Glaucoma drugs Travatan, Istalol, Betimol, and Azopt to the third
tier, while 18 medications in this class will still be available at the
lower copay.
- Among anti-depressants, the Emsam patch will move to the third tier,
leaving Marplan, Nardil and Parnate available at lower copays.
- Some newer sedatives -- Rozerem, Sonata, and Ambien CR (controlled
release) - also will move to the third tier. Ambien and Lunesta will
remain on the lower-copay list, along with eight other older drugs.
However, a "prior-authorization" requirement is being proposed for first-time
use of all drugs in this class other than Ambien, which is the most
commonly prescribed and cost-effective drug in this class. The
prior-authorization requirement would not apply to patients who previously had
another first- or second-tier sleep agent prescribed in the last six
months. The panel indicated that Ambien is scheduled to be available in
generic form in April. When that happens, use of that generic will be made
mandatory. Other drugs in the class will be available only if the
doctor demonstrates that there is a medical necessity to prescribe one of
the other drugs in the class for the particular patient (e.g., to avoid
adverse side effects).
[Source: MOAA Leg Up 30 Mar 07 ++]
TAX EXEMPTION FOR FL DISABLED VETS UPDATE 01: An amendment to the
Florida Constitution voters approved in 2006 to give property tax discounts
to a small group of disabled veterans could be implemented under a bill
that cleared the state’s Senate. Only those veterans with
combat-related disabilities who were Florida residents when they joined the military
would be eligible for the tax discounts on their primary homes, known
as homesteads. The percentage of a veteran’s discount would correspond
to the percentage he is disabled as determined by the U.S. Department of
Veterans Affairs. The Senate passed the bill 39-0. It now goes to the
House, where no similar bill has yet been filed. [Source: Southwest
Florida Herald Tribune 29 Mar 07 ++]
VETERANS' HEALTHCARE MANDATORY FUNDING: On 8 MAR 07 Senator Charles
Schumer (D-NY) told a Washington, DC newspaper; “Nationwide, veterans are
facing a healthcare funding shortfall of more than $2.8 billion in the
midst of a growing nationwide scandal over inadequate treatment of
wounded soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan”. He pledged to
promote, support, and vote for full mandatory funding of veteran’s healthcare
and services. Full funding for Veterans Healthcare is something all
veterans would like to see achieved. A group of veterans has initiated
“Operation Firing for Effect” (OFFE) to help achieve that goal. On 19
MAR, while visiting the VA Medical Center in Canandaigua New York, Sen.
Schumer took time to meet with Operation Firing For Effect
representatives and to sign their Resolution calling for full mandatory funding of
veteran’s healthcare and services. This Resolution posted at
http://offe2008.org/public_html/resolution.htm has been adopted and
passed by several U.S. northeast cities and townships, including the Mayor
of Chicago, Illinois, Richard Daley, the Governor of Oregon, Ted
Kulongoski, plus over 500,000 labor union members in New York State.
healthcare system is essential to provide vets with adequate
healthcare. The links shown provide documentation on the conditions noted:
- On 22 AUG 86, the VAMC in Atlanta Georgia released a Memorandum
changing their procedures for self injections for diabetic insulin users.
The change in policy was as follows; “Effective for new prescriptions
written after 2 SEP 86, you should use each disposable insulin syringe two
times before throwing it away”. The only possible reason for this new
policy was budgetary. This change in procedure was an attempt to cut the
year’s insulin syringe budget in half. Apparently, the VA needed funds
elsewhere, and decided this very questionable and risky injection
procedure was a good idea. Well known Georgia veterans rights advocate Jere
Beery led a successful public campaign to have this unsafe practice
stopped immediately. This one small example illustrates how budget
restraints affect the quality of healthcare our veterans receive. Mandatory
full funding would guarantee that our veterans would never be asked to
use a dirty syringe again. Documentation;
http://jerebeery.com/va-syringe-useage.htm
- Although the telephone has been around for well over a century, it
wasn’t until 1996 that all VA hospitals nationwide were equipped with
bedside telephones. Up until that time, unless you could make it to the
pay phone down the hall, patients made no calls, much less receive any.
In 1995, Mr. Francis Dosio of PT Phone Home and the Communication
Workers of America Union took up the concept veterans activist Jere Beery
had started several years earlier and launched a nationwide project to
install bedside phones in every VA hospital in the country. All of the
labor and equipment was donated but the story was not publicized. The VA
didn’t have to pay anything for the bedside phone project as all of the
funds were donated from the private sector. Mandatory full funding
would insure that our veterans do not have to depend on public donations
for basic amenitie and services. Documentation;
http://jerebeery.com/bedside_telephones_in_va_hospita.htm.
- In 1998, the VAMC in Atlanta attempted to implement parking fees for
all veterans visiting the facility. Vietnam combat veteran Jere Beery
openly challenged the parking plan and stimulated public outrage which
halted the idea before it was enforced. Mandatory full funding would
guarantee that our veterans are never again ask to pay to access the
healthcare services they have earned. Documentation;
http://jerebeery.com/va%20parking%201.htm.
- In 2006, two veterans died after they were refused entrance and
lifesaving treatment at the VA hospital in Spokane Washington. The reason;
they arrived after the emergency room had closed. Mandatory full
funding would insure that all VA hospitals with a pre-existing emergency room
could maintain 24/7 emergency services for critically ill veterans.
Documentation; http://jerebeery.com/offe_extremely_concerned_about_d.htm .
- In 1978, travel reimbursement for veterans traveling to a VA hospital
for a scheduled appointment was 11 cents per mile, which was when gas
was 49 cents a gallon. This reimbursement amount has remained unchanged
for 29 years. In this case, Mandatory full funding would provide the
funds to increase this allowance and allow for the payment of travel pay
to fluctuate with the rising cost of fuel.
- Currently, the VA has a backlog of over 90,000 claims waiting
processing. Many veterans are required to wait well over a year for their VA
rating decision. Under-staffing is the primary reason for these delays.
Mandatory funding would make it possible for the VA to hire additional
staff to process and expedite claims.
- Low wages offered by the VA make it difficult to entice and retain
high quality medical professionals. Doctors, nurses, dentist,
psychiatrist, counselors, and nutritionist all make significantly more money in
the private sector. Mandatory funding would allow for increases in
salaries which would attract more medical professionals into the VA
healthcare system.
- Mandatory funding would also insure that future medical research done
by the VA would not be restricted by budget constraints.
For additional info on OFFE refer to Refer to
http://offe2008.org/public_html/index.htm. [Source: OFFE Gene Sims msg.
29 Mar 07 ++]
TRICARE PHARMACY POLICY UPDATE 02: The Tricare Management Activity
(TMA) announced that, in collaboration with the Defense Manpower Data
Center (DMDC) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), it
has developed a customer-focused process for beneficiaries to resolve
Medicare Part D and Tricare coverage issues, and obtain their
prescriptions more quickly. Since the initiation of the Medicare Part “D” program
some Tricare beneficiaries who try to use their Tricare prescription
drug benefit have found their Tricare coverage denied due to the
inadvertent Medicare Part D enrollment. Should this situation happen to you,
TMA recommends the beneficiary contact Express Scripts at 1(866)
363-8779. The Express Scripts customer service representative will ask for
the beneficiary’s permission to access Medicare Part D coverage
information from CMS and determine whether the beneficiary is currently in a
Medicare Part D plan. If CMS records show no Medicare Part D coverage,
DMDC will update the beneficiary’s Defense Enrollment Eligibility
Reporting System (DEERS) information, in one business day. Additionally, if
Express Scripts discovers that CMS shows the beneficiary as having
Medicare Part D coverage, they will advise the beneficiary how to obtain
confirmation of disenrollment or cancellation from Medicare Part D, and
how to forward the disenrollment or cancellation information to DMDC to
update the beneficiary’s DEERS record. Once DMDC receives this
documentation, a customer service representative will update the DEERS records
and telephone the beneficiary to confirm the correction. [Source: TMA
News Release 22 Mar 07 www.tricare.mil/pressroom/news.aspx?fid=271
++]
WOUNDED WARRIOR ASSISTANCE: On 28 MAR the House unanimously passed
H.R. 1538, the Wounded Warrior Assistance Act of 2007. This bipartisan
bill responds to the problems brought to light at the Walter Reed Army
Medical Center and other military health care facilities by including
provisions to:
1) Improve the access to quality medical care for wounded service
members who are outpatients at military health care facilities;
2) Begin the process of restoring the integrity and efficiency of the
disability evaluation system and taking other steps to cut bureaucratic
red-tape; and
3) Improve the transition of wounded service members from the Armed
Forces to the VA system.
More specifically an overview of some of the key provisions of the bill
discloses it:
- Improves the training and reduces the caseloads of medical care case
managers for outpatient wounded service members, so that service
members and their families can get the help they need when they need it. For
example, the bill requires that case managers for outpatients handle no
more than 17 cases and review each case at least once a week to better
understand patient needs.
- Creates a system of patient advocates for outpatient wounded service
members. These advocates are there to fight, when necessary, to ensure
that outpatients get the right treatment. The bill limits patient
advocates to a caseload of no more than 30 outpatients.
- Requires DOD to establish a toll-free hot line for reporting
deficiencies in facilities supporting medical patients and family members,
requiring rapid responses to remediate substantiated complaints.
- Establishes an independent medical advocate to serve as a counselor
and advisor for service members being considered by medical evaluation
boards.
- Requires DOD to recommend annually improvements in the training of
health care professionals, medical care case managers, and patient
advocates to increase their effectiveness in assisting recovering wounded
warriors. The bill, at a minimum, requires DOD to make recommendations
about improving training in the identification of post-traumatic stress
disorder, suicidal tendencies, and other mental conditions among
recovering service members.
- Requires the Army to establish an Army Wounded Warrior Battalion
pilot program at an installation with a major medical facility modeled
after the Wounded Warrior Regiment program in the Marines. The unit is
intended to track active-duty soldiers in outpatient status who still
require medical care.
- Begins the process of reforming administrative processes in order to
restore the integrity and efficiency of the disability evaluation
system. For example, the bill requires DOD to establish a standardized
training program and curriculum for those involved in the disability
evaluation system.
- Takes some substantive steps in reducing the turmoil of being
transferred from military to veterans’ medical care for service members who
are discharged. The bill creates a formal transition process from the
Armed Forces to the VA for service members who are being retired or
separated for health reasons. The transition is to include an official
handoff between the two systems with the electronic transfer of all medical
and personnel records before the member leaves active-duty.
The Dignity for Wounded Warriors Act H.R.1268 & S.713 are similar bills
that have been introduced in the 110th Congress on this issue. [Source:
House Speaker Pelosi msg. 29 Mar 07 ++]
SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION UPDATE 01: Legislation moving through
the House aims to reduce fees on U.S. Small Business Administration loans
and boost lending in rural areas and low-income urban neighborhoods.
On 15 MAR the House Small Business Committee approved H.R.0109. This
bill would eliminate fees on loans made to veterans through the SBA’s
7(a) program and cut fees in half on loans made to doctors and dentists in
areas where there is a shortage of medical professionals. Small
businesses that need large loans would benefit from a provision that allows
borrowers to combine a 7(a) loan, which can be used for a variety of
business purposes, with a 504 loan, which must be used for real estate or
other fixed assets. The bill would allow the SBA to use money
appropriated by Congress to reduce fees on 7(a) loans. The
government-guaranteed loans are popular because they offer longer terms and lower monthly
payments than conventional small-business loans. Congress lowered 7(a)
loan fees to stimulate the economy after the 911 terrorist attacks.
Fees on borrowers and lenders went back up in OCT 04, when Congress - at
the SBA’s request - stopped subsidizing the loans. Fees now cover loan
defaults and other program costs. Eliminating the subsidy saves
taxpayers about $80 million a year. But critics say the higher fees make the
loans too expensive for some small businesses, adding $1,500 to $3,000
to the cost of small 7(a) loans and as much as $50,000 for large loans.
[Source: South Florida Business Journal 27 Mar 07 ++]
FL DEPT OF REVENUE DATA BREACH: A Cape Coral veteran is afraid he
could become the victim of identity theft again after learning 26 MAR his
personal information had been stolen for the fourth time in a year -
this time from a state agency. Bill Trowler received a letter from the
Florida Department of Revenue saying his information had been stolen from
a database. Exposure to identity theft as a result of data breaches has
happened to Trowler four times in the last year. It started when he got
caught up in the largest identity theft case in U.S. history when 26.5
million veterans were compromised by a stolen laptop. His personal
information was again compromised when he applied for a line of credit from
department store and again when he applied for a standard credit card.
