Veterans Affairs

****************************************************************************************

VETERANS NEWS

****************************************************************************************

                     ATTENTION

May 2nd, 2008

Veterans' PTSD Benefits Passes Full VA Committee

Today, the full House Veterans' Affairs Committee passed U.S. Rep. John Hall's (D-NY19) legislation to significantly overhaul the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) claims processing.  The legislation passed the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs last week.

HR 5982, the Veterans Disability Benefits Claims Modernization Act of 2008, would make major changes to allow veterans to access the benefits they have earned faster and with less bureaucratic hassle.

Congressman Hall said at the Committee's markup meeting today, "It is abundantly clear that the current VA disability claims processing system is archaic and in dire need of modernization in many of its policy and operational areas.  VA's Byzantine and convoluted internal bureaucratic structure creates a maze for disabled veterans, families, and survivors to navigate that is incomprehensible, leaving too many of them lost and overwhelmed.  This bureaucracy has also resulted in a growing claims backlog, expected to reach one million, and the accompanying delays in processing are unacceptable.  We must act now and intercede on behalf of these disabled veterans who are being left languishing in a system not capable of responding to their immediate needs."

PTSD Presumption
Among other improvements, Hall's legislation would make it easier for veterans who have served in combat zones to obtain benefits for post-traumatic stress disorder by removing the VA's requirement that they prove exposure to a specific "stressor."  Currently, the VA's regulations force veterans returning from war to prove that they were engaged in combat through incident reports, buddy statements, medals, etc.

"Veterans returning from war shouldn't have to leap hurdles to prove they experienced combat," said Hall, who serves as Chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs. "I've been to Iraq to meet with soldiers there and I've talked to returning vets. There are no frontlines, there is no rear. The risk of combat is clear and immediate whether you're in Sadr City or the Green Zone."

Immediate Payment for Major, Unequivocal Service Injuries
Hall's bill would require immediate compensation for an undisputed service connected injury such as paralysis or a missing limb, even while other lesser injuries require further processing or adjudication.  The VA's existing system can cause a veteran to wait for an average of six months while all issues are adjudicated before receiving any compensation for the major injury.

21st Century Technology
"21st century technology is all but absent in the claims processing system, with some claims still jammed into folders that get lost and others piled in stacks of paper with sticky notes and rubber bands containing vital information," said Hall.

Hall's legislation would require implementation within one year of comprehensive information technology upgrades, including web portals, rule-based expert systems, and decision support software to enhance it claims processing capabilities.

Survivors
If a veteran dies while waiting for his or her claim to be processed, Hall's bill would allow an eligible survivor to take the veteran's place in line instead of being sent back to the beginning of the claims process.

"This legislation will lay the foundation for a more responsive, non-adversarial and cost effective VA that is deserving of the selfless service of our nation’s disabled veterans," said Hall.  "We cannot profess to want to see veterans have better access to quality care, but then look for prejudicial ways to deny their compensation."

The White House Domestic Policy Office expressed their interest in the bill as "good government" and its deference to recommendations by the Veteran’s Disability Benefits Commission and the President’s Commission on Care for America’s Returning Wounded Warriors.  Additionally, the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), The American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), AMVETS, National Veterans Legal Service Program, National Organization of Veterans Advocates, Vietnam Veterans of America, National Association for Uniformed Services, The Retired Enlisted Association (TREA), and the American Federation of Government Employees have alls sent letters in support of The Veterans Disability Benefits Claims Modernization Act of 2008. 

******************************************************************************************

* VA warns of problems with GI Bill upgrades

By Rick Maze - Staff writer Air Force Times
Posted : Thursday May 8, 2008 8:23:01 EDT
Top of Form
  
Bottom of Form
The Department of Veterans Affairs seemed to be standing in front of a
fast-moving train Wednesday when a top official said VA would need two years
of preparation to come up with a payment system for a proposed overhaul of
GI Bill education benefits.

The warning flags were waved by Keith Pedigo, VA's associate deputy
undersecretary for policy and program management, who said meeting an Aug.
1, 2009, effective date for the benefits increases, under what lawmakers are
calling the 21st Century GI Bill of Rights, would be extremely difficult.
Because the proposal calls for the maximum benefit to be different in each
state, payments would have to be manually, rather than automatically,
processed, Pedigo said.

