tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62515656818893664892024-03-05T05:59:08.815-08:00The Big News in Military DisabilityThe Big News in Military DisabilityMilitary Disability Made Easyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10320151544107767655noreply@blogger.comBlogger168125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251565681889366489.post-26856528716820399472022-08-18T00:56:00.004-07:002022-08-18T01:00:49.928-07:0024 New Conditions Added for Burn Pit Exposure (plus other PACT Act changes)<p><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuu63eHm0qI_pTw6bXoBVYrhvJGTOyIGVfg3PVtIQGo1aM-QAM1WIoCpBgNb0Br0nF8_8TPK7aou3m6dimgNPhodD1oKsyzTzNWZzAJBGZs4obeKgM6GZwORqact4E-326YrxjXTR8Di2IXGO5C46ZOKjWsZ9owcsO6CxeYrzxVXxgE-86Jq0TUVP_/s576/pact%20act%20changes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="576" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuu63eHm0qI_pTw6bXoBVYrhvJGTOyIGVfg3PVtIQGo1aM-QAM1WIoCpBgNb0Br0nF8_8TPK7aou3m6dimgNPhodD1oKsyzTzNWZzAJBGZs4obeKgM6GZwORqact4E-326YrxjXTR8Di2IXGO5C46ZOKjWsZ9owcsO6CxeYrzxVXxgE-86Jq0TUVP_/s320/pact%20act%20changes.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Last week, the Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2021 (known as “Honoring our PACT Act of 2021”) was signed into law by the President.<span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-GB">The purpose of the PACT Act is “to improve health care and benefits for veterans exposed to toxic substances, and for other purposes.” </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-GB">We discussed all of the changes the PACT Act will now instigate in a <a href="https://blog.militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/2022/06/the-promise-to-address-comprehensive.html" target="_blank">previous article</a> (including changes to health care eligibility, various research efforts looking into the effects of toxic exposure, improved training for VA employees dealing with any aspect of a toxic exposure claim, etc.), but the most ground-breaking changes have occurred in the VA Presumptive Lists. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-GB"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><b>Changes to the Agent Orange Presumptive List<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">For <a href="https://militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/vapresumptivelist.html#herbicide" target="_blank">Agent Orange Exposure</a>, more veterans are now able to claim conditions based on additional service locations and periods. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">All veterans who served in the following locations during the periods indicated are now eligible to claim Agent Orange exposure:<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Thailand on a US or Royal Thai base (between January 9, 1962 and June 30, 1976)<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Laos (between December 1, 1965 and September 30, 1969)<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Cambodia at Mimot or Krek (between April 16, 1969 and April 30, 1969)<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Johnston Atoll (between January 1, 1972 and September 30, 1977)<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Guam or American Samoa (between January 9, 1962 and July 31, 1980) <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">The end date for service in Vietnam has also be extended to May 7, 1975. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">Finally, two conditions have been added to the Agent Orange List: hypertension and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><b>Changes to the Radiation Exposure Presumptive List<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">For <a href="https://militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/vapresumptivelist.html#radiation" target="_blank">Radiation Exposure</a>, the list has been expanded to include veterans who participated in cleanup activities or nuclear responses in the following locations during the periods indicated:<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 38.85pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Palomares, Spain (between January 17, 1966 and March 31, 1967)<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 38.85pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Thule, Greenland (between January 21, 1968 and September 25, 1968)<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 38.85pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Enewetak Atoll (between January 1, 1977 and December 31, 1980) <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><b>Changes to the Burn Pit Presumptive List<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">By far, the most changes have been made to the <a href="https://militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/vapresumptivelist.html#burnpit" target="_blank">Burn Pit Exposure List</a>. This list has been expanded to include veterans who served in the following dates and locations:<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, or the United Arab Emirates on or after August 2, 1990<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Afghanistan, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Uzbekistan, or the Philippines on or after September 11, 2001<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">The following 24 conditions have also been added to the list: <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #4472c4;"> </span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->asthma<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->chronic bronchitis<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->chronic obstructive pulmonary disease<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->constrictive or obliterative bronchiolitis<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->emphysema<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->granulomatous disease<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->interstitial lung disease<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->pleuritis<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->pulmonary fibrosis<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->sarcoidosis<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->chronic sinusitis<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->chronic rhinitis<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->glioblastoma<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->head cancer<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->neck cancer<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->respiratory cancer<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->gastrointestinal cancer<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->reproductive cancer<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->lymphoma cancer<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->lymphomatic cancer<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->kidney cancer<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->brain cancer<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->melanoma<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->pancreatic cancer<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><b>Changes to the Persian Gulf Presumptive List<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">For <a href="https://militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/vapresumptivelist.html#gulf" target="_blank">Persian Gulf veterans</a>, veterans who served in Afghanistan, Israel, Egypt, Turkey, Syria, or Jordan have been added to the list of eligible countries in Southwest Asia. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">Also, the conditions on this list are now no longer required to manifest to a certain severity within a certain time frame. Instead, they now qualify if they manifest “to any degree at any time.” <span style="color: #4472c4;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><b>Receiving PACT Act Benefits<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">So what do you do if you now qualify for benefits under the new PACT Act? <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">If you submitted a claim before but it was denied, you can have your claim reopened by submitting <span lang="EN-GB">a <a href="https://militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/va-appeals.html#va" target="_blank">Supplemental Claim</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-GB"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-GB">If you have not yet claimed benefits now covered by the PACT Act, you can do so by submitting a <a href="https://militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/va-disability-claim.html" target="_blank">new claim</a>. </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-GB"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-GB">It is important to submit your claim as soon as possible to ensure that you receive the maximum benefits. While the VA won’t be processing PACT Act benefits until January 2023 since they have to wait for Congress to approve funding, they will make the effective date the date of the bill signing (August 10, 2022), or another effective date specified in the law, if you submit your claim promptly. </span></p><style class="WebKit-mso-list-quirks-style">
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</style>Military Disability Made Easyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10320151544107767655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251565681889366489.post-5228258725145436982022-04-25T10:24:00.002-07:002022-04-25T10:24:33.039-07:00Nine Respiratory Cancers added to the Burn Pit and Other Particulate Presumptive List<style class="WebKit-mso-list-quirks-style">