In both of those cases his information was used to get new credit lines
and one crook even set up a business in Trowler’s name. He immediately
started trying to protect his identity. “We froze all our accounts with
the credit bureau. We also changed all our account numbers on all
credit cards. We have destroyed or shredded anything that contains financial
information. We got extra locks on the door now,” said Trowler.
He has contacted the Florida Department of Revenue to deal with
this latest incident, but so far he hasn’t heard back from them to find
out exactly what happened. The state did admit that there is a criminal
investigation going on and that about 5,000 people’s information was
compromised. Officials aren’t saying how the data was stolen or when.
Last year Florida State warned their employees via a 16 MAY email message
that their personal information may have been compromised after work on
the state's People First payroll and human resources system was
improperly subcontracted to a company in India. Employees who worked for the
state during the 18-month period between 1 JAN 03 and 30 JUN 04, were
potentially exposed. The state's Department of Management Services (DMS),
which oversees the People First system, estimated that 108,000 then
current and former state employees may have been affected by the data
breach, although that estimate could change as a result of their
investigation into the matter.
The military community continues to be at risk for identity theft
because the government and many large companies cannot get their act
together on this issue. As a result veterans are continually being
exposed to the potential of identity theft from hackers and criminals.
Although those who have been exposed are reassured by these agencies that
appropriate actions are being taken to protect them from personal loss,
these actions and notifications are always taken after data breaches
have occurred giving criminals ample time to act on the data they have
obtained. One sure way to protect yourself is to purchase insurance
against losses and let the insurer fight the battles with creditors seeking
reimbursement from you for alleged purchases/loans. Companies offering
these services can be located on the web by entering “Identity Theft
Insurance” into your search engine. Premiums and coverage vary. One such
company is Lifelock www.lifelock.com which offers a 25% discount to
veterans for $1,000,000 coverage at a $7.50 monthly premium. Those
seeking protection are encouraged to shop for the best deal to meet their
personal needs. [Source: WBBH NBC2 News Fort Myers FL 27 Mar 07 ++]
MOBILIZED RESERVE 28 MAR 07: The Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps
and Coast Guard announced the current number of reservists on active
duty as of 28 MAR 07 in support of the partial mobilization. The net
collective result is 1,511 fewer reservists mobilized than last reported for
14 MAR 07. Total number currently on active duty in support of the
partial mobilization for the Army National Guard and Army Reserve is
62,879; Navy Reserve 6,174; Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve 4,983;
Marine Corps Reserve 5,559; and the Coast Guard Reserve 301. This
brings the total National Guard and Reserve personnel, who have been
mobilized, to 79,896, including both units and individual augmentees. At any
given time, services may mobilize some units and individuals while
demobilizing others, making it possible for these figures to either increase
or decrease. A cumulative roster of all National Guard and Reserve
personnel, who are currently mobilized, can be found at
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Mar2007/d20070328ngr.pdf. [Source: DoD
News Release 28 Mar 07 ++]
SBP SSA OFFSET UPDATE 09: Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) annuitants who
currently do not receive 50% of their deceased spouse's SBP annuity base
amount will soon see their annuity increase. The increase, which goes
into effect 1 APR will appear in annuitants' May 2007 deposit. Survivors
who already receive 50% or more of their late spouse's annuity base
amount will not see an increase this April, but they may see one next
April. By April 2008, all survivors will receive the full 55% of their late
military retiree's pay covered by SBP. Public Law 108-375, which was
implemented on 1 OCT 05 established the phased elimination of the Social
Security offset and the two-tier annuity computation for surviving
spouses under the Survivor Benefit Plan/Reserve Component Survivor Benefit
Plan (SBP/RCSBP). [Source: MOAA News Exchange 28 Mar 07 ++]
NATIONAL UNIFORM CLAIM COMMITTEE: The Veterans Health Administration
(VHA) has been named to the National Uniform Claim Committee (NUCC), a
key organization in the health care industry. The NUCC develops the
paper claim form for professional billing to insurers (currently, the CMS
1500). Comprising both payers and providers, the NUCC selected VHA as a
Provider member. VHA has a vital interest in policies affecting
professional health care claims. During fiscal year 2006 VHA submitted 4.8
million claims to third-party payers for reimbursement of professional
nonservice-connected care of veterans. The VA Health Administration Center
(HAC), which processes approximately two million professional claims
per year as a payer for VHA programs, most recently worked with the NUCC
to update the Revised 08/05 Version of the CMS 1500 Health Insurance
Claim Form currently under national implementation. Officially, NUCC is
“a voluntary organization created to develop a standardized data set for
use by the non-institutional health care community to transmit claim
and encounter information to and from all third-party payers.” The NUCC
is chaired by the American Medical Association, with the Centers for
Medicare and Medicaid Services as a critical partner. The NUCC is formally
named in the HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability
Act) legislation as one of the organizations to be consulted on national
standards for health care transactions. For additional info on the NUCC
refer to www.nucc.org. [Source: Office of the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs News Release 27 Mar 07 ++]
ANGIOPLASTY VS. DRUGS: For patients with clogged arteries who have not
yet had a heart attack, the widely used surgical treatment of balloon
angioplasty with the insertion of a stent is no better than conventional
drug treatment. Researchers from the Department of Veterans Affairs
told a meeting of the American College of Cardiology on 26 MAR that in a
study of more than 2,000 patients, those receiving only drug therapy
had the same number of heart attacks, strokes and deaths as those who
received the drugs and underwent artery-opening angioplasty. The only
difference was a slight improvement in quality of life for those receiving
angioplasty because of fewer chest pains, known as angina. The findings
deal a blow to the stent industry, which sells an estimated $3.2
billion worth of stents each year in the United States. As many as 65% of the
estimated 1 million stenting procedures performed each year occur in
such patients at a cost of about $40,000 per surgery.
Experts cautioned that the results do not apply to patients who
have suffered a heart attack because of a blockage in the coronary
artery. Numerous studies have shown that angioplasty is the gold standard for
such patients, and physicians urge that it be implemented as soon as
possible to re-open the artery and restore blood flow to the heart. But
in nonemergency situations, the drugs act fast enough to forestall the
need for angioplasty. Stent makers said the study provided little new
information, did not include the newest generation of drug-eluting stents
and did not address the key issue of whether stents prevent the need
for further angioplasties. They also argued that the device’s greatest
benefit is improving quality of life. The study published online 26 MAR
by the New England Journal of Medicine is the first large analysis
examining its value for those with what is known as stable disease.
The study, called the Courage Trial, enrolled 2,287 patients at 15
VA medical centers and another 35 hospitals in the U.S. and Canada. It
was sponsored primarily by the VA and the Canadian Institutes of Health
Research. Many of the researchers involved have received consulting and
lecture fees from major drug companies. All the patients had at least a
70% blockage of their coronary artery and chest pains several times per
week. Most also had high cholesterol and high blood pressure, and many
had diabetes. All of the patients were placed on multiple medications,
including beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors and diuretics to lower blood
pressure, statins to decrease cholesterol and blood thinners to prevent
clots. The patients also were counseled about lifestyle programs for
smoking cessation, increased exercise and a better diet. The drug
treatments typically costs about $1,500 a year. Half the patients underwent
angioplasty, and many of them received a stent—a wire-mesh tube inserted
into the artery to hold it open after the balloon is withdrawn. The
balloon and the stent are threaded into the coronary artery through a small
incision in the groin.
After an average of 4.6 years of monitoring, there were 211 deaths,
heart attacks or strokes in the group receiving angioplasty and 202 in
the group receiving only drug therapy. The only difference between the
two groups was that angioplasty patients had fewer symptoms of angina.
After three years, 67% of those in the angioplasty group were free of
angina, compared with 62% in the medication-only group, according to the
study. Stent makers tended to scoff at the study. Dr. Donald Baim of
Boston Scientific Corp. argued that the results “don’t really tell us
much that we didn’t already know.” Some cardiologists who specialize in
the procedures also argued that the study did not focus on the sickest
patients who are most likely to benefit and that the main purpose of
angioplasty in many is to alleviate chest pain, not to prevent heart
attacks. Some Wall Street analysts agreed about the study’s limited impact,
but only because they don’t anticipate it will depress sales any more
than they’ve fallen already. Sales of stents have been declining since
last year over concerns that deadly clots might form around a small
percentage of the most popular devices after they are implanted and that
bypass surgery might have a significant survival advantage over stents in
some patients. Analysts say cardiologists are more reticent about
recommending the procedure. [Source: Los Angeles Times article 27 Mar 07
++]
TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY UPDATE 03: Veteran Construction 1 (VETCON 1), a
joint venture between a Serviced-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business
(SDVOSB) and an Alaskan Native corporation, marks the first time a
SDVOSB has been selected to build a VA facility as a prime contractor. VA’s
Center for Veterans Enterprise (CVE) played a vital role in turning the
venture into reality. After receiving an email from Alaskan Native
Corporation CCI Inc., looking to team with another small business, CVE
found a suitable SDVOSB to fit the bill. They contacted the president of
Metropolitan Enterprise, Inc., and in just three weeks were able to bring
the two businesses together to win a $31 million contract. The facility
in Menlo Park CA , is one of four that will be built at VA poly-trauma
centers to house separate education and diagnosis screening programs
for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
(PTSD) in support of the VA Medical Centers throughout the country. Ground
breaking was 27 MAR 07. For more information about CVE and its services
to veterans in business refer to www.VetBiz.gov. [Source: Office of
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs News Release 27 Mar 07 ++]
DIABETES UPDATE 03: The 19th annual American Diabetes Alert Day was 27
MAR 07. The American Diabetes Association has asked everyone to help
spread the word by informing their family, friends, and co-workers about
the seriousness of diabetes, particularly when diabetes is left
undiagnosed or untreated. Sixty million Americans are unaware they have
diabetes or are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Your risk for type 2
diabetes increases as your get older, gain too much weight, or if you
do not stay active. Diabetes is more common in African Americans,
Latinos, Native Americans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Risk
factors for type 2 diabetes include:
- Having high blood pressure (at or above 130/80)
- Having a family history of diabetes.
- Having diabetes during pregnancy or having a baby weighing more than
nine pounds at birth.
What can you do? Encourage those at risk for developing type 2 diabetes
to take the American Diabetes Risk Test and, if they score high, to
schedule an appointment to see their doctor. The test is available in
English or Spanish at
http://main.diabetes.org/site/R?i=8wJAwa5nKOQBw1q8n750xQ. Here they
can also review information on the link between Diabetes and heart
disease and stroke. [Source: American Diabetes Alert 27 Mar 07 ++]
TRICARE EMERGENCY FACILITY USE: Tricare beneficiaries are normally
required to use only authorized providers if they expect their claims to
be paid. However, in geographic areas other than the Philippines or
Puerto Rico there are established guidelines for emergency conditions
under which a regional contractor can honor claims submitted by
beneficiaries on the use of unauthorized facilities. These are outlined in the
Tricare Reimbursement Manual 6010.55-M, August 1, 2002 General Chap. 1
Section 29. Claims must be for medically necessary services and supplies
rendered in the emergency situation. Medically necessary inpatient
emergency services are those that are necessary to prevent the death or
serious impairment of the health of the patient, and that because of the
threat to the life or health of the patient, necessitate the use of the
most accessible hospital available that is equipped to furnish the
services. In the case of inpatient psychiatric emergencies, payment will be
extended when the patient is determined to be at immediate risk or
serious harm to self or others as a result of a mental disorder and
requires immediate continuous skilled observation at the acute level of care.
When a case qualifies as an emergency at the time of admission to an
unauthorized institutional provider and the provider notifies the managed
care support contractor of the admission, payment can be extended for
medically necessary and appropriate care until a transfer is medically
feasible (i.e., coverage will be extended up to the point of discharge
or until a medically appropriate and legally authorized transfer can be
initiated). The timing of the transfer will be based on the
availability of authorized facility beds.
Requisites for reimbursement of emergency inpatient admissions to
unauthorized facilities are:
a.) At the time of admission to an unauthorized institutional provider,
the beneficiary’s condition must meet the definition of medical or
psychiatric emergency as prescribed in 32 CFR 199.2.
b.) The contractor must be notified as soon as possible after the
emergency admission (preferably within 24 hours) so that arrangements can
be made to transfer the beneficiary once the emergency no longer exists,
or until such time as a medically appropriate and/or legally authorized
transfer can be initiated.
c.) The provider must submit the necessary medical records and other
documentation required in the processing and payment of emergency
inpatient admissions. These are essential in substantiating that an emergency
condition did exist at the time of the admission and that care provided
to the beneficiary after the emergency no longer existed, but before a
medically appropriate transfer could be initiated, was medically
necessary. Refusal to submit the appropriate medical documentation will
result in the denial of payment for the entire stay in the facility,
including the emergency portion of the patient’s care.
d.) A determination must also be made that treatment was received at
the most accessible (closest) hospital available that was equipped to
furnish the medically necessary care.
