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The key to VetsFirst’s national success in helping veterans obtain VA benefits is the dedication of its staff and personal approach to each issue.
By Tom Scott
When you talk with Keith Reimers, regional service director for United Spinal Association’s VetsFirst (www.vetsfirst.org) program, one thing becomes acutely clear, he takes a great deal of pride in helping veterans receive the benefits and assistance they deserve.
 Keith, a veteran of the United States Air Force and former staff sergeant in the Persian Gulf War, has been on board with United Spinal for over 17 years and is the driving force behind expanding the VetsFirst program on a national level; its mission: to directly serve the veterans and the military community by assisting and representing veterans and their family members in claims for benefits and services before the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, other Federal and state agencies, and providing legal representation before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.
“I can get up to 15 inquiries a day from concerned veterans and their family members either by phone or through our ‘Ask VetsFirst’ (http://helpdesk.vetsfirst.org) program, which is a new Web-based service that gives veterans an opportunity to get assistance with benefits-related inquiries faster and more efficiently.
Each inquiry can take weeks to months to resolve, especially when it involves ongoing VA claims. Providing an online service greatly diminishes the time required and allows us to assist a greater number of veterans,” said Reimers, a native of North Tonawanda, New York who has been awarded numerous decorations during his military career, including the Southwest Asia Campaign Medal with two bronze stars.
According to Reimers, many inquiries involve basic information such as how to file claims or how to approach VA compensation exams. However, some questions he admits can get very complex, as the VA claims process is often confusing and frustrating.
“We try to offer more than the usual generic, short responses to questions. I don’t like to work that way. When a vet or their family member contacts me with an issue, it’s important to make them feel comfortable, put them at ease, and let them tell their story. Although it may take longer, a personal approach always works better,” Reimers said.
In addition to providing individual support and counseling services, VetsFirst offers timely news and information across the spectrum of issues presently impacting veterans. Although there are a multitude of resources just a click away through the VetsFirst Web site’s Knowledge Books — including guides on self-help, state benefits, separating from the military; and exclusive information on military health care, and VA funding and compensation –there is always an expert available to answer the tough questions.
“That’s primarily where the Ask VetsFirst portion of our Web site comes into play,” Reimers added, explaining that this is one of the key features that make the program so different from those offered by other service organizations and an invaluable tool.
Ask VetsFirst allows visitors to submit questions on any aspect of veterans’ benefits using an online submission form. A VetsFirst trained national service officer or para-legal will then respond with information and resources to help resolve the inquiry.
“The program has really started to take off. We are always adding exclusive content to the Web site, to increase the knowledge-base available to veterans. And we are making incredible progress on a national level. There are many veterans that are truly appreciative of what we are doing. And that makes the job extremely satisfying,” Reimers said.
When he is not filing claims or answering inquiries at United Spinal’s field office at the Naples Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center in Naples, Florida, Keith is visiting VA and private sector hospitals, meeting with returning servicemen and women, and attending hearings on veterans issues.
Keith has been responsible for many success stories involving our Nation’s veterans over the years, including Dustin Jones, a young quadriplegic with a traumatic brain injury whose health was deteriorating while being hospitalized at the spinal cord injury unit at the Augusta VA Medical Center. Dustin’s parents, Rick and Mary Jones sought assistance from VetsFirst hoping it could help his situation. They described how Keith went above and beyond their expectations to ensure their son received quality care.
“Keith was instrumental in getting us [initially] from the University of New Mexico hospital to the Augusta VA and then, when the care was not at all optimal for spinal cord injury, guided us in getting our son to the Tampa VA where he should have been in the first place. He had the representative in the Tampa area check on the status of getting my son a bed and continued to monitor the progress of the move. When we did finally arrive, the representative was there to make sure we had what we needed and that all was OK. We felt safe, cared for, and secure knowing they were there for any questions or needs we had. They always shared what the VA was supposed to offer and made sure they did,” said Mary Jones.
Jones believes that if it wasn’t for Keith’s intervention into her son’s treatment and rehabilitation, his outcome may have been a lot worse.
“Dustin left Augusta with a 10-inch bedsore all the way to the bone. They had no knowledge of vent rehab/weaning and the nurses/therapists seemed to be afraid to move him… which left him with a right arm contracture. As a result he has had a cast for the past 3 months trying to get it straight again so he can begin rehab…Dustin’s doctor, although nice was, an 83 year-old pediatrician,” she added.
