RAO Bulletin Update
1 March 2007
THIS BULLETIN UPDATE CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES:
AAFES Gas Pricing Overseas ----------------- (Weekly Adjustment)
Peanut Butter Advisory ------------------------- (Check Your Labels)
United Nations Memorial Wall [01] ----------------- (Korean Tours)
Chapter 61 Legislation ------------------------ (Overview)
USMC Reenlistment Offered ----------- (Former Marines Eligible)
Premium Conversion --------------------- (Pretax Health Premiums)
VA Handbook [02] ------------------------------------- (2007 Edition)
Military Survivor Benefits ------------------- (Survivor Benefit Plan)
Army Disability Ratings ------------------------------- (Why so Low?)
Military Health Care TF [02] ----------- (Health Budgeting Blasted)
Reserve Retirement Age [08] ---------------- (A Different Approach)
VDBC Update 14 ------------------------------------- (SBP/DIC offset)
VA Prosthetics ------------------------------------ (New Miami Center)
FEHBP Reserve Reimbursements [01] --- (Extended to 24 Months)
TRICARE Pharmacy Policy [01] -------- (Mail Order Inducements)
Medicare Part B premiums [01] ---------- ($109.40 Projected FY08)
VA Budget 2008 [04] ------------------------- (Fee Increase Unlikely)
NGB DOD Representation [03] --------------- (NG in JCS Opposed)
TFL History --------------------------------- (Why Part "B" Required)
Cervical Cancer [02] ----------------- (Tricare Covers Vaccinations)
VA Franchise Program [01] ----------------------- (What's Available)
Enlistment Waivers -------------------- (On the Increase)
USFSPA Lawsuit [12] ------------------- (Supreme Court Petitioned)
WRAMC [04] ---------------------------------- (Medical Care Review)
Medicare [04] ---------------------- (Financing Trigger)
Retiree Health Ins Tax Deduction ----------- (H.R.1110 Introduced)
GI Bill [12] ------------------------ (S.0644 & H.R.1102)
Tricare User Fees [19] ----------------------------- (S.605 Introduced)
Gold Star Family License Plates ---- (Honoring Fallen Servicemen)
Unconditional Surrender Statue ------------------ (Now in San Diego)
Agent Orange Lawsuits [09] ----------------- (Haas Appeal Delayed)
VA Diabetic Retinopathy Screening --------- (Tele-retinal Imaging)
TFL Facts & Tips ------------------------------------- (Need to Knows)
Military Blood Program [02] -------------------------- (New Web Site)
Cell Phone Tips --------------------------------------- (Did You Know?)
VA State Benefits Seamless Transition -------------- (New Program)
VA Data Breach [30] ----------------------- (VA Not Serious Enough)
VA Dependent Burial --------------------------------- (Who is Eligible)
Military Legislation Status 27 FEB 07 ------------- (Where we stand)
NOTE: I am transiting from the Philippines to San Diego 1 MAR so it may
take a few days to respond to your inquiries.
AAFES GAS PRICING OVERSEAS: Army and Air Force Exchange Service
officials began a new gas-pricing plan 1 FEB that should make buying
gas
overseas easier on a person's budget as prices are now updated on a
weekly basis instead of monthly changes. The decision is based on
customer feedback for more immediacy in the price changes. AAFES used
to
look at the way oil prices fluctuated during the previous month and
deliver an average price. This kind of pricing means that at the end of
the month there would be a drastic change that people weren't prepared
for. Now the weekly changes make the differences in prices a little
less. Prices are based on the current week's U.S. Department of Energy
average price. [Source: Military.com 26 Feb 07 ++]
PEANUT BUTTER ADVISORY: Public health officials in multiple states,
with the assistance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) and the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA), are investigating
a large multistate outbreak of Salmonella serotype Tennessee
infections.
An epidemiologic study comparing foods that ill and well persons said
they ate showed that consumption of Peter Pan peanut butter and Great
Value peanut butter were both statistically associated with illness and
therefore the likely source of the outbreak. Product testing has
confirmed the presence of the outbreak strain of Salmonella Tennessee
in
opened jars of peanut butter, obtained from ill persons. FDA has
advised
consumers not to eat any Peter Pan peanut butter purchased since May
2006 and not to eat Great Value peanut butter with a product code
beginning with 2111 purchased since May 2006. Peter Pan peanut butter
is
made in a single facility in Georgia. Great Value peanut butter with a
product code beginning with 2111 is made in the same facility as Peter
Pan peanut butter; Great Value peanut butter made by other
manufacturers
is not affected.
As of 21 FEB, the last time when numbers were updated, 329 persons
infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Tennessee have been
reported to CDC from 41 states. Among 249 patients for whom clinical
information is available, 51 (21%) were hospitalized. No deaths have
been attributed to this infection. Onset dates, which are known for 224
patients, ranged from 1 AUG 06 to 2 FEB 07 and 60% of these illnesses
began after 1 DEC 06. PulseNet (the national subtyping network for food
borne disease surveillance coordinated by CDC) detected a slowly rising
increase in cases of Salmonella Tennessee this fall. OutbreakNet (the
national network of public health officials coordinated by CDC that
investigates enteric disease outbreaks) then worked for several weeks
to
identify this unusual food vehicle. Public health officials from
several
states have isolated Salmonella from open jars of peanut butter of both
Peter Pan and Great Value brand. For four jars, the serotype has been
confirmed as Tennessee and DNA fingerprinting has shown that the
pattern
is the outbreak strain.
FDA officials and the peanut butter manufacturer are working
collaboratively to learn more about production of peanut butter to
determine how it may have become contaminated. Persons who think they
may have become ill from eating peanut butter are advised to consult
their health care provider. Persons who have Peter Pan peanut butter
purchased since MAY 06 or Great Value peanut butter with a product code
beginning with 2111 purchased since May 06 should discard the jar.
Local
health departments no longer need to collect jars for testing. Most
persons infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal
cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7
days, and most persons recover without treatment. However, in some
persons the diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be
hospitalized. The elderly, infants, and those with impaired immune
systems are more likely to have a severe illness. Refer to
www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/salmonellosis_2007/outbreak_notice.h
tm to view a map indicating the number of cases by state. [Source: CDC
Advisory 22 Feb 07 ++]
UNITED NATIONS MEMORIAL WALL UPDATE 01: In addition to the officially
sponsored Korean Veterans Association of Korea revisit program, in
which
the Korean Government covers the Veteran's hotel, meals and most ground
expenses, the USO has a program for American Veterans. The USO program
covers air transportation, three nights lodging at the Sofitel
Ambassador Hotel, meals and Seoul area tours. The cost, including air
fare, ranges from $1,400 to $1,600. Departures are from gateway cities
all over the US as well as Honolulu. The USO coordinator will arrange
ticketing. The tour does not include a visit to the UN Memorial
Cemetery
in Busan where the Memorial Wall is located but participants can extend
their stay at the hotel for up to four nights at a substantially
discounted rate and travel to Busan and back by high-speed train at
reasonable cost. There are three tours available in 2007: May 21-24
(apply by March 14), September 10-13 (apply by July 21) and October
20-25 (apply by August 30). Apply by e-Mail to: usoreunion@yahoo.com or
Young.Frie@korea.army.mil. If there are special requests, the USO
coordinator, Lee Im-kyung can be contacted at Young.Frie@korea.army.mil
or usoreunion@yahoo.com. The mailing address is USO Seoul, Attn:
Reunion, PSC 303 Box 53, APO AP 96204-0053. For a description of the
2007 program refer to
www.uso.org/Korea/files/REUNION_PROGRAM_for_2007.doc. [Source: Korea
Vet
News msg. 21 Feb 07 ++]
CHAPTER 61 LEGISLATION: There are three House bills in the 100th
Congress that would benefit Chapter 61 retirees:
- H.R.0089: Combat-Related Special Compensation Act. A bill to
amend title 10, United States Code, to extend eligibility for
combat-related special compensation (CRSC) paid to certain uniformed
services retirees who are retired under chapter 61 of such title with
fewer than 20 years of creditable service. Sponsor: Rep Bilirakis, Gus
M. [FL-9] (introduced 1/4/07). Cosponsors (9).
- H.R.0303: Retired Pay Restoration Act. A bill to amend title
10, United States Code, to permit certain additional retired members of
the Armed Forces who have a service-connected disability to receive
both
disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs for
their disability and either retired pay by reason of their years of
military service or Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) and to
eliminate the phase-in period under current law with respect to such
concurrent receipt. Sponsor: Rep Bilirakis, Gus M. [FL-9] (introduced
1/5/07). Cosponsors (47).
- H.R.0333: Disabled Veterans Tax Termination Act. A bill to
amend title 10, United States Code, to permit retired members of the
Armed Forces who have a service-connected disability rated less than
50%
to receive concurrent payment of both retired pay and veterans'
disability compensation, to eliminate the phase-in period for
concurrent
receipt, to extend eligibility for concurrent receipt and
combat-related
special compensation to chapter 61 disability retirees with less than
20
years of service, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Rep Marshall, Jim
[GA-8] (introduced 1/9/07). Cosponsors (12).
However, only HR 333 would correct almost all of what is now wrong with
concurrent receipt. HR 333 would:
a. Extend the benefits of CRDP to some 375,000 retired career
veterans who are rated less than 50% disabled by the VA. (HR 303 would
do the same. No similar provision in HR 89.)
b. Repeal the 10 year phase in of CRDP for those 180,000 retired
career veterans who are rated 50 to 90% disabled. It would also
eliminate the diminishing returns of the 10 year schedule beyond 2007.
Consider that with the 2007 increment, restoration is approximately 65%
of full amount. In 2010, restoration will be approximately 95% of the
full amount, leaving the last 4 years to restore the remaining 5% such
that the average monthly increment in 2014 is $0.31 in 2005 dollars for
a total budget outlay of some $23,500 for the entire year. (No similar
provision in HR 303 or HR 89.)
c. Extend the benefits of CRDP at 100% to those 28,000 retired
career veterans who are rated less than 100% but who are considered
"individually unemployable" (IU) and compensated at 100% by the VA.
(No
similar provision in HR 303 or HR 89.)
d. Extend the benefits of CRDP to 183,000 career veterans who were
involuntarily retired with less than 20 years of retirement service for
medical disability to include wounds received in combat. Currently
those
incurring combat inflicted disabilities in Iraq and Afghanistan are
denied the benefits of CRDP. (HR 303 would extend CRDP to Chapter 61
based on 2.5%/year of service thereby limiting Ch 61 retirement pay to
that amount.) (HR 89 would extend CRSC {but not CRDP} to Chapter 61
based on 2.5%/year of service thereby limiting Ch 61 retirement pay to
that amount.)
e. Extend the benefits of CRSC as an alternative to CRDP for those
untold number of career veterans whose disabilities are considered to
be
combat related. (No similar provision in HR 303 or HR 89.)
HR 333 is the best concurrent receipt legislation to date. To support
this bill and/or contact your Representative refer to
http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=9226426&type=ML [Source:
USDR Charlie Revie msg. 25 Feb 07 ++]
USMC REENLISTMENT OFFERED: The Marine Corps is reaching out to former
Marines in its effort to grow the service to 207,000 Marines by 2011.
Part of the effort to grow the force is to contact noncommissioned
officers who have separated from the service and offer them the option
of coming back in. The Marine commandant Gen. James Conway is sending a
letter to every Marine who has gotten out in the last four years. It
will say that, "You may have already served your nation, but the job's
not done". Everything is negotiable: four-year enlistments, two-year
enlistments, airborne school, other military schools, and so on, plus
NCOs should be able to come back on active duty with their former
ranks.
The service will begin recruiting an extra 5,000 per year beginning
this
year without reducing standards. The corps will be competing against
the
other services and especially against the Army, which has been slated
to
grow by 62,000 over the same period. To meet their goal the corps will
probably put between 300 and 400 more recruiters on the street.
Standards are important to the Marine leadership, Conway said. "We
do not want to sacrifice the quality of recruits simply to make the
numbers." The Marine recruit standard is higher than that set by the
Defense Department. The DOD standard states that 90% of all recruits
must be high school graduates. The Marine standard is 95%, and the
service is recruiting 96%. DOD officials said that only about
one-third
of 18 to 24-year-olds qualify to join the military. The 27,000-Marine
increase will be put against those units experiencing the heaviest
"deployment-to-dwell" ratios. The Marine Corps would like to get to the
point of seven months deployed, 14 months at home station. The general
said aviation units, military police and civil affairs are among the
most heavily stressed units. The commandant is adamant that the corps
must do something about deployment-to-dwell time. [Source: American
Forces Press Service 16 Feb 07 ++]
PREMIUM CONVERSION: Since 2000, federal employees have been able to
pay
their health insurance premiums on a tax-free basis. Many federal
retirees think they should get similar treatment. But extending
"premium
conversion," as it's called, to retirees would require a change in tax
law, and Rep. Thomas M. Davis III [R-Va] and others, who have pushed
for
that change in the last three congressional sessions, are back at it.