[Source: TRICARE Area Office-Pacific Feb 7 ++]
MARINES' MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION: The Marines' Memorial Association (MMA)
was established in 1946 as a living memorial to the Marines who lost
their lives in the Pacific during World War II. Its mission is to
maintain a living memorial honoring Marines and other veterans of the United
States Armed Forces, including Regular and Reserve Components, the U.S.
Coast Guard, the U.S. Merchant Marine, and their reserves; to educate
and perpetuate the achievements and the sacrifices of these veterans,
and to aid and assist these veterans. The non-profit organization offers
membership to former and retired members of all branches of the U.S.
Armed Forces. It presently is composed of over 21,000 worldwide members.
Yearly membership rates are free for active duty and their spouses.
Veterans and family members pay $20 annually. Spouse membership is free
and sponsoring parents may also include their children. The Association
sponsors annual scholarships to recognize qualifying students who have
demonstrated scholastic aptitude, community involvement and civic
spirit. The MMA maintains the Marines' Memorial Club located in the heart of
downtown San Francisco which boasts some of the best rates and most
spectacular views in the bay area. The 12-story Beaux-Arts structure’s
history dates back to 1926 and the décor retains the character and
elegance of old San Francisco. It is two blocks from cable cars, Union Square
and the theatre district and offers rooftop dining, a library/museum,
ballroom accommodations, 138 rooms/suites, business center, locale and
health club (with pool), and pet accommodations.
http://www.marineclub.com/leathernecksteakhouse.htmAccess to the club
and its Leatherneck Steakhouse is limited to sponsored guests and
members of the Marines' Memorial Association. Membership includes reciprocal
club privileges at over 150 private clubs throughout the world. For
more information on the association and its club refer to
www.marineclub.com or call (415) 673-6672. [Source: Military.com 26 Mar 07 ++]
MEDICARE FRAUD: Attorney General Bill McCollum announced 22 MAR the
arrest of a Miami-Dade psychiatrist on charges that she defrauded the
Florida Medicaid program and several other benefits services out of more
than $1 million. Investigators with the Attorney General’s Medicaid
Fraud Control Unit believe Moraima Trujillo was involved in a scheme that
defrauded the Florida Medicaid program, the Medicare program, the
Veteran’s Administration and several private employers during a year-long
period. Investigators acted upon information received from the State of
Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. A review of documents from
Trujillo’s facility revealed that between JAN & DEC 04, Trujillo billed
the Medicaid and Medicare programs for the treatment of Medicaid and
Medicare recipients at the same time she was supposedly performing
similar functions for the Veteran’s Administration and several other
employers. Throughout the year 2004, there were 207 days on which Trujillo
submitted time reports to several employers and billings to the Medicaid
and Medicare programs claiming to have worked between 20 and 40 hours on
each day. Trujillo is currently being held at the Miami-Dade County
jail. She is charged with one count each of grand theft and organized
scheme to defraud, both first-degree felonies. If convicted of both
charges, she faces up to 60 years in prison and a $20,000 fine. The Medicaid
Fraud Control Unit also seized funds from several bank accounts
controlled by Trujillo pursuant to the Florida Contraband Forfeiture Act.
To assist citizens in reporting Medicare Fraud the Office of the
Inspector General maintains a hotline, which offers a confidential means
for reporting vital information. The Hotline can be contacted at:
1(800) 447-8477)/ 1(800) 223-2164 Fax, HHSTips@oig.hhs.gov , or Office of
the Inspector General. HHS TIPS Hotline, P.O. Box 234, Washington, DC
20026. If you are attempting to report specific information proving
Medicare fraud, please provide as much identifying information as possible
regarding your concern. Such information should include subject's name,
address and phone number etc. Details regarding the allegation should
include the basics of who, what, when, where, why, and how. It is
current Hotline policy not to respond directly to written communications.
The Federal False Claims Act Act (31 U.S.C. Sections 3729-33) is
20 years old this year, and remains the most important tool the
Government has to fight fraud against U.S. taxpayers. The False Claims allows
a private individual or "whistleblower", with knowledge of past or
present Medicaid fraud to sue on behalf of the state government to recover
stiff civil penalties and triple damages. The person bringing the suit
is formally known as the "Relator." If the suit is successful, it not
only stops the dishonest conduct, but also deters similar conduct by
others and may result in the Relator’s receipt of a substantial share of
the state government’s ultimate recovery as much as 30% percent of the
total. Examples of Medicaid provider fraud include:
- Billing for services not rendered: A provider bills Medicaid for
treatments or procedures which were not actually performed, such as for
X-rays and blood tests; for care allegedly given to patients who have died
or who are no longer eligible; or for care allegedly given to patients
who have transferred to another facility.
- Billing for unnecessary services: A provider misrepresents or
falsifies a patient’s diagnosis and symptoms on recipient records and billing
invoices to obtain payment for unnecessary services, including
transporting Medicaid patients by ambulance when it is not medically necessary.
- Substitution of generic drugs: A pharmacist fills a recipient’s
prescription with a generic drug or an over-the-counter drug but bills
Medicaid for a higher cost name-brand drug.
- Kickbacks: A Medicaid provider (such as a hospital, a transportation
company or a laboratory) offers or pays kickbacks to another Medicaid
provider's employees for referring a Medicaid recipient to the provider
as a patient or client. A provider (such as a doctor or a hospital)
requests and receives kickback payments from Medicaid providers (physical
therapists, pharmacies or laboratories) in exchange for referring
Medicaid business to the providers. Payments may be in the form of cash,
vacation trips, or merchandise.
- Double billing: A provider bills both Medicaid and the recipient (or
private insurance) for the same service, or two providers bill for the
same service.
- Other unauthorized billings: A provider charges a Medicaid recipient
for a service which is covered by and should be billed to Medicaid, or
charges a recipient the difference between the provider’s usual fee and
what Medicaid pays.
[Source: Florida Attorney General’s Office News Release 22 Mar 07 ++]
VET HOME PATIENT NEGLECT: The Arizona State Veteran Home on Phoenix
provides long-term care to as many as 200 veterans. Most are ages 70 to
94 and fought in World War II and the Korean War. It is one of the few
places for veterans to get skilled nursing and long-term care. Patients
can get that type of care from Veterans Affairs facilities, but those
VA patients have more serious disabilities. The facility has recently
been fined $10,000 after state investigators found cases of
"substantial" patient neglect, according to documents obtained Friday by local
newspaper reporters. Gov. Janet Napolitano, who was informed of the
situation late Friday afternoon, said that the problems are unacceptable and
has ordered a full review. "Our veterans deserve the very best care,"
she said. "All necessary action will be taken to ensure that." The
Arizona Department of Veterans' Services, which runs the Phoenix nursing
home, has already fired five people, including the head of the facility,
and vowed to fix what it deemed a culture of incompetence. During what
was supposed to be an unannounced routine inspection 5 FEB, Arizona
Department of Health Services inspectors found
• A patient's colostomy bag not being emptied and the patient left in
soiled bedclothes for 50 minutes after activating a call button. Nurses
are supposed to answer call buttons within five minutes but ignored
calls for help.
• A patient was dragging herself down the hallway in a urine-soaked
nightgown because no one would answer her call button.
• Patients were left unsupervised while smoking to the point that they
were burning their clothes.
• One patient's penis was damaged so much by a catheter that it faced
"erosion," according to the state inspectors report.
The inspectors classified the facility on 9 FEB as being in "immediate
jeopardy," which is a situation that can be a danger to residents'
health or safety. Inspectors would not leave the facility until employees
came up with a plan for smoking patients, some of whom were wandering
the hallways and had their clothes burned by cigarettes. Former Gov. Jane
Hull hired Pat Chorpenning in 1999 to fill the position of Director of
Veterans' Services in Arizona in part to fix problems at the home. At
that time, state inspectors found that 43 veterans, nearly a fourth of
the 196 residents, had been physically restrained in wheelchairs or beds
with straps and vests unnecessarily or against doctors' orders. A
72-year-old man was restrained for seven weeks.
Chorpenning, in response to the recent inspection results said,
“This is probably the worst survey that we have had as far as the
veterans’ home is concerned. I think to a large degree there was a lot of
complacency on the part of leadership, and I think there's been some
complacency on the part of individuals within specific areas of the home. I
think, above everything else, I haven't stayed on top of it as much as
I should have. The agency has moved swiftly to fix the situation and
that, at this point and time, virtually every issue that has been
raised has been addressed, and we have put systems in place to correct every
single thing that has been raised.” According to Chorpenning they are
updating care plans and training for nurses. A new leadership team
meets every morning and evening to ensure that duties are being completed,
and that as part of a new effort to monitor the situation, he and other
officials are continually stopping by the facility to ensure changes
are being instituted. Mary Wiley, director of licensing services for the
state health department said that addition to the federal fine, the
facility could also face fines from the state. The home passed its last
state inspection in FEB 06. There were no complaints about care at that
time, Wiley said.
While Patrick F. Chorpenning remains department director, he is
being separated from any action that has to do with operation of the home
according to a spokesman for Governor Napolitano. State House Speaker
Jim Weiers said legislators will investigate but it was apparent that
Chorpenning should be fired or at least suspended. In another state
Alabama’s Veterans Affairs commissioner W. Clyde Marsh is closely
monitoring that state's three centers. He has personally visited the homes in
Alexander City, Huntsville and Bay Minette and routinely checks with
agency workers charged with inspecting the homes. At a Veterans Affairs
board meeting, Marsh declared the homes to be in good condition, but added
state officials want to make them better. "We will be looking at
skilled nursing care, an Alzheimer's unit and assisted-living type care,"
Marsh said. "The need is there." For additional info on these two Veterans
homes refer to www.azvets.com/ASVH.HTM &
http://members.tripod.com/~warveterans. [Source: The Arizona Republic
Jodie Snyder article 24 Mar 07 ++]
TRICARE EOBs: As of 1 JUN 04 all Tricare claims started being
processed by either Palmetto Government Benefits Administrators or by
Wisconsin’s Physicians Service. The Explanation of Benefits, or EOB, is the
statement you receive after you file a claim with Tricare or a claim has
been filed on your behalf by the doctor. This statement is a summary of
the action taken on your claim—how much of the bill was paid by Tricare
and how much is your responsibility to pay which you may have already
paid at the time of service. In the TRICARE Handbook, Chapter 14, “How
to File a Claim,” is available a state-by-state listing of claims
administrators (including small-region exceptions), with addresses and
toll-free phone numbers. No matter which processor handles your claim, the
EOB will always include:
- In boldface, the statement, “THIS IS NOT A BILL.”
- A “Claim Number,” which is a handy piece of information to have
available if you ever must call about or discuss your claim.
- The report of your “Beneficiary Liability,” which is the
dollar-amount that you owe: You can expect to be billed that amount by your doctor,
or you might already have paid your portion of the bill at the time of
treatment.
- On the back, instructions for disputing a decision and filing an
appeal, if you believe that your claim has been incorrectly processed or
denied.
- Contact information for your regional contractor.
Beginning 1 APR 07, claimants will no longer be mailed a paper copy of
their Tricare for Life (TFL) EOB if their Medicare patient liability
has been paid and there is no further out-of-pocket payment due from
them. In cases where they still have a liability they will receive an EOB.
TFL providers will continue to receive paper copies of the TFL EOB for
all their patients. Though TFL beneficiaries will no longer get a copy
of their EOB in the mail when their Medicare patient liability has been
paid, they can print a copy if they sign up to receive an email when
any of their claims process. This email service begins 1 APR 07 for
those who sign up for this feature. When you receive a notification you
will be able to access the TRICARE4u.com website and view and/or print a
copy of your EOB. This is the same EOB you would have received through
the mail. In addition, you may contact Customer Service toll free at
1(866) 773-0404 to request a hardcopy Explanation of Benefits be mailed
to you. To receive this electronic notification, register on
TRICARE4u.com. Registering is easy and only takes a few minutes. Simply log onto
www.TRICARE4u.com and click on “Register as a Beneficiary/Sponsor”. If
you have questions about the registration process, call 1-866-773-0404.
For those requiring a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) use
1(866) 773-0405.
On the up side elimination of mailing paper EOB’s will be a cost
savings to the government. On the down side:
- The change places the burden of tracking EOBs on the beneficiary.