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</style><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">Starting tomorrow, April 26<sup>th</sup>, 2022 the VA will grant <a href="https://militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/vapresumptivelist.html#burnpit" target="_blank">presumptive service-connection</a> for nine respiratory cancers to veterans who served in Southwest Asia on or after August 2, 1990 or in Afghanistan, Syria, Uzbekistan, or Djibouti on or after September 19<sup>th</sup>, 2001.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtw9rRoMc_o9aWNDwVSGSEZWtSUFymAQ7bKmsHTFWk09IA2eplikNBg-fYIfqaPDmC9dAKjItMkAvY1DQL0En03IxYzC1-WCvz6uTOHRmagJuLH1Q6ERrDBAivYSCMGm_KU2Xq_czq-ABdFz7xBECsqiNDxKZYu1Y-Rn-9aP-48kF9r4z4ZlmJfV5X/s361/burn%20pit%20respiratory%20conditions.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="361" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtw9rRoMc_o9aWNDwVSGSEZWtSUFymAQ7bKmsHTFWk09IA2eplikNBg-fYIfqaPDmC9dAKjItMkAvY1DQL0En03IxYzC1-WCvz6uTOHRmagJuLH1Q6ERrDBAivYSCMGm_KU2Xq_czq-ABdFz7xBECsqiNDxKZYu1Y-Rn-9aP-48kF9r4z4ZlmJfV5X/s320/burn%20pit%20respiratory%20conditions.png" width="320" /></a></div>All of the cancers on the following list are all so rare that they have little-to-no medical research to prove their cause. These rare cancers, however, have a higher-than-usual incidence rate in veterans who served in these locations during these times. Because of this, the VA looked into published research of similar conditions and found a compelling argument that these rare cancers could plausibly be linked to particulate exposure, despite the lack of direct evidence. <o:p></o:p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">Since these cancers are so rare, the research necessary to undeniably prove their cause is unlikely to ever be performed. Thus, the VA is adding these cancers to the <a href="https://militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/vapresumptivelist.html#burnpit" target="_blank">Presumptive List</a> to ensure that the effected veterans are able to have their conditions <a href="https://militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/service-connection.html" target="_blank">service-connected </a>without the usual evidential requirements. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">The new <a href="https://militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/vapresumptivelist.html#burnpit" target="_blank">Presumptive Respiratory Cancers</a> include:<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 38.75pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 38.75pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Squamous cell carcinoma of the trachea<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 38.75pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Adenocarcinoma of the trachea<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 38.75pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Salivary gland-type tumors of the trachea<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 38.75pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Adenosquamous carcinoma of the lung<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 38.75pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Large cell carcinoma of the lung<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 38.75pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Salivary gland-type tumors of the lung<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 38.75pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Sarcomatoid carcinoma of the lung<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 38.75pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Typical and atypical carcinoid of the lung<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">All claims for these conditions that are received on or after April 26<sup>th</sup>, 2022, or that are pending at any level of the VA system (claims, appeals, etc.) on this date, will qualify for presumptive service-connection as long as they meet the service requirements. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> <br /></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">If you have not claimed these conditions before or have been denied in the past, go ahead and <a href="https://militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/va-disability-claim.html" target="_blank">submit a new claim</a> so you can start receiving your deserved benefits!<o:p></o:p></p>Military Disability Made Easyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10320151544107767655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251565681889366489.post-9792249657757463292021-12-01T10:45:00.003-08:002021-12-01T10:46:49.045-08:00Huge Increase in VA Disability Rates for 2022<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgz45lLrvmCLe_t2vlla4xHEN9Q1sma499K5fAnSaVo-ORUf7c8S2ljU-4dh5keZvPkxCq_2vpRNnJiqjb7z2M0xPLyBm9nTKPggkey8omg_sOJec2WOnOsIhbRP1LZ8QXSj_cNQQda63m_ydDMUufgYykHNg2mFRKY-J9NFFXc1GGp7At5mU6iPruf=s1982" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1542" data-original-width="1982" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgz45lLrvmCLe_t2vlla4xHEN9Q1sma499K5fAnSaVo-ORUf7c8S2ljU-4dh5keZvPkxCq_2vpRNnJiqjb7z2M0xPLyBm9nTKPggkey8omg_sOJec2WOnOsIhbRP1LZ8QXSj_cNQQda63m_ydDMUufgYykHNg2mFRKY-J9NFFXc1GGp7At5mU6iPruf=s320" width="320" /></a></div>The largest increase in VA Disability Rates since 1983 is now in effect!<p></p><p>Starting December 1, 2021, veterans will see a 5.9% increase in their <a href="https://militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/va-disability-chart.html" target="_blank">VA Disability Rates</a>, including their <a href="https://militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/specialmonthlycompensationrates.html" target="_blank">Special Monthly Compensation Rates</a>.</p><p>Congress increases VA compensation rates based on inflation, and with the cost of living skyrocketing over this past year, the COLA has reached an unusually high increase of 5.9%. </p><p>Curious what your new 2022 VA Disability payment will be? You can find all the new rates in our <a href="https://militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/va-disability-chart.html" target="_blank">VA Disability Chart</a> and <a href="https://militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/specialmonthlycompensationrates.html" target="_blank">Special Monthly Compensation Rates Table</a>. </p><p>These new rates will be automatically reflected in your next payment. You do not need to do anything to receive the 2022 VA Disability Rates. <br /></p>Military Disability Made Easyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10320151544107767655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251565681889366489.post-21535074944621352842021-11-11T09:32:00.000-08:002021-11-11T09:32:06.358-08:00New Model to Increase Access to Benefits for Conditions caused by Exposure<p><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhjpt4a8qaXF6GMqal9g_C-xAqFxOTvUrtkvrKpadpU9xkpoq-pEzg4e5eca6zMX4z8cy4rnbhatmjtvtyVBOJp9-vFYw27XayDzO98g1oLTZ9yQOfvjhiG36t29GpUe4CuG-32C-eHAW7UQpdEMx_fKsH5EUetAR16LiIr8djiEBsPIMbTeIsBZPCr=s337" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="337" data-original-width="331" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhjpt4a8qaXF6GMqal9g_C-xAqFxOTvUrtkvrKpadpU9xkpoq-pEzg4e5eca6zMX4z8cy4rnbhatmjtvtyVBOJp9-vFYw27XayDzO98g1oLTZ9yQOfvjhiG36t29GpUe4CuG-32C-eHAW7UQpdEMx_fKsH5EUetAR16LiIr8djiEBsPIMbTeIsBZPCr=s320" width="314" /></a></div><br />In honor of Veterans Day, the Biden Administration <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/11/11/fact-sheet-biden-administration-announces-actions-to-address-the-health-effects-of-military-exposures/" target="_blank">released a plan</a> to improve the VA’s system of handling conditions caused by exposures during service.<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">Currently, if a condition is not included on the <a href="https://militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/vapresumptivelist.html" target="_blank">VA’s Presumptive List</a>, the burden of proof falls on the veteran. The veteran must show what they were exposed to, how much, and how often, as well as provide evidence that similar exposures are known to cause their medical conditions. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">With little to no access to this type of evidence, this burden is often too great, leaving many veterans unable to receive the benefits they require for their conditions. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">In response to the President’s request, the VA is hoping to ease this burden by testing a new presumptive decision model from November 15<sup>th</sup>, 2021 to April 1, 2022. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">During this period, the VA will use the <a href="https://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=5739" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">new model</a> to consider an association between military exposures and some respiratory conditions, including constrictive bronchiolitis and various respiratory cancers. The VA will use the most current medical research, military environmental research, and veterans’ claim and health data to identify any causal connections between the environments and these respiratory conditions.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">After this pilot period, the VA will then finalize the model and start using it to identify other presumptive conditions prevalent in the veteran population.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">In order to ensure that the VA has the most current veteran data, the VA is encouraging all veterans with conditions that they believe are due to exposure but are not yet on the Presumptive List to submit new claims, even if previous claims have been denied. The VA plans to use this data to guide their efforts in evaluating future presumptive conditions.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">In addition to this new presumptive decision model, the Biden Administration is acknowledging the lack of training among professionals working with veterans who have been exposed. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">The <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/11/11/fact-sheet-biden-administration-announces-actions-to-address-the-health-effects-of-military-exposures/" target="_blank">White House Fact Sheet</a> states, “Some claims adjudicators may not have up-to-date awareness of recent policies related to conditions newly presumed to be service-connected. ... [And] veterans often find that their providers and compensation and pension examiners are not well-trained to understand or treat veterans’ exposure concerns.