Research - Rehabilitation - Re-Employment

Sgt. Shaft 02/24/2003

Dear Sgt. Shaft
In a recent issue of the DAV magazine I saw an article which reported that veterans with service connected injuries would be given priority over other veterans with regard to appointments with DVA doctors etc. 

If so, this is a well kept secret at the hospital. No one I've spoken to has heard of the new policy. What do you know about it? 

Walter D

Dear Walter, 
Here is the true scoop from the horse’s mouth.

The Department of Veterans Affairs is establishing priority access to health care for severely disabled veterans under new regulations recently announced.

"It is unacceptable to keep veterans with service-connected medical problems waiting for care,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony J. Principi. “These veterans are the very reason we exist, and everything we do should focus first on their needs."

The new regulation is being implemented in two phases. Under the first phase, which is being implemented immediately, VA will provide priority access to health care for veterans with service-connected disabilities rated 50 percent or greater. This new priority includes hospitalization and outpatient care for both service-connected and non-service-connected treatment. VA will continue to treat immediately any veteran needing emergency care.

In the second phase, which will be implemented next year, VA will provide priority access to other service-connected veterans for their service-connected conditions.

The number of veterans using VA's health care system has risen dramatically in recent years, increasing from 2.9 million in 1995 to a projected 4.4 million in 2002. An additional 600,000 veterans are projected to enroll in VA health care in 2003. Unable to absorb this increase, VA has more than 280,000 veterans on waiting lists to receive medical care.

Although VA operates more than 1,300 sites of care, including 163 hospitals and more than 800 outpatient clinics, the increase in veterans seeking care outstrips VA's capacity to treat them. Suggest you and your fellow vets take this to your VA Medical facility and tell them Shaft sent you.

SHAFT KUDOS
The Sarge applauds VA Secretary Anthony Principi for his initiative which allows eligible veterans to use their Medicare benefits for VA care.

Work is underway with the Department of Health and Human Services to determine how to give Priority Group 8 veterans aged 65 or older who cannot enroll in VA's health care system access to the "VA+Choice Medicare" plan. The plan calls for VA to participate as a Medicare+Choice provider. Eligible veterans would be able to use their Medicare benefits to obtain care from VA.

In return, VA would receive payments from a private health plan contracting with Medicare that would cover costs. The "VA+Choice Medicare" plan would become effective later this year as details are finalized between VA and the Department of Health and Human Services.

"HHS is happy to join the Department of Veterans Affairs in developing this new option for veterans who might otherwise be unable to obtain health care through the VA," said HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson. "This is a creative marriage of our federal health programs to serve our veterans efficiently and effectively."

Hats off to Senators Clinton and Hutchinson for recently reintroducing legislation to benefit spouses of our nation's fallen soldiers.

Their legislation would allow widowed spouses who choose to remarry after the age of 55 to continue receiving benefits.

"Our current policy is fundamentally unfair," said Clinton. "It asks these women, who were married to men who have given their lives for our country to make an unfair choice. Many of these women live on fixed incomes and would be forced to sacrifice their benefits if they remarried."

Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) is the financial benefit relied upon by spouses of military personnel who died on active duty or of a service-related cause. Under current federal law, those who choose to remarry lose all DIC benefits. Every other federal annuity program, such as the Survivor Benefit Program (SBP), allows widows who receive compensation to remarry after the age of 55 and retain their benefits. This legislation reverses this inequity.

"While this legislation did not pass during the last session, Senator Hutchinson and I will redouble our efforts to get it passed this session," said Clinton. "And I am hopeful that our colleagues realize the unfairness of the current law and will join us in addressing these inequities so that Gold Star Wives can continue to receive the benefits they deserve."

And I am sure Senator, you will also want to include Gold star husbands.

Dear Sgt. Shaft
On April 1, 2002 I received an e-mail from Ms. Jan Funston of the Peace Corp Stationed in Guatemala. She was very distressed over the condition of 17-year-old Andrea, who was suffering from Leukemia and desperately needed immediate attention. I contacted the Airline Ambassadors whose motto is "helping Children in need at Home & Abroad" and put her in contact with Jan Funston. Over the next several months it was determined that Andrea would have to receive a bone marrow transplant and that the best place for this was the National Institute of Health's cancer hospital in Bethesda Maryland.  Andrea's sister was tested and found to be the best possible donor of the bone marrow. Jan again went that extra mile and made all necessary arrangements for this medical procedure.

The final problem was the cost of transportation from Guatemala to Washington D.C. This is where the American Legion, Guatemala Post # 2 came into play. We were able to provide the funds for the two sisters and the mother to travel to Bethesda where to this day Andrea is receiving the care that hopefully will bring about a full recovery.

William J. Shetz (Bill), Commander
The American Legion
Guatemala Post # 2
Antigua Guatemala

Dear Commander, All I can say is WOW

Send letters to Sgt. Shaft, c/o John Fales, P.O. Box 65900, Washington, D.C. 20035-5900; fax to 301-622-3330; call 202-462-4430 or email sgtshaft@bavf.org.

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