- The limited advance notice of the policy change will leave many
beneficiaries wondering why they are not receiving an EOB. Especially for
those residing overseas where it is not uncommon to experience excessive
delays in receiving EOBs.
- Many elder TFL beneficiaries will no longer be able to track their
EOB’s because they do not have a computer, are not computer literate, or
are just too old/ill /feeble to follow the new guidelines.
- Many older generation beneficiaries who are uncomfortable with
dealing with or receiving medical services on line will no longer review
their EOBs
- The change in policy could potentially lead to additional expense to
the Tricare program through increased provider fraud. Many of those
who are most familiar with the services provided will no longer be able
to discover and report double-billing or other irregularities through
their EOBs. Provider’s who are familiar with their patient’s limitations
could be tempted to improperly bill for services with reduced potential
of it being reported.
- The extremely small type used on the www.TRICARE4u.com website will
be difficult to follow for elderly beneficiaries who are visually
challenged.
WPS is advising beneficiaries who call expressing their dissatisfaction
with the new short notice policy change to contact their Congressional
representatives on the subject. [Source: USDR Action Alerts 24 MAR &
MOAA News Release 28 Mar 07 ++]
BASE DECALS: Vehicle decals will no longer be required to enter Air
Force bases in the United States, according to Air Force officials. A
February memo issued by Air Combat Command (ACC) instructed installation
commanders to discontinue registering privately owned vehicles and
issuing decals. The suggested effective policy date is March 15, though the
dates are left to the discretion of commanders. The change has already
taken effect at Cannon AFB, Hill AFB UT, and ACC. Maj. Thomas Crosson,
a public affairs officer for ACC at Langley Air Force Base, VA., said
that in the pre-9/11 era, vehicle decals were the key to base
admittance, security guards often simply waving cars through upon seeing the
stickers. However 9/11 brought about heightened security, including 100%
identification checks at the gates of military bases. Since 9/11, every
base has someone at the gate checking IDs. Whether you've got a sticker
or not, you have to show your ID. So why have the decals? There are
1.66 million vehicles registered with the Air Force. In 2005, $727,000
was spent just printing decals. Each installation has to provide
personnel to register those vehicles. "Essentially it's a cost-saving
measure," Crosson said. "It's also a manpower measure." Most people will notice
no change
The Air Force is taking the lead in this initiative. The other
Services are interested in the Air Force proposal, but are further behind
in the staffing process. After checking the ID card, military gate
sentries will render salutes as appropriate when force protection and
traffic conditions permit. Visitors will continue to follow the entry
procedures established at each Air Force installation. Air Force Security
Forces will check for compliance randomly at the gates and during traffic
enforcement for all requirements for insurance, state registration,
safety inspections, etc? .Motorcycle operators will still need to comply
with base safety standards and have required training before being
allowed to ride on AF installations. Commanders at all levels will also
enforce compliance. Air Force drivers will have to comply with the entry
requirements of other Service installations. This might require getting a
visitor's pass. Drivers who frequently visit other Service
installations may want to consider registering their vehicle at that installation,
if allowed to do so. [Source: Clovis News Journal 4 Mar 07 ++]
REFERRAL BONUS UPDATE 02: Effective 15 MAR the Referral Bonus Program
is expanded to include Department of the Army Civilians. This
recruiting incentive currently pays Soldiers and Army retirees $2,000 for
referring applicants who enlist in the Regular Component of the Army, Army
Reserve, or Army National Guard; complete basic training; and graduate
advanced individual training. Prior to the new recruit's first meeting
with a recruiter, the referral must be made by the Army Civilian at
https://www.usarec.army.mil/smart/ or, for Army National Guard
recruits, at www.1800goguard.com/esar The Secretary of the Army may pay a bonus
to any Soldier, Army retiree, or Army Civilian who refers to an Army
recruiter a person who has not previously served in the Armed Forces and
enlists in either the Active Army, Army National Guard or the Army
Reserves. The referrer may not be an immediate family member and the
Soldier, retiree or Army Civilian referring may not be serving in a
recruiting or retention assignment. Lt. Gen. Michael Rochelle, Army Deputy Chief
of Staff G-1 said, "There are 240,000 Army Civilians, and as the Army
Civilian Creed notes, they are dedicated members of the Army Team, they
support the mission, and they provide stability and continuity during
war and peace and I know they are directing deserving youth to
recruiters now. This will not only encourage them but also reward them for their
service." For more information about this incentive program, visit
https://www.usarec.army.mil/smart/ or call toll free (800) 223-3735,
ext. 6-0473. For the Army National Guard, the referrer must either submit
the referral through a process via the ESAR (every Soldier is a
recruiter) on-line portal www.1800goguard.com/esar or via the toll-free number
(866) 566-2472. [Source: ENGUS Minute Man Update 23 Mar 07 ++]
SBP LEGISLATION: On 20 MAR Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) and Rep. Henry
Brown (R-SC), re-introduced their bills, S. 935 and H.R. 1589,
respectively, to end two major survivor benefit inequities. Both bills would end
the unfair deduction of VA-paid dependency and indemnity compensation
(DIC) from SBP. Nelson's bill would also accelerate the effective date
of paid-up status for retirees who have paid SBP premiums for 30 years
and attained the age of 70. Rep. Jim Saxton's (R-NJ) H.R. 784 addresses
this in the House. Both bills would make paid-up coverage effective 1
OCT 07 (vs. 1 OCT 08 under current law). Survivors of active duty and
retired members who die of service-connected causes now have DIC
($1,067 per month) deducted from SBP.
In a joint statement to the President of the Senate upon
introducing S.935 Sen. Nelson said, “… Back in 1972, Congress established the
military survivors’ benefits plan--or SBP--to provide retirees’ survivors
an annuity to protect their income. This benefit plan is a voluntary
program purchased by the retiree or issued automatically in the case of
service members who die while on active duty. Retired service members
pay for this benefit from their retired pay. Upon their death, their
spouse or dependent children can receive up to 55% of their retired pay as
an annuity. For over five years, I’ve been talking about the unfair and
painful offset between SBP and the Department of Veterans Affairs’
Dependency and Indemnity Compensation, or DIC, which is received by the
surviving spouse of an active duty or retired military member who dies
from a service-connected cause. Under current law, even if the surviving
spouse of such a service member is eligible for SBP, that purchased
annuity is reduced by the amount of DIC received. Another inequity in the
current system is the delayed effective date for ‘paid-up status’ under
SBP. We should act to correct these injustices this year.
We have made progress, but even with the important changes made
over the last few years, the offset still fails to take care of our
military widows and surviving children the way it should. We have considered
and adopted increased death gratuity benefits for the survivors of our
troops lost in this war, and we have changed the law to enable these
survivors to automatically enroll in SBP. However, now we see the pain
caused when at the same moment a widow is enrolled in SBP she is hit with
the DIC offset. The SBP offset is no less painful for the survivors of
our 100% disabled military retirees. SBP is a purchased annuity plan.
Before coming to the U.S. Senate, I served as Insurance Commissioner for
the State of Florida, and I know of no other purchased annuity program
that can then turn around and refuse to pay you the benefits you
purchased on the grounds that you are getting a different benefit from
somewhere else.
Our Federal civil servants receive both their purchased survivor
income protection annuity and any disability compensation for which they
may be entitled--without offset. Why on earth would we treat our 100%
disabled military retirees any differently, especially after they have
given the best years of their lives and their health in service to the
Nation? Let me be clear about this: survivors of servicemembers are
entitled in law to automatic enrollment in SBP; 100 percent disabled
military retirees purchase SBP. Survivors stand to lose most or even all of
the benefits under SBP only because they are also entitled to DIC.”
The retired community and The Military Coalition which represents
them believe strongly that, if military service caused a retired
member's death, DIC should be added to the SBP benefit the retiree paid for,
not substituted for it. There are about 61,000 survivors affected by
the DIC offset. The paid-up SBP initiative would affect 172,000
Greatest Generation retirees. Retirees can help end these SBP inequities by
going to the MOAA website http://capwiz.com/moaa/issues/bills/,
scrolling down to "Survivor Issues" and clicking on H.R. 1589, S. 935, and
H.R. 784 to send your legislators a suggested- message urging them to
cosponsor these important bills. [Source: MOAA Leg Up & TREA News Flash 23
Mar 07 ++]
AFRH UPDATE 02: The Government Accountability Office (GAO) requested
that the Defense Department investigate allegations against the historic
Armed Forces Retirement Home (AFRH) in the heart of the nation’s
capital that has housed four U.S. presidents, including Abraham Lincoln. The
GAO said patients may be at risk because of health-care problems. Tim
Cox, the facility’s chief operating officer Cox acknowledged that the
home has experienced incidents consistent with a nursing home
environment. In a statement released 21 MAR he said, “Resident care is the
paramount concern at the Armed Forces Retirement Home here, and allegations
of poor conditions are without merit. Half its residents are older than
80, and many are frail and suffer from chronic health conditions.” Mr.
Cox noted a particularly troublesome incident involving maggots in the
leg wound of an 87-year-old resident that occurred in August. “Our
medical staff discovered it and immediately took remedial action,” Mr. Cox
said. The fact that the resident had refused medical treatment was no
excuse for the incident, and that eight health-care workers were fired
after an investigation showed they had failed to meet the home’s
standards of care.
The home is getting a close evaluation. Assistant Secretary of
Defense for Health Affairs Dr. William Winkenwerder sent a team of doctors
on an unscheduled visit to the campus 21 MAR to assess conditions for
themselves, Mr. Cox explained. In addition, legislative staffers are
expected to visit the facility to see firsthand the care and security its
staff provides. “We welcome these visits,” Mr. Cox said. More than
1,100 enlisted military veterans live at the home. Mr. Cox said the home
offers the amenities of a retirement community plus an extensive
health-care system, ranging from a wellness clinic for those who live
independently to assisted living to long-term and hospice care. Congress
consolidated the U.S. Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Home here with the U.S. Naval
Home in Gulfport, Miss., in 1991, creating the Armed Forces Retirement
Home as an independent establishment in the executive branch of the
federal government. Ravaged by Hurricane Katrina, the Gulfport campus
closed in 2005. Nearly 400 residents of the Gulfport facility were relocated
to the Washington campus. For info on the AFRH refer to www.afrh.gov.
[Source: American Forces Press Service Donna Miles article 22 Mar 07
++]
STROKE UPDATE 02: New studies confirm that transient ischemic attacks
(TIA) sometimes called a “ministroke” are an important warning of more
serious things to come. Almost 10% of people who have a TIA will have a
major stroke within a week, and another 20% within three months. When
certain risk factors like advanced age or high blood pressure are
present, that figure goes up. The symptoms of ministroke are identical to
those of full-blown stroke, which kills 200,000 Americans a year. Stroke
is the third-leading cause of death after heart disease and cancer, and
the number one cause of adult disability. About 85% of major strokes
and all TIAs are ischemic meaning they’re caused by a clot or plaque that
blocks the blood flow to the brain. They are treated with clot-busting
medications. The other 15% of strokes are “hemorrhagic,” caused by a
flood of blood into the brain. Imaging tests can detect brain changes in
up to half of those who have had a TIA, but these ministrokes appear to
leave no permanent damage. Chances of damage are greater in the case of
a major stroke, when the brain has been deprived of blood for a longer
period and brain cells have died.
Unlike major stroke, which can cause paralysis, impaired memory,
speech or vision loss, or death, TIAs are not fatal. Nor do they leave
any permanent disability. The body resolves a TIA without any
intervention, sometimes in just a few minutes. People either brush off their
symptoms or are so relieved when they disappear that they don’t do what
doctors say is crucial: get to an emergency room as fast as possible.
Immediate diagnosis and treatment are crucial to prevent a devastating
subsequent stroke. New guidelines developed by doctors in the clinical
neurology department at Britain’s Oxford University can help determine
which TIA patients are most likely to have a major stroke. Called the
“ABCD” test, the scoring system takes into account (A) age, (B) blood
pressure, (C) clinical symptoms, such as weakness or headache, and (D)
duration of the TIA. The Oxford scientists have urged that the test become
standard practice in evaluating TIA patients. They say that people at the
highest risk are those over age 60 who have blood pressure above 140
over 90, have weakness on one side or speech disturbance during a TIA,
and symptoms that lasted an hour or longer. TIA patients with such
symptoms are sometimes hospitalized for more intensive testing and treatment.