“After getting to Tampa we realized there is a whole subspecialty in medicine for SCI. Knowing that and looking back at some of the treatments/surgery he received, we realized they had no idea of what they were dealing with. Keith told us that it may take a long time, but he felt that we should be reimbursed for the $9,500 flight from Augusta to Tampa. We appreciate all that he has done as well as the others we met in Tampa. If I had known that Tampa VA had one of the best facilities for Spinal Cord Injury care, I would never have wanted them to move Dustin to Augusta…He lost valuable recovery time. At first he was bitter about it, but I assured him that because of this [situation] and Keith, many others in the future would hopefully get better care. He has seemed to let the past go and looks forward to moving forward,” Jones said.
Joy Starke, a resident of the Bronx, New York and veteran of the U.S. Army who served from 1996-1999, was introduced to VetsFirst through a VA workshop at Lehman College. At the time, Starke was dealing with numerous medical complications that had persisted after her discharge from active duty. She had undergone 7 different foot procedures, including reconstructive surgery, as well as treatment for a cyst. Starke was receiving 10 percent disability compensation from the VA and had petitioned for an increase, but was denied.
“I had basically given up hope after being denied by the VA. I emailed VetsFirst to see if they could do something and I got a response from Keith in less than 2 hours. He dove right in to my case and referred me to a representative at the Manhattan field office,” she said. “VetsFirst is now petitioning on my behalf for an increase in disability compensation.”
Starke explains, “The VA is supposed to help veterans in need of treatment and care, but this may not always be the case, that’s why it is important to get assistance from a third party. We all need a voice to fight for us. If I knew about VetsFirst when I initially petitioned the VA I may have already received compensation. The staff has been extremely thorough and is always following up and offering information on the claims process.”
Currently, Keith and Len Selfon, senior vice president of VetsFirst, are in the process of recruiting and training more national service officers to assist in further expanding the program, so that their program can help other veterans struggling to receive VA compensation and benefits.
For more information on the VetsFirst program, please visit www.vetsfirst.org. Veterans who need counseling about VA claims and benefits, please submit a request to Ask VetsFirst at: http://helpdesk.vetsfirst.org/
In a letter to House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Bob Filner, VetsFirst urged Congress to pass the Compensation Owed for Mental Health Based on Activities in Theater Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Act of 2009 (the COMBAT PTSD Act, H.R. 952). The proposed legislation would expand the VA’s definition of “engaged in combat with the enemy” and make it easier for veterans who have a diagnosis of PTSD and who served in a theater of combat operations to receive VA compensation and health care, even if there is no official military documentation to prove that they were actually involved in a combat situation.
Currently, the law and VA regulations require veterans whose military records do not reflect combat service, and who assert that their diagnosed PTSD is related to a combat experience, provide documentary proof that the alleged experience actually occurred (e.g., official military records or a statement from someone who shared the experience with the veteran). This kind of proof is often very difficult or impossible to obtain.
The COMBAT PTSD Act would change the law to include service in a combat theater of operations to trigger the VA’s obligation to accept the veteran’s assertion of the incident(s) that resulted in the onset or aggravation of any disease or injury (including PTSD) as proof of service connection, provided that the asserted stressor is consistent with the “circumstances, conditions, or hardships of such service”. Veterans without documented combat service would no longer have to provide proof of their combat-related experience if they served in a combat zone.
VetsFirst strongly supports the COMBAT PTSD Act, but we believe that the bill, as written, will not eliminate the barriers to VA benefits and health care that still exist for these veterans. Even with the expansion of the definition of “engaged in combat with the enemy”, veterans without documented combat service who served in a combat zone will still have to provide medical evidence that their PTSD is related to their military service. Given the delay that may occur between the occurrence of a stressor event and the onset of PTSD, as well as the subjective nature of the individual’s response to a stressor event, it is often very difficult to obtain this kind of evidence as well, since it must be provided by a health care professional usually years after the event.