"We're talking about a modest amount of money, but to those on fixed
income, this could have a real impact," Davis said as he again
introduced a bill H.R.1110 to extend the tax break. The bill would
result in average savings of $820 a year for federal retirees, he
estimated. Under the bill, federal civil service and military retirees
would pay their monthly health-care premiums through a pretax deduction
from their annuities. The bill also would permit active-duty military
personnel to deduct from their taxable income certain supplemental
premiums or enrollment fees for Tricare, their military health
insurance.
The tax code permits employees to pay for health insurance with
deductions that are excluded from income and Social Security payroll
taxes. It does not, however, allow employers to offer
premium-conversion
benefits to their retirees, the sore point that the Davis bill would
address. In recent years, Davis has gotten such legislation through the
House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which he chaired until
this Congress. But the measure has always faltered because the House
Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over tax policy, has
balked at taking up the issue. The likely cost of the bill appears to
be
the sticking point. According to a Congressional Budget Office
estimate,
extending the tax break to federal retirees would cost about $600
million over 10 years. Davis hopes to build bipartisan support for this
year's measure. Reps. Steny H. Hoyer [D-MD] the House majority leader;
Chris Van Hollen [D-MD] who has a seat on Ways and Means; and Jon
Porter
[R-NV] have signed on as chief co-sponsors. The Washington area
congressional delegation and about half of the Ways and Means Committee
also have agreed to be listed as co-sponsors of the bill, Davis said.
The National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association and the
Military Coalition, a group of 35 military and veterans organizations,
are supporting the Davis effort. [Source: Washington Post Stephen Barr
article 22 Feb 07 ++]
VA HANDBOOK UPDATE 02: A new edition of the Federal Benefits for
Veterans and Dependents handbook by the Department of Veterans Affairs
(VA) has been released. It updates the rates for certain federal
payments and outlines a variety of programs and benefits for American
veterans. Most of the nation's 25 million veterans qualify for some
VA
benefits, which range from health care to burial in a national
cemetery.
In addition to health-care and burial benefits, veterans may be
eligible
for programs providing home loan guaranties, educational assistance,
training and vocational rehabilitation, income assistance pensions,
life
insurance and compensation for service-connected illnesses or
disabilities. In some cases, survivors of veterans may also be
entitled
to benefits. The handbook describes programs for veterans with
specific service experiences, such as prisoners of war or those
concerned about environmental exposures in Vietnam or in the Gulf War,
as well as special benefits for veterans with severe disabilities. In
addition to describing benefits provided by VA, the 2007 edition of the
160-page booklet provides an overview of programs and services for
veterans provided by other federal agencies. It also includes
resources
to help veterans access their benefits, with a listing of toll-free
phone numbers, Internet addresses and a directory of VA facilities
throughout the country. The handbook can be downloaded free from VA's
Web site at www1.va.gov/opa/vadocs/fedben.pdf or purchased with credit
card or check from the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO). GPO
accepts credit card orders for the publication at (866)512-1800 for a
cost of $5 each to U.S. addresses, or $67 for bulk orders of 25 copies.
It order is by mail make check out to Superintendent of Documents and
mail to the GPO at Superintendent of Documents, P.O. Box 371954,
Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954. [Source: www.va.gov Feb 07 ++]
MILITARY SURVIVOR BENEFITS: One of the biggest benefits is the
Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP), created by Congress to take care of
surviving spouses and children when retired pay stops upon a retiree's
death. The plan has undergone some fairly significant changes. Launched
in 1972, the goal of SBP was to ensure survivors of military retirees
would have reasonable and continuous income replacement, which Social
Security alone does not provide. Congress intended that the value of
Social Security and other entitlements would be considered when
determining whether reasonable income replacement was achieved. When a
military retiree dies, military pay stops on the date of death. Today,
more than 250,000 survivors of military retirees continue to receive
payments because their sponsor participated in SBP. The program has a
cost-of-living adjustment, is government-subsidized, and offers
tax-free
features to the retiree. Recently, Congress allowed an open enrollment
season for SBP under a provision of the 2005 Defense Authorization Act.
Basically, it was an opportunity for military retirees to enroll in SBP
who had not done so when they first were eligible. This was only the
fourth time that an open season was held in which retirees could get
into the SBP after the fact. Each time, the open season coincided with
major changes to the program.
The latest enrollment season began 1 OCT 05, and ended 30 SEP 06.
The reason the program was opened up again to those who did not get in
when they were first eligible is that Congress ordered a phasing out of
the Social Security offset that reduced benefits for survivors at age
62, when they became eligible for Social Security. Instead of the 55%
of
a member's retirement pay, SBP payments were reduced to 35% of retired
pay, on the theory that Social Security would substitute for the other
20 percentage points. The offset began to be phased out in OCT 05, when
the percentage of retired pay for survivors age 62 and older increased
to 40%. Then in April, it increased again to 45%. This April, it is
due
to go to 50%, and in APR 08, the last phase kicks in when the
percentage
is restored to 55% for all SBP beneficiaries age 62 and older. Under
current law, a retiree cannot reduce or decline spouse coverage without
the spouse's written consent. You may voluntarily elect to discontinue
participation in the SBP only during the 25th through the 36th month
after you begin drawing retired pay. If you qualify to discontinue
participation in the plan, you must complete DD Form 2656-2. Again,
spousal concurrence is required, except in limited circumstances when
your spouse is unavailable.
The cost of SBP is 6.5% of the base amount of coverage. You can
choose as your base amount anything from your maximum monthly
retirement
pay to as little as $300 per month. For example, with a base amount of
$1,000 per month, the monthly cost for spouse coverage is $65. Upon the
retiree's death, the annuity would be 55% of $1,000, or $550 after 2008
before taxes. Since the retiree pays no tax on the premiums the tax is
collected from the payments. Non-U.S. citizen spouses in most
countries
outside the U.S. are taxed at a flat rate of 30%. These same spouses
cannot collect social security benefits on their deceased spouse's
account if they have not spent an aggregate of five years in the United
States. For those who can receive SS benefits the benefits re also
taxed at 30%. A consideration for retirees with non-U.S. citizen
spouses residing overseas who do not meet the 5 year US. residency
criteria to collect social security is to weigh the SBP benefit
against
the VA Death Pension non-taxable benefit paid to a veteran's survivors.
For 2007 this amounted to $610 monthly. To get the equivalent net
payment from SBP the retiree would have to have a base retirement pay
of
$1583 assuming the survivor would have no other income. The retiree
should also consider that under the VA Death Pension benefit any income
(i.e. interest, dividends, social security, wages of any type, tax
refunds, etc.) will reduce the amount of monthly pension payment from
VA
dollar for dollar. In the case of social security the reduction will
be
the gross amount earned before taxes are automatically deducted vice
the
net amount received by the survivor. [Source: NavyTimes Alex Keenan
article 19 Feb 07 ++]
ARMY DISABILITY RATINGS: According to veterans' advocates, lawyers and
services members the Army is deliberately shortchanging troops on their
disability retirement ratings to hold down costs. In support of this
the
Inspector General has identified 87 problems in the system that need
fixing. "These people are being systematically underrated," said Ron
Smith, deputy general counsel for Disabled American Veterans. "It's a
bureaucratic game to preserve the budget, and it's having an adverse
affect on service members." The numbers of people approved for
permanent
or temporary disability retirement in the Navy, Marine Corps and Air
Force have stayed relatively stable since 2001. But in the Army, while
in the midst of a war, the number of soldiers approved for permanent
disability retirement has plunged by more than two-thirds, from 642 in
2001 to 209 in 2005, according to a GAO report last year. That decline
has come even as the war in Iraq has intensified and the total number
of
soldiers wounded or injured there has soared above 15,000.
The Army denies there is any intentional effort to push wounded
troops off the military rolls. But critics say many troops being
evaluated for possible disability retirement accept the first rating
they are offered during their first informal board. Dennis Brower,
legal
advisor for the Army's Physical Disability Agency, acknowledged as
much,
saying only 10% of soldiers request a formal board. If they were to
request a formal board, and then appeal the decision of that board,
they
would receive higher ratings. The system is complicated, "unduly so"
the
Rand Corp. think tank said in a 2005 report, and the counselors who
advise troops often have insufficient training or experience. Service
members also assume that after months spent in a war zone, the military
will look out for them, critics say. Those who try to navigate the
process beyond their initial evaluation face long waits, lost paperwork
and months or even years away from home as they try to complete the
process. If they receive a rating of above 30%, they receive disability
retirement pay, medical benefits, and commissary privileges. Those
rated
under 30% they receive severance pay and no benefits. Many eventually
give up and take their chances with the VA, which may give a higher
rating for the same disability.
Under the separate disability payment systems of the Defense
Department and the VA, a higher VA rating does not necessarily
translate
into more money, and forgoing military disability retirement also means
giving up lifetime commissary and exchange privileges, military health
care and other benefits.
While the number of soldiers placed on permanent disability retirement
has declined in the past five years, the number placed on temporary
disability retirement with medical conditions that officials rule might
improve so they can return to work over time or worsen to the point
that
they must be permanently retired has increased more than fourfold, from
165 in 2001 to 837 in 2005. Troops on temporary disability leave
convalesce for 18 months while receiving reduced basic pay. After that
they are reevaluated and either returned to duty, or rated for
separation or permanent disability retirement, or sent back to
temporary
disability for another 18 months up to five years. Along with paying
them reduced wages during that time, the eventual reevaluation often
leads to downward revisions in their disability ratings and lower
disability payments. Service members' conditions must be deemed stable
before they receive a permanent disability rating, unless they are
rated
at less than 30%. In that case, they are discharged with severance pay
whether they are in stable condition or not. If their conditions then
worsen, they'll receive no more money from the military.
Compared to the overall size of the defense budget, disability
retirement costs are relatively small. In 2004, the military paid more
than $1.2 billion in permanent and temporary disability benefits to
90,000 people, the GAO said. That does not include the costs of
lump-sum
severance pay (up to 24 months of basic pay) given to 11,174 disabled
troops that year in lieu of disability retirement pay. The Pentagon was
unable to provide data on severance costs, the GAO said. In 2005,
Ellen
Embrey, deputy assistant secretary of defense for force health
protection and readiness, told House lawmakers the reason for the
comparatively large numbers of troops placed on temporary disability
was
actually to keep end strength up. A premature medical evaluation board
decision, she said, "may negatively impact the individual's ability to
continue serving." Col. Andy Buchanan, the Army Physical Disability
Agency's deputy commander, said the system is not as bad as government
reports have led people to believe. "It really is a fair process," he
said. "It's wide open. We have nothing to hide." Buchanan also said he
had "no visibility" on the costs related to disability retirement pay,
so he doesn't know if the budget is going up or down. He said he gives
medical evaluation board adjudicators one instruction: "Do the right
thing. That's the guidance I give them. There is absolutely no attempt
on the part of the Army or this agency to deny soldiers any disability
benefits or to push them off on the VA. [Source: NavyTimes Kelly
Kennedy article 24 Feb 07 ++]
MILITARY HEALTH CARE TF UPDATE 02: Top service medical officers
expressed their frustrations with the DoD health budgeting process at
the 20 FEB hearing before the Task Force on the Future of Military
Health Care. Army Surgeon General LTG Kevin Kiley and Navy Surgeon
General VADM Donald Arthur expressed their dissatisfaction with
efficiency wedges or budget cuts, that DoD imposes on them each year.
An
efficiency wedge is a budget euphemism for, "We are cutting your budget
by X amount and it's up to you to find ways to stay within that lower
amount by becoming more efficient". VADM Arthur said there was no
rational thought behind the cuts indicating they are simply a way to
pay
for private sector care and don't actually make the services any more
efficient. The Surgeon Generals agreed that one way to make military
health care more efficient would be for military hospitals and clinics
to recapture more of the primary care workload that's now being
addressed in civilian care networks. There is capacity in military
facilities that's being paid for but not being used, they said. Both
the Navy and Army reiterated their support for a unified medical
command. The Air Force Surgeon General said the joint command concept
wouldn't work with the Air Force's current command and control
structure. VADM Arthur took issue with the current strategy of
increasing fees and copays for the Tricare program. He offered a
presentation entitled, "Can Not Break Promises", and said he was
uncomfortable with assuming savings from pushing retirees out of
Tricare, which does nothing to address actual health care cost
increases. LTG Kiley commented that fee/copay increases do not have to
be so quick and should only be small increases. [Source: MOAA Leg Up
23 Feb 07 ++]
RESERVE RETIREMENT AGE UPDATE 08: Two bills have been introduced in
the
110th Congress to amend Title 10 to reduce the eligibility age for
National Guard and Reserve retirees to receive military retirement pay.