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">To address this concerning lack of training for VA professionals, new training programs are launching to ensure “a basic level of competence” for all VA providers and adjudicators. <o:p></o:p></p>Military Disability Made Easyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10320151544107767655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251565681889366489.post-77840869224944554142021-10-14T10:16:00.003-07:002021-10-14T10:16:20.679-07:00What has Covid done to the VA’s Backlog?<p><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">The VA’s notorious claims backlog seems like a never-ending issue. And it might well be.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgfC4FAdvt2uiZV1-cH0oMKYSmUY_G8cJKpROVQxlpw8Ef-cviGwASoMj-N7hfeRJClkTd7ymspF9lCCtGv_YL5rUNk9uWDsVaKmSDD8LALUl8bFbnN77EkJjXDNYqpcjvJQ9QvLzdXpVJrmHqZzl0CboCoXsCOH943v7AtXiaM_5ZFcBnuoyYdQNg_=s450" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="299" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgfC4FAdvt2uiZV1-cH0oMKYSmUY_G8cJKpROVQxlpw8Ef-cviGwASoMj-N7hfeRJClkTd7ymspF9lCCtGv_YL5rUNk9uWDsVaKmSDD8LALUl8bFbnN77EkJjXDNYqpcjvJQ9QvLzdXpVJrmHqZzl0CboCoXsCOH943v7AtXiaM_5ZFcBnuoyYdQNg_=s320" width="213" /></a></div>The VA’s goal is to process all claims within 125 days, so claims become “backlogged” once they have been pending for more than 125 days.<o:p></o:p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">Over the last decade, the VA has revamped their entire claims process and instituted numerous new policies, all with the goal of decreasing the backlog. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">Overall, these changes have worked. The backlog in 2013 was over 611,000 claims. Ridiculously high. By 2015, the VA had decreased the backlog to less than 100,000. That’s a massive reduction. Since that time, they have been able to successfully keep the backlog below 100,000... until March 2020.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">During this time, while the backlog of claims decreased, the backlog of appeals did not. By 2016, the backlog for VA appeals had reached more than 400,000. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">To address this appeals backlog, the VA revamped the<a href="https://news.militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/2019/02/va-appeals-modernization-act-to-be.html" target="_blank"> entire appeals system</a> in February 2019. From February 2019 to February 2020, the new appeals system decreased the backlog from 425,000 to 174,000. <br /><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">All the new changes the VA made to both their claims and appeals processes were severely tried when the pandemic shut things down in March 2020. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">With the difficulties in getting necessary exams and records, as well as staffing and logistical issues, the claim backlog grew to over 200,000 and is expected to reach 260,000 by the end of October, while the appeals backlog grew to over 200,000 appeals.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">These numbers are still far below the 600,000 and 400,000 that existed before the VA’s changes, but they still demonstrate a significant setback in the progress that had been made. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">The VA has now put a plan in place to get the claims backlog back to its pre-Covid numbers under 100,000 by April 2024. Starting this month, the VA will be hiring 2,000 new employees to work solely on claims processing. They will also be using funds from the <a href="https://news.militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/2021/03/what-will-american-rescue-plan-do-for.html" target="_blank">American Rescue Plan</a> to allow for overtime so that employees can process more claims in a timely manner. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">While this progress will take a few years and an end to the backlog is still not in sight, hopefully these changes will help the VA recover from the setbacks imposed by the pandemic so that veterans can receive their essential benefits ASAP.</p>Military Disability Made Easyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10320151544107767655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251565681889366489.post-69226266945774342892021-09-15T08:58:00.003-07:002021-09-15T08:59:25.421-07:00Extended Deadline for Gulf War Presumptive List<p><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">On September 14</span><sup style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">th</sup><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">, the VA officially extended the deadline for conditions on the <a href="https://militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/vapresumptivelist.html#gulf" target="_blank">Gulf War Presumptive List</a>.</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3zEU05xo1vs/YUIYSQIt8bI/AAAAAAAAAY8/tbLl97eQtD4MSsklqRl4TPXUIalCPVMmwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/shutterstock_92505778.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1363" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3zEU05xo1vs/YUIYSQIt8bI/AAAAAAAAAY8/tbLl97eQtD4MSsklqRl4TPXUIalCPVMmwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/shutterstock_92505778.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br /></p>The VA has numerous <a href="https://militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/vapresumptivelist.html" target="_blank">Presumptive Lists </a>that consist of conditions that are automatically considered <a href="https://militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/service-connection.html" target="_blank">service-connected</a> if a veteran served in certain circumstances. These circumstances range from serving in a location during a specific time to being exposed to things like Agent Orange or radiation.<o:p></o:p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">The Gulf War Presumptive List allows veterans who served in Southwest Asia and Afghanistan during the Gulf War to receive benefits for certain conditions that develop after their military service.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">The list includes conditions like Gulf War Syndrome and multi-symptom illnesses, which must qualify for a 10% rating before the deadline in order to be considered service-connected. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">Not all of the Presumptive Lists have deadlines, but the Gulf War Presumptive List does. Previously, the deadline was December 31, 2021, but in the new regulation published yesterday, the VA pushed back the deadline by 5 years to December 31, 2026. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">This is not the first time the VA’s extended this deadline. Since the Gulf War is ongoing, keeping the previous deadline would deny future Gulf War veterans their much-deserved benefits. In the <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/09/14/2021-19712/extension-of-the-presumptive-period-for-compensation-for-persian-gulf-war-veterans" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">regulation</a>, the VA also acknowledges that the research regarding these conditions “remains inconclusive regarding the time of onset of undiagnosed and other illnesses related to Persian Gulf War service.” <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">By extending the deadline, the VA is ensuring that Gulf War vets who develop these conditions will be able to receive their benefits, and the VA is allowing more time for further research regarding Gulf War conditions. <o:p></o:p></p>Military Disability Made Easyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10320151544107767655noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251565681889366489.post-208030340655605562021-06-03T10:16:00.001-07:002021-06-03T10:16:12.123-07:00The 3 new Agent Orange Presumptive Conditions – When will you get your benefits?!<p><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tp0rHM-T0Vw/YLkOS7fwNoI/AAAAAAAAAWM/58BknOh8UvsaTHxXpwaHH1D0EmXenc1eQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1212/RTR2URG0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1212" data-original-width="908" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tp0rHM-T0Vw/YLkOS7fwNoI/AAAAAAAAAWM/58BknOh8UvsaTHxXpwaHH1D0EmXenc1eQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/RTR2URG0.jpg" /></a></div><br />Last week, the VA issued a press release stating that they were finally going to “<b style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><i>begin</i></b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">implementing provisions” to get Vietnam-Era vets benefits for the three new conditions on the <a href="https://militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/vapresumptivelist.html#herbicide" target="_blank">Agent Orange Presumptive List</a>:</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">bladder cancer, hypothyroidism, and Parkinsonism.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">However, this statement is still incredibly vague. The VA has not yet replied to our requests for further information, and their official page on the Agent Orange Presumptive List still does not include these three new conditions (nor do any of the federal code archives, for that matter, despite the fact that the statute adding these conditions was officially made law in January).<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">So what does this all mean? The truth: We don’t really know.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">While we may not have firm answers for everything, here is what we DO know and what we can surmise from it.