Consequently, VetsFirst urged Congress to establish a legal presumption of service connection for PTSD where a veteran has a current diagnosis of PTSD and served in a theater of combat operations. Since the VA would be required to accept the veteran’s assertion of a combat experience, and a diagnosis of PTSD includes a medical finding that the stressor event triggered PTSD, it is logical for the VA to conclude that the combat experience is related to the veteran’s PTSD. A presumption of service connection would allow the VA to do that by eliminating the need for medical evidence of a connection between the veteran’s military service and his or her PTSD. Such a presumption could only be rebutted by clear and convincing evidence to the contrary (e.g., the VA provides credible evidence that the claimed combat-related event did not occur or medical evidence that the veteran’s PTSD was caused by an independent post-service stressor event).
A presumption of service connection for PTSD in these situations would save the veteran and the VA the time, effort and expense of trying to uncover proof that the veteran experienced a combat-related event and medical evidence that such an event caused the veteran’s PTSD. With the large number of veterans returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with diagnoses or symptoms of PTSD, the COMBAT PTSD Act and a presumption of service connection will allow these veterans to receive VA disability benefits and health care much more quickly than they would otherwise.
Continue reading VETSFIRST TELLS CONGRESS TO PASS THE COMBAT PTSD ACT
The recent law that established enhanced VA education benefits under the new Post-9/11 GI Bill program gave the VA until August 1, 2009, to begin processing claims applications. The new education program provides the most sweeping changes to VA education benefits in decades. VetsFirst and other veterans’ advocates were, and still are, concerned that the VA might not be ready to start processing claims within less than a year from the time that the Post-9/11 GI Bill was signed into law.
Nevertheless, with a new contractor on board to design and implement an electronically based claims processing system, the VA has announced that it will begin accepting claims for Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits beginning May 1, 2009. The new application process will be fully electronic over a secure Internet connection that can be accessed through VA’s education benefits website (http://www.gibill.va.gov/).
Early enrollments in the new GI Bill program will allow the VA to work out bugs in a process that is expected to have more than 450,000 applicants for higher education benefits in the first year of the program. Complex benefit payment calculations include such factors as the length of active military service since September 11, 2001, the number of credits to be earned , the location of the institution of higher learning and, in the case of private institutions, whether the college or university is taking part in a tuition-reduction program.
Highlights of the Post-9/11 GI Bill program include the payment of full tuition and fees for attending public colleges and universities at a rate equal to the most expensive in-state undergraduate tuition at a public institution of higher learning in the state where the veteran is attending school, a monthly living and housing expense stipend and a book allowance. In addition, service members and veterans will be able to transfer their eligibility for education benefits to certain family members. Being pre-certified as eligible for the new education benefits program will make it easier to complete the enrollment process later this summer when the program is fully launched.
While applications will be accepted soon, there is still some reason for worry that the VA will still not be ready to go on August 1, 2009. The Department of Defense has yet to announce how service members will qualify for transferring unused benefits to a spouse or a child. The VA has indicated that even though there remain unknowns in the final application process, potential enrollees will be encouraged to apply early and that full details are still to come.
Stay tuned to the VetsFirst website for further developments in the Post-9/11 GI Bill program. Our complete guide to VA education benefits will be available shortly.
It’s enough to make one wonder whatever happened to that basic principle of medical practice “at the very least - do no harm”. The VA recently announced that more than 10,000 veterans in the southeastern United States have potentially been exposed to serious illness as the result of cross-contaminated medical equipment.
The equipment was used during endoscopic procedures, including colonoscopies, at three VA medical centers: Murfreesboro, TN, between April 2003 and to December 2008, Augusta, GA. between January and November 2008, and Miami, FL. between May 2004 and March 2009. The equipment was improperly sterilized after use.
So far, the VA has sent letters to 10,555 veterans who are at risk for infection as the result of these procedures. The letters advise them of the danger and invite veterans to undergo additional testing to determine if they have, in fact, been infected.
More than 3,000 veterans have been tested to date and the results are rather alarming. Twenty-two veterans have tested positive for Hepatitis B (5), Hepatitis C (11) and the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) (6).
The results do not necessarily prove that these infections were actually caused by diagnostic testing at the affected VA facilities, but they do raise the disturbing possibility. In response, the VA, in addition to notifying potentially exposed veterans about the danger, is offering testing, treatment and counseling services. The VA is following up on notification letters that have been returned as undeliverable, as well as reaching out to homeless veterans with no known address.
Although VA officials have described the situation as “unacceptable” and are “extremely concerned about this matter”, the fact remains that in two VA medical centers, veterans were potentially exposed to contaminated invasive equipment for as long as five years! This is not merely unacceptable, it is unconscionable.