Congressman Jim Saxton (NJ) introduced H.R.0690 which would simply
lower
the eligibility age to 55 years. Identical Saxton bills introduced in
previous sessions failed to pass because of their estimated cost.
Senator Saxby Chambliss (GA) has introduced S.0648 which would reduce
the eligibility age below 60 years by three months for each aggregate
of
90 days of active duty performed by a member of the Ready Reserves
after
September 11, 2001with the eligibility age not to be reduced below 50
years. Under the Chambliss bill, active duty service qualifying for the
reduction would include orders for active duty in support of a
contingency operation during a war or national emergency under sections
101(a) (13((B) and 12301(d) title 10 or section 502(f) of title 32.
Chambliss' office estimates that this bill, if passed, would cost $400
million over five years. [Sorce: NGAUS Leg Up 23 Feb 07 ++]
VDBC UPDATE 14: The Veterans' Disability Benefits Commission held
public hearings on 21 & 22 FEB. It covered possible Commission
recommendations concerning the SBP/DIC offset and a time limit to file
disability claims. The American Legion, Gold Star Wives, National
Military Family Association, TREA, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars all
testified in favor of ending the SBP/DIC offset and leaving unchanged
the rules for when one can file a disability claim. The panel,
across-the-board, called for the elimination of the SBP/DIC. The
Commission members were grateful for the panel's written and oral
statements and were particularly moved when several representatives
from
the Gold Star Wives of America provided personal, compelling accounts
of
the impact of losing a spouse and the subsequent financial hardships
many have endured.
The Commission is expected to settle on a recommendation
concerning
the deduction of DIC from SBP annuities during next month's meeting.
The
Commission did make progress on several other staff-prepared research
questions and provided the following tentative recommendations:
- Claim-Filing Time Limit - endorse the current rule that allows
unlimited time to file an original VA disability claim
- Line of Duty - endorse the current definition that considers any
disability incurred while on active duty, other than due to misconduct,
as in the line of duty (e.g., members are considered on duty 24 hours a
day, 7 days a week)
- Lump Sum Payments - recommend against offering a lump sum
payment option in lieu of monthly disability compensation
At its next meeting on 22 & 23 MAR, the Commission is expected to deal
with the questions of whether Pending Claims should end at Death,
possible Lump Sum Payments, and will consider recommendations on
concurrent receipt options, among other issues. For additional info
refer the Commission website: www.ha.osd.mil/dhb/fmhc/. [TREA
Washington
Update & MOAA Leg Up 23 Feb 07 ++]
VA PROSTHETICS: A new facility, part of the Miami VA Medical Center,
has built a research and rehabilitation laboratory in partnership with
its physical and occupational therapy department. Nationally, VA has
developed not only a wide array of rehabilitation research and
treatment
programs, but nearly 60 prosthetic laboratories providing customized
devices and artificial limbs prescribed by VA clinicians. The number of
veterans using VA for prosthetics, sensory aids and related services
has
increased more than 70% since 2000. As demand has increased, so has
VA's budget for these services - from $532 million in 2000 to $1.3
billion in 2006. The President's budget for 2008 requests $1.4
billion.
The prosthetics research budget requests $411 million in 2008, nearly
$3
million below current year funding and $70 million below the amount
NAUS
and a number of other major veterans organizations recommend for
prosthetics research in the NAUS-endorsed Independent Budget. [Source:
NAUS Weekly Update 23 Feb 07 ++]
FEHBP RESERVE REIMBURSEMENTS UPDATE 01: Federal employees now have one
less thing to worry about when they are called to active duty military
service. Last week the Office of Personnel Management published
regulations in the Federal Register that will extend Federal Employee
Health Benefits coverage from 18 months to 24 months for federal
employees on active duty. The regulations are effective April 16. To
be
eligible for the extension, federal employees must be:
-- Enrolled in the FEHB program.
-- A member of the reserve component of the armed forces.
-- Called or ordered to active duty in support of a contingency
operation.
-- Placed on leave without pay or separated from service to perform
active duty.
-- Serve on active duty for more than 30 consecutive days.
[Source: NAUS Weekly Update 23 Feb 07 ++]
TRICARE PHARMACY POLICY UPDATE 01: Defense officials are weighing new
initiatives to limit access to the TRICARE retail drug network,
particularly for older beneficiaries who are using neighborhood drug
outlets to get their maintenance medications. Proposals under review,
some of which require congressional action to implement, were discussed
6 FRB at the second public meeting of the Task Force on the Future of
Military Health Care. DoD wants help from the task force to drive a
larger proportion of 6.7 million TRICARE pharmacy users into the
mail-order program which is far more efficient. Prescriptions filled by
retail outlets cost TRICARE about 40% more than drugs obtained by mail.
After a yearlong marketing campaign, the number of beneficiaries using
mail order rose by only 11%, a figure that disappointed officials.
Meanwhile, users relying solely on the retail network, with its 59,000
participating pharmacy outlets, climbed by another 170,000 in
2006.Retail costs are $4.4 billion or 63% of the DoD pharmacy budget.
Retail outlets, however, fill only 35% of all prescriptions. Mail-order
costs are $740 million, or 12% of the budget, and handle 14% of
pharmacy
workload.
Rear Adm. Thomas McGinnis, chief of TRICARE pharmaceutical
operations, told the task force that co-pays for the retail network are
too low to drive beneficiaries into the mail-order option to help
control costs. Of four initiatives McGinnis asked the task force to
study and perhaps endorse, two would block beneficiaries who need
maintenance drugs for chronic conditions from filling their
prescriptions in the retail network. Maintenance drugs are medicines,
McGinnis said, that patients likely will need for the rest of their
lives. For that reason, they are seen as ideal for supplying
conveniently to patients by mail order. Yet beneficiaries have been
reluctant to make the shift from the retail network or even from base
pharmacies which remain overworked, McGinnis said. The initiatives he
presented to the task force were:
1) Require that all "third tier" maintenance medications, those not
on the department's uniform formulary of approved drugs, be available
only by mail order, not in retail outlets.
2) Require that all other maintenance drugs, which means generic
and brand-name drugs on the formulary, be available only by mail order
or at base pharmacies, ending their availability in the retail network.
3) Revise retail and mail-order co-payments. As proposed last year,
retail co-payments for generic drugs would rise to $5 from $3. The
co-pay for brand-name drugs on the uniform formulary would climb to
$15,
from $9. The big change from last year's proposal might be to end the
availability of non-formulary drugs in the retail network. The number
of
such drugs is 56 and climbing. This would end the need for that "third
tier" co-pay of $22.Regarding mail order co-pays, as proposed last year
officials want the $3 charge for generic drugs reduced to zero. But the
co-pay for a 90-day supply of a brand-name drug on the formulary would
rise to $15, from $9. The big change on mail-order co-pays from last
year also targets non-formulary drugs. McGinnis suggested the current
co-pay of $22 could be replaced with 20% of the cost of the drug. Such
co-pays would be waived for medical necessity. McGinnis, a public
health
service officer, noted that government civilian employees enrolled in
the Federal Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) face significantly higher
drug co-pays than the military.
4) Selected over-the-counter medicines could be made a part of the
uniform formulary and dispensed for free from all TRICARE points of
service. The idea here would be for TRICARE to absorb the relatively
small additional cost of dispensing nonprescription medicines in place
of more costly prescription drugs. The example McGinnis used is the
over-the-counter medicine Prilosec, for acid reflux, versus Nexium, a
heavily marketed drug for the same condition but which is far more
costly.
No task force member challenged the proposals. (Source: The SunHerald
article 13 Feb 07 ++]
MEDICARE PART B PREMIUMS UPDATE 01: According to a forecast released
13
FEB Medicare Part B premiums could increase by $15.90 a month next year
to $109.40, a 17% increase from the current $93.50, The projection of
the highest dollar increase in outpatient care premiums in Medicare's
history was prepared by TREA Senior Citizens League, a nonpartisan
association of about 1.2 million members that grew out of a military
retirees organization about a decade ago. Medicare's trustees are
expected to project a premium increase when they issue their annual
report this spring, but final figures won't be released by the federal
government until next year. Medicare Part B premiums cover outpatient
care such as doctors' services, durable medical equipment, home health
visits and preventive care. The federal government pays roughly 75% of
the total cost of Part B out of general revenues, and assesses a
premium
to cover the remaining 25%. Individuals with incomes above $80,000 and
couples with incomes above $160,000 pay a larger portion of the
premium.
The analysis predicts that for about half of the 44 million Medicare
beneficiaries, the premium increase will consume their entire Social
Security cost-of-living adjustment.
The premium is automatically deducted from Social Security checks.
The report notes that the Congressional Budget Office last month
predicted that Social Security COLAs would increase next year by 1.5%,
meaning the average beneficiary will receive a $15.70 monthly increase.
Next year's projected high premiums are based on the rapidly growing
deficit between what program was expected to cost and the actual costs.
For example, last year's premiums were based on an expected 5%reduction
in physicians fees which the 109th Congress rescinded in December as
one of its last acts. Last spring, the Medicare trustees projected that
Part B premiums would increase about 11% in 2007, but the
administration
adjusted the figures last fall to a 5.6% increase. The report said that
if last year's projected increase had been enacted, next year's
increase
would only be about $5, rather than nearly $16. Physicians' fees are
scheduled to be reduced next year by 10% and the trustees report, by
law, must include that reduction in its calculations. But the TREA
Senior Citizens League study assumes that Congress will again refuse to
cut doctors' fees, resulting in higher Medicare costs and premiums.
The study notes that Part B premiums have increased 60% over the
past
five years while the Social Security COLA has increased 14%. If the
2008
projected increases occur, premiums will have increased 77% in six
years, compared to a 15% increase in COLAs. "For years, we've been
sounding the alarm bell that America's seniors are falling further and
further behind, but we've never seen anything quite like these
projections," said Ralph McCutchen, chairman of TREA Senior Citizens
League. "If our annual Social Security increases get eaten up by just
one part of Medicare, how are we supposed to keep up with the rising
costs of everything from prescription drugs to home heating to
groceries?" The TREA Senior Citizens League is pushing for a change in
the way the COLAs are calculated in order to more accurately reflect
the
inflation rate experienced by older people on goods and services such
as
medicine and health care. At www.tscl.org/NewContent/102589.asp can be
found estimated Part B Premiums for 2008 & 2009. [Source: Palm Beach
Post Washington Bureau Larry Lipma article 13 Feb 07 ++]
VA BUDGET 2008 UPDATE 04: The fiscal 2008 Department of Veterans
Affairs budget request unveiled by the White House on 5 FEB proposes
$36.6 billion in health care funding and seeks to establish new and
higher fees for veterans that Congress has already rejected multiple
times. The VA healthcare co-pay would almost double, moving to $15 from
the current $8 according to Rita Reed, VA's deputy assistant secretary
for budget. She also announced the VA is seeking to create enrollment
fees of up to $750 for veterans with relatively robust family incomes
in
priority categories 7 and 8. Congress has shot down requests for such
fees for three years running, and with Democrats now in control, the
odds of approval are even longer. Last year, in the president's budget,
he proposed doubling the cost of prescription drugs and an increase in
fees.
The $36.6 billion for VA health care, which includes assumptions of
$2.3 billion in payments from third-party insurers, is part of a VA
budget request of $87 billion that Veterans Affairs Secretary James
Nicholson called a landmark. Nicholson noted that the VA budget has
grown by $37.8 billion since President Bush took office, although that
growth has been due less to largesse than to the necessity of caring
for
aging veterans of previous wars as well as a larger-than-anticipated
influx of new veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Nicholson
said the budget will help his department cut the average processing
time
for veterans' benefits claims by 18%. According to budget documents,
the
average time to process a disability claim in 2006 was about 185 days
and is expected to be 182 days in 2007. VA's goal is 125 days.
Reducing average process time is essential because troops who
leave
service with disability ratings of less than 30% are ineligible for
Defense Department medical benefits, including counseling for
post-traumatic stress disorder. They are still eligible for VA benefits
but may have up to a six-month wait for services after leaving the
military because of long processing times. Research has shown that
service members who do not receive immediate care for PTSD may suffer
the symptoms for far longer than those who get immediate care. Within
the budget, $45 billion would go to pay for benefits such as education
and home loans, and $167 million would go to operation and maintenance
of veterans' cemeteries. VA plans to open six new national cemeteries.
However, some veterans would pay more out of pocket for VA health care
under the plan. The Bush administration estimates the co-pay increase
would raise $311 million in revenue in 2008, and the tiered annual
enrollment fee would bring in another $138 million. The budget
estimates
553,521 veterans will need acute hospital care in fiscal 2008, an
increase over the 548,470 estimated to seek treatment this fiscal year.