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><b>Yes, bladder cancer, hypothyroidism, and Parkinsonism are officially on the Agent Orange Presumptive List. <o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">There’s been evidence linking these conditions to Agent Orange for years, but various political issues have kept the VA from adding them to the official list. So Congress took matters into their own hands and added them directly to the list without going through the VA. The conditions were included as part of the <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/6395/text/enr" target="_blank">National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021</a><a> </a>which was made law on January 1, 2021. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><b>So if the conditions are legally on the Presumptive List, why aren’t they appearing anywhere official? <o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b> </b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">Great question! There isn’t a clear answer for this, but here is what we think based on previous changes to the Presumptive List. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">As mentioned before, usually changes to the Presumptive List come directly from the VA, so the VA has time to get a game plan in place before making the changes official. Since the change came directly from Congress, however, the VA did not have the same ability to get their policies and procedures ready to go to handle the new claims for these conditions.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">Shortly after the law was passed in January, VA officials said it could take them up to 2 years to get their system set up that would give qualifying veterans access to these new benefits. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">We’re assuming that although the three conditions are officially on the Presumptive List now, they have not been added to official sources yet simply because the VA’s system is not yet ready to implement the new law. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><b>Will it really take 2 years before veterans can get their benefits for these conditions?<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">It could. However, we don’t think it will. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">The VA has been under significant pressure to get their system setup ASAP so veterans can start getting their benefits, and it sounds like they are doing just that. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">The press release from last week shows that they are starting to get their system in place (“<b><i>begin</i></b> implementing provisions”) to process these claims. It, unfortunately, did not state that they had the system in place and were ready to go, just that it was beginning. It also did not give any hint of a timeline on when things would be set.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">So, could it still take until January 2023? Yes, but we are optimistic that it won’t take that long.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><b>What if I submitted a claim for these conditions previously and was denied? <o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">Good news! The VA will be automatically reviewing all previously denied claims for these three conditions. As long as your claim has enough evidence to show that you qualify for the <a href="https://militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/vapresumptivelist.html#herbicide" target="_blank">Agent Orange Presumptive List</a>, the VA will grant you benefits without having to reapply. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">We do not have a timeline on when this review will begin, but the VA has said that they will notify any eligible veterans (and survivors) by mail. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><b>So... can I submit a new claim for these conditions now or not?<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">There is no clear answer for this one, but here is what we suggest. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">Yes, go ahead and submit a claim if you have not claimed these conditions before but do meet the requirements for the Presumptive List. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">While the VA does not have their policies ready to go yet for these claims, the law is in place allowing these conditions as of January. So even if the VA isn’t able to grant your claim right now, they will eventually have to evaluate it under the new law. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">Since the effective date of your benefits is determined by when you submit your claim, if you submit now, you’ll ultimately get an earlier effective date than if you wait to submit until they say they are ready to go. The claim might be in limbo for a bit, but ultimately, you’ll get your benefits at an earlier effective date. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">We believe the VA hasn’t publicly opened for submission yet simply because they don’t want to be inundated with claims they aren’t prepared to handle, but they legally cannot deny claims for these conditions any longer.</p>Military Disability Made Easyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10320151544107767655noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251565681889366489.post-83961981861991005422021-05-17T09:30:00.001-07:002021-05-17T09:32:25.776-07:00VA to Automatically Re-review Denied Blue Water Agent Orange Claims<p style="text-align: left;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AgdRoo56nq0/YKKaAKCRjnI/AAAAAAAAAVc/T58tbUPBd2gBg5eAnKbiExwmZkSRdcPYgCLcBGAsYHQ/s500/blue%2Bwater%2Bagent%2Borange.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="308" data-original-width="500" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AgdRoo56nq0/YKKaAKCRjnI/AAAAAAAAAVc/T58tbUPBd2gBg5eAnKbiExwmZkSRdcPYgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/blue%2Bwater%2Bagent%2Borange.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"><br />The Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019 granted <a href="https://militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/vapresumptivelist.html#herbicide" target="_blank">presumptive service-connection</a> for Agent Orange exposure to vets who served within 12 nautical miles of Vietnam during the Vietnam Era. To receive these benefits, Blue Water vets had to submit a new claim after January 1, 2020, even if they had previously submitted claims that had been denied.</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">In November 2020, however, the VA received a <a href="https://www.nvlsp.org/news-and-events/press-releases/va-identifies-more-than-60000-blue-water-vietnam-veterans-survivors-cases-v" target="_blank">court order</a> to reopen over 60,000 Agent Orange claims that had been denied due to veterans not having boots on the ground or not serving in the inland waterways in order to ensure that all Blue Water vets received the proper benefits that had previously been denied. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><o:p><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">These veterans now do not have to apply to have the VA review their denied claims. The VA will automatically review all eligible claims and notify the veteran or their survivors of the revised decision. The VA, however, has given no timeline for the completion of the review, so there is no way to know how long this review will take or how quickly eligible veterans will start to receive their benefits. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><o:p><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">During the review, the VA will determine which of the 60,000+ claims do qualify under the Blue Water requirements. For all claims that qualify, the VA will pay retroactive benefits to the date of the denied claim. If the veteran is deceased, these benefits will be paid to their survivor or their estate.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-family: times;">If your case meets the requirements for the review, you will be notified by the VA, but no action is needed on your part at present.</span></p>Military Disability Made Easyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10320151544107767655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251565681889366489.post-52683998845864419222021-04-30T11:04:00.003-07:002021-04-30T11:06:36.863-07:00eBenefits to Shut Down March 2022 <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ok8ioR-At3A/YIxF6BoJ6fI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/Y6lmxgaI8oAQVtM2wyu9t2ArHdBPQ3-PQCLcBGAsYHQ/digitalclaim.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="840" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ok8ioR-At3A/YIxF6BoJ6fI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/Y6lmxgaI8oAQVtM2wyu9t2ArHdBPQ3-PQCLcBGAsYHQ/digitalclaim.png" width="293" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The VA announced today that eBenefits will no longer be accessible starting March 31, 2022. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">We’ve known for a time that the VA was making plans to move all their benefits (not just disability) to VA.gov instead of having them on separate sites, like eBenefits, in order to give veterans the ability to access everything in one place. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The VA has been slowly working on transferring disability services from eBenefits to VA.gov. Last year, the VA made all disability services for veterans available on VA.gov. Only Active Duty members applying for disability before discharge were required to use eBenefits.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">That is now no longer the case. All disability services are fully available on VA.gov for all service members and veterans. With greater integration and a more user-friendly platform, the new VA.gov combines disability, pension, healthcare, and more on a single site. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">If you have a claim in process on eBenefits, don’t worry! You still have time to complete and submit it on that platform before the end of March in 2022. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">If you need to submit a new claim, reopen a claim, submit an appeal, apply for an increase, etc., you should now go straight to VA.gov. Once you login, you’ll find all of your data and information already transferred from eBenefits, and you’ll be able to manage all of your VA benefits in one place.