Heads up, Disabled Vets - about to get SCREWN by Shrub-CHEENEE again!1

[UTUSN]

from an e-mail/newsletter/public policy, not subject to copyright restrictions.

I still seethe over CHEENEE's veterans'-pandering/baiting in 2000, "Help is on the way," the bashing of "CLINTON's military," the IDIOT Medal of Honor holders wearing their goddamned MEDALS standing on a POLITICAL/RETHUG stage during the Florida vote-stealing. Still seethe when another veteran tells me "We do better under (Rethugs)" regarding benefits. Still seethe when another veteran tells me he doesn't vote but likes Shrub because his benefits started while Shrub was squatting in office.

*******QUOTE*******

http://post_119_gulfport_ms.tripod.com:80/rao1.html

http://post_119_gulfport_ms.tripod.com/rao1.html

VA DISABILITY COMPENSATION UPDATE 01: Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC), the Ranking Member on the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, introduced "America's Wounded Warrior Act," S. 2674, last week to overhaul DoD's disability retirement system and modernize the VA's disability compensation program. These reforms are an upshot from last year's Dole/Shalala Commission recommendations and would impact veterans in varied ways dependent on their disability status.

Some elements of the bill would:


. Reform the military disability retirement system and streamline the transition of disabled servicemembers from DoD to the VA. Basically, it would simplify the claims process by eliminating the need for duplicative DoD/VA ratings and disability examinations.


. Require DoD to determine a disabled servicemember's fitness for duty, and if found unfit, provide a lifetime annuity based on the member's rank and years of service. VA would then establish compensation for service-connected injuries, disease, or wounds. Under this proposal, the offset between DoD's annuity and future VA compensation would be eliminated.


. Revamped the VA compensation system into three elements - replacement value of average loss of earning capacity; a new payment for loss of quality of life; and a new transition payment provided to servicemembers who participate in treatment or vocational rehabilitation programs or who are within three months if their retirement from service.

However, the jury is still out on what the new DoD disability health care benefit and VA compensation levels would eventually look like. Currently, servicemembers who retire due to a 30% or higher military disability are eligible for lifetime family Tricare coverage (dependent children until majority age). However, the bill directs DoD to study and recommend to Congress new Tricare lifetime eligibility criteria under the new system. In the absence of a law change, the Secretary of Defense would establish eligibility by regulation effective the date of implementation of the new system. Additionally, the bill directs VA to study and provide a report to Congress within nine months and submit a proposal one year later detailing the new compensation and transition payment rate structure. Until the specific rate structure of the new VA compensation system is better understood, most veteran organizations and military advocates are withholding endorsement of this legislation. (Source: MOAA Leg Up 7 Mar 08 ++)


VA DISABILITY COMPENSATION UPDATE 02: The provisions of Senator Burr's America's Wounded Warrior Act (S 2674) and Representative Buyer's Nobel Warrior Act (HR 5509), would drastically change the disability compensation system for America's veterans. These bills are loosely based on the recommendations of the President's Commission on Care for America's Wounded Warriors (Dole/Shalala Commission), but the USDR believes the specifics of these bills would do great harm to these veterans in the following ways:

. Will offset VA Disability Compensation by Social Security when the veteran ages 65.


. Applicable to all currently discharging veterans AND any veteran under VA's current compensation system who files a subsequent claim for additional benefits.


. Once under the new system the veteran cannot return to the current system.


. The present protection for ratings in effect for 10 or more years would no longer apply.


. Would require the VA Secretary to examine or consider:
(a) The extent to which disability compensation may be used as an incentive to undergo treatment.
(b) The appropriate injuries to be covered under the new disability rating system.
(c) Age as a determining factor when considering average loss of earnings capacity


. Amends the law to provide the Secretary with authority to adopt and apply a rating schedule for specific injuries. This provision would expressly limit VA authority over the Rating Schedule and places the authority in the hands of Congress. If the Congress can not correct the Sustained Growth Rate formula of Medicare Law how can it be expected the Congress would do any better with the much more complex Disability Rating Schedule?


. Provides for a quality of life payment, but only for those enrolled in the new compensation system.


. Allows or suggests: That VA "may take into account the effect on potential future earnings caused by the age of the veteran at the time a disability rating is assigned." This provision would allow VA to compensate an older veteran at a lower percentage of disability than a younger veteran for the exact same disease or injury. Is this not age discrimination?


. Provides that
(a) As frequently as (the VA) considers it appropriate, (the VA) must reevaluate and ... adjust the disability rating for any veteran receiving compensation;
(b) The VA must ... take into account any adjustments in the rating schedule that occurred since the last assignment of a rating;
(c) The frequency of reevaluations would be determined by an examining physician. This places physicians back in the rating business, allows for frequent adjustments to a veteran's rating based on perceived improvement, and further allows reductions based on a change in the rating criteria even when no improvement in the disability is shown

For these reasons, USDR is encouraging veterans to contact their legislators and strongly urge them to oppose S2674/HR5509 and any other legislation which is detrimental to and/or discriminatory against this nation's veterans. To facilitate doing this they have prepared a letter available at http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=11114251&queueid= which can be used as is or modified for forwarding to all legislators representing your zip code by the click of a button. (Source: USDR Action Alert 7 Mar 08 ++) ....



PTSD UPDATE 18: VA's new PTSD policy previously reported in Update 17 applies only to those Diagnosed as having PTSD while on active duty. For these vets there will no longer be a requirement to verify in writing that they have witnessed or experienced a traumatic event before filing a claim for post-traumatic stress disorder. However, for those not diagnosed on Active duty the present rules regarding verification still apply for VA to process a claim. (Source: VA Watchdog Org 20 Feb 08 ++)

********UNQUOTE*******

[democrank]

1. Thanks for posting this.

The Twin Chickenhawks...Bush and Cheney... are interested in cannon fodder, not in helping veterans once they return home.

[opihimoimoi]

2. Holy crap. the Vets gonna get screwed by them Pub Muthafkrs....I jus knows it...

[flashl]

3. Nowhere in there is procedures to manage backlogs of VA claims just more creative ways

to disenfranchise the veteran.

[Lasher]

4. Thank God Democrats have majority control of Congress.

This bill has no chance of passing.

The VA is not immune to Republican hatred for all social programs. We can only guess what Junior might have pulled off on his way out, had he not been deprived of his Bush league lapdog GOP Congress.

[acmavm]

5. I suggest we update the tax code first. Tax them rich bastards and

pay for health care for EVERYONE.