Senator Patty Murray.  Washington, in an effort to curb spending, is contemplating to find different ways to reduce VA’s spending. Staffers and possibly members of congress have considered the proposal to remove access to VA’s medical care for group 7 and 8 veterans.
 

Doing this, will save 11 percent of the Veteran Affairs budget. What is not as noticeable is the case that veterans have in actuality earned this through their sacrifices. “Veterans should not have this hardship brought to bear against them.”
 

Senator Daniel Akaka, a WW 11 veteran and an advocate for veterans is no longer the Veteran’s committee Chairman. Senator Patty Murray, the new Chairperson. Like her predecessor, also have strong military ties. Senator Murry is the first woman to hold that position and expectations are that she does well. This is of great importance to veterans, here in the Islands and out. To date the VA is still accepting registrations.
 

WASHINGTON (May 18, 2011)- In the first week for open applications, the
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has assisted more than 625 Veterans,
Service members and their Family Caregivers in applying for new services
under the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act 2010.

New services for primary Family Caregivers of eligible post-9/11
Veterans include a stipend, mental health services, and access to health
care insurance, if they are not already entitled to care or services
under a health plan. The stipend portion of this service will be
backdated to the date of the application. Comprehensive Caregiver
training and medical support are other key components of this program.

VA began processing applications for eligible post-9/11 Veterans and
Servicemembers to designate a Primary Family Caregiver on May 9, 2011.
On top of receiving the 625 plus applications, Caregiver Support
Coordinators have also assisted nearly 1,200 other Caregivers in finding
more than two dozen other Caregiver benefits VA provides.

Applications can be processed by telephone through the Caregiver Support
Line at (855) 260-3274, in person at a VA medical Center with a
Caregiver Support Coordinator, by mail or online at www.caregiver.va.gov 
with the new Caregiver Application (VA Form 1010-CG). The website
application also features a chat option that provides the Family
Caregiver with a live representative to assist in completing the
application form.
 

The review of the Veterans Affairs Inspector General’s Office found that veterans in Puerto Rico receive better healthcare than their counterpart in the US Virgin Islands.

The Inspector General, to some extent, found That VI Veterans in the Virgin Islands do not have:

• Inpatient care
• 24-hr emergency care
• Outpatient care

Presently, this short list of services is available in Puerto Rico. Which led the Inspector General to issue these recommendations to the VA Caribbean Health Care System resulting from the review to include?
 

• Insure documentation of English language proficiency in direct care providers.
• Insure that primary care appointments at the community clinics in the territory are available within the prescribed     time frames.
• Implement a way to monitor patient satisfaction at the outpatient clinics in the territory.
• Review the patient advocate program for opportunities to facilitate complaint reporting by VI veterans.
• Allow veterans in the territory to submit mileage claims retroactively for eligible visits between Jan. 9, 2009, and Sept. 30, 2010.
• Develop an appropriate oversight mechanism to review and monitor mileage reimbursement claims.
• Determining the feasibility of sending someone to do compensation and pension medical examinations to the territory.
 

The VA Caribbean System has agreed to this and is making changes now. Delegate to congress, Donna Christensen brought this to light, and prompted the review. The veteran community is pleased, and delighted that their pleas for help were answered. About Face will keep our noses to the ground and report on any other new developments.