VA Secretary Eric Shinseki and newly-confirmed Deputy Secretary Scott Gould need to get on top of this issue immediately to safeguard veterans’ health. Otherwise, their credibility and promises of VA health care reform will be seriously compromised. This is what VetsFirst means by demanding meaningful accountability on the part of the VA. It is not about pointing fingers, but fixing problems – quickly and permanently.
If you are, or know of, a veteran that may have been potentially exposed to contaminated VA medical equipment, please call 1-877-575-7256 for additional information.
Paul J. Tobin
President, VetsFirst
On March 18, 2009 I had the opportunity to meet with a group of young veterans at Lehman College, City University New York. These young people are coming together to form a veteran’s community and this was one of their initial meetings.
I was invited to present an overview of veterans’ benefits for young veterans who have not yet taken advantage of VA health care, compensation, or education benefits. This was an exciting opportunity for me since I have long realized the benefit to vets of knowing their VA rights prior to needing them. I have firsthand witnessed the frustrations and the hardships that veterans suffer when they attempt to first understand and negotiate the benefits maze at a time when their need is immediate and greatest. This presentation was an opportunity to arm these young vets with benefits knowledge that would serve them now and in the future.
By far the most interesting topic among these veterans was how they can maximize the use of education benefits through the post-911 G.I. Bill. The post 911 G.I. Bill is by far the most generous benefit offered to veterans since the original GI Bill following World War II.
The Bill provides up to the maximum in state tuition at a state university, along with a stipend and a housing allowance. It would seem that this benefit would trump all other educational benefits offered; however, by using certain state veteran programs, this benefit may enable certain veterans to avail themselves of both a college education as well as graduate and post-graduate education.
In all, it was a great experience spending time and talking with these new veterans. It reminded me of how varied are the needs of our veterans and how diverse our veteran population is.
To learn how you can maximize your education benefits under the post-911 G.I. Bill, contact one of our VetsFirst service officers, so you can learn to coordinate your state and federal education benefits to your maximum advantage.
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VetsFirst has identified serious shortcomings regarding inadequate coverage currently available under the VA’s Veterans Mortgage Life Insurance (VMLI) program.
Since the maximum amount of VMLI coverage falls well below the national average home sales price, veterans’ and service members’ families are at risk of losing their homes when an insured veteran or service member dies.
However, Congress can fix this problem with legislation. Accordingly, VetsFirst has appealed directly to Congressional leadership to require the VA to annually adjust the maximum amount of VMLI coverage according to the median national average home sales price.
In letters addressed to The Honorable Daniel K. Akaka, Chairman, U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs, The Honorable Richard Burr, Ranking Member, U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs, The Honorable Bob Filner, Chairman, U.S. House Committee on Veterans Affairs, and The Honorable Steven Buyer, Ranking Member, U.S. House Committee on Veterans Affairs, VetsFirst stated:
As a national veterans service organization, United Spinal Association and its veterans service program, VetsFirst, are deeply concerned about inadequate coverage currently available under the VA’s Veterans Mortgage Life Insurance (VMLI) program.
As you are aware, the VMLI program provides mortgage life insurance coverage to severely disabled veterans and active duty service members. This program is designed to pay off home mortgages of such veterans and service members in the event of their death. VMLI is, in essence, a guarantee that the insured’s family members will not become homeless if they cannot afford their mortgage payments following the insured veteran’s or service member’s demise.
VMLI is decreasing term insurance that reduces as the mortgage balance is reduced through regular mortgage payments. Coverage is available for a new mortgage, an existing mortgage, a refinanced mortgage or a second mortgage. Eligibility for VMLI is limited to those who have received a VA Specially-Adapted Housing (SAH) grant, and service members and veterans who have sustained severe burn injuries. The amount of coverage is equal to the amount of the outstanding mortgage balance still owed by the veteran or service member at the time of his or her death, or $90,000, whichever is the lesser amount.
The maximum amount of VMLI coverage has not been adjusted in approximately 16 years. In 1992, that amount more than doubled, from $40,000 to $90,000. We believe that given the current state of the economy, the job market, the mortgage/foreclosure crisis and the rising number of veterans and service members who will apply for home mortgages in the near future, the time has come to increase the maximum amount of VMLI coverage to more realistically protect veterans, service members and their families.