However, even as deployment surveys continue to report high numbers of
troops with PTSD and other mental health issues, the budget assumes
1,287 fewer patients will seek mental health care in 2008. [Source:
NavyTimes Kelly Kennedy/ Rick Maze article 19 Feb 07 ++]
NGB DOD REPRESENTATION UPDATE 03: Congressional aides familiar with
the
independent panel's report told CongressDaily 22 FEB that The National
Guard and Reserves Commission (CNGR) will announce that it opposes a
bipartisan effort in Congress to boost the Guard's clout by making its
leader a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The panel's views,
contained in a preliminary report to Congress that will be released 1
MAR, will likely bring denunciations from lawmakers who were hoping for
an endorsement of the National Guard Empowerment bill, which would give
the heavily deployed reserve force more power over its organization,
operations and budgets. According to the aides, the commission will
announce its preference for modest changes, including the promotion of
the three-star Guard chief to four-star rank and designation of the
chief as an adviser to the Joint Chiefs chairman. These changes
resemble
parts of a compromise Senate advocates proposed last fall. That
compromise passed the Senate as an amendment to the fiscal 2007 defense
authorization bill but died in conference with the House, prompting
Guard supporters to reintroduce the full measure last month.
The commission, created by Congress to offer advice on issues
affecting the Guard and Reserves, will also reject a provision in the
bill that would give the National Guard its own budget authority.
Currently, the Guard budget falls under the Army and Air Force budgets.
The commission suggests the National Guard communicate its homeland
security equipping needs to the Homeland Security Department, which
would relay them to the Pentagon, essentially adding another layer of
bureaucracy to the Guard's budget process. The commission also favors
creation of an advisory council of 10 governors appointed by the
president who would report directly to the Defense and Homeland
Security
secretaries, the White House Homeland Security Council and the National
Governors Association. That recommendation, according to the aides,
would erode the power of the Guard Bureau, which essentially serves as
a
conduit between the states and federal government. The commission,
meanwhile, agrees with congressional efforts to revise the Guard
bureau's charter, particularly to define its relationship with unified
commands and Homeland Security. But commissioners want the Army and Air
Force secretaries to take the lead and made no mention of the Guard's
involvement, aides said.
While the report rejects much of the Guard empowerment bill, the
measure's co-sponsors-Sens. Patrick Leahy [D-VT] and Christopher Bond
[R-MO], and Reps. Tom Davis [R-VA] and Gene Taylor [D-MS] plan to move
ahead. They are counting on the backing of dozens of lawmakers who
supported the legislation last year. And pressure to back the bill is
likely to come from National Guard units, which are descended from
colonial-era militias and draw volunteers who live and work in every
district. Still, the commission's findings might help some key
lawmakers oppose the more radical changes proposed in the bill. Among
them House Armed Services Chairman Ike Skelton [D-MO], who has been
awaiting the panel's report before taking a position. [Source:
CongressDaily Megan Scully article 22 Feb 07 ++]
TFL HISTORY: Tricare for Life (TFL) is the product of a 2001 amendment
to Tricare law that allows plain, ordinary Tricare Standard to act as a
free supplement to plain, ordinary Medicare. Before 2001, retirees'
Tricare eligibility ended if they became legally entitled to Medicare
at
age 65 regardless of whether they were enrolled in Part B of Medicare.
In 1966, when it enacted the law creating what was then called CHAMPUS,
Congress intended the plan to provide assistance with medical bills
between the young retirement age of uniformed service personnel and
their Medicare entitlement at 65. CHAMPUS was not intended to provide
lifetime coverage. The original 1966 law, as it applied to everybody
except family members of active-duty troops, had a provision that if a
CHAMPUS beneficiary became entitled to Part A of Medicare (the free
part), he immediately lost all CHAMPUS eligibility. It was not until
1991 that Congress amended the law to allow Medicare beneficiaries to
retain CHAMPUS eligibility if they enrolled in Part B of Medicare.
Regardless of Part B enrollment, retirees and their family members
still lost CHAMPUS eligibility if they became legally entitled to
Medicare at age 65. CHAMPUS became Tricare in 1995, but it was still
governed by the same 1966 law, now as amended. A law effective 1 OCT
01, made it possible for Tricare beneficiaries to retain their
eligibility beyond age 64 despite Medicare entitlement, provided they
were enrolled in both Part A and Part B of Medicare. That is the
coverage now called Tricare for Life. Under that law, Medicare Part A
and Part B become the primary health insurance. Tricare Standard, which
is still free, acts as a Medicare supplement. After it processes a
claim
and pays the provider, usually 80% of the amount approved for covered
services (after the Medicare deductible is met, if applicable),
Medicare
automatically forwards the claim to Tricare.
Tricare (i.e. TFL) will pay the amounts Medicare did not pay on
each Tricare-covered service on that claim. That is usually the
beneficiary's Medicare co-payments and any Medicare deductibles applied
on that claim. On the vast majority of Medicare claims, Tricare pays
the
unpaid balance on the claim. Thus, the provider's claim and the bill
are
paid in full and nothing remains for the beneficiary to pay. But there
are three unusual situations in which the beneficiary will have some
out-of-pocket expenses not paid by either Medicare or Tricare.
- First, if a particular service is covered by Medicare but not
Tricare, Tricare will pay nothing. The beneficiary has sole
responsibility for paying what Medicare did not. The most common
example
is chiropractic care. But similar situations are rare; there is little
else that Medicare covers but Tricare does not.
- Second, if an item on the Medicare claim is not covered under
Medicare but is covered under Tricare, Tricare does something that no
commercial Medicare supplement will do. It will separate that service
from the rest of the Medicare claim and process it as if Tricare
Standard were the beneficiary's only health insurance. That bit of the
Medicare claim will be subject to the usual Tricare Standard deductible
and cost share. The beneficiary will be responsible for paying those
amounts out of pocket.
- Third, if the beneficiary receives a medical service that is
covered by neither Medicare nor Tricare, he has sole responsibility for
paying that charge. Under Medicare law, if you receive a service the
provider knows, or should know, may not be covered by Medicare, the
provider must make the beneficiary aware of that fact and have him sign
a document to that effect. If the provider fails to do so, the
beneficiary may escape financial responsibility for that bill.
Military retirees have been trying for years to obtain the retirement
health benefit they were promised upon enlistment into the armed
service. TFL is about as close as they have come. H.R.602 and S.407
Keep
Our Promise to America's Military Retirees Act were introduced in the
109th Congress after the Supreme Court said it was a congressional vice
legal matter. Despite alleged support by lawmakers these bills died in
committee when that Congress recessed. To date they have not been
reintroduced in the 110th Congress and retirees continue to have to pay
out of pocket the Medicare Part B premium if they want to continue
their
Tricare coverage past age 64.. There have been two related legislative
actions:
1. H.R.1110. A bill introduced by Rep. Tom Davis [VA-11] to amend
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow Federal civilian and
military
retirees to pay health insurance premiums on a pretax basis and to
allow
a deduction for TRICARE supplemental premiums. To support this bill
and/or contact your Representative refer to
http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=9408301&queueid=[capwiz:que
ue_id].
2. H.R.0343 Military Retiree Health Care Relief Act of 2007. A bill
introduced by Rep Jo Ann Emerson, Jo Ann [MO-8] to amend the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986 to allow a refundable credit to military retirees
for premiums paid for coverage under Medicare Part B.
[Source: Tricare Help, Times News Service James Hamby article 19 Feb 07
++]
CERVICAL CANCER UPDATE 02: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a
concern for girls and young women because it can lead to cervical
cancer. TRICARE wants its beneficiaries to know a preventive vaccine
is
available, and that the vaccine is a TRICARE covered benefit. The
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that in 2006,
approximately 9,700 cases of cervical cancer were diagnosed in the
United States, and approximately 3,700 women died from the disease.
Nearly all cervical cancer cases are associated with an HPV infection.
"It is important for us to protect our beneficiaries from preventable
disease whenever we can," said Army Maj. Gen. Elder Granger, deputy
director, TRICARE Management Activity. "So we cover all immunizations
the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends and
adopts." The CDC recommends a three-dose schedule for the HPV vaccine
with the second and third doses administered two and six months after
the first dose. They recommend routine vaccination with HPV for girls
11 to 12 years old. Doctors may start the vaccination series in girls
as young as nine years old, and can give a catch-up vaccination to 13
to
26 years olds who have not been vaccinated previously or who have not
completed the full vaccine series. Because the vaccine is new, it may
not be available everywhere. Interested beneficiaries or their parents
should contact their doctors to find out if they administer the HPV
vaccine. Also, the new vaccine does not protect against every type of
HPV infection and can't prevent all cervical cancers. So getting
vaccinated does not eliminate the need for screening pap smears, or
reduce the importance of regular gynecological exams. For more on
vaccination schedules refer to
www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/wk/mm5551-Immunization.pdf. [Source: TMA News
Release 20 Feb 07 ++]
VA FRANCHISE PROGRAM UPDATE 01: Franchising can make an excellent
career
transition for military veterans. Military life is rigorous, demanding,
physically taxing, and undoubtedly regimented. A franchise system is an
established module of rules, regulations, and procedures - a language
that any veteran could understand. Founded in 1991, the VA Franchise
Program (VetFran) is the only program of its kind that helps veterans
establish themselves in the franchise world by providing them with a
numerous resources from informational to financial, and supported by a
number of governmental and private groups. VetFran has over 200
franchisor members, all of which are members of the International
Franchise Association and this membership continues to grow every year.
These franchisors have agreed to help qualified veterans acquire
franchise businesses by providing financial incentives not otherwise
available to other franchise investors. Veterans will get the "best
deal" from these companies. If you are a veteran and seeking to invest
in a franchise opportunity, visit the franchising section of each
company's website.
Another resource available to veterans is The Veterans Business
Outreach Program (VBOP), one of the many services provided by the Small
Business Administration (SBA). This is a government-funded organization
that can provide multiple levels of support to help veterans start
their
own business or grow an existing business. What makes this program so
good is that the services offered go beyond just include grant and loan
administration. They help individuals integrate themselves into
entrepreneurship and provide small business management training,
advice,
and mentorship after many years of military service. The VBOP offers
the
following:
- Pre-Business Plan Workshops: VBOCs conduct entrepreneurial
development workshops dealing specifically with the major issues of
self-employment. An important segment of these workshops entails the
usage of the Internet as a tool for developing and expanding
businesses.
Each client is afforded the opportunity to work directly with a
business
counselor.
- Concept Assessments: VBOCs assist clients in assessing their
entrepreneurial needs and requirements.
- Business Plan Preparations: VBOCs assist clients in developing
and maintaining a five-year business plan. The business plan includes
such elements as the legal form if the business, equipment requirements
and cost, organizational structure, a strategic plan, market analysis,
and a financial plan. Financial plans include financial projections,
budget projections, and funding requirements.
- Comprehensive Feasibility Analysis: VBOCs provide assistance in
identifying and analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of the business
plan to increase the probability of success. The results of the
analysis
are utilized to revise the strategic planning portion of the business
plan.
- Entrepreneurial Training and Counseling: VBOCs, working with
other SBA resource partners, target entrepreneurial training projects
and counseling sessions tailored specifically to address the needs and
concerns of the service-disabled veteran entrepreneur.
- Mentorship: VBOCs conduct, as appropriate, on-site visits with
clients to ensure adherence to their business plans. Additionally,
VBOCs
review monthly financial statements to determine whether a revision of
the business plan is warranted or that desired results are being
attained.
VBOCs also provide assistance and training in such areas as
international trade, franchising, Internet marketing, accounting, etc.
A
representative from the Veterans Business Development Office can help
you prepare and plan for your entrepreneurial venture. You can locate
your nearest representative by going to www.sba.gov/vets/reps.html and
clicking on your hone state. For additional information refer to
www.sba.gov/vets. [Source: www.sba.gov/vets Feb 07 ++]
ENLISTMENT WAIVERS: According to a just-released Pentagon report, the
Army is approving significantly more criminal history waivers for
enlistment than it has in years past. The Army granted more than double
the number of such waivers in 2006 than it did in 2003. In 2006, the
Army approved 901 waivers for felony convictions, compared to 411 such
waivers in 2003. About 10% of the moral waivers approved in 2006 were
for felony convictions. Serious criminal history waivers also grew,
from
2,700 in 2003 to more than 6,000 in 2006. The report was obtained by
the
California-based military think tank, Michael D. Palm Center, through a
Freedom of Information Act request. "The fact that the military has
allowed more than 100,000 people with such troubled pasts to join its
ranks over the past three years illustrates the problem we're having
meeting our military needs in this time of war," said Aaron Belkin,
director of the center
Lawmakers are concerned that continuing war in Iraq and
Afghanistan
is causing the Army to lower their standards in order to meet their
recruiting goals. In the past two years, for example, the Army has
increased their non-prior service recruiting age limit from 35 to 42.
Additionally, the Army has been approving more waivers for applicants
who score in Category IVA of the Armed Forces Vocational Aptitude
Battery (ASVAB). "Our armed forces are under incredible strain, and
the
only way that they can fill their recruiting quotas is by lowering
their
standards," said Rep. Marty Meehan, a Massachusetts Democrat who has
requested additional information from the Department of Defense. "By
lowering standards, we are endangering the rest of our armed forces and
sending the wrong message to potential recruits across the country."