[Source: AARP Bulletin Feb 07 ++]
VDBC UPDATE 15: At their March meeting the Veterans Disability
Benefits Commission (VDBC) Chairman Terry Scott, (LTG USA, Ret.) tabled any
recommendation regarding SBP/DIC, concurrent retirement pay and
disability compensation until a future meeting. As reported in the past, five
options are under consideration, including:
1. Endorsing an offset of military retirement by VA disability
compensation for everyone. (Pre-CRDP policy);
2. Endorsing the current tiered CRDP/CRSC approach;
3. Endorsing full concurrent receipt of both longevity retired pay and
VA compensation for those with 20 plus years of service;
4. Endorsing the current election of CRDP and CRSC and expand tiered
approach to 20 plus YOS for retirees rated 10-40%; and
5. Endorsing the previous option and extending CRSC and CRDP criteria
to Chapter 61 retirees with less than 20 years of service.
The Commission did decide not to consider option one, and Chairman
Scott requested staff to compile potential cost estimates on the four
remaining issue options and provide commission members with potential
compensation tables for disabled retirees. The VDBC final report will
include a number of research topics in the form of issue papers ranging from
disability compensation, pension, survivor and dependent benefits. The
VDBC meets monthly in the Washington DC area and the final report is
due to Congress by 1OCT 07. For more information on VDBC refer to
www.vetscommission.org. (Source: FRA News Bytes 23 Mar 07 ++]
MILITARY PAY TAX BILL: The Armed Forces Tax Relief Act A bill HR 1559
exempting all military pay and benefits from federal income taxes was
introduced 18 MAR in the House of Representatives by Rep. John Culberson
(R-TX). Culberson is not the first person to propose federal tax
exclusions for all service members. Similar legislation has rarely received
any serious attention in Congress, because the drop in federal tax
revenues would have to be made up by increasing taxes on other Americans,
or by cutting spending on federal entitlement programs, such as
Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and military and federal civilian retired
pay — all unpopular choices for politicians, according to House aides
working on military personnel issues. The aides asked not to be
identified because they are not authorized to speak to reporters. The measure
was referred to the House Ways and Means Committee, where it is one of
several military-related tax measures introduced since the new session of
Congress started in January. It is, by far, the most ambitious because
it would expand tax exclusions to everyone on active duty. Currently,
such exclusions are limited to active-duty members only while serving in
combat zones.
Under Culberson’s bill, National Guard and reserve members would
still be taxed on their military pay while in a drilling status. Under
his bill, all military compensation — including basic pay, special pays
and bonuses — would not be counted as income for tax purposes for
active-duty members. Military retired pay would still be taxable. The bill
would apply to income received in calendar year 2007. Several bills have
been introduced since January that are aimed at helping mobilized Guard
and reserve members and their employers by providing tax breaks for
making up lost salary while mobilized, hiring temporary replacement
workers and for lost production. Just last week, two bills were introduced to
provide tax exemptions of up to $2,000 for military members and their
families. Both of those bills are sponsored by Rep. Christopher Carney
(D-PA) a Navy Reserve officer:
- One would allow a combat-zone tax break for the spouses of deployed
service members. When a military member spends a cumulative 90 days in a
combat zone, or is hospitalized for combat injuries, their spouses
could receive a federal tax deduction of 2% of their adjusted gross income,
up to a maximum of $2,000.
- The second would give all active-duty service members, and
reservists on inactive duty training, the same exclusion, also capped at $2,000
a year.
Carney’s bills, like Culberson’s, are awaiting decisions by the House
Ways and Means Committee, which is responsible for passing all
tax-related legislation, about whether to package proposed legislation into a
single military-related tax bill, or to consider the proposals as it
passes a more general collection of tax changes. A decision on how to
proceed is unlikely before the House of Representatives approves an overall
spending and revenue plan, which could happen within two weeks.
[Source: NavyTimes Rick Maze article 21Mar 07 ++]
MEDAL OF HONOR DAY: The United States Congress has designated March
25th of each year through Public Law 101-564 as National Medal Of Honor
Day, a day dedicated to Medal of Honor recipients. Conceived in the
State of Washington, this holiday should be one of our most revered.
Members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives met on 21 MAR with
31 recipients of the Medal of Honor as part of an effort to acknowledge
the nation’s greatest heroes and highlight this year’s first ever
national "Medal of Honor Day" The date was chosen because it was on March 25
in 1863 that the first Medals of Honor were presented to six Union
soldiers. The medal was originally authorized in 1861 for sailors and
Marines, and the following year for Army soldiers as well. Since then, more
than 3,400 Medals of Honor have been awarded to members of all services
and the Coast Guard, as well as to a few civilians who distinguished
themselves with valor. Almost half of thes were Civil War soldiers. Since
the beginning of World War II, only 846 Medals of Honor have been
awarded. Over half that number died in their moment of heroism. Only 328
soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen from Pearl Harbor to Somalia have
survived to actually wear the Medal. Today only 111 of them are still
with us.
National Medal of Honor day is celebrated in some communities,
however for the most part the occasion comes and goes with little notice.
Patriotic Americans are encouraged to commemorate this day by:
- Fly your flag on this day.
- As a gesture of your appreciation, take a few moments in the week
prior to National Medal of Honor Day to mail a "Thank You" card to one of
our living Medal of Honor recipients. You can find a list of the
living as well as information on writing to them at
www.homeofheroes.com/hallofheroes/1st_floor/wall/2living.html
- Most newspapers are not aware that this special day exists. Why not
tip your local media to the occasion. Before you do, check out
www.homeofheroes.com/hometownheroes/index.html for Medal of Honor recipients
from your city and state as well as any who might be buried in your
city. This information can give your media a "local angle" that can
increase the probability that they will consider doing a story to remind
Americans of our heroes.
- Consider doing something in your local schools, or even on a civic
level, if there is a Medal of Honor recipient living near your location.
- If there is a Medal of Honor recipient buried in your home town, get
a school class, scout troop, or other youth organization to "adopt a
grave site".
The Congressional Medal of Honor Society is the organization chartered
by the U. S. Congress to represent the affairs and concerns of those
few Americans who wear the Medal of Honor. Refer to www.cmohs.org for
additional info on their organization and awardees. All matters related
to the Medal of Honor should be directed to the CMOH Society at:
Congressional Medal of Honor Society, 40 Patriots Point Road, Mt. Pleasant, SC
29464 Tel: (843) 884-8862/1471F [Source: Senate Committee On
Veterans' Affairs msg. 22 Mar 07 ++]
TRICARE/CHAMPUS FRAUD UPDATE 05: An indictment has been filed by the
Department of Justice against Health Visions Corporation and all Health
Visions owned facilities. On 16 MAR HQ TRICARE Management Activity
(TMA) notified Philippine Tricare beneficiaries of their decision to
suspend claim payments associated with a large number of Philippine providers
who either used HVC as a billing agent or those who contracted with HVC
to provide health care services affiliated/associated with HVC. This
affected all claims received on or after 8 NOV 06 for medical services
from these providers regardless of when the services were provided. This
payment suspension was put in place for an indefinite period of time as
determined by HQ TMA. The suspension of claims payments also applied to
beneficiary-submitted claims seeking reimbursement for services which
were obtained from those same providers. After review HQ TMA decided to
remove a large number of these providers from their suspended list and
have advised that any claims associated with their services will be
processed under normal claim processing procedures until further notice.
The suspension of payments remains in effect for the following
Philippine Institutional providers:
Divine Shepard
Philippine International Hospital
Riverfront International Hospital
St John The Baptist Hospital
Subic Bay Medical Center
Total Life Care
For the foreseeable future, and until otherwise notified, Tricare Area
Office Pacific (TAO-P) recommends that Philippine beneficiaries not
seek TRICARE services from the providers whose claims are under
suspension. If a beneficiary does seek services from these providers, any
submitted claim will be pended, and not reimbursed, until the situation is
resolved with the particular provider. TAO-P recommends that
beneficiaries seek TRICARE services from any of the other certified Philippine
providers who are not on the claims-suspended list. More detailed
information can be found on the TAO-P website: http://tpaoweb.oki.med.navy.mil
by clicking on the “TRICARE in the Philippines” button. There you will
find a NOTICE to all beneficiaries, a listing of the providers under
this suspended claims action, a list of authorized providers, and some
other important links. TAO-P regrets the inconvenience these actions may
cause beneficiaries and providers, but they are necessary to ensure the
overall integrity of the TRICARE program as it is implemented and
managed in the Philippines.
If there are any specific questions in regard to the “Suspension
of Claims Payment” list, contact the WPS Overseas Claims Processor via
(608) 301-2310/2311, or secure email: Questions via WPS’ website at
www.tricare4u.com, or by writing to: WPS/TRICARE Overseas, P.O. Box 7635,
Madison, WI 53707. As usual, for general TRICARE customer service
questions, contact my TRICARE Pacific Regional Customer Service Center
(RCSC) at Regional Customer Service Center (RCSC), TAO-P, Camp Lester,
Okinawa via phone 0730-1630 M-F Japan Standard Time COMM: (81)
6117-43-2036, DSN: 643-2036, TOLL FREE: 1-888-777-8343, Option 4 or EMAIL:
<TPAO.CSC@med.navy.mil>. [Source: Chief, Program Operations (TAO-P) Lt
Col Tony Ingram msg. 16 & 22 Mar 07 ++]
FILIPINO VET INEQUITIES: A number of issues affecting Filipino
veterans who served in WWII are being addressed in the 110th Congress. During
WWII the Philippines was a Commonwealth of the U.S. making their
soldiers part of the U.S. allied forces. Many are former members of the
Philippine Scouts, a U.S. Army unit. Others formed the resistance against
Japanese troops after U.S. forces surrendered at Bataan. Upon
termination of hostilities Washington broke wartime promises dating back to 1946
that the soldiers could become U.S. citizens and enjoy the same pension
and medical benefits as American troops. The federal government has
since belatedly fulfilled some of those commitments, but only in the past
two decades and only in fits and starts. Some issues continue to remain
unresolved It took Washington 45 years after the war to offer veterans
a proper chance to obtain citizenship. There are as many as over 50,000
Filipino veterans of World War II alive today. Some 10,000 are said to
live in the United States. Most are in their 70s and 80s.
. Many of these elderly veterans, including those wounded in
battle and awarded the Bronze Star and other medals, are living their last
years far from their children and grandchildren because of U.S.
immigration rules. Veterans and their backers say the need to reunite divided
families only grows more urgent given the advancing age of the
veterans. The Immigration Act of 1990 allowed each veteran to bring only one
immediate family member to the United States . The shortcomings of that
law have left the sons and daughters of the veterans with little choice
but to get in line for immigration visas along with everyone else if
they want to live in the U.S. On average, they must wait about 20 years
because so many Filipinos hope to emigrate and the limits are set by
nationality. Sen. Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI) introduced legislation in the
last to years to remedy the situation. It would allow children of
Filipino World War II veterans to sidestep the immigration waiting list. The
measure died last year when it was included in a large omnibus
immigration bill that was derailed by disagreements over a border fence and
making English the national language. According to an Akaka spokesman Akaka
is optimistic the Senate will pass the reunification legislation this
year. The Veterans Affairs Committee, which Akaka chairs, plans to hold
hearings on the issue next month coinciding with the 65th anniversary
of the Bataan Death March on 9 APR.
Other lawmakers plan a bill that would give full pension and
disability benefits to those Filipino veterans who have been denied the same
benefits as former American soldiers. If enacted it would give many
the opportunity to return to the Philippines to live near their families.
However, it is necessary for those in poor health to continue to reside
in the U.S. to access the medical care, medicines, and therapy
available at veterans’ facilities. There are no VA hospitals in the Philippines
and only one Outpatient Clinic located in Manila which most could not
access. At present the following legislation has been introduced in
Congress to address Filipino inequities:
- S.0057: Filipino Veterans Equity Act of 2007. A bill to amend title
38, United States Code, to deem certain service in the organized
military forces of the Government of the Commonwealth of the Philippines and
the Philippine Scouts to have been active service for purposes of
benefits under programs administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Sponsor: Sen. Inouye, Daniel K. [HI] (introduced 1/4/07).
- S.0066: A bill to require the Secretary of the Army to determine the
validity of the claims of certain Filipinos that they performed
military service on behalf of the United States during World War II. Sponsor:
Sen Inouye, Daniel K. [HI] (introduced 1/4/07).
- S.0671: Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act. A bill to exempt
children of certain Filipino World War II veterans from the numerical
limitations on immigrant visas. Sponsor: Sen. Akaka, Daniel K. [HI].