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) has published its 2008 median sales price report for existing single-family home sales (which can be found at http://www.realtor.org/ (PDF). According to the NAR, in 2008, the national median sales price for a single-family home was $197,100, which varied geographically from $150,500 in the mid-west to $271,500 in the northeast. Clearly, the current $90,000 maximum VMLI coverage amount is woefully inadequate to keep insured veterans’ and service members’ families off the streets if they pass on with unpaid mortgage balances.
We therefore propose that the VA should be required to annually adjust the maximum amount of VMLI coverage according to the median national sales price for single-family homes as established by a recognized housing authority, such as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development or the NAR. While we are cognizant of regional variances in median sales prices and would welcome geographic adjustments to the VMLI maximum coverage amount, we are aware of the administrative burden that these adjustments would place on the VA. Consequently, we strongly urge Congress to pass legislation that would, at minimum, set the VMLI coverage limit according to the national average sales price for a single-family home.
We thank you both for your outstanding leadership on behalf of our nation’s veterans. United Spinal Association and VetsFirst stands ready to assist the Committee and Congress in any way in furtherance of our shared mission.
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| Sincerely, |
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| Paul J. Tobin President and CEO |
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| Vets First 2009 public policy priorities for veterans with disabilities include: |
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Our top priority is radical reform of the appropriations process for the VA health care system. The VA must receive sufficient funding for veterans health care every year without fail. The funding process must be predictable and timely or the VA will not be able to serve the needs of veterans of all eras for health care. United Spinal Association favors an advance appropriations process that would assure funding for VA healthcare up to one year in advance of the operating year. That way, VA administrators will be more efficiently able to manage, plan, and operate the VA health care system, enhance its ability to recruit and retain staff, contract for services, procure facilities, equipment and supplies, and otherwise plan for future patient demands. Advance appropriations is an alternative to transforming VA health care appropriations from discretionary funding to mandatory funding, and would help to avoid the need for supplemental budgeting. |
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Department of Defense (DOD) and the VA must take immediate action to meet the needs of OEF/OIF veterans and their families, without sacrificing services provided to older generations of veterans. Particular attention must be paid to returning service members who suffer from post-combat deployment readjustment challenges, PTSD and impairments due to TBI. |
| The DOD and the VA must invest in research concerning post-deployment mental health challenges and TBI to close information gaps, develop best practices for screening and treatment and to plan more effectively. |
| The VA and the DOD must work more effectively to establish a seamless transition and early intervention services. The DOD and VA must continue to develop electronic medical records systems that are compatible and bi-directional, allowing for a two-way electronic exchange of health information and occupational and environmental exposure data. |
| Congress should require that the DOD and the VA establish the Joint Interagency Program Office with a permanent staff and clear lines of responsibility. |
| The DOD and the VA must develop a clear plan of rehabilitation for severely injured service members and veterans that is adequately funded by Congress. |
| The DOD and the VA must implement a single comprehensive medical examination to be conducted during the military separation process that will serve the needs of both agencies (as required by the FY 2008 National Defense Authorization Act). |
| Congress and the Administration must provide adequate funding to support the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) and Disabled Transition Assistance Program (DTAP) to ensure that active duty and National Guard and Reserve service members do not fall through the cracks while transitioning from military to civilian life. |
| The DOD and the VA must increase the number of health care providers who are trained and certified to deliver care for these veterans. |
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Congress should ensure that the VA maintains its critical medical facilities infrastructure. It appears that the VA has been attempting to back off from the capital infrastructure blueprint laid out by the Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services (CARES) process concerning renovation and new construction. Further, the VA is planning to begin widespread leasing of inpatient services through the “Health Care Center Facilities” program which may not serve the best interests of veterans.
As the result of CARES project budget shortfalls, the VA is enacting the Health Care Center Facilities (HCCF) program which would replace facility construction with leasing facilities. Although leasing space can be accomplished more quickly than constructing new facilities, the HCCF leasing model deprives the VA of essential inpatient capacity. The leased VA facilities would provide extensive outpatient services, yet inpatient services would be provided by local contracts through agreements with an affiliate or a community hospital, which essentially privatizes many services that the should continue to provide on its own. If the leased facilities change ownership or the affiliated facilities close or downsize services, critical care to VA patients could be lost and additional expenses incurred (e.g., transporting patients to other VA facilities, VA paying for services from other private providers).