According to the Pentagon report, almost 25% of military recruits
in 2006 needed some type of waiver, up from 20% in 2003. Roughly 30,000
moral waivers were approved each year between 2003 and 2006.
The report divides moral waivers into six categories: felonies, serious
and minor non-traffic offenses, serious and minor traffic offenses and
drug offenses. According to the report, "the waiver process recognizes
that some young people have made mistakes, have overcome their past
behavior, and have clearly demonstrated the potential for being
productive, law-abiding citizens and members of the military." Waiver
percentage by service in 2006 were:
- Approximately 20% of Army recruits needed a waiver in 2006. This
is up from 12.7% in 2003.
- More than 50% of Marine Corps recruits were given a waiver in
2006. However, the report explains that this is because the Marine
Corps
has a more strict policy on previous drug use than the other services.
A
single use of marijuana requires a waiver for Marine Corps service.
This
is not true of the other services.
- About 18% of Navy recruits required a waiver. This is a slight
increase from 2003.
- About 8% of Air Force recruits had waivers, a small decrease
from 2003.
[Source: Your Guide to U.S. Military article 19 Feb 07 ++]
USFSPA LAWSUIT UPDATE 12: On February 12, 2007, over four dozen
divorced veterans petitioned the United States Supreme Court to
overturn
a law that permits veterans' retired pay to be divided as marital
property in divorce court. The case (Adkins v. Rumsfeld) has been
officially received and docketed as case 06-1132. Henceforth,
developments in the case can be monitored by following
www.supremecourtus.gov/docket/06-1132.htm. On February 20, 2007, the
Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a motion for an enlargement of time
of
nine days within which to file their brief. The primary reason cited
was for the DOJ to confer with the Office of the Solicitor General and
obtain final authorization for the appeal. The Court granted the
motion. Now the Government's brief is due on March 2, 2007. According
to
the Court, the Government has until March 16 to reply to the petition,
but often they will seek one (if not more) 30-day extensions of time to
respond. The Uniformed Services Former Spouses' Protection Act (USFSPA)
was enacted in 1982 at a time when most ex-spouses of veterans were
women. By now, a substantial and growing number of women fill the ranks
of active-duty military members and veterans.
The veterans in this lawsuit are represented by Constitutional
lawyer Jonathan L. Katz of Silver Spring, Maryland's Marks & Katz, and
David Bederman in Atlanta. Katz said: "The USFSPA adversely affects
nearly one million veterans whose marriage have ended or may end in
divorce. It is particularly unconscionable at this time when tens of
thousands of service members are placing their lives at risk during
wartime, career military members also face financial ruin at the hands
of their own government due to this law." said Katz. Katz added that
"with divorce rates on the rise, it is estimated that over half of
today's career military force will not receive the full retirement
benefits for which they contracted."
After years of lobbying efforts failed to overturn or curb the
USFSPA, a group of divorced veterans formed the USFSPA Litigation
Support Group (ULSG) to challenge the law in court. Backed by over 3000
members, the ULSG and over four dozen divorced veterans first went to
the federal trial court in Alexandria, Virginia, to challenge the
USFSPA. When the trial court denied relief, the veterans appealed to
the
United States Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia. Denied relief
there, the veterans finally asked the Supreme Court to hear its appeal,
and await the court's reply. Katz said "The USFSPA was quickly drafted
and rushed through Congress after the Supreme Court in 1981 said that
veterans' retired pay could not be divided by divorce courts absent an
act of Congress. However, the USFSPA runs counter to the Supreme
Court's
holding that veterans' retired pay is a personal entitlement not
subject
to state community property laws, and noted that to do so threatened
clear federal interests."
The divorced veterans' challenge in the Supreme Court includes
their contention that the law has been applied retroactively to persons
who were already in the military-and some even were already
retired-well
before the USFSPA empowered divorce courts to divide their retired pay.
Their petition also asserts that the USFSPA is unevenly applied in
numerous state courts, resulting in wildly varying treatment of
divorced
veterans' retired pay depending on the state where the divorce
proceedings are handled. The lawsuit also contends that the USFSPA and
the government do not sufficiently protect divorced veterans against
the
government's implementation of court orders issued without sufficient
basis in law.
ULSG officer and retired Army Master Sergeant Ronald King said:
"The USFSPA is a political hot potato that members of Congress are
afraid to touch, lest they be seen as insensitive to ex-spouses of
veterans. However, this was a badly-written law in the first place that
has caused financial devastation to countless veterans. Although the
USFSPA was enacted with good intentions, decades of controversy in this
arena has wounded military morale and driven good men and women out of
the military just when we need them the most. We hope that the Supreme
Court will recognize the impact this law has, and that it will agree to
hear our appeal." For further information, contact jon@markskatz.com or
ULSG, LLC, PO Box 270337, Tampa, FL 33688-0337
www.usfspa-lawsuit.info.
[Source: USFSPA Litigation Support Group News Release 20 Feb 07 ++]
WRAMC UPDATE 04: The Secretary of the Army and the Secretary of the
Navy have begun a review of the medical care provided at Walter Reed
Army Medical Center and the National Naval Medical Center to those
wounded in service to their country. To complement these efforts an
independent review group will be formed to look into outpatient care
and
administrative processes at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center and the
National Naval Medical Center. The group shall promptly conduct its
work
and report its findings and provide recommendations to the Secretaries
of the Army and Navy and the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health
Affairs. "The quality of medical and rehabilitative care for all
service
members at our DoD facilities is second to none," said Dr. William
Winkenwerder Jr., assistant secretary of defense for health affairs.
"We
are committed to improving the clinical and administrative processes,
including improving temporary living conditions for our service members
and their families." The group will have unrestricted access to all
facilities and personnel and will be provided appropriate assistance
and
administrative support to conduct this review. The group shall also
have
a special advisor not serving as a member of the group, who can provide
special advice and expertise in the area of social work,
rehabilitation,
psychological counseling and family support issues. Recent exposes in
the Washington Post have highlighted poor living conditions,
inadequate/dilapidated facilities, and administrative hassles for
returning troops that have lead to several unnecessary deaths. Post
reporters Dana Priest and Anne Hull spent four months investigating the
center without Water Reed officials' knowledge or permission.
The Washington Post expose obviously has caught the attention of
Army officials. On 19 FEB repairs began on Bldg. 18. The facility's
commander, Maj. Gen. George W. Weightman, said Army staff members
inspected each of the 54 rooms at the building and discovered that
outstanding repair orders for half the rooms had not been completed. He
said that mold removal had begun on several rooms and that holes in
ceilings, stained carpets and leaking faucets were being fixed. A
broken
elevator in the building had been repaired and soldiers were working to
improve the outside of the building, including removing ice and snow.
The slippery conditions have kept some soldiers in their rooms. A
garage
door that has been broken for months will soon be repaired. Weightman
said Walter Reed and Army officials have been meeting continuously for
three days since the articles began appearing. Social workers will now
be stationed around the clock at Mologne House, the 200-room hotel on
the post where many of the outpatients live. Plans are being developed
to better train other staff members who deal with outpatient needs.
The
Army will also consider moving some outpatients to its other medical
centers throughout the United States and will determine over the next
weeks whether more workers are needed at Walter Reed. The Senate Armed
Services Committee is scheduling hearings next month in response to
recent front page stories in the Washington Post regarding injured
service members receiving substandard care, inadequate housing, and
administrative delays due to excessive government "red-tape" at Walter
Reed Army Medical Center. [Source: DoD News Release 20 Feb 07 ++]
MEDICARE UPDATE 04: Recently numerous e-mails have been received
addressing some problems that have a common reason for Congress not
wanting to address them such as:
- Why can't we get Medicare Subvention for Military Treatment
Facilities?
- Why can't the Veteran's Health Service get Medicare to make
payments for eligible Medicare patients?
- Why can't we get doctor's fees raised who accept Medicare?
- Why do they want to keep reducing the Medicare fees paid to
doctors?
The answer to all is that as an entitlement, Medicare has no cap and it
is financed in two ways: beneficiary premiums, deductibles and co-pays;
and general revenues. When Congress passed the Medicare Modernization
Act in NOV 03 (this is the bill that created the Part D drug benefit),
one provision in the legislation inserted a trigger into the financing
of the Medicare program. Since the portion of spending covered by
general revenues has been growing over time; the point of inserting the
trigger was to limit the extent to which general revenues could be used
to finance Medicare. The trigger was structured such that whenever
general revenues were used to finance more than 45% of expenditures for
two consecutive years, Congress is mandated to open up the Medicare
program and find ways to curtail spending.
Many members of Congress were very concerned at the time that the
trigger was structured so as to lead to a massive round of benefit
cuts,
simply to reduce spending - without requiring a more fundamental
evaluation/overhaul of the program. This trigger now means that
everything Congress does with respect to Medicare takes on a different
light because general revenues are already covering about 40% or more
of
Medicare expenditures. It is expected that very shortly because of the
drug benefit being implemented, we could hit the 45% cap. This is one
reason that many reforms from fixing the reimbursement rates for
doctors
to Medicare subvention are hitting roadblocks. [Source: NCPOA
Newsletter Editor 16 Feb 07 ++]
RETIREE HEALTH INS TAX DEDUCTION: Legislation introduced 16 FRB in the
House would allow retired military and civilian federal workers to pay
their monthly health care premiums with pre-tax dollars. The bill
(H.R.
1110), introduced by Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA) also would enable
active-duty
military personnel to use what he called a "pre-tax rebate" to pay for
the supplemental insurance most purchase to cover gaps in TRICARE, the
Defense Department's health insurance program. Specifically, the bill
would let retirees subtract the amount they pay for health insurance
premiums from the income they report to the Internal Revenue Service,
resulting in a lower taxable income. Though a section of the Internal
Revenue Code enables employees in the public and private sectors to pay
for health insurance with pre-tax dollars, it does not authorize
employers to make this so-called "premium conversion" benefit available
to retirees. Passage of the legislation would result in average
savings of $820 per year for federal annuitants, according to
government
estimates. The measure received praise from the National Active and
Retired Federal Employees Association and the Military Coalition, which
is made up of 35 organizations representing military personnel and
veterans. The bill, initially introduced in the 106th Congress, has
received strong bipartisan support. The Government Reform Committee
unanimously approved it in the 109th Congress, but it stalled in the
Ways and Means Committee because it was overshadowed by the president's
top two domestic priorities: strengthening Social Security and
improving
the tax code. This session, however, nearly half the members of the
Ways
and Means Committee have signed on as original co-sponsors of the bill.
[Source: GOVEXEC.com Daily Briefing 16 Feb 07 ++]
GI BILL UPDATE 12: On 15 FEB Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) and
Representatives Vic Snyder (D-AR), Stephanie Herseth (D-SD), John
Boozman (R-AR), and Loretta Sanchez (D-CA) unveiled companion bills
S.0644 & H.R.1102 to modernize educational benefits under the
Montgomery
GI Bill (MGIB). The bills are intended to make adequate and equitable
benefits for the Guard and Reserve components of our Armed Forces.
Their
"Total Force Montgomery GI Bill" legislation would:
- Consolidate active duty and Selected Reserve MGIB programs under
the jurisdiction of the Veterans Affairs Committee and the Veterans
Administration. Reserve benefits are now overseen by the Armed Services
Committee and the Department of Defense, and the split oversight has
led
to inconsistent and inequitable structuring of the two programs.
- Ensure that Selected Reserve MGIB benefits rise in proportion
with active duty MGIB rate increases. This would help address the
growing inequity of benefits between the two.
- Provide a 10-year period after leaving service to use Reserve
Educational Assistance Program (REAP) benefits. Unlike active duty
members, Guard and Reserve members forfeit all education benefits once
they separate from service.
- Allow mobilized members of the Selected Reserve to accrue active
duty level benefits on a month-by-month basis during the time they're
mobilized -- up to the maximum allowable benefit (36 months of benefits
at $1,075 per month). Since September 11, 2001, reserve MGIB rates have
risen only 13.6%, while active duty rates have gone up 60%.
More than 550,000 Guard and Reserve troops have served on active duty
in
the war on terror and over 85,000 have pulled two or more tours of
duty.