"VA does not now have a payment system or the appropriate number of trained
personnel to administer the program," Pedigo said, predicting it would take
two years to develop a payment system to provide the new benefits. Those
benefits include paying the full cost of tuition and fees for the most
expensive four-year public college or university in each state, plus a
monthly living expense, an annual payment for books and other expenses, as
well as up to $1,200 for tutorial assistance.

Pedigo, testifying before the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, also
warned about the potential for large overpayments because the bill, S 22,
calls for lump-sum tuition payments directly to a school at the start of a
quarter or semester, without specifying what would happen if a student drops
out.

Pedigo also warned of fundamental unfairness in a proposed housing allowance
that would be based on where a school is located, rather than where a
student lives, which could encourage veterans to enroll in online learning
programs offered by schools in high-cost areas.

His warnings come as the House and Senate are poised to attach S 22 to a
wartime supplemental funding bill in an effort to overcome questions about
how to pay for the estimated $65.3 billion over 10 years for the benefits
and the administrative costs.

Attaching S 22 to the wartime funding bill also would put pressure on the
Bush administration to sign onto a generous overhaul of veterans benefits in
order to secure funding to continue military operations in Iraq and
Afghanistan.

Congressional leaders derive an additional benefit from attaching the GI
Bill increases to the supplemental - it would attract more votes for the
measure at a time when many lawmakers are reluctant to continue funding Iraq
operations.

The Pentagon, VA and the White House's Office of Management and Budget
oppose S 22, either as a separate bill or combined with the supplemental.
But Bush administration opposition - and VA's warning about implementation
problems - do not seem to counter the growing push from veterans' groups to
pass what Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., S 22's chief sponsor, calls a move to "give
first-class futures to the people who serve."

The House of Representatives could pass as early as Thursday a war
supplemental that includes Webb's GI Bill proposal, and the Senate plans to
take up the bill next week. In the Senate, Republicans are expected to offer
an alternative that pays a little less to veterans and includes a
Pentagon-requested provision that would allow career service members to
transfer all or part of their benefits to family members, but they do not
appear to have the votes to block S 22, which has 57 Senate co-sponsors,
including 10 Republicans.

Veterans' groups, who have been pushing for years for an overhaul of the
current Montgomery GI Bill, have picked Webb's bill as their favorite. Carl
Blake, national legislative director for Paralyzed Veterans of America, told
the Senate committee that S 22 is better because it "accomplishes our goal
of returning the GI Bill to the level established following World War II."
Blake also objected to Pentagon criticism that better GI Bill benefits,
designed to encourage people to go to college, are bad for the nation.
"It is a shame that honorable service establishing eligibility for GI Bill
benefits is no longer sufficient," he said, noting that the administration's
transferability initiative, included in the Republican alternative, "implies
that if a service member is not willing to consider extended service or a
career in the military, then the federal government should have less of an
obligation to provide him or her with an education."

**************************************************************************************************************

To view and download VA news release, please visit the following Internet
address:
http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel


Economic Stimulus Package Will Benefit Some Veterans
Peake: Special Provision for Low-Income Veterans

WASHINGTON (April 3, 2008) -- Veterans who last year received disability compensation, pensions or survivors' benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) may be entitled to an economic stimulus payment of at least $300.  To qualify, veterans must file a tax return for 2007, even if they aren't normally required to file.

"The President's economic stimulus benefits have a special provision for low-income veterans," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James B. Peake. "VA is working closely with the Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department to get the word out about this unique benefit."

Under the White House's program, payments are $300 for an individual, $600 for a married couple filing joint tax returns, plus $300 for each dependent child under age 17 on Dec. 31, 2007.

To qualify, taxpayers must have at least $3,000 in income in 2007. While VA's disability compensation, pensions and survivors benefits are not subject to income tax, the administration's economic stimulus proposal, passed by Congress in February, allows veterans and survivors to count those payments toward the income requirement of $3,000.  To claim the benefit, veterans -- like other taxpayers -- must file an income tax return.