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>Military Disability Made Easyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10320151544107767655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251565681889366489.post-45854178878609340572021-03-26T09:11:00.007-07:002021-03-26T09:13:22.540-07:00Fixing PTSD Claims - VA Starting New PTSD Training for Claims Processors<p><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lQvCLskq-fs/YF4HqL2BYuI/AAAAAAAAAUg/0HqbMLEr-RQmwKdo9MDIbjhJjOdCTFTvQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1428/PTSD%2BClaims.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="704" data-original-width="1428" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lQvCLskq-fs/YF4HqL2BYuI/AAAAAAAAAUg/0HqbMLEr-RQmwKdo9MDIbjhJjOdCTFTvQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/PTSD%2BClaims.png" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In 2018, the VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) reported that the VA made errors in about half of the claims submitted for PTSD as the result of military sexual trauma (MST). </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">Looking at these numbers, the OIG realized that there was an essential need to review all PTSD cases, of which MST cases are only a small percentage.</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Last year, the OIG proceeded to review the 118,000 PSTD claims submitted in FY2019 and found that 16% were improperly processed, resulting in $90.6 million in underpayments and overpayments to veterans. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><o:p><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In response to these results, the OIG issued firm recommendations on quick action to rectify these processing errors as “Improper processing of PTSD claims can have severe consequences on veterans’ lives.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><o:p><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">These recommendations include improved training for claims processors and improving the procedural manual. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><o:p><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">According to the <a href="https://www.va.gov/oig/pubs/VAOIG-20-00608-29.pdf" target="_blank">OIG’s report </a>published in December 2020, VA claim processors are making two types of errors due to improper training and confusion about the requirements for determining service-connection and rating PTSD. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><o:p><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In order to grant service-connection, PTSD must have a clear stressor related to their military service, whether combat, accidents, MST, other non-combat stressors, etc. Different types of stressors require different types of supporting evidence, and confusion over what evidence was required for each type resulted in 14,600 claims being either denied without the processor following the proper guidelines to obtain the evidence needed or granted without sufficient evidence of a qualifying stressor. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><o:p><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The <a href="https://www.va.gov/oig/pubs/VAOIG-20-00608-29.pdf" target="_blank">OIG report </a>states, “Claims processors’ general confusion concerning stressor types and the stressor verification process was confirmed during interviews with VBA quality assurance staff, who explained that claims processors are unclear about the different types of PTSD stressors and whether the evidence of record could be deemed sufficient to verify the claimed stressor.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><o:p><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In addition to verifying the stressor, certain medical evidence is essential to ensuring a PTSD claim is properly service-connected and rated. The remaining 3,800 erroneous PTSD claims were incorrectly processed because claim processors failed to request missing evidence or clarification of inconsistent evidence. The OIG found that these errors resulted from confusion over the necessary information needed and the claim processor’s duty to request additional information.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><o:p><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The OIG blames these errors on the lack of nationally required training and an “ineffectively organized” procedures manual that does not align with the regulations. The OIG recommended that the VA implement a system to ensure the proper education of claims processors and to assess what changes are necessary to the procedural manual to ensure correct PTSD claims processing. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><o:p><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">As of March 25<sup>th</sup>, the VA is implementing their new PTSD training program to ensure all claims processors are properly educated about the stressor requirements and overall rating process for PTSD. The VA will also be reviewing the procedural manual to determine if changes can be made to ensure the correct processing of PTSD claims. <br /><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><o:p><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Commenting on the new training program, the VA Acting Under Secretary for Benefits Thomas Murphy <a href="https://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=5650" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">stated</a>, “I want to ensure our programs consistently evaluate all Veterans effectively and fairly.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><p></p>Military Disability Made Easyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10320151544107767655noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251565681889366489.post-44970619016820190432021-03-13T09:16:00.000-08:002021-03-13T09:16:07.854-08:00What will the American Rescue Plan do for Disabled Veterans?<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lrMHmr_mfFY/YEzzNZKMGfI/AAAAAAAAAUM/MetKYMm2-nQuBmceIi_z9snFxOjmR6gjgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/american%2Brescue%2Bplan.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1181" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lrMHmr_mfFY/YEzzNZKMGfI/AAAAAAAAAUM/MetKYMm2-nQuBmceIi_z9snFxOjmR6gjgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/american%2Brescue%2Bplan.png" width="320" /></a></div>Signed into law March 11<sup>th</sup>, 2021, the American Rescue Plan offers nation-wide household stimulus checks, resources for reopening schools, and access to the Covid-19 vaccine, but it is also giving the VA $17 billion to further expand their services and benefits for veterans impacted by Covid-19. <p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">So what part of this $17 billion will help disabled veterans?<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">First, $14.5 billion have been allocated to improve the VA Health Care system in order to make sure disabled veterans are able to receive their essential care in a reasonable timeframe. Covid-19 delayed health care access significantly for the millions of veterans relying on this care. The VA has been instructed to use these funds to ensure that all disabled veterans are receiving their full medical care and that those requiring housing assistance are properly cared for. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">An additional $1 billion will reimburse disabled veterans for all copays or cost sharing they have incurred or will incur for their healthcare from April 6, 2020 to September 30, 2021. This includes debt forgiveness for all veterans who have been unable to pay these bills during this timeframe.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">To ensure the safety and care of our disabled veterans in State Homes, the VA has been allocated $750 million to improve the living conditions in these facilities. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">The infamous backlog of disability claims has almost tripled in the past year. The American Rescue Plan allocates $262 million to get these claims processed quickly so these veterans get their deserved and very necessary benefits. The VBA’s goal is to use these funds to reduce the backlog by more than half by September 2022. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">An additional $10 million will be going only to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (BVA) to reduce the backlog of disability appeals. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">Outside of the VA disability system, the American Rescue Plan will provide further help for unemployed veterans, veteran-owned businesses, and veterans in communities and populations disproportionately impacted by Covid-19. <o:p></o:p></p><p></p>Military Disability Made Easyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10320151544107767655noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251565681889366489.post-19778941440925358052021-03-05T08:08:00.003-08:002021-03-05T08:09:55.029-08:00DBQs are BACK!<p><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">As of March 2021, the VA has released a new library of</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span><b>Public</b><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">Disability Benefits Questionnaires (<a href="https://militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/dbq.html" target="_blank">DBQ</a>s) intended entirely for use by the veteran’s personal health care providers.</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Rq-hWoON8GI/YEJVYguW_OI/AAAAAAAAATw/sWXoWXMoYlcTPE0rcUQ20TaKoWUN_FmXACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/New%2BPublic%2BDBQs.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1319" data-original-width="2048" height="258" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Rq-hWoON8GI/YEJVYguW_OI/AAAAAAAAATw/sWXoWXMoYlcTPE0rcUQ20TaKoWUN_FmXACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h258/New%2BPublic%2BDBQs.