Since WWII Guard and Reserve veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan are the
only veterans denied access to their earned GI Bill education benefits
after they complete their service. [Source: MOAA Leg Up 17 Feb 07 ++]
TRICARE USER FEES UPDATE 19: At a House Armed Services Military
Personnel Subcommittee hearing on 13 FEB, Chairman Vic Snyder (D-AR)
admonished Dr. William Winkenwerder, the Pentagon's chief health
official, concerning the nearly $1.9 billion in funding cuts to the
Defense Health Program. DoD has previously indicated the savings would
come from forcing retirees under age 65 to pay substantially higher
Tricare fees and requiring all Tricare beneficiaries to pay higher
retail pharmacy copayments. Last year's budget request projected that
most of the savings came from the assumption that the higher fees would
deter retirees from using their earned Tricare benefits. Winkenwerder
said the new proposed budget offers no specifics on where the $1.9
billion would come from. The cut is just a "placeholder", he said, and
it's up to the ongoing Task Force on the Future of Military Health Care
to decide what fee increases or other initiatives would generate the
savings. Snyder objected to that characterization, saying the budget
cut has "poisoned the water for the task force", effectively forcing
them to come up with at least equal fee increases or program cuts. The
subcommittee's senior Republican, Rep. John McHugh, (R-NY), voiced
similar concerns, asking how DoD would address the shortfall if the
task
force doesn't support at least equal fee increases. Winkenwerder
acknowledged that the Pentagon would have to make some "fairly
dramatic"
program cuts in that event.
With the soon to expire provisions of the NDAA 2007 that held in
abeyance the DoD proposal to double and triple Tricare fees and
premiums
for military retirees, the DoD has again announced similar proposals.
This week Senators Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Chuck Hagel (R-NE) held
a
press conference to announce the roll out of their bill Military
Retirees Health Care Protection Act S.0604. This bill would stop DoD
from enacting its proposed increases in enrollment fees and co-payments
for military retirees, their families and survivors under the age of 65
in TRICARE Prime and Standard. It would also stop the proposed
increases
in the TRICARE Pharmacy Plan for all TRICARE Beneficiaries, except
active duty members. The bill differs in many ways from Representative
Edwards' H.R.0579 in the House bill. That bill would limit any co-pay,
deductible and fee increases to no more than the percentage of the most
recent retired pay increase. In short S.0604 would:
* Recognize in law the unique role of military health benefits in
offsetting the extraordinary demands inherent in a military career.
* Establish that, in addition to their cash cost-shares, military
people
pre-pay large up-front premiums for their lifetime health coverage
through decades of service and sacrifice.
* Prohibit the TRICARE Prime enrollment fee and TRICARE pharmacy copays
from being increased in any year by a percentage that exceeds the
percentage increase in military retired pay.
* Prohibit TRICARE Reserve Select premiums from being increased by a
percentage that exceeds the most recent basic pay increase.
* Prohibit any enrollment fee for TRICARE Standard or any increase in
the TRICARE Standard inpatient copay.
[Source: TREA, USDR, & MOAA Updates Feb 07 ++]
GOLD STAR FAMILY LICENSE PLATES: On 15 FEB state Senator Jeff Denham
(R-CA-Merced), a 16 year USAF veteran, introduced legislation that
would
establish a special recognition vehicle license plate to honor a member
of the Armed Forces who was killed while serving on active duty in the
military. California Senate Bill 287 would allow the surviving family
member to obtain a "Gold Star Family" license plate. Under SB 287, a
family member includes all of the following individuals: widow,
widower,
biological parent, adoptive parent, stepparent, foster parent,
biological child, adoptive child, step child, sibling, half-sibling,
grandparent and grandchild. This license plate would contain a gold
star and the words "Gold Star Family." Currently, Pennsylvania,
Wisconsin and Massachusetts all have "Gold Star Family" license plates.
[Source: http://republican.sen.ca.gov/web/12/default.asp Feb 07 ++]
UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER COMMEMORATIVE STATUE: "Unconditional
Surrender," a 25-foot, 6,000 pound statue by world-renowned artist J.
Seward Johnson commemorating a famous World War II photo was unveiled
10
FEB 07 at Mole Park in San Diego. Unconditional Surrender is a
three-dimensional interpretation of a photo taken by Alfred Eisenstaedt
of a Sailor kissing a nurse in Times Square, New York City on 14 AUG
45,
following the announcement of V-J Day. Edith Shain, the nurse
memorialized in Eisenstaedt's photo, and members of the Pearl Harbor
Survivors Association Inc., attended the ceremony along with hundreds
of
San Diego residents. Sailors attending the ceremony had the opportunity
to meet the woman pictured in the photograph famous throughout the Navy
community, and the world. Unconditional Surrender was previously
displayed in New York City in 2005 and Sarasota, Fla. in 2006. The
statue made its way here, and will stand at the G Street Mole Park for
duration of 2007 before traveling to its next home. The statue is owned
by the Sculpture Foundation of Santa Monica, Calif., and is on loan to
the Port of San Diego. To view a picture of the statue refer to
www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=27774. [Source: Navy
Newstand 16 Feb 07 ++]
AGENT ORANGE LAWSUITS UPDATE 09: On 16 AUG 06, the U.S. Court of
Appeals
for Veterans' Claims (CAVC) in the case of Haas v. VADC-Nicholson
determined that Vietnam veterans who served in the waters off Vietnam
and did not set foot in Vietnam are entitled to a presumption of
exposure to herbicide agents, to include Agent Orange. This class of
veterans is generally known as blue water Navy veterans; but any claim,
regardless of branch of service, may be a Haas case. Prior to this
decision, VA's interpretation of 38 CFR 3.307(a)(6)(iii) was that a
service member had to have actually set foot on Vietnamese soil or
served on a craft in its rivers (also known as brown water) in order to
be entitled to the presumption of exposure to herbicides. VA appealed
the Haas decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
Richard V. Spataro, Staff Attorney for the National Veterans Legal
Services Program (NVLSP), has reported that the VA has been granted an
extension of time from 8 JAN 07 until 21 FEB 07 to file their Federal
Circuit Brief in Haas. The National Veterans Legal Services (who are
representing Hass) brief will be due to be filed 40 days after the
Secretary's brief is served on NVLSP.
In the interim veterans who could be affected by this suit are
encouraged to contact their legislators and the president by letter
regarding the inequity of excluding them from Agent Orange related
veteran benefits. Following are excerpts from one such letter that has
been sent which could be tailored to each veteran's concerns:
President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
February 06, 2007
Dear Mr. President,
... I am writing to you as a fellow veteran, to enlist your
assistance in righting a very serious wrong being committed against
tens
of thousands of Vietnam War veterans who served in the offshore waters
of that nation. As you are likely aware, the original enabling
legislation (Title 38 USC, Chapter 11) for Veterans Disability benefits
under presumptive conditions of exposure to dioxin (Agent Orange, etc.)
for those who served in the Vietnam War was limited by a Veterans
Affairs General Council Precedent, VAOPGCPREC 27-97, of June 23, 1997,
to those who actually served within the land boundaries of the Republic
of Vietnam, and on that country's rivers. Therefore, Navy, Marine
Corps,
and Coast Guard personnel who served in the offshore waters were ruled
ineligible for benefits under Agent Orange presumptive legislation,
even
though the inclusion of the term "service...in offshore waters" was
included in the original Agent Orange legislation.
Late last summer the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans
Claims overturned that policy (VAOPGCPREC 27-97) in Hass v. Nicholson,
which in one stroke made an entire class of veterans ("Blue Water
Veterans") eligible for presumptive eligibility for Agent Orange
benefits. Instead of immediately moving to make the processing and
payment of claims available as soon as possible, the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs claimed his agency would not survive the onslaught of
all those claims, nor would the DVA have enough money to pay them.
Based
on this he ordered the claims enabled under Haas to be held in abeyance
while an appeal was filed. Mr. President these "Blue Water Veterans"
comprise a class of veterans who served their nation honorably in time
of war, either in combat or in combat support roles, often under fire.
This class of veterans has obviously been exposed to dioxin, else the
Secretary would not fear the numbers who might file. Further proof of
how they were exposed was provided by tests performed by our friends in
the Australian Navy, who determined that seawater containing dioxin
from
runoff or over spray, when processed through ships evaporators for
conversion to fresh water, would not result in the elimination of the
dioxin, but rather would concentrate it, making it much more deadly.
During the decade that the Department of Veterans Affairs has been
prohibiting members of this class of veterans from receiving
presumptive
benefits under Agent Orange legislation, thousands of veterans in this
class died fighting for their benefits as well as their lives. They
left
behind wives, and children who went through the sad, frustrating, and
agonizingly slow process of fighting for their survivors' benefits
according to the VA's rules, only to have them coldly rejected on the
basis of not having set foot on the ground in the Republic of Vietnam.
The withholding of these benefits from this class of veterans has
created an enormous hardship on the veterans, and their families that
extends beyond the mere lack of financial benefits. The hardship
includes not being able to afford needed medications that could
possibly
have kept them alive, or at least made their last days more
comfortable.
The hardship includes the creation and aggravation of subsidiary
conditions, especially in the case of those who suffer from Type II
Diabetes, which affects the heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, eyes, nervous
system, and arterial system. Type II Diabetes is a particularly
insidious disease that if not treated properly will kill anyone who has
it in short order.
There is something wrong with the logic of not taking care of an
entire class of our nation's war veterans who were presumed to be
harmed
by our own actions while they served in that war. To claim an inability
to process the claims and an inability to pay the claims is simply
un-American. For the country of "can do" to say it "can't do" is a very
grave wrong. It also sets a dangerous precedent for future generations
of our nation's warriors. I ask you to assist and support the Secretary
in correcting this grave wrong. Have him stop wasting money and
resources in fighting Haas on appeal, and fighting the writ of mandamus
ordered by the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims
(Ribaudo v. Nicholson). I ask you to have him go to Congress to request
emergency funding to comply with the Haas decision, and to immediately
begin processing the claims of the veterans now eligible. Perhaps the
Secretary could even save money by outsourcing the processing of claims
for the "Blue Water Veterans." By doing the right thing, Mr. President,
you will lighten the load of tens of thousands of "Blue Water Veterans"
and their families.
Thank you.
Respectfully,
[Source: VVA Chap 602 msg dtd 14 Feb 07 ++]
VA DIABETIC RETINOPATHY SCREENING: Many veterans with diabetes are
getting initial screening for possible eye disease during their
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) primary care appointments, thanks
to
a national tele-retinal imaging program now in place at the majority of
VA hospitals and clinics. One out of every five VA patients has
diabetes
and early detection of retinal abnormalities is essential in preventing
vision loss from diabetes. This new procedure, which screens patients
for diabetic retinopathy, does not take the place of a dilated eye
exam.
Veterans with known retinopathy or laser treatment will be seen in eye
clinics, along with high risk patients such as those with pregnancy or
renal disease. The new procedure is a good initial way, however, to
identify patients at risk for visual loss from diabetes. Patients are
scheduled for the imaging via the computerized patient record system
(CPRS). The images taken of the retina at the clinics are sent to an
image reading center, where an eye care specialist determines the need
for further care.
Diabetic retinopathy causes 12,000 to 24,000 new cases of
blindness
each year in the United States, making diabetes the leading cause of
new
cases of blindness in adults 20-74 years of age. The tele-retinal
imaging program is just one year old this month and expected to expand
significantly in the coming year. VA collaborated with the Department
of Defense and the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston to implement the
technology involving digital retinal imaging and remote image
interpretations to assess for levels of diabetic retinopathy. Diabetes
is one target of a major VA program designed to reduce the high rates
of
illness caused by obesity. Called MOVE-for "Managing Overweight
Veterans Everywhere" -- it encourages veterans to increase their
physical activity and improve their nutrition. Further information is
available at www.move.va.gov. [Source: VA News Release 15 Feb 07 ++]
TFL FACTS & TIPS: If you're nearing retirement, transitioning health
care coverage shouldn't be a hassle. As you're preparing to switch to
Tricare for Life (TFL), the following facts and tips will help you make
a seamless transition to Tricare for Life (TFL) coverage:
- Enroll in Medicare Part B when first eligible. TFL enrollment
hinges on enrollment in Medicare Part B. You must remain enrolled in
Medicare Part B (medical care) in order to maintain Tricare
eligibility.
- Keep DEERS up to date. Although Medicare provides data to DEERS,
you must maintain your Tricare eligibility by keeping DEERS up to date
any time there is a life changing event, like becoming eligible for
Medicare. Contact DEERS online at www.dmdc.osd.mil/rsl or call 1(800)
538-9552.
- Enrollment in TFL is seamless. If you are receiving Social
Security benefits, you will transition smoothly to TFL upon your 65th
birthday; if you are not receiving Social Security benefits at the time
of your 65th birthday, you will need to visit the nearest Social
Security office and enroll in Medicare.
- Medicare authorized providers are also Tricare authorized. You
can visit any Medicare provider for care since all Medicare providers
are also TRICARE authorized. Simply show your Medicare card and
Uniformed Services ID card at your appointment.
- Claims are paid automatically between Medicare and TFL. As a TFL
beneficiary, you will not need to submit a paper claim when you have a
doctor's visit (in most cases). The provider will submit the claim to
Medicare. Medicare will then submit the claim to Tricare once the
Medicare portion is paid.