For eligible veterans who do not normally file a tax return, information about claiming the economic stimulus payment is available in "Package 1040A-3," available from IRS offices or on the Internet at
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/k1040a3.pdf.

IRS is mailing a package of information to recipients of VA benefits who did not file a tax return last year.  For more information, visit the IRS Web site at

http://www.IRS.gov.


To unsubscribe from this list, or to update your name or e-mail address,
please visit the following Internet address:
http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/opalist_listserv.cfm
http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/opalist_listserv.cfm


Combat Veterans Eligibility for Health Care Iowa City VA Medical Center Hot Topics
Combat Veterans Eligibility for VA Health Care Benefits has been Extended!

http://www.va.gov/healtheligibility/ndaa/

 
Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) / Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) Transition

http://www.seamlesstransition.va.gov/

 
At Your Fingertips Combat Veteran Fact Sheet
http://www.va.gov/healtheligibility/Library/pubs/CombatVet/

 
VA Facts and Helpful Information
http://www.va.gov/vetdata/docs/Pamphlet_2-1-08.pdf

 
DoD Definition of Combat Operations for Title 10 Service Members
http://www.va.gov/healtheligibility/Library/pubs/CombatOperations/

 
Wounded Warrior Pay
http://www.dfas.mil/militarypay/woundedwarriorpay.html

 
Benefits National Guard and Reserve Brochure
http://www.va.gov/vhapublications/ViewPublication.asp?pub_ID=1138

 
The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of Fiscal Year 2008 (Public Law 110-181) was signed by President Bush on January 28, 2008. This Act extends the period of enhanced enrollment opportunity for health care eligibility provided a veteran who served in a theater of combat operations after November 11, 1998 (commonly referred to as combat veterans or OEF/OIF veterans) as follows: Currently enrolled combat veterans will have their enhanced enrollment period automatically extended to 5 years from their most recent date of discharge.

New enrollees discharged from active duty on or after January 28, 2003 are eligible for this enhanced enrollment health benefit for 5 years after their date of their most recent discharge from active duty.
Combat Veterans who never enrolled and were discharged from active duty between November 11, 1998 and January 27, 2003 may apply for this enhanced enrollment opportunity through January 27, 2011.

NOTE: Combat veterans who applied for enrollment after January 16, 2003, but were not accepted for enrollment based on the application being outside the previous post-discharge two year window will be automatically reviewed and notified of the enrollment decision under this new authority.

For combat veterans to find out how this law affects you,fill out the Combat Veteran Extended Benefits Calculator.

http://www.va.gov/healtheligibility/NDAA/index.asp

As before, veterans enrolling under this "Combat Veteran" enhanced enrollment authority are assigned to Priority Group 6, unless eligible for a higher Priority Group, and will not be charged copays for medication and/or treatment of conditions that are potentially related to their combat service. Combat veterans are not required to disclose their income information, but may do so to determine their eligibility for a higher
priority, beneficiary travel benefits and exemption of copays for care unrelated to their military service.

Veterans who enroll with VA under this enhanced enrollment authority will continue to be enrolled even after their enhanced eligibility period ends. At the end of their enhanced eligibility period, veterans enrolled in Priority Group 6 may be shifted to Priority Group 7 or 8, depending on their income level, and required to make applicable copays.

National Guard and Reserve personnel who were activated and served in a theater of combat operations after November 11, 1998, may also be eligible for enhanced health care benefits under the "Combat Veteran" authority. To qualify, they must have been discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable; and served the period they were called to duty.

For questions concerning Combat Veteran eligibility, visit Combat Veteran Frequently Asked Questions

http://www.va.gov/healtheligibility/Library/FAQs/CombatFAQ.asp .


Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents
http://www.va.gov/opa/vadocs/current_benefits.asp

VA National Means Test Income Threshold
http://www.va.gov/healtheligibility/Library/pubs/VAIncomeThresholds/

GMT Income Threshold
http://www.va.gov/healtheligibility/Library/pubs/GMTIncomeThresholds/ 

Viewers, Plug-Ins, & Readers

http://www.va.gov/viewers/

Health Care Eligibility Site Map
http://www.va.gov/healtheligibility/Library/HECsitemap/ 

Important Notice

for all veterans and their families!