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In early 2020, the VA removed public access to their previous library of Disability Benefits Questionnaires. These previous DBQs were intended for use by VA staff physicians or contract physicians when performing Compensation and Pension Exams (<a href="https://militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/c-and-p-exam.html" target="_blank">C&P Exams</a>) for VA disability and pension benefits. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The VA did not intend to have physicians who weren't performing the C&P Exams complete these DBQs, however, it became a popular practice for veterans to have other physicians complete a DBQ to submit along with their disability claims. While the VA willingly accepted these additional DBQs as legitimate evidence, they began seeing more and more DBQs being submitted from physicians that did not seem to have a history with the veteran, making them concerned about fraudulent activity. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Advisory Committee on Disability Compensation discussed this issue at many of their meetings during 2019 and 2020, resulting in the VA removing public access to the DBQs in early 2020. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">After the removal of public access, DBQs could only be used by approved VA physicians in association with C&P Exams. However, the VA still accepted and encouraged the submission of medical records and other legitimate supporting evidence from the veteran’s other health care providers. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Since the removal, the VA has worked to create a <a href="https://www.benefits.va.gov/compensation/dbq_publicdbqs.asp" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">new library of Public DBQs</a> (now available as of March 2021) that are solely intended to assist health care providers outside of the VA Disability System to complete exams of their veteran patients to ensure that the necessary information to properly rate the veteran’s conditions is correctly recorded. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Veterans and service members preparing for discharge can now give these Public DBQs to their health care providers in preparation of submitting a new claim, a claim for an increased evaluation, an appeal, etc. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The VA intends for these new Public DBQs to be completed by the health care provider that is the<b> most</b> familiar with the veteran’s condition. This is in line with standard VA practice to give greater weight to medical evidence from a health care provider with either a significant history with the patient (and thus knowledge of the patient’s condition over time) and/or with the most expertise in the field of medicine (records from an orthopedic surgeon will hold more weight than records from a general practitioner for a spine condition, etc.). <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The VA has added new questions to the beginning of these DBQs to measure the relationship the veteran has with the health care professional completing the DBQ in order to ensure the quality of the evidence being submitted. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">We always encourage veterans to have the physician that is most familiar with their condition complete these DBQs whenever possible in order to submit the strongest evidence in support of their claim. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">These DBQs can provide powerful supporting evidence for a claim, however, they are still <b>not essential</b>. The VA can still correctly rate a veteran’s conditions based on any medical record evidence as long as the proper tests/measurements/information/etc. that is required to rate the condition has been recorded. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">On our site, you can find full information on exactly what is needed to rate your conditions as part of our <a href="https://militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/get-all-access-membership.html" target="_blank">All-Access Membership</a>. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Military Disability Made Easyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10320151544107767655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251565681889366489.post-62698760236538913772021-02-02T09:20:00.002-08:002021-02-02T09:20:12.164-08:00VA Seeking Your Input on Criteria for Future Health Care Changes<p>The VA has opened a 90-day comment period to get feedback from veterans regarding proposed criteria designed to assess future improvements to the VA health care system. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HH8Hj6IIG_8/YBmJiZH2ujI/AAAAAAAAASo/4i-5icam0vct80qnAnmTj2l08Jg_veT5gCLcBGAsYHQ/s600/comment.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="479" data-original-width="600" height="228" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HH8Hj6IIG_8/YBmJiZH2ujI/AAAAAAAAASo/4i-5icam0vct80qnAnmTj2l08Jg_veT5gCLcBGAsYHQ/w286-h228/comment.jpg" width="286" /></a></div><p>On February 1st, the VA published a draft of the criteria they are planning to use as they conduct market research within the veteran population to determine how the VA can improve the health care system to better service veterans. </p><p>This set of criteria will be used to analyze the collected research so the VA can see how best to focus their improvement efforts to meet the most vital needs of the veteran population. </p><p>The VA states that this research will be vital to the “next step of our transformation journey: Designing the future of VA around the Veterans we serve.” </p><p>The evaluation criteria covers six different categories:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1. Veterans’ Need for Care & Services (Demand)</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2. Accessibility of Care for Veterans (Access)</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3. Impact on Mission (Mission)</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">4. Providing the Highest Quality Whole Health Care (Quality)</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">5. Effective Use of Resources for Veteran Care (Cost Effectiveness)</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">6. Ensuring a Safe Environment of Care (Sustainability)</div></div></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The criteria in each category sets standards and priorities designed to ensure the VA focuses on the most important aspects of Veteran care, including considering health equity, improving access to care, expanding care options, considering trends in health care in the US, promoting high-quality recruitment to ensure highest quality of care, focusing on creating sustainability, and more. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">You can read the full proposed criteria and submit any comments you may have <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/02/02/2021-02138/draft-criteria-for-section-203-of-the-va-mission-act-of-2018" target="_blank">here</a>. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Once the VA finalizes these criteria, they will start conducting marketing research among the veteran population later in 2021. <br /></div></div><p><br /><br /></p>Military Disability Made Easyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10320151544107767655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251565681889366489.post-21101359857306124602020-12-21T08:39:00.004-08:002020-12-21T08:39:59.375-08:00This Week Covid-19 Vaccine Available at 128 New VA Sites<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jOy5RuKmFZw/X-DMxkeJx9I/AAAAAAAAARg/a_45j4cyXWgyTAb0km4Dw_vZW9sMDFThwCLcBGAsYHQ/covid%2Bvaccine.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="361" data-original-width="381" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jOy5RuKmFZw/X-DMxkeJx9I/AAAAAAAAARg/a_45j4cyXWgyTAb0km4Dw_vZW9sMDFThwCLcBGAsYHQ/covid%2Bvaccine.jpg" width="253" /></a></div>With the recent approval of the Moderna Covid-19 Vaccine by the FDA, the VA announced today that the vaccine will be available this week at another 128 additional VA sites. <p></p><p>This is expanded from the <a href="http://news.militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/2020/12/covid-19-vaccines-going-first-to-va.html" target="_blank">37 sites</a> that received the first batch of vaccines distributed just over a week ago. </p><p>The new shipment of vaccines will still be given only to VA health care workers and veterans in long term care facilities. </p><p>As more and more Covid-19 vaccines become available, the VA will widen the pool of those eligible to receive the vaccine with the goal to eventually offer it to every veteran and VA health care worker who would like to receive it. </p><p>The VA requests that you DO NOT contact your facilities regarding receiving the vaccine. The facilities will contact all veterans and workers who are eligible to receive the vaccine directly. </p><p>Both the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine and another shipment of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine will be received at the following facilities this week: </p><h2 style="text-align: center;"><b>Moderna Vaccine:</b></h2><div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #2e2e2e; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1.25em; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Alabama<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Central Alabama (Montgomery) VA Health Care System<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Alaska<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Alaska (Anchorage) VA Health Care System<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Arizona<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Northern Arizona (Prescott) VA Health Care System<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Southern Arizona (Tucson) VA Health Care System<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Arkansas<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks (Fayetteville)<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Central Arkansas (North Little Rock) Veterans Health Care System<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">California<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Central