- H.R.0760: Filipino Veterans Equity Act of 2007. A bill to amend
title 38, United States Code, to deem certain service in the organized
military forces of the Government of the Commonwealth of the Philippines
and the Philippine Scouts to have been active service for purposes of
benefits under programs administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Sponsor: Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] (introduced 1/31/07).
[Source: Associated Press Audrey McAvoy article 22 Mar 07 ++]
VA FACILITY MAINTENANCE: The Veterans Affairs’ vast network of 1,400
health clinics and hospitals is beset by maintenance problems such as
mold, leaking roofs and even a colony of bats, an internal review says.
The investigation, ordered two weeks ago by VA Secretary Jim Nicholson,
is the first major review of the facilities conducted since the
disclosure of squalid conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center . A copy
of the report was provided to The Associated Press. Democrats newly in
charge of Congress called the report the latest evidence of an outdated
system unable to handle a coming influx of veterans from Iraq and
Afghanistan . Investigators earlier this month found that the VA’s system
for handling disability claims was strained to its limit. Sen. Patty
Murray, D-Wash., a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee said,
“Who’s been minding the store?” They keep putting Band-Aids on problems,
when what the agency needs is major triage.” The report found that 90%
of the 1,100 problems cited were deemed to be of a more routine nature:
worn-out carpet, peeling paint, mice sightings and dead bugs at VA
centers. The other 10% were considered serious and included mold spreading
in patient care areas. Eight cases were so troubling they required
immediate attention and follow-up action, according to the 94-page review.
Some of the more striking problems found and noted in the report were:
1) Deteriorating walls and hallways were common, requiring repair,
patch and paint in 30 percent of patient areas in Little Rock AR.
2) Roof leaks throughout the VA clinic in White City OR requiring
continuously repair, mold clean up, spraying and/removal of ceiling tiles.”
Also, large colonies of bats residing outside the facility that
sometimes flew into the attics and interior parts of the building. Of benefit
is that the bats keep the insect pollution to a minimum.
3) Secondhand smoke from an outside smoking shelter sometimes
infiltrated the building through the women’s restroom in Oklahoma City
4) Numerous unspecified “environmental conditions” affected the quality
of the building in New York ‘s Hudson Valley , with the private
landlord repeatedly refusing to fix problems. The VA is taking steps to
relocate to another facility.
5) Roof leaks or mold at facilities such as Hudson Valley NY; North
Chicago IL; Indianapolis IN ; Puget Sound WA; Portland OR ; and
Fayetteville AR..
VA's Acting Under Secretary for Health Michael Kussman said he special
review of all facilities concludes most deficiencies involve “normal
wear and tear." He noted that most of the maintenance issues identified
in the special report did not involve areas providing direct patient
care. The overwhelming majority of issues identified are the kinds of
items you would expect to find -- and see being addressed -- in an
organization with nearly 150 million square feet of space where 1 million
patients come each week. Kussman said the Department's $519 million
maintenance budget for this year, coupled with $573 million proposed for next
year, should take care of any maintenance shortcomings. If further
funds are needed, VA pledged to work with congressional committees to
identify how to best address those needs. "VA facilities are inspected more
frequently than any other health care facilities in the nation,"
Kussman said. "We will continue to monitor closely the progress of corrective
action identified by this special report."
Veterans groups said they were concerned about the findings but
also appreciated the VA’s aggressive efforts to identify problems. “We
now expect these problems to be corrected immediately and not shelved due
to insufficient funding or because the proper care and treatment of our
wounded veterans is no longer in the national spotlight,” said Joe
Davis, spokesman of Veterans of Foreign Wars. In response, Nicholson this
week ordered “immediate corrective action” to fix problems, with full
accounting provided to the VA. [Source: Associated Press Hope Yencarticle
22 Mar 07 ++]
VETERANS BENEFIT PROTECTION ACT: The H.R. 5549 Attorneys for Veterans
Act was passed in the 109th Congress after lengthy negotiations and
compromise between the House and Senate Veteran Affairs committees and
signed into law. Basically it gave veterans the right to hire an attorney
to represent them in furthering their claims only after the VA had
issued an initial decision on their claim and the claimant had appealed.
The Disabled American Veterans (DAV) organization, which provides free
representation for veterans in appeal cases, was opposed to that
legislation fearing that among other things attorneys would unduly charge for
their services on such claims. DAV recently sent out a letter to their
Commanders and members on the subject. They were urged to sign the
petitions and send them to Congress in an effort to repeal the "Attorneys
for Veterans" legislation passed last year through the newly submitted
Veterans’ Benefits Protection Act” H.R. 1318 in the 110th Congress.
On 19 MAR, Senator Larry Craig (R-ID), who favors "Attorneys for
Veterans" and who was mentioned in the DAV's letter, responded via
letter to the DAV regarding their claims in an effort to correct what
appears to be a "misrepresentation" of his involvement and support of the
legislation. Among other things he said that he believes veterans to be
mature, responsible, and capable enough to decide for themselves whether
or not to hire legal representation. That the legislation only gives
veterans the option of do so and they should not be discouraged from
availing of free assistance provided by many veteran service
organizations. His letter can be viewed at
www.vawatchdog.com/07/nf07/nfMAR07/nf032007-8.htm.
Additionally, commentary from an attorney who represents veterans
in the VA claims process was received that said, "I believe Senator
Craig wrote a very well reasoned response to the DAV. The only thing I
would have added is since the new law only allows attorney representation
after a denial by the VA Regional Office and the submission of a Notice
of Disagreement, attorney representation would only occur after a
Veterans' Service Organization (VSO) (if the veteran was so represented) has
failed to obtain a favorable decision. I believe this is a very
important point. If the veteran first obtained VSO representation [from the
DAV, for example], and that representation failed to obtain a favorable
result, why shouldn't the veteran then be allowed to seek other
representation, if he or she so chooses?" [Source: VA Watchdog dot Org Larry
Scott article 20 Mar 07 ++]
ECHO TAPS WORLDWIDE: Hundreds of volunteer brass players are being
recruited to perform the 24 notes of “Taps” on 19 May 07, in recognition
of Armed Forces Day at National Cemeteries, State Veterans Cemeteries
and American Battle Monuments Cemeteries overseas. The event, called
“Echo Taps Worldwide,” is being organized by the VA National Cemetery
Administration and Bugles Across America to honor and remember American
veterans through a worldwide performance of Taps. Organizers also hope the
event will interest brass players in volunteering to perform Taps at
the military funerals of veterans throughout the year. Each day, America
loses about 1,800 of its veterans, primarily those who fought in World
War II and Korea. In honor of them and the service they provided, it
is important that our Nation preserves the tradition of a live bugler to
play final military honors. During the event, players will form a line
through the cemetery and perform a cascading version of Taps. Brass
players of all ages are encouraged to perform at the cemetery of their
choice. Schools and other organizations are also invited to participate in
the tribute as performers or support volunteers. Volunteer buglers and
trumpeters must register through the VA's website, which is attached to
the "Echo Taps" website www.echotaps.org.
The first large “Echo Taps” event occurred In May 05, when 674
brass players from 30 states lined 42-miles of road between Woodlawn
National Cemetery in Elmira, NY, and Bath National Cemetery in Bath, NY.
Playing “Taps” in cascade, it took nearly three hours from the first note
played at Woodlawn to the final note of Taps sounded at the National
Cemetery at Bath. In 2006, players performed “Echo Taps” at 52 National
Cemeteries and State Veterans Cemeteries across the Nation on Veterans
Day in preparation for the upcoming effort. The Armed Forces Day event
in 2007 will involve buglers around the world to include participants at
American Battle Monument Cemeteries overseas. Thomas Day, a Marine
veteran who founded Bugles Across America in 2000 said, “A live bugler
performing Taps is an expression of the Nation’s appreciation for the
service of each veteran. With more than 600,000 veterans dying each year,
we are always looking for new volunteers to perform this valuable
service. Echo Taps Worldwide will honor America’s 40 million veterans who
have served over the course of our history and draw attention to the need
for more buglers to perform “Taps” as part of final military honors.
[Source: TREA Update 12 Jan 07 ++]
RECRUITER MISCONDUCT UPDATE 02: The military is considering installing
surveillance cameras in recruiting stations across the country, the
most dramatic of several new steps to address a rise in misconduct
allegations against military recruiters—including sexual assaults of female
prospects and bending the rules to meet quotas. In a letter to Congress a
top Pentagon personnel official outlined the initiatives, which also
include a ban on recruiters meeting with prospective recruits of the
opposite sex unless a supervisor is present. Recruiters may also be
required to give potential recruits “applicant’s rights cards,” spelling out
what a recruiter can and cannot do to get them to enlist, and the
military may set up a hot line to report violations, according to the letter.
Together, they mark the Pentagon’s most forceful attempt to address
what government investigators say is an increase in the number of
recruiters using questionable tactics and in some cases breaking the law while
trying to fill the Pentagon’s need for new soldiers and Marines. In the
7 MAR letter Michael L. Dominguez, principal deputy undersecretary of
defense for personnel and readiness, wrote that at least one branch of
the service is “assessing the feasibility of video surveillance” to
prevent abuses.
All services have examined their programs and have instituted
several new facets,” Dominguez reported. The military has more than 20,000
recruiters, thousands of whom serve on the “front lines” of recruitment
at schools, malls, sporting events, and other gathering places for
young people. They are required to sign up at least two recruits a month, a
struggle in healthy economic times and when public approval for the war
in Iraq is at an all-time low. Since the military is seeking to
increase its ranks by 92,000 troops over the next five years, the Army and
Marine Corps will add more recruiters. But the pressure to put more men
and women in uniform probably will not diminish. While cases of recruiter
misconduct are considered rare, a Government Accountability Office
investigation using Defense Department data last year found that
substantiated cases of recruiter wrongdoing rose from about 400 in 2004 to 630 in
2005.
The August 2006 report also found that cases of sexual harassment
of potential recruits or falsifying medical records more than doubled
from 30 instances to 70. Examples of misconduct include making
unrealistic promises to recruits, fraternizing with them during off hours,
offering them cash or other incentives to enlist, and generally “coercive
behavior,” according to Beth J. Asch , a researcher at the
government-funded Rand Corporation who specializes in military recruiting issues.
Criminal behavior includes underage drinking and sexual harassment.
Recruiters have also been cutting corners to find enough bodies to meet their
quota, some analysts say, turning a blind eye to problems that would
ordinarily disqualify prospects from joining the Army: scrapes with the
law, single parenthood, medical problems, and drug abuse. “The biggest
problem is looking the other way on narcotics use” among prospective
recruits, said Alan Gropman , a professor at the National Defense
University in Washington.
Both analysts and the Pentagon said sexual misconduct is among the
most pressing issues of recruiter wrongdoing. An investigation by the
Associated Press found that in 2005, at least 80 male recruiters were
disciplined for abusing female potential recruits. More than 100 young
women who had expressed interest in joining the military reported that
their recruiters had victimized them, the AP investigation found. The
abuse included rape on couches in recruiting offices, assaults in
government cars, and groupings en route to military entrance exams. The
commander of the US Army Recruiting Command, Major General Thomas P. Bostick
, issued an updated policy prohibiting recruiters from being alone with
a potential applicant of the opposite sex. Instituting the "buddy
system," the 14 MAR directive requires that during the recruiting process
there will be at least one qualifying person present at all times
whenever a recruiter meets with a prospect, applicant, or future soldier of
the opposite gender. The Army command is implementing this policy
“primarily to maintain the integrity of the recruiting process and enhance the
credibility of that process with potential recruits, parents/guardians,
communities, and school officials,” according to the directive.
[Source: Boston Globe Bryan Bender article 19 Mar -07 ++]
WRAMC UPDATE 07: As House lawmakers worked to halt the planned closure
of Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Sen. John Warner (R-VA) proposed a
more modest change in the military’s plans. The former chairman of the
Senate Armed Services Committee said he wanted to accelerate
construction projects at two other Washington-area military hospitals, which
would absorb Walter Reed patients when the facility closes in 2011. Doing
so would provide a “seamless turnover” for wounded troops, Warner said
during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the Army’s fiscal
2008 budget proposal. Warner also warned against overturning the base
closure law to keep Walter Reed open, arguing that it would be a
precedent-setting move that would spur lawmakers to try to halt other base
closings. “I think it makes great sense,” acting Army Secretary Preston
(Pete) Geren said of Warner’s proposal. The House Appropriations
Committee on Thursday approved an amendment to the fiscal 2007 supplemental
spending bill that would delay Walter Reed’s closure until the end of the
war. It passed as part of a manager’s package of amendments. “This was
a dumb, dumb thing,” Rep. Ray LaHood, R-Ill., the amendment’s sponsor,
said of the decision to close Walter Reed. Many of the base closing
decisions “were dumb,” he said, “but this was the dumbest.” [Source:
GOVEXEC.com Daily Briefing 15 Mar 07]
BUG SAFETY (CHILDREN): Summer Safety tips.