- TFL is considered a second payer to Medicare. For services
covered by Medicare and Tricare, Medicare will pay its portion of the
claim and Tricare will pay the remainder. For services that are covered
by Medicare and not by Tricare (such as chiropractic care) Tricare will
not make a payment and the beneficiary will be responsible.
- Services covered by Tricare but not Medicare (such as overseas
claims) may be billed directly to Wisconsin Physicians Services (WPS)
and Tricare will pay as primary insurer. You will be responsible for
any
cost shares. Payments for services that are not covered by either
program remain your sole responsibility.
- Other health insurance (OHI) coordinates differently with TFL
and Medicare. TFL beneficiaries who have OHI need to submit their
Medicare Summary Notice with a paper claim and OHI explanation of
benefits (EOB) to Wisconsin Physician Services. The paper claims may be
sent to: Wisconsin Physician Services, TRICARE for Life, P.O. Box 7890,
Madison, WI 53707-7890.
- Enrollment in Medicare Part D is not necessary. The Tricare
pharmacy benefit is considered creditable coverage and pays equally to
Medicare. TFL beneficiaries may continue to use any of the Tricare
pharmacy programs. You may fill prescriptions at any military treatment
facility pharmacy, through the Tricare Mail Order Pharmacy or through
any Tricare network or non-network pharmacy.
- Tricare coverage continues for eligible family members after the
death of a sponsor. Surviving spouses remain eligible for Tricare
unless
they remarry. If they remarry, they lose Tricare eligibility and cannot
regain eligibility later, even in cases of divorce or death of the new
spouse. Unmarried surviving children remain eligible for Tricare until
their 21st birthday (or 23rd birthday if enrolled in college full time
and if at the time of the sponsor's death, the sponsor provided more
than 50% of the child's financial support.) For more information on
Tricare for Life, refer to www.tricare4u.com or call Wisconsin
Physicians Services at 1(866) 773-0404.
[Source: USDR Action Alert 15 Feb 07 ++]
MILITARY BLOOD PROGRAM UPDATE 02: The Armed Services Blood Program
(ASBP) Web site has been redesigned, offering updated content as well
as
a new look. The new site, www.militaryblood.dod.mil, features
information on how to join a "Life Force" team of donors, volunteers
and
supporters with topics including blood facts, donor eligibility
criteria, and donor center locations. The ASBP collects blood only from
servicemembers, government civilians, retirees and their family
members.
The U.S. military needs blood every day for critically injured troops,
cancer patients, premature infants and other uses, said Navy Cmdr.
Michael Libby, the director of the U.S. military's blood program.
Convenient links on the Web site direct users to online blood donation
appointment scheduling via the "Click to Save Lives" drop button on the
ASBP home page. Other information links access blood donor eligibility
criteria and donation locations. About 20% of servicemembers donate
blood, compared to less than 5% of the civilian populace. ASBP
collected twice as much blood in 2006 than it did in 2001. The program
manages 18 stateside blood donor centers and four overseas centers.
Donors normally give about a pint of blood at a sitting. Most people
who
are eligible to donate provide blood to the program. Only a small
percentage may be restricted from doing so because of travel to certain
countries or for taking certain medications. Specific information on
these restrictions may be found on the program's Web site. Blood is
always needed since blood products normally must be replenished about
42
days after being collected. Frozen blood can be stored for years.
[Source: Air Force Retiree News Service 15 Feb 07 ++]
CELL PHONE TIPS: Things that you can do with your cell phone:
- Emergency: The Emergency Number worldwide for Mobile is 112. If
you find yourself out of the coverage area of your mobile; network and
there is an emergency, dial 112 and the mobile will search any existing
network to establish the emergency number for you, and interestingly
this number 112 can be dialed even if the keypad is locked.
- Remote Keyless Entry: This may come in handy someday if your car
is so equipped. If you lock your keys in the car and the spare keys are
at home, call someone at home on their cell phone from your cell phone.
Hold your cell phone about a foot from your car door and have the
person
at your home press the unlock button, holding it near the mobile phone
on their end. Your car will unlock. Saves someone from having to drive
your keys to you. Distance is no object. You could be hundreds of miles
away, and if you can reach someone who has the other "remote" for your
car, you can unlock the doors (or the trunk).
- Disabling a Mobile Phone: Check your Mobile phone's serial
number by keying in the digits * # 0 6 # on your phone. A 15 digit code
will appear on the screen. This number is unique to your handset. Also,
the ESN of phones are almost always stamped on the literature you
receive with the phone. Write it down and keep it somewhere safe. If
your phone gets stolen, you can phone your service provider and give
them this code. They will then be able to block your handset so even if
the thief changes the SIM card, your phone will be totally useless.
This
procedure is only for the GSM environment outside of the U.S. where
only
the SIM card comes from the carrier and can be moved freely from phone
to phone. In the U.S., where the phone (and thus the ESN, which
corresponds to IMEI) is tightly tied to the service, there's no need to
make a record of your phone's identity. The carrier already has that
info. If your phone is stolen, you just tell the carrier and they do
the
rest.
- Hidden Battery Power: Imagine your cell battery is very low. To
activate, press the keys *3370#. Your cell will restart with this
reserve and the instrument will show a 50% increase in battery. This
reserve will get charged when you charge your cell next time.
- Directory Assistance: Cell phone companies charge $1.00 to $1.75
or more for 411information calls. When you need to use the 411
information option, simply dial (800) 373-3411 without incurring any
charge at all.
[Source: Various Feb 07]
VA STATE BENEFITS SEAMLESS TRANSITION: To help severely injured
service
members receive benefits from their states when they move from DoD
military hospitals to VA medical facilities in their communities, VA
announced 12 FEB expansion of a collaborative outreach program with
states and territories. After a four-month pilot with the state of
Florida, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson expanded the
program to all states while addressing a conference of the National
Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs (NASDVA) in
Alexandria VA. Called "State Benefits Seamless Transition Program,"
the
initiative involves VA staff located at 10 DoD medical facilities.
They
will identify injured military members who will be transferred to VA
facilities. VA staff will contact state veterans affairs offices on
behalf of the veterans. The state offices, in turn, will contact the
veterans to inform them about state benefits for them and dependent
family members. Most states and territories offer a range of benefits
to veterans. NASDVA is an organization consisting of the top veterans
affairs official in each state and territory. The association is a
nexus
for the exchange of information among the states, Congress, the U.S.
Department of Veterans Affairs and the veteran service organizations.
[Source: VA News Release 12 Feb 07 ++]
VA DATA BREACH UPDATE 30: The ranking member of the House Veterans'
Affairs Committee said 12 FEB that recent comments by a mid-level
Veterans Affairs Department official are a sign of a management culture
that still fails to take data security seriously enough. Rep. Steve
Buyer (R-IN) publicized a recording of the comments, in response to the
VA's latest data breach. The recording was of a meeting in early
January and captured Joseph Francis, acting deputy chief research and
development officer at VA, telling his staff members that they did not
need to "do an A-plus job" in responding to a congressional request for
information on where the department keeps sensitive data. "If you want
to know what's the real purpose of the data call, read Machiavelli.
It's
about power, it's about Congress saying, 'VA, you're accountable to
us,'" Francis said. "We're not asking people to do an A-plus job on
this
report."
In response to the disclosure, VA spokesman Matt Burns said Francis is
with the program and understands what the agency is doing to protect
veterans' data.
In a letter to the editor of The Hill, the Capitol Hill newspaper
that first obtained the recording, Francis wrote, "My comments were
taken out of context and offered a very misleading impression of what I
actually said. The meeting was intended to emphasize VA's need to
provide the highest level of protection for our human research
subjects,
particularly as it relates to information security issues." He said
members of the audience were concerned that lawmakers gave the
department only four days to meet the request for data, and that he
asked for the employees' best efforts even if the results were not
complete. But Buyer was skeptical. Buyer said, "Congress does expect
an
A-plus job of Dr. Francis, as it does all the people who are entrusted
with the health care and benefits delivery of America's veterans and
family members. The time for second-guessing by VA middle management is
over. The potential for fraud in the latest data breach is "enormous."
The incident puts at risk highly sensitive information on the 1.3
million physicians who have billed Medicaid and Medicare, and medical
data for about 535,000 VA patients.
The breach did not come up at a Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee
hearing 13 FEB on the fiscal 2008 budget, though VA Secretary James
Nicholson emphasized that the department is working toward its goal of
becoming the gold standard for information security in the government.
After the hearing, Nicholson told reporters it has yet to be determined
whether the hard drive containing the data was stolen or lost. He said
the VA inspector general continues to lead the investigation, in
consultation with the FBI. Nicholson said he could not predict whether
the hard drive would be recovered. He said the employee who lost it
clearly violated agency policies by leaving the data unprotected and
has
been placed on administrative leave. The hard drive went missing after
the office changed locations, Nicholson said. According to Senate
Veterans' Affairs Committee Ranking Member Larry Craig (R-ID) the
employee initially said the hard drive had been stolen but has since
changed his story. Nicholson said the employee has obtained an
attorney.
[Source: GOVEXEC.com Daily Briefing13 Feb 07 ++]
VA DEPENDENT BURIAL: The spouse or surviving spouse of an eligible
veteran is eligible for interment in a national cemetery of her choice
even if that veteran is not buried or memorialized in a national
cemetery. In addition, the spouse or surviving spouse of a member of
the
Armed Forces of the United States whose remains are unavailable for
burial is also eligible for burial. The surviving spouse of an
eligible
veteran who had a subsequent remarriage to a non-veteran and whose
death
occurred on or after 1 JAN 2000, is also eligible for burial in a
national cemetery, based on his or her marriage to the eligible
veteran.
However, a former spouse of an eligible individual whose marriage to
that individual has been terminated by annulment or divorce, if not
otherwise eligible, is not eligible for interment in a national
cemetery. Minor children of eligible veterans are eligible. For purpose
of burial in a national cemetery, a minor child is a child who is
unmarried and:
(a) Who is under 21 years of age; or
(b) Who is under 23 years of age and pursuing a full-time course of
instruction at an approved educational institution.
(c) Of any age but became permanently physically or mentally
disabled and incapable of self-support before reaching 21 years of age,
or before reaching 23 years of age if pursuing a full-time course of
instruction at an approved educational institution. Proper supporting
documentation must be provided.
Provided certain conditions are met, a former member of the Armed
Forces
may be buried, if desired, in the same grave with a close relative who
is already buried and is the primary eligible. [Source:
www.cem.va.gov/cem/bbene/eligible.asp#remarry Jan 07 ++]
MILITARY LEGISLATION STATUS 27 FEB 07: Following is a listing of
Congressional bills of interest to the military community that have
been
introduced in the 110th Congress. Support of these bills through
cosponsorship by other legislators is critical if they are ever going
to
move through the legislative process for a floor vote to become law. A
cosponsor is a member of Congress who has joined one or more members in
his/her chamber (i.e. House or Senate) to sponsor a bill or amendment.
The first member to sign onto a bill is considered the Sponsor, members
subsequently signing on are Cosponsors. Any number of members may
cosponsor a bill in the House or Senate. At http://thomas.loc.gov you
can determine the current status of each bill, the committee it has
been
assigned to, and if your legislator is a sponsor or cosponsor of it.
The
key to increasing cosponsorship is letting our representatives know of
veterans feelings on issues. At the end of some of the below listed
bills is a web link that can be used to do that. Otherwise, you can
locate on http://thomas.loc.gov who your representative is and his/her
phone number, mailing address, or email/website to communicate with a
message or letter of your own making:
H.R.0023: Belated Thank You to the Merchant Mariners of World War II
Act
of 2007. A bill to amend title 46, United States Code, to provide
benefits to certain individuals who served in the United States
merchant
marine (including the Army Transport Service and the Naval Transport
Service) during World War II. Sponsor: Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51]
(introduced 1/4/07). Cosponsors (16).
****************
H.R.0025: Fair Tax Act of 2007. A bill to promote freedom, fairness,
and
economic opportunity by repealing the income tax and other taxes,
abolishing the Internal Revenue Service, and enacting a national sales
tax to be administered primarily by the States. Sponsor: Rep Linder,
John [GA-7] (introduced 1/4/07). Cosponsors (55)
****************
H.R.0081: Montgomery GI Bill Act. A bill to amend title 38, United
States Code, to provide that members of the Armed Forces and Selected
Reserve may transfer certain educational assistance benefits to
dependents, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Bartlett, Roscoe G. [MD-6] (introduced 1/4/07) Cosponsors
(2).
****************
H.R.0089: Combat-Related Special Compensation Act. A bill to amend
title 10, United States Code, to extend eligibility for combat-related
special compensation (CRSC) paid to certain uniformed services retirees
who are retired under chapter 61 of such title with fewer than 20 years
of creditable service. Sponsor: Rep Bilirakis, Gus M. [FL-9]
(introduced
1/4/07). Cosponsors (14). To support this bill and/or contact your
Representative refer to
http://capwiz.com/moaa/issues/bills/?bill=9240191.