Congress should examine VA’s new HCCF plan to determine whether VA has the legal authority to proceed without specific Congressional authorization. In the interim, the VA should not be allowed to adopt a wide-scale leasing program that replaces critical inpatient capacity with contract or fee-basis care. Congress must exercise its oversight authority to ensure that VA is caring for veterans in the best possible way.
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Overhaul of the VA Claims Process Required. Congress must focus on the claims process from beginning to end. The goal must be to reduce delays caused by superfluous procedures, poor training, and lack of accountability. Even though the VA has hired record numbers of new claims adjudicators, it is unable to keep pace with the flood of new disability claims, the complexity of such claims, and the time required for new employees to come up to speed. VA has achieved few noticeable improvements. The claims’ process is unduly burdensome, extremely complex, and often misunderstood by veterans and many VA employees. Enormous backlogs and delays abound and veterans whose access to VA health care depends on being awarded service-connected disability benefits are denied critical health care as a result. The subjectivity of the claims process results in large variances in decision making, unnecessary appeals and claims overdevelopment. Congress and the Administration should seek to simplify and provide structure to the VA claims process.
The US CAVC and the CAFC have run wild with statutory procedural and substantive due process requirements such as VA notice to claimants, the need for and evidentiary considerations relating to medical opinions. For example, Congress should amend 38 USC § 5103A(d)(1) to provide that when a claimant submits private medical evidence, including a private medical opinion, that is competent, credible, probative, and otherwise adequate for rating purposes, the VA shall not request such evidence from a VA physician. That claim is ready to rate.
Congress should also 38 US Code § 5125, which eliminated the former 38 CFR § 3.157(b)(2) requirement that a private physician’s examination report be verified by a VA examination report before the VA could award benefits. Congress enacted § 5125 with discretionary language which permits, but does not require, the VA to accept private medical opinions. Accordingly, Congress should amend § 5125 by requiring the VA to accept a private examination report if that report is provided by a competent health-care professional, probative to the issue being decided, credible and adequate for purposes adjudicating the claim.
The VA must invest more in training adjudicators and hold them meaningfully accountable for higher standards of accuracy. Congress should require the VA to implement comprehensive competency testing for adjudicators and their supervisors designed to hold both new trainees and long-time staff accountable. The VA must additionally refocus its adjudication goals from a production-based/quantity perspective to one based on the quality of decisions. Accordingly, Congress should require the VA to report on how it will establish a quality assurance and accountability program. Such a report should be developed in consultation with the veterans service organizations. |
| The VA should continue its efforts to transition into a paperless, IT-driven process that promotes accuracy and uniformity in decision making. |
| Congress should require the VA and the Department of Labor (DOL) to work on the issues of veterans employment, training and business opportunities in a more coordinated manner. These programs must be adequately funded. |
| Congress must adequately fund the VA’s homeless veterans programs. |
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Improving Veterans Health through Information and Advocacy
(Washington, D.C., February 25) – United Spinal Association and its veterans services program, VetsFirst, in partnership with Vietnam Veterans of America introduced the Veterans Health Council at a press conference today at the National Press Club.
The Veterans Health Council hopes to improve veterans’ health by creating an ongoing educational forum for health care professionals, advocacy organizations, educational institutions, employee representatives, businesses, state and local governments and veterans themselves.
Approximately 80 percent of veterans do not use the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) medical facilities for their health care. Many of these veterans are simply unaware that they may have health problems related to their military service that would entitle them to VA health care, as well as disability compensation and other VA benefits.
United Spinal Association President and CEO Paul J. Tobin said, “There has been a desperate need for the Veterans Health Council for a long time. Veterans must be informed about health risks related to their military service and the VA health care that is available to them.”
Tobin added, “We need to educate healthcare communities about the multiple health issues associated with military service, so that they can better identify, diagnose and treat at-risk veterans. We must also develop educational materials for medical schools, nursing schools, teaching hospitals and related entities along the same lines. Besides its educational functions, the Council will also advocate on behalf of healthcare initiatives for veterans.”
The Veterans Health Council is the first comprehensive collaboration between veteran’s service organizations, private sector businesses and nonprofits dedicated specifically to the welfare of veterans and their families.
The Veterans Health Council website provides information on health conditions associated with military service, links to healthcare websites related to specific diseases and general information about the VA claims process.