Don't use scented soaps, perfumes or hair sprays on your child.
Avoid areas where insects nest or congregate, such as stagnant pools
of water, uncovered foods and gardens where flowers are in bloom.
Avoid dressing your child in clothing with bright colors or flowery
prints.
To remove a visible stinger from skin, gently scrape it off
horizontally with a credit card or your fingernail.
Insect repellents containing DEET are the most effective.
The concentration of DEET in products may range from less than 10% to
over 30%. The benefits of DEET reach a peak at a concentration of 30%,
the maximum concentration currently recommended for infants and
children. DEET should not be used on children under 2 months of age. The
concentration of DEET varies significantly from product to product, so read
the label of any product you purchase. [Source: COPS Newsletter Spring
06 http://cops.cc/programs/resources]
WRAMC UPDATE 06: It was reported 15 MAR that there is a strong
movement in Congress to try and reverse the decision of the Base Realignment
and Closure Commission and remove Walter Reed Army Hospital from the
list of military installations to be closed. The House Appropriations
Committee passed the $124 billion Iraq/Afghanistan war supplemental
spending bill and included in it an amendment authored by defense subcommittee
chairman John Murtha of Pennsylvania that would prohibit Walter Reed
Army Medical Center from being closed for the duration of the war in
Iraq. The amendment was supported by both Democrats and Republicans on the
committee. In question is what effect it will have on the BRAC process.
BRAC has worked because it has been impenetrable, at least until now.
No member of Congress wants to see a military installation closed in his
or her district or state. The BRAC process has been successful because
it has managed to close installations that were deemed unnecessary by
preventing individual members of Congress from stopping the final
decisions made by the BRAC Commission. By taking Walter Reed off the closing
list a precedent may have been set that could have unintended
consequences in future BRAC efforts. It should be noted that the reprieve for
Walter Reed is conditional. Once the Iraq war is over it is very
possible that Walter Reed will rejoin the list of installations scheduled to
be closed. [Source: TREA Washington Update 16 Mar 07 ++]
MILLENNIUM COHORT STUDY: The Millennium Cohort Study was designed to
evaluate the long-term health effects of military service, specifically
deployments. The Department of Defense realized after the 1991 Gulf War
that there was a need to collect more information about the long-term
health of service members. The Millennium Cohort Study was designed to
address that critical need, and the study was underway by 2001. Funded
by the Department of Defense, and supported by military, Department of
Veterans Affairs, and civilian researchers, almost 108,000 people have
already participated in this groundbreaking study. The Millennium Cohort
is comprised of two unique groups, the 2001 Cohort of 77,047
individuals and the 2004 Cohort of over 30,000 individuals. As force health
protection continues to be a priority for the future of the United States
military, the Millennium Cohort Study will be providing a crucial step
towards enhancing the long-term health of military service members.
The Millennium Cohort Study at the Naval Health Research Center is
launching its third enrollment effort. They will be contacting nearly
300,000 service members encouraging them to fill out the 2007 survey.
The study will monitor the health of more than 150,000 members who
served in all branches US military, making this the largest prospective
military health study in the history of the United States armed forces.
The survey will include active duty, veteran, and military retiree
participants. This effort will span more than 20 years, and participants
will be surveyed every three years, for self-reported health data. The
results of this study have far-reaching potential and will shape policy
on military service benefits and health care for years to come. Study
information and documents are available for viewing at the Millennium
Cohort website http://www.millenniumcohort.org. [Source: NAUS Weekly
Update 16 Mar 07 ++]
NDAA 2008: Representatives of several Military Coalition members
testified for two hours before the House Armed Services Military Personnel
Subcommittee on 15 MAR, answering the Subcommittee's questions about
priority issues for active duty, Guard/Reserve, and retired members and
their families and survivors. Chairman Vic Snyder (D-AR) asked each
representative what their priorities would be for inclusion in the FY2008
Defense Authorization Act, which the committee will be drafting next
month. The Coalition representatives cited:
- Ensuring proper care, support, and smooth transition from military to
VA services for wounded warriors and their families.
- Ensuring the services have enough manpower to meet their mission
requirements and ease terrible stresses on active duty, Guard and Reserve
families due to high deployment rates.
- Rejecting disproportional, budget-driven health fee increases and
putting standards in law for military health benefits that recognize
career military members' pre-payment of extraordinary, up-front premiums
through decades of service and sacrifice.
- Correction of Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) inequities for "greatest
generation" retirees and widows of members who die as a result of
service.
- More progress in eliminating the disability offset to earned military
retired pay.
- Continued progress in restoring full pay comparability for active
duty, Guard and Reserve members who are paying such a high price in the
current conflict’
Rep. John McHugh (R-NY), the Subcommittee's senior Republican,
indicated the Subcommittee's strong sympathy with the concurrent receipt and
SBP issues, but said it was unlikely that the Budget Resolution now being
crafted by congressional leaders would provide enough budget headroom
to permit full fixes. He asked whether the Coalition would be willing
to consider interim steps to make additional progress.
MOAA Government Relations Director Col Steve Strobridge (USAF-Ret)
responded that the Coalition had worked with the Subcommittee in the past
on such efforts and would be willing to do so again as an alternative to
making no progress at all. He highlighted the particular inequity
facing combat-wounded members forced into medical retirement before
attaining 20 years of service and urged the Subcommittee to at least "vest"
retired pay for those members at 2.5% of pay times their years of
service. Strobridge also indicated the importance of providing assistance to
widows suffering deduction of VA survivor benefits from their SBP
annuities, and highlighted the traumas many suffer as the Defense Finance
and Accounting Service demands that they repay large amounts of
previously paid SBP. [Source: MOAA Leg Up 16 Mar 07]
TAX ON HOME SALE: Many people remember the pre-1997 rules that
required taxpayers to purchase a more expensive home within two years of the
sale of a primary residence to defer capital gains. After age 55,
taxpayers could downsize and receive a one-time capital gain exclusion of up
to $125,000. The Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 significantly changed
primary residence tax treatment, making it potentially much more beneficial
for taxpayers. The new rules allow for an exclusion from income taxes
on up to $500,000 in gain on the sale of a personal residence if
married, filing jointly and up to $250,000 for single filers under Internal
Revenue Code Section 121. To qualify for this exclusion, taxpayers must
meet these requirements:
■ Ownership. You (or your spouse, if married) must have owned the house
for at least two of the previous five years.
■ Use. The home must have been used as the primary residence for two
out of the previous five years. If you are married, both of you must
meet this requirement. If one spouse does not, the exclusion is only
$250,000. Servicemembers who meet the ownership test above may suspend the
use requirement for up to 10 years if they are on qualified, official,
extended duty for 90 days or more and are serving more than 50 miles
from the primary residence or are living in government housing. IRS
Publication 3, The Armed Forces’ Tax Guide (pages 11-12), explains this
provision in detail.
■ Frequency. You may only use this exclusion every two years. If one
spouse has sold a primary residence within the past two years, the
exclusion is limited to $250,000.
These rules turn the primary residence back into a powerful investment
tool, particularly in areas with significant price appreciation. For
example, assuming you meet all requirements. If you bought your home in
1985 for $200,000 and have made $50,000 in improvements, your cost basis
would be $250,000. If you sell the home for $800,000, paying a 6% real
estate commission ($48,000) and incurred $15,000 in fix-up and
miscellaneous expenses, your final effective sales price (sales price less
selling costs) is $737,000. Their gain on the sale, then, is $737,000 minus
$250,000 (basis), or $487,000. If you are married, filing jointly, and
meet all requirements, you can exclude the entire gain from income
taxes. A home must be a primary residence to qualify for this valuable
exclusion. Vacation homes and rental properties do not qualify under this
provision. For taxpayers who don’t meet all requirements but sell the
primary residence because of job relocation, health issues, or unforeseen
circumstances, a reduced exclusion might be available. IRS Publication
523 is the primary source for determining tax treatment for home sales.
You can download the publication at www.irs.gov. [Source: MOAA
Financial Forum May 06]
COLA 2008 UPDATE 04: The Bureau of Labor Statistics announced the
February 2007 Consumer Price Index (CPI), which is the metric used to
calculate the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for military retired
pay and annuities. The CPI had its third straight increase of FY2007 -
0.5% above January's CPI. However, the CPI still stands 0.3% below its
starting point at the beginning of the fiscal year five months ago.
This year's cumulative -0.3% through February is the lowest rate of
inflation recorded for the first five months of any fiscal year for the past
30 years. But inflation could turn around quickly in the next seven
months. The next quarter may give a clearer picture of where inflation may
end up for 2007. The lowest COLA military retirees and annuitants
received in the last 30 years was 0% in 1985. That year, Congress
consciously eliminated the COLA for federal retirees and survivors to save
money. The lowest COLAs based on actual inflation occurred in 1986 and 1998
at 1.3%. [Source: MOAA Leg Up 16 Mar 07]
VBDR: Department of Defense, through Defense Threat Reduction Agency
(DTRA) as the Executive Agent, provides dose estimates for veterans who
participated in the 1945-1946 occupation of Hiroshima or Nagasaki,
Japan, and in U.S. sponsored atmospheric nuclear testing between 1945 and
1962. These dose reconstructions are used by the VA to evaluate and
decide veterans' claims filed under the provisions of Public Law (PL)
98-542 and implementing regulations in Title 38 of the Code of Federal
Regulations, part 3.311. In 1977 the radiation exposure military personnel
received as a result of their participation in above-ground nuclear
weapons tests became a national issue. A front page article was published
in the Sunday paper supplement, Parade Magazine, about a report of an
increased incidence of leukemia in veterans who had taken part in a
nuclear weapons test at the Nevada Test Site. This test, Shot Smoky, was
part of the Plumbbob Series conducted at the Nevada Test Site.
The Parade Magazine story was an initiating event for the need to
assess doses for veterans who participated in nuclear weapons testing.
Each of the military services, Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps
quickly set up offices under the coordinating direction of the Defense
Nuclear Agency (DNA), a legacy agency of the current DTRA to collect
information on veterans who participated in weapons tests, information on
their radiation exposures, and to respond to the significant number of
inquiries that resulted. These offices were called Nuclear Test
Personnel Review (NTPR) offices with the service name in front. These offices
coordinated the initial services’ responses to the individual veterans
and assisted DNA in responding to the Veterans Administration
(Department of Veterans Affairs as of 1989), Congress, news media and the
public.
Early on it was recognized that personnel dosimetry information
for the veterans was fragmented between the services, DNA and the Nevada
Test Site. DNA was designated the responsible Department of Defense
organization to address the radiation exposures of the veterans for all of
the services as well as to coordinate the services’ other NTPR
activities. Since individual radiation exposure information often was not
available, the need for a program of individual veteran's radiation dose
reconstruction became apparent early in the NTPR program and was initiated
by and performed under the guidance of DNA. In 1987 the functions of
the individual service NTPR offices were incorporated into a single NTPR
office at DTRA, where responsibility for the dose reconstruction
program and the NTPR program currently reside.
In DEC 03 Congress directed the Secretaries of DoD and VA under
Section 601 of Public Law (PL) 108-183 to appoint an advisory board to
provide on-going independent review and oversight of the Dose
Reconstruction (DR) Program. That board is titled the Veterans’ Advisory Board on
Dose Reconstruction (VBDR) and under its charter is tasked to advise
DoD and VA as follows :
(a) Conduct periodic, random audits of dose reconstructions and
decisions on claims for radiogenic diseases;
(b) Assist the VA and DTRA in communicating to veterans information on
the mission, procedures, and evidentiary requirements of dose
reconstruction;
(c) Carry out other activities with regard to review and oversight of
the Dose Reconstruction Program as specified jointly by the Secretaries;
and
(d) Make recommendations on modifications to the mission and procedures
of the Dose Reconstruction Program as the Advisory Board considers
appropriate as a result of the audits.