DID YOU RECEIVE DISABILITY COMPENSATION, PENSION OR SURVIVORS' BENEFITS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS LAST YEAR? Even if you are not otherwise required to file a tax return, you may still be entitled to an economic stimulus payment from the federal government. You MUST file a tax return to get the stimulus payment.

WHAT YOU COULD GET: You could receive a payment of $300 for individuals or $600 if you are married and file a joint tax return with your spouse. Eligible taxpayers who qualify for a payment may receive an additional $300 for each qualifying child. To qualify a child must be under age 17 as of December 31, 2007.

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO: All you have to do to get the stimulus payment is file a 2007 IRS Form 1040 or Form 1040A and report at least $3,000 in qualifying income on the form. You can include the amount of your VA benefits to qualify for the stimulus payment.

QUALIFYING INCOME: Add the amount of your VA disability compensation, pension, or survivors’ benefits to any other qualifying income you have to reach the $3,000 requirement. Other qualifying income would include wage earnings or Social Security benefits.

WHAT YOU FILL OUT: Enter your name, address, Social Security Number, and filing status on the form. Then just enter the amount of VA and Social Security benefits you received on line 14a of the Form 1040A or line 20a of Form 1040. You can estimate the benefits you receive from VA or the Social Security Administration by taking the monthly amount you received last year and multiplying it by the number of months you received payments. If you need to include wage earnings to reach the $3,000 qualifying level, enter that amount on Line 7 of Form 1040A or 1040. In addition, you should write the words “Stimulus Payment” at the top of the 1040A or 1040.

IS THE STIMULUS PAYMENT TAXABLE NEXT YEAR? No!

WILL THIS PAYMENT AFFECT THE AMOUNT OF VA BENEFITS YOU RECEIVE? No!

WHEN WILL I RECEIVE MY PAYMENT? For those who file a 2007 tax return, IRS will begin mailing checks in May.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: In late March 2008, the IRS will mail a packet of information to recipients of VA benefits who did not file a tax return last year. The packet will contain guidance to help you claim the stimulus payment. If you need information in the interim, you can visit the IRS web site at www.IRS.gov

VA Increases Travel Reimbursement for Eligible Veterans

January 31, 2008

Peake: Disabled Veterans Earned Increase

WASHINGTON  – Over a million eligible veterans will see their mileage reimbursement more than double starting tomorrow, for travel to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities.

“This increase helps veterans -- especially those living in rural areas -- offset some of the gasoline costs as they travel to VA’s world-class health care,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James B. Peake.  “Increasing the mileage reimbursement is one more step by VA to help veterans access the health care they deserve.”

The 2008 appropriations act provided funding for VA to increase the beneficiary travel mileage reimbursement rate from 11 cents per mile to 28.5 cents per mile.  The increase goes into effect

on Feb 1.

After little more then a month on the job, Secretary Peake used his authority to establish the first increase in the mileage reimbursement in 30 years, fulfilling a pledge he made during his Senate confirmation hearing last month.

While increasing the payment, VA, as mandated by law, also equally increased the deductible amounts applied to certain mileage reimbursements.  The new deductibles are $7.77 for a one way trip, $15.54 for a round trip, with a maximum of $46.62 per calendar month.  However, these deductibles can be waived if they cause a financial hardship to the veteran.

Disabled combat vets can get $500, no strings

By Karen Jowers - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Dec 5, 2007 13:20:29 EST

The Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes, in conjunction with the American Legion, is giving gifts of $500 each to 1,000 disabled veterans who served in the Iraq or Afghanistan wars.

The Coalition presented a check for $500,000 to the American Legion, and the entire amount will be awarded to veterans, officials said. The Legion will assume all administrative costs.

There are no strings attached, and the money does not have to be used for any specific purpose, said American Legion spokeswoman Ramona Joyce. There is no “financial need” requirement — the only requirements are that veterans served in the Iraq or Afghanistan wars, and have a disability rated at 30 percent or more.

The money will be given on a first-come, first-served basis.

Grants will be available through May, or until the money runs out. “We’d love to go through it before the holidays so they can have extra spending money for presents or maybe for a plane ticket home,” Joyce said.