****************
H.R.0092: Veterans Timely Access to Health Care Act. A bill to amend
title 38, United States Code, to establish standards of access (i.e. 30
days) to care for veterans seeking health care from the Department of
Veterans Affairs, would allow referral to civilian care in cases where
the standard is not met, would require the VA to annually report its
performance in meeting those access standards, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Brown-Waite, Ginny [FL-5] (introduced 1/4/07). Cosponsors
(7). To support this bill and/or contact your Representative refer to
http://capwiz.com/moaa/issues/bills/?bill=9240456.
****************
H.R.0109: Disabled Veteran Small Business Eligibility Expansion Act of
2007. A bill to amend the Small Business Act to make service-disabled
veterans eligible under the 8(a) business development program. Sponsor:
Rep Davis, Jo Ann [VA-1] (introduced 1/4/07) Cosponsors (None).
****************
H.R.0112: G.I. Advanced Education in Science and Technology Act. A
bill
to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the payment of
stipends to veterans who pursue doctoral degrees in science or
technology. Sponsor: Rep Davis, Jo Ann [VA-1] (introduced 1/4/07).
Cosponsors (None).
****************
H.R.0136: Identity Theft Notification Act of 2007. A bill to amend
title II of the Social Security Act to provide that individuals and
appropriate authorities are notified by the Commissioner of Social
Security of evidence of misuse of the Social Security account numbers
of
such individuals. Sponsor: Rep Gallegly, Elton [CA-24] (introduced
1/4/07). Cosponsors (3).
****************
H.R.0140: A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to require the
amounts reimbursed to institutional providers of health care services
under the TRICARE program to be the same as amounts reimbursed under
Medicare, and to require the Secretary of Defense to contract for
health
care services with at least one teaching hospital in urban areas.
Sponsor: Rep Green, Gene [TX-29] (introduced 1/4/07). Cosponsors
(None).
To support this bill and/or contact your Representative refer to
http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=9329026&queueid=[capwiz:que
ue_id]
****************
H.R.0156: A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for
the payment of dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) to the
survivors of former prisoners of war (POWs) who died on or before 30
SEP
99, under the same eligibility conditions as apply to payment of DIC to
the survivors of former prisoners of war who die after that date.
Sponsor: Rep Holden, Tim [PA-17] (introduced 1/4/07). Cosponsors (15).
To support this bill and/or contact your Representative refer to
http://capwiz.com/moaa/issues/bills/?bill=9240856
****************
H.R.0191: Senior Citizens Tax Elimination Act. A bill to amend the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the inclusion in gross income
of
Social Security benefits. Sponsor: Rep Paul, Ron [TX-14] (introduced
1/4/07). Cosponsors (9).
****************
H.R.0207: Depleted Uranium Screening and Testing Act. A bill to
provide
for identification of members of the Armed Forces exposed during
military service to depleted uranium, to provide for health testing of
such members, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Rep Serrano, Jose E.
[NY-16] (introduced 1/4/07). Cosponsors (13).
****************
H.R.0243: Combat Military Medically Retired Veteran's Fairness Act. A
bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for the payment
of Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) to members of the Armed
Forces retired for disability with less than 20 years of active
military
service who were awarded the Purple Heart. Sponsor: Rep Weller, Jerry
[IL-11] (introduced 1/5/07). Cosponsors (3).
****************
H.R.0303: Retired Pay Restoration Act. A bill to amend title 10,
United
States Code, to permit certain additional retired members of the Armed
Forces who have a service-connected disability to receive both
disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs for
their disability and either retired pay by reason of their years of
military service or Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) and to
eliminate the phase-in period under current law with respect to such
concurrent receipt. Sponsor: Rep Bilirakis, Gus M. [FL-9] (introduced
1/5/07). Cosponsors (58). To support this bill and/or contact your
Representative refer to
http://capwiz.com/moaa/issues/bills/?bill=9240026
****************
H.R.0315: HEALTHY Vets Act. A bill to amend title 38, United States
Code, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to enter into
contracts with community health care providers to improve access to
health care for veterans in highly rural areas, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Pearce, Stevan [NM-2] (introduced 1/5/07). Cosponsors
(11).
To support this bill and/or contact your Representative refer to
http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=9328981&queueid=[capwiz:que
ue_id]
****************
H.R.0333: Disabled Veterans Tax Termination Act. A bill to amend title
10, United States Code, to permit retired members of the Armed Forces
who have a service-connected disability rated less than 50% to receive
concurrent payment of both retired pay and veterans' disability
compensation, to eliminate the phase-in period for concurrent receipt,
to extend eligibility for concurrent receipt and combat-related special
compensation to chapter 61 disability retirees with less than 20 years
of service, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Rep Marshall, Jim [GA-8]
(introduced 1/9/07). Cosponsors (14). To support this bill and/or
contact your Representative refer to
http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=9226426&type=ML
****************
H.R.0339: Veterans Outpatient Care Access Act of 2007. A bill to amend
title 38, United States Code, to improve access to medical services for
veterans seeking treatment at Department of Veterans Affairs outpatient
clinics with exceptionally long waiting periods. Sponsor: Rep Duncan,
John J., Jr. [TN-2] (introduced 1/9/07). Cosponsors (1).
****************
H.R.0343: Military Retiree Health Care Relief Act of 2007. A bill to
amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow a refundable credit to
military retirees for premiums paid for coverage under Medicare Part B.
Sponsor: Rep Emerson, Jo Ann [MO-8] (introduced 1/9/07). Cosponsors
(5).
To support this bill and/or contact your Representative refer to
http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=9329391&queueid=[capwiz:que
ue_id]
****************
H.R.0402: Veterans' Disability Compensation Automatic COLA Act. A bill
to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for annual
cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) to be made automatically by law each
year in the rates of disability compensation for veterans with
service-connected disabilities and the rates of dependency and
indemnity
compensation for survivors of certain service-connected disabled
veterans. Sponsor: Rep Knollenberg, Joe [MI-09] (introduced 1/11/07).
Cosponsors (20). To support this bill and/or contact your
Representative
refer to
http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=9330146&queueid=[capwiz:que
ue_id].
****************
H.R.0447: A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide that
World War II merchant mariners who were awarded the Mariners Medal
shall
be provided eligibility for Department of Veterans Affairs health care
on the same basis as veterans who have been awarded the Purple Heart.
Sponsor: Rep Fortenberry, Jeff [NE-1] (introduced 1/12/07). Cosponsors
(None).
****************
H.R.0463: Honor Our Commitment to Veterans Act. A bill to amend title
38, United States Code, to terminate the administrative freeze on the
enrollment into the health care system of the Department of Veterans
Affairs of veterans in the lowest priority category for enrollment
(referred to as "Priority 8"). Sponsor: Rep Rothman, Steven R. [NJ-09]
(introduced 1/12/07). Cosponsors (31).
****************
H.R.0551: Home Ownership for America's Veterans Act of 2007. A bill
to
amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 with respect to the eligibility
of veterans for mortgage bond financing, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Davis, Susan A. [CA-53] (introduced 1/18/07). Cosponsors
(20).
****************
H.R.0579: Military Retirees Health Care Protection Act. A bill to
amend title 10, United States Code, to prohibit certain increases in
fees for military health care. Sponsor: Rep Edwards, Chet [TX-17]
(introduced 1/19/07). Cosponsors (83). To support this bill and/or
contact your Representative refer to
http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=9284961&queueid=[capwiz:que
ue_id] or
http://capwiz.com/trea/issues/alert/?alertid=9289751&queueid=1050771381
****************
H.R.0585: A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to expand the
number of individuals qualifying for retroactive benefits from
traumatic
injury protection coverage under Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance.
Sponsor: Rep Herseth, Stephanie [SD] (introduced 1/19/07). Cosponsors
(1).
****************
H.R.0612: Returning Servicemember VA Healthcare Insurance Act of 2007.
A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to extend the period of
eligibility for health care for combat service in the Persian Gulf War
or future hostilities from two years to five years after discharge or
release. Sponsor: Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] (introduced 1/22/07).
Cosponsors (None).
****************
H.R0634: American Veterans Disabled for Life Commemorative Coin Act.
A bill to authorize the secretary of the Treasury to mint commemorative
silver dollars that will be sold with a surcharge that will help the
American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial Foundation raise the money
needed to construct the Disabled Veterans Memorial. Sponsor: Rep Moore,
Dennis [KS-3] (introduced 1/23/07). Cosponsors (188).
****************
H.R.0649: Blind Veterans Fairness Act. A bill to amend title XVI of
the Social Security Act to provide that annuities paid by States to
blind veterans shall be disregarded in determining supplemental
security
income (SSI) benefits. Sponsor: Rep Reynolds, Thomas M. [NY-26]
(introduced 1/24/07). Cosponsors (31).
****************
H.R.0650: A bill to provide for the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to
conduct a pilot program to determine the effectiveness of contracting
for the use of private memory care facilities for veterans with
Alzheimer's Disease. Sponsor: Rep Reynolds, Thomas M. [NY-26]
(introduced 1/24/07). Cosponsors (11).
Reynolds, Thomas M. [NY-26] (introduced 1/24/07). Cosponsors (12).
****************
H.R.0652: A bill to make the National Parks and Federal Recreational
Lands Pass available at a discount to certain veterans. Sponsor: Rep
Reynolds, Thomas M. [NY-26] (introduced 1/24/07). Cosponsors (32).
****************
H.R.0653: Combat Veteran Affidavit Act of 2007. A bill to amend title
38, United States Code, to allow the sworn affidavit of a veteran who
served in combat during the Korean War or an earlier conflict to be
accepted as proof of service-connection of a disease or injury alleged
to have been incurred or aggravated by such service. Sponsor: Rep
Reynolds, Thomas M. [NY-26] (introduced 1/24/07). Cosponsors (9).
****************
H.R.0657: Military Retiree Survivor Comfort Act. A bill to amend title
10, United States Code, to provide for forgiveness of certain
overpayments of retired pay paid to deceased retired members of the
Armed Forces following their death.
Sponsor: Rep Jones, Walter B., Jr. [NC-3] (introduced 1/24/07).
Cosponsors (9). To support this bill and/or contact your Representative
refer to
http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=9322811&queueid=[capwiz:que
ue_id].
****************
H.R.0675: Disabled Veterans Adaptive Housing Improvement Act. A bill
to amend title 38, United States Code, to increase the amount of
assistance available to disabled veterans for specially adapted housing
and to provide for annual increases in such amount. Sponsor: Rep
Herseth, Stephanie [SD] (introduced 1/24/07). Cosponsors (None)
****************
H.R.0690: A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to reduce the
minimum age for receipt of military retired pay for non-regular service
from 60 to 55. Sponsor: Rep Saxton, Jim [NJ-3] (introduced 1/24/07).
Cosponsors (50).
****************
H.R.0704 : A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to reduce from
age 57 to age 55 the age after which the remarriage of the surviving
spouse of a deceased veteran shall not result in termination of
dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) otherwise payable to that
surviving spouse.
Sponsor: Rep Bilirakis, Gus M. [FL-9] (introduced 1/29/07). Cosponsors
(None).
****************
H.R.0737: Forgotten Veteran's Retirement Compensation Act. A bill to
correct an inequity in eligibility for military retired pay based on
nonregular service in the case of certain members of the reserve
components completing their reserve service before 1966.
Sponsor: Rep Scott, Robert C. [VA-3] (introduced 1/30/07). Cosponsors
(8).
****************
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). Cosponsors (17).
****************
H.R.0784: A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to change the
effective date for paid-up coverage under the military Survivor Benefit
Plan (SBP). Sponsor: Rep Saxton, Jim [NJ-3] (introduced 1/31/07).
Cosponsors (52). To support this bill and/or contact your
Representative
refer to
http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=9409496&queueid=[capwiz:que
ue_id]
****************
H.R.0797: A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve
compensation benefits for veterans in certain cases of impairment of
vision involving both eyes, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Rep
Baldwin, Tammy [WI-2] (introduced 2/5/07). Cosponsors (27).
****************
H.R.0959: Forgotten Military Widows Annuity Act of 2007. A bill to
expand a Department of Defense survivor annuity program (SBP) that
covers unremarried surviving spouses of certain members of the
uniformed
services who died before October 1, 1978, to include any otherwise
eligible surviving spouse who remarries after age 55 or whose
remarriage
before age 55 is terminated. Sponsor: Rep Saxton, Jim [NJ-3]
(introduced
2/8/07). Cosponsors (none).
****************
H.R.0991: A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow
individuals eligible for veterans health benefits to contribute to
health savings accounts. Sponsor: Rep Campbell, John [CA-48]
(introduced
2/12/07). Cosponsors (None)
****************
H.R.1041: Veterans Health Care Full Funding Act. A bill to amend title
38, United States Code, to provide an enhanced funding process to
ensure
an adequate level of funding for veterans health care programs of the
Department