The Committee is made up of medical, scientific and Atomic Veteran
personnel. In MAR 07 they held a public meeting in Las Vegas NV at which
the Committee unanimously voted to advise Congress to abolish the DR
program. This program has, for the most part, worked to deny Atomic
Veterans' Claims (with the exception of a limited number of cancers approved
by Congress). Abolishing this time consuming, expensive, program will
open the way for justice for numerous Atomic Veterans suffering from
several medically recognized radiological diseases with the criteria
being medical and not political. For additionally info on the VDBR refer
to www.vbdr.org. [Source: eVeterans News 19 Mar 07 ++]
SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT 2007: The proposed House bill provides
$1.7 billion for initiatives to address the healthcare needs of OIF/OEF
veterans, particularly those suffering from traumatic brain injury and
post traumatic stress disorder. Funding is also included to address
facility deficiencies so the Department of Veterans Affairs does not have
to defer facility maintenance and upkeep in order to provide quality
health care services. Congressman Chet Edwards (D-TX-17), Chairman of
the House Appropriations Committee sent a Dear Colleague communication to
members of Congress on 15 MAR which details the VA funding included in
the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill. A summary of the
initiative follows:
* $6.3 million to support the Department announced initiative to
establish polytrauma support clinic teams at each of the 21 regional health
care networks to improve case management of veterans. This funding will
prevent veterans from falling through the cracks once they return home;
* $20 million for a pilot program authorized in 1996 to use contract
physicians for disability examinations. This funding will allow a
veteran to see a physician closer to home for the initial disability visit
thereby shortening the claims process time and make it easier for the
veteran and his/her family;
* $62 million to hire additional compensation claims personnel to
expeditiously handle the claims of veterans returning from OIF/OEF as well
digitizing all combat unit records. Both initiatives will shorten the
time it takes to process a compensation claim as well as reduce the
current backlog of claims;
* $35 million to upgrade information technology systems to include
programs that effectively screen all patients for traumatic brain injury
and PTSD;
* $35 million to advance research in areas most impacted by the global
war on terror, such as traumatic brain injury, PTSD, and prosthetics;
* $30 million for a new Level I comprehensive polytrauma center.
Congress established four Level I comprehensive polytrauma centers in 2005,
which are the rehabilitation centers where active duty and veterans go
after they leave the hospital and before they go home;
* $45 million to upgrade facilities at the existing four Level I and 17
Level II polytrauma centers;
* $100 million for contract mental health care. This funding allows
the Department to contract with private mental health care providers to
ensure that OIF/OEF veterans are seen in a timely and least disruptive
fashion, including members of the Guard and Reserve;
* $56 million to ensure the Department has sufficient funds to maintain
an adequate supply of state-of-the-art prosthetics for veterans;
* $228.9 million directed for treatment of OIF/OEF patients. In fiscal
year 2006, the Department underestimated the number of OIF/OEF patients
in the system by 40 percent. While the Committee understands the
Department has revised the model used to calculate these projections and
expects to track their estimates more closely, year-to-date information
suggests the model may still be immature so this funding provides for a
higher level of patients;
* $250 million for medical administration to ensure there are
sufficient personnel to support the growing number of OIF/OEF veterans and to
maintain a high level of service to all veterans in the system. This
account funds the support staff such as appointment and records clerks
that increase physician efficiency and improve access to care;
* $550 million for non-recurring maintenance which will allow the
Department to make some headway in addressing the $5 billion backlog
identified in their Facility Condition Assessment. The bill also includes
$260 million for minor construction to address the backlog of projects at
locations throughout the country. These amounts are intended to
prevent the Department from experiencing a situation similar to that found at
Walter Reed; and
* $23.8 million to complete a spinal cord injury center, already under
construction.
[Source: eVeterans News 19 Mar 07 ++]
WILL ROGERS MEMORIAL MUSEUM: Will Rogers, the American
Cowboy-Humorist, comedian, social commentator, vaudeville performer, and actor was
probably the greatest political sage this country has ever known. He died
in a plane crash with Wylie Post in 1935 at the age of 54. At the time
of his death he was America’s most widely read newspaper columnist,
between his daily "Will Rogers Says" telegrams which he composed daily to
address each day's news and his weekly column. His Sunday night
half-hour radio show was the nation's most-listened-to weekly broadcast. In
both, he expressed his disappointment with big government and the effect
it had on the nation, particularly during the Depression era. His wit
was often caustic: as he explained, "There's no trick to being a
humorist when you have the whole government working for you." Nevertheless, he
identified with the Democratic Party saying "I don't belong to any
organized party. I'm a Democrat," and was a vocal supporter of Franklin
Delano Roosevelt. At one point, he was even asked to run for governor of
Oklahoma, the party hoping to benefit from his immense popularity.
In the United States Capitol Building each state is allowed to
have two statues. In memorial he was given this honor by the state of
Oklahoma. It is said that as Presidents walk by the Will Rogers statue
on the way to give a State of the Union speech it is good luck to rub
the shoes on the statue. The Will Rogers Memorial Museum is located at
1720 West Will Rogers Blvd, Claremore Ok 74018 Tel: (918) 341-0719
wrinfo@willrogers.com. It is open 365 days a year 0800-1700. Admission
to the nine galleries, three theaters, interactive television, and
special children's museum is by voluntary contributions. For additional
info refer to www.willrogers.org. Following are some examples of his
wit:
1. Never slap a man who's chewing tobacco.
2. Never kick a cow chip on a hot day.
3. There are 2 theories to arguing with a woman...neither works.
4. Never miss a good chance to shut up.
5. Always drink upstream from the herd.
6. If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.
7. The quickest way to double your money is to fold it and put it back
in your pocket.
8. There are three kinds of men: The ones that learn by reading. The
few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the
electric fence and find out for themselves.
9. Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from
bad judgment.
10. If you're riding' ahead of the herd, take a look back every now
and then to make sure it's still there.
11. Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier'n puttin' it
back.
12. After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he
started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The
moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.
About Growing Older...
First ~ Eventually you will reach a point when you stop lying about
your age and start bragging about it.
Second ~ The older we get, the fewer things seem worth waiting in line
for
Third ~ Some people try to turn back their odometers. Not me, I want
people to know "why" I look this way. I've traveled a long way and some
of the roads weren't paved.
Fourth ~ When you are dissatisfied and would like to go back to youth,
think of Algebra.
Fifth ~ You know you are getting old when everything either dries up or
leaks.
Sixth ~ I don't know how I got over the hill without getting to the
top.
Seventh ~ One of the many things no one tells you about aging is that
it is such a nice change from being young.
Eighth ~ One must wait until evening to see how splendid the day has
been.
Ninth ~ Being young is beautiful, but being old is comfortable.
Tenth ~ Long ago when men cursed and beat the ground with sticks, it
was called witchcraft. Today it's called golf
And finally ~ If you don't learn to laugh at trouble, you won't have
anything to laugh at when you are old.
[Source: eVeterans News 19 Mar 07 ++]
FUTURE FOR VETS COMMISSION: The Commission on the Future for America’s
Veterans began operating in SEP 06 as a private, independent,
analytical body to examine the needs of veterans 20 years in the future, and
develop recommendations for how the federal government should meet those
needs. Over the next 15 months, the Commission will be holding meetings
and conducting research to develop and deliver recommendations to the
President, the Congress, and the America public by Memorial Day 2008.
The Commission was created by the Veterans Coalition, an organization
that includes The American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW),
Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), AMVETS,
Vietnam Veterans of America, Blinded American Veterans Foundation,
Jewish War Veterans, and Military Order of the Purple Heart. The Commission
is currently engaged in a multi-state tour actively seeking input from
military veterans, veterans’ experts, and other Americans interested in
supporting veterans. The tour began at Charleston WV in JAN 07,
continued for 3 days in mid-MAR in Tampa FL, goes to San Diego CA at the end
of May, and then on to Cincinnati OH in July.
The centerpiece of their Tampa visit was an open, public “town
hall” meeting held in which hundreds of Florida residents were able to
speak directly to the Commission about their experiences with VA today and
their hopes for its future. This “town hall” meeting, called
“Conversations on the Future for America’s Veterans”, was webcast live over the
Internet. During the week, the Commission conducted tours of the VA
nursing home at Bay Pines and the polytrauma and spinal cord injury units
at the Haley VA hospital in Tampa. The Commission also heard several
hours of expert testimony about the future of VA research, academic
affiliations, and information management and technology. Among the experts
who spoke to the Commission were: Dr. Steven Scott, Medical Director,
Tampa Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center; Dr. Joel Kupersmith, VA Chief of
Research and Development; Dr. Paul Tibbits, VA Deputy Chief Information
Officer; Dr. Malcolm Cox, Chief Academic Affiliations Officer; Dr.
Jordan J. Cohen of the American Association of Medical Colleges; Dr. Lynn
Wecker, Associate Dean for Research at the University of South Florida
College of Medicine; and Mr. Gary Ewart, Director of Research at Friends
of VA Research.
Managing Commissioner Harry N. Walters in a press release said
that, “the Commission on the Future for America’s Veterans has taken major
strides towards its goal of developing a vision and plan for how this
nation can best deliver needed benefits and services to our veterans far
into the future." Harry Walters previously served as Administrator of
Veterans Affairs under President Ronald Reagan. For additional
information on the commission’s work refer to www.future4vets.org. Among other
items the site provides a summary of healthcare, benefits, transition,
catastrophic disability, National Guard and Reserve issues under review
by the Commission. [Source: VA Secretary VSOL Office Kevin Secor msg
19 Mar 07 ++]
DFAS DEATH NOTIFICATION UPDATE 01: The Death of a Military Retiree or
Annuitant can be reported to Defense finance and Accounting Service at
either (800) 269-5170 or (800) 321-1080 07-1930 EST M-F. You need to
have the decedent’s Social Security Number (SSN) and the date of death
when you call. If reporting by mail send to DFAS U.S. Military,
Retirement Pay, P.O. Box 7130, London, KY 40742-7130 or Fax: (800) 469-6559
for retirees and U.S. Military, Annuitant Pay, P.O. Box 7130, London, KY
40742-7131 or Fax: (800) 982-8459 for Annuitants. Send one photocopy
of a death certificate which indicates the cause of death. DFAS will
take steps to close out the pay account to prevent any overpayments. If
the decedent was a retiree enrolled in the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP)
and/or the Retired Serviceman’s Family Protection Plan (RSFPP),
additional steps will be taken to initiate pay accounts for eligible survivors.
Designated beneficiaries of retirees should expect a Standard Form 1174
(SF-1174) and, if applicable, SBP/RSFPP-related forms in the mail
within seven to ten business days of reporting the death. For assistance
call either of the numbers listed above or refer to
www.dod.mil/dfas/retiredpay/reportingdeathofmilitaryretireeorannuitant.html.
Telephone numbers of other government offices which may need to be
contacted are:
- Social Security Administration (SSA) at (800) 772-1213.
- Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) at (800)
538-9552.
- If the deceased was receiving disability compensation or Dependency
Indemnity Compensation (DIC), notify the Department of Veterans Affairs
(DVA) at (800) 827-1000.
- If the deceased was a civil servant or retired civil servant, notify
the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) toll-free at (888) 767-6738.
- If the deceased was enrolled in DVA-sponsored insurance such as
National Service Life Insurance (NSLI) or Servicemembers’ Group Life
Insurance (SGLI), notify them at (800) 669-8477.
Those living near a military installation may be able to receive help
with administrative matters from a Casualty Assistance Officer (CAO) or
Retired Activities/Affairs Office (RAO). Note that these services are
not available at all military installations/geographic locales. Those
living in the Philippines can call the VA Regional Office from 08-1600
M-F at 528-6300 [embassy operator], 528-2500 [direct line] or for outside
Metro Manila you may call toll free at 1-800-1-888-5252. To notify SSA
call (63-2) 523-1001ext. 6228 To notify either SSA or VA by mail send
to 1201 Roxas Boulevard - Ermita 1000 – Manila. Some additional
toll-free numbers you may find useful are:
Armed Forces Benefit Association (AFBA): (800) 776-2322
Army & Air Force Mutual Aid Association (AAFMAA): (800) 522-5221
Burial at Sea: (888) 647-6676 (option 4)
Funeral Honors: (877) 645-4667
Military Benefit Association: (800) 336-0100
Officers Benefit Association: (800) 736-7311
Uniformed Service Benefit Association: (800) 368-7021
[Source: DFAS Mar 07 ++]
RETURNING GWT HEROES TF: On 6 MAR 07 the President directed VA
Secretary Nicholson to establish an Interagency Task Force on Returning Global
War on Terror Heroes. The Task Force will consist of Secretaries, or
their designees, from the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Defense,
Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, and
Education. The Director, Office of Management and Budget, and the
Administrator, Small Business Administration, will also serve on the Task Force.
The mission of the Task Force is to:
(a) Identify and examine existing Federal services that currently are
provided to returning Global War on Terror service members;
(b) Identify existing gaps in such services;
(c) Seek recommendations from appropriate Federal agencies on ways to
fill those gaps as effectively and expeditiously as possible using
existi