Veterans and other claimants for VA benefits can contact VetsFirst with questions about VA benefits, health care and to request representation from our accredited veterans service representatives by accessing the “Ask VetsFirst” service.
About United Spinal Association
United Spinal is a national 501(c)(3) non-profit membership organization formed in 1946 by paralyzed veterans and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for all Americans with spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis, spina bifida, ALS and post polio. We have played a significant role in writing the Americans with Disabilities Act, and other important legislation. For over 60 years we have provided vital and life enhancing services and assistance to disabled veterans and their families. Membership is free and is open to all individuals with spinal cord disorders.
VetsFirst, a program of United Spinal Association, is the embodiment of United Spinal’s veterans service program.
For more information contact:
Len Selfon
Senior Vice President
United Spinal Association VetsFirst
301-495-4460, Lselfon@unitedspinal.org
Under the new economic stimulus legislation that President Obama recently signed into law, certain disabled veterans will receive a government check for $250. VetsFirst, along with other members of the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities’ Veterans Task Force, appealed directly to congressional leaders to include a provision in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) that would provide economic relief to disabled veterans.
VetsFirst believes that because the draft ARRA provisions included a similar payment to disabled recipients of Social Security benefits, it would be unfair to exclude disabled veterans who receive VA disability benefits from the economic boosts under the same law. Congress and the President agreed and now veterans can rightfully participate in advancing the U.S. economy.
Under the Act, veterans who receive VA service-connected disability compensation or nonservice-connected VA pension will also receive a $250 economic stimulus check. This payment will be tax-exempt and will not be considered as countable income for purposes of qualifying for VA and other federal benefits. Checks are expected to be issued beginning in June 2009.
VetsFirst will steadfastly continue its mission to advocate for interests of disabled veterans and their families.
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| (AP photo by M. Spencer Green) |
In an effort to quickly staff the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) top leadership positions, President Obama has nominated former Iraq war veteran Tammy Duckworth to serve as the VA’s assistant secretary for public and intergovernmental affairs.
If confirmed by the Senate following a hearing later this month, Duckworth would be the VA’s chief spokesperson and would be responsible for the VA’s internal and external communications, interaction with other government agencies and congress, the VA’s homeless veterans programs and consumer affairs.
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| VetsFirst believes that as a disabled veteran, Duckworth knows first hand what service members go through after suffering life altering injuries and attempting to make the transition from military service to civilian life. This unique perspective makes her an ideal choice for VA’s chief public affairs officer, whose principle duties include reaching out to veterans to educate them about the VA’s healthcare and benefits services, She knows the problems, obstacles and issues affecting disabled veterans and can leverage that knowledge to craft real solutions to problems that have been plaguing the VA for decades. |
| During Operation Iraqi Freedom, Duckworth was piloting a helicopter that was shot down by a rocket-propelled grenade. She lost both legs and the partial use of one arm following the crash. In 2006, recently-deposed Illinois governor Rod Blagojevuch appointed Duckworth as the Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs, where she has vigorously worked on improving the lives of Illinois veterans – with demonstrable results. She recently was under serious consideration to be appointed to President Obama’s former Senate seat and, later, for the Cabinet position of Secretary of Veterans Affairs. |
| Duckworth’s nomination sends a signal that the Obama administration is serious about transforming the VA from a bloated bureaucracy into a 21st century service organization, As the second largest agency in the U.S. government, the VA is far behind the information technology curve when it comes to patient information and medical records, benefits claims processing and data security. Duckworth’s commitment, abilities and her experience at the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs compliments newly installed VA Secretary General Eric K. Shinseki’s plans to modernize and streamline the way that the VA assists veterans. Both Duckworth and Shinseki have publically asserted that the VA cannot continue to operate the way that is has done in the past. |
| Newly disabled veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have placed huge demands on the VA’s already bursting patient and benefits caseloads. Long delays in getting medical appointments and benefits claims decisions threaten veterans’ health and economic survival. |
| Both Shinseki and Duckworth have demonstrated the integrity and forward thinking during their careers that the VA will need if it is going to evolve into an agency that can effectively and efficiently fulfill its mission to care for veterans and their families. As an outstanding veterans’ advocate, VetsFirst enthusiastically supports Duckworth’s nomination and stands ready to assist the new VA leadership team in our joint mission. |
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