“These grants are just a small token of appreciation for the sacrifices made by so many of America’s men and women in uniform,” said Thomas Palma, general manager of the Coalition, in an announcement about the gifts. “Our Coalition was able to raise a lot of money from caring people but we do not have the distribution network of the American Legion. The Legion is a well-respected organization with a presence in communities across America.”

The Legion also distributed checks for the Coalition in 2005.

To apply for a grant, veterans should contact their state’s headquarters office. Contact information can be found in the American Legion's state headquarters directory. If further assistance is needed, Joyce said, veterans can call her at (202) 263-2982 or John Raughter at (317) 630-1253.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ATTENTION!!!!! CRSC

Veterans Eligible for Compensation

Week of December 17, 2007

Tens of thousands of veterans forced from service short of 20 years because of combat-related injuries will be eligible for Combat-Related Special Compensation effective Jan. 1, 2008, under a compromise 2008 defense authorization bill worked out recently by House and Senate conferees. The CRSC payments would be set using the same formula as military retirement, usually 2.5 percent of base pay multiplied by years of service. CRSC would be paid on top of disability compensation, thus ending for these combat-injured the long time ban on "concurrent receipt."

OIF/OEF 5 Year VA Care.

Dec. 15, 2007, 12:13AM
Veterans would get additional time to get VA health care
Senate bill, benefiting troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, now goes to President Bush

By SUZANNE GAMBOA
Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The Senate voted Friday to authorize three more years — a total of five — of Veterans Affairs health care for Iraq and Afghanistan troops after they've been discharged.

The $696 billion defense policy bill contains several benefits for troops and their families as well as funding for military weapons and projects developed or produced in Texas. The House approved the bill late Thursday, 370-49. It now heads to President Bush.

There is no money in the bill, but it defines policy for future spending and dictates the acquisition and management of weapons programs.

Paul Rieckhoff, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America president, said the additional time is needed because soldiers' conditions can worsen over time or take more time to become obvious, particularly in cases of brain injury and post traumatic stress disorder.

"This is going to make sure less people fall through the cracks and people who have later emerging injuries are taken care of," Rieckhoff said.

All veterans are entitled to health care at VA except those at the highest income levels. But they pay different copayments for care based on the severity of their illness or condition and whether its connected to their military service.

The measure, inserted into the legislation by Sen. Daniel Akaka, a Hawaii Democrat who chairs the Senate Veterans Committee, provides three years of automatic eligibility for VA health care for veterans who served in combat.

If President Bush signs it into law, veterans who left the service at least two years but not more than five years before the measure is enacted could enroll for the health care.

Veterans Affairs estimated it would spend about $396 million over 10 years providing the five years of health care, said Lisette Mondello, VA's assistant secretary for public and intergovernmental affairs. She said the VA supports the measure.

The bill also extends medical leave for families of wounded troops to 26 weeks. Currently those families get up to three months leave from a job. Some spouses and family members have lost their jobs because of the months of care of a husband or relative wounded in the Iraq and Afghanistan war.

For Texas defense programs, the bill authorizes $2.1 billion for 23 V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft, produced by Bell Helicopter in Fort Worth. Several V-22's were deployed to Iraq.

The bill also authorizes $11.2 million for construction of the Rotorblade Processing Facility at Corpus Christi Army Depot and $1 million for a local redevelopment authority to deal with the 2005 closure of Naval Air Station Ingleside and realignments at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi and Corpus Christi Army Depot. Funding was authorized for several other South Texas projects, said Rep. Solomon Ortiz, D-Corpus Christi.

A measure included in the bill by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, calls for a study on possible sites for a Border State Aviation Training Center to assist in local, state and federal drug enforcement missions. Hutchison also called of a study on whether a National Disaster Center should be set up in the San Antonio Area to take advantage of its military personnel and facilities.

A measure sponsored by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, authorizes a study of Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center at Fort Hood and its funding needs.

"Much like receiving a promotion without a raise, Darnall was recently upgraded to full medical center status but has yet to receive the increased funding it needs to carry out its expanded mission," Cornyn said in a statement.     

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

New 2008 Compensation Rate Tables