California (Fresno) VA Health Care System<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Northern California (Mather) VA Health Care System<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">San Francisco VA Medical Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Long Beach VA Health Care System<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Loma Linda VA Health Care System<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">San Diego VA Health Care System<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Colorado<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Grand Junction VA Medical Center<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Delaware<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Wilmington VA Medical Center<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Florida<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lee County VA Health Care Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Jacksonville VA Outpatient Clinic<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sergeant Ernest I. “Boots” Thomas (Tallahassee) VA Outpatient Clinic<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Villages VA Outpatient Clinic<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">New Port Richey VA Outpatient Clinic<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">William V. Chappell, Jr. (Daytona Beach) VA Outpatient Clinic<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">William “Bill” Kling (Sunrise) VA Outpatient Clinic<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">South Hillsborough (Riverview) VA Outpatient Clinic<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Viera VA Outpatient Clinic<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Georgia<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Atlanta VA Medical Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Carl Vinson (Dublin) VA Medical Center<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hawaii<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pacific Islands (Honolulu) VA Health Care System<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Idaho<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Boise VA Medical Center<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Illinois<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Capt. James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center (North Chicago)<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Jesse Brown (Chicago) VA Medical Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Iliana (Danville) VA Health Care System<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Marion VA Medical Center<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Indiana<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Indianapolis VA Medical Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Marion VA Medical Center<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Iowa<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Central Iowa (Des Moines) VA Health Care System<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Iowa City VA Health Care System<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Kansas<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dwight D. Eisenhower (Leavenworth) VA Medical Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Colmery-O’Neil (Topeka) VA Medical Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Robert J. Dole (Wichita) VA Medical Center<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Kentucky<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Louisville VA Medical Center<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Louisiana<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Alexandria (Pineville) VA Medical Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Overton Brooks (Shreveport) VA Medical Center<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Maine<span class="Apple-converted-space"> <br /></span></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Maine (Augusta) VA Health Care System<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Massachusetts<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Boston (Jamaica Plain) VA Health Care System<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Northampton (Leeds) VA Medical Center<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Michigan<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Battle Creek VA Medical Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Detroit VA Medical Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Saginaw VA Medical Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Iron Mountain VA Medical Center<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Minnesota<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">St. Cloud VA Medical Center<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mississippi<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery (Jackson) VA Medical Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Gulf Coast (Biloxi) VA Health Care System<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Missouri<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Poplar Bluff VA Medical Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Kansas City VA Medical Center<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Montana<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Montana (Fort Harrison) VA Health Care System<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Nevada<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sierra Nevada (Reno) VA Health Care System<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">New Hampshire<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Manchester VA Medical Center<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">New Jersey<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lyons VA Medical Center<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">New York<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">James J. Peters Bronx VA Medical Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Canandaigua VA Medical Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Syracuse VA Medical Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Albany VA Medical Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Castle Point (Wappingers Falls) VA Medical Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Northport VA Medical Center<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">North Carolina<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Asheville VA Medical Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">South Charlotte VA Health Care Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Fayetteville VA Medical Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Raeford Road (Fayetteville) VA Outpatient Clinic<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Greenville VA Health Care Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Kernersville VA Health Care Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Wilmington VA Health Care Center<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">North Dakota<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Fargo VA Medical Center<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ohio<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Chillicothe VA Medical Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cincinnati VA Medical Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dayton VA Medical Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Columbus VA Ambulatory Care Center<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Oklahoma<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Eastern Oklahoma (Muskogee) VA Health Care System<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Oregon<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Roseburg VA Health Care System<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center & Clinics (White City)<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pennsylvania<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Altoona VA Medical Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Butler VA Medical Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Coatesville VA Medical Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Erie VA Medical Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lebanon VA Medical Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Puerto Rico<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mayaguez VA Outpatient Clinic<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Euripides Rubio (Ponce) VA Outpatient Clinic<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Rhode Island<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Providence VA Medical Center<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">South Carolina<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Charleston VA Medical Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Columbia VA Medical Center<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">South Dakota<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sioux Falls VA Medical Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Black Hills (Fort Meade) VA Health Care System<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Tennessee<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Tennessee Valley (Murfreesboro) VA Health Care System<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mountain Home VA Health Care System<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Texas<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Amarillo (West Amarillo) VA Health Care System<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">West Texas (Big Spring) VA Health Care System<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Central Texas (Temple) VA Health Care System<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Texas Valley Coastal (Harlingen) VA Health Care System<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">El Paso VA Health Care System<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Utah<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Salt Lake City VA Health Care System<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Vermont<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">White River Junction VA Medical Center<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Virginia<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hampton VA Medical Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Salem VA Medical Center<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Washington<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Spokane VA Medical Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Walla Walla VA Medical Center<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">West Virginia<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Beckley VA Medical Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Clarksburg VA Medical Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Huntington VA Medical Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Martinsburg VA Medical Center<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Wisconsin<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Madison VA Hospital<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Tomah VA Medical Center<br /></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Wyoming<br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cheyenne VA Medical Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sheridan VA Medical Center'</span></div><h2 style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #2e2e2e; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1.25em; text-align: center; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine</b></span></h2><div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #2e2e2e; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1.25em; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1.25em; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Palo Alto (Livermore) VA Medical Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Palo Alto (Menlo Park) VA Medical Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bay Pines (FL) VA Health Care System<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Miami (FL) VA Health Care System<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">West Palm Beach (FL) VA Health Care System<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">James A. Haley (Tampa, FL) Veterans Hospital<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">North Florida/South Georgia (Gainesville, FL) Health Care System<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lake Baldwin (Orlando, FL) VA Outpatient Clinic<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lake City (FL) VA Medical Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Perry Point (MD) VA Medical Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">St. Louis (Jefferson Barracks, MO) VA Health Care System<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">New York Harbor (Brooklyn Campus) Health Care System<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Salisbury (NC) VA Medical Center<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Kerrville (TX) VA Hospital<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">American Lake (Tacoma, WA) VA Medical Center</span></div></div>Military Disability Made Easyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10320151544107767655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251565681889366489.post-12352840862477423922020-12-11T12:24:00.003-08:002020-12-16T09:51:00.378-08:00Covid-19 Vaccines NOW going first to VA Healthcare Workers and Veterans in Long-Term Care <p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8NQw8iz0kLg/X9L6tIkPpbI/AAAAAAAAAQY/0xvYGHGRJeglmTXwF7i1_zfitznX2QMQQCLcBGAsYHQ/s938/covid-19%2Bvaccine.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="938" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8NQw8iz0kLg/X9L6tIkPpbI/AAAAAAAAAQY/0xvYGHGRJeglmTXwF7i1_zfitznX2QMQQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/covid-19%2Bvaccine.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span>The first shipment of the <span style="background-color: white; color: #2e2e2e;">Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine has been received and will start being administered at the 37 facilities listed below.</span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The first phase of the Covid-19 vaccine <a href="http://news.militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/2020/11/the-vas-covid-19-vaccination-plan.html">distribution plan</a> will be to two groups of people: workers in the VA Healthcare system and Veterans living in VA long-term care facilities. <br /><br />Since
healthcare workers are among the most likely people to contract and
spread Covid-19, the VA will provide a vaccine to each worker who wants
one. This will help ensure that all veterans treated in the VA’s
healthcare system will be safe and protected while receiving treatment.<br /><br />Of
the veteran population, veterans living in long-term care facilities
run by the VA are by far the most at-risk group of veterans. Because of
this, the VA will be prioritizing these veterans to receive the first
doses of the limited Covid-19 vaccine once it has been approved and
distributed. <br /><br />The FDA has not yet approved the vaccine, but is
expected to do so shortly. Once that happens, the VA will publish
instructions on how to receive the vaccine if you are among these first
groups and would like to do so. <br /><br />Once released, the vaccine will be available to these two groups at these 37 systems across the country:<br /><br />Birmingham (AL) VA Health Care System<br />Phoenix (AZ) VA Health Care System <br />Greater Los Angeles (CA) VA Health Care System<br />Palo Alto (CA) VA Health Care System<br />Eastern Colorado (CO) VA Health Care System<br />Connecticut (West Haven Campus) VA Health Care System<br />Washington DC VA Health Care System<br />Orlando (FL) VA Health Care System<br />Augusta (GA) VA Health Care System<br />Edward J. Hines Jr. VA Hospital (IL)<br />Lexington (KY) VA Health Care System<br />Southeast Louisiana (New Orleans) VA Health Care System<br />Maryland (Baltimore) VA Health Care System<br />Bedford (MA) VA Health Care System<br />Ann Arbor (MI) VA Health Care System<br />Minneapolis (MN) VA Health Care System<br />Harry S Truman Memorial Veterans Hospital (Columbia MO)<br />St. Louis (MO) VA Health Care System<br />Omaha (NE) VA Health Care System<br />Southern Nevada (North Las Vegas) VA Health Care System<br />Raymond G. Murphy (NM) VA Health Care System<br />New York Harbor (Brooklyn) VA Health Care System<br />Western New York (Buffalo) VA Health Care System<br />Durham (NC) VA Health Care System<br />Cleveland (OH) VA Health Care System<br />Oklahoma City (OK) VA Health Care System<br />Portland (OR) VA Health Care System<br />Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center (Philadelphia PA)<br />Pittsburgh (PA) VA Health Care System<br />Caribbean (Puerto Rico) VA Health Care System<br />Memphis (TN) VA Health Care System<br />Dallas (TX) VA Medical Center<br />Michael E. DeBakey VA Health Care System (Houston TX)<br />Audie L. Murphy VA Hospital (San Antonio TX)<br />Richmond (VA) VA Health Care System<br />Puget Sound (WA) VA Health Care System<br />Milwaukee (WI) VA Health Care System</span></span><br /></p>Military Disability Made Easyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10320151544107767655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251565681889366489.post-5982600399878167972020-11-18T07:45:00.003-08:002020-11-19T20:15:13.155-08:00The VA’s Covid-19 Vaccination Plan<div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fZZAPbOuNbQ/X7dCQP_ngGI/AAAAAAAAAOw/zQg7YDsVJi8ZTZN8kHG_LALVniWDYd0dwCLcBGAsYHQ/s700/Coronavaccine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="415" data-original-width="700" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fZZAPbOuNbQ/X7dCQP_ngGI/AAAAAAAAAOw/zQg7YDsVJi8ZTZN8kHG_LALVniWDYd0dwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Coronavaccine.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />The VA announced on November 17<sup>th</sup>, 2020, that
they are working closely with the CDC and other groups to develop a successful
plan to distribute the Covid-19 vaccine once it becomes available.
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">The VA acknowledges that the distribution plan will include
at least 2 phases:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>distribution to a
select at-risk group due to limited supply, and a general distribution to all
Veterans wishing to receive the vaccine once the VA acquires a large enough
supply of the vaccine. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">The VA assures that the plan is being developed alongside
“experts in ethics, health equity, infectious disease, logistics, pandemic
planning, pharmacy and public health,” etc., but the VA did not elaborate on
how Veterans will be chosen for each distribution phase or how the distribution
will take place. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">There has been significant discussion regarding the
development of the Covid-19 vaccine, with the possibility that one or more
could be available by the end of the year, however, no vaccines have yet been
approved by the FDA. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">On their <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/8-things.html" target="_blank">website</a><span class="MsoCommentReference"><span style="font-size: 8.0pt;"><a class="msocomanchor" href="https://www.blogger.com/#_msocom_1" id="_anchor_1" name="_msoanchor_1"></a></span></span>, the CDC states “There may be a limited
supply of Covid-19 vaccines before the end of 2020, but supply will continually
increase in the weeks and months that follow.” They note that it is likely for
the vaccine to only be available on an emergency basis at first, with the
recipient groups slowly growing from at-risk individuals to everyone once the
supply is large enough. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">The Covid-19 vaccine will be free to taxpaying citizens,
although the distributers can charge a fee to administer it. As such, it could
potentially cost Veterans a small amount to receive the vaccine, depending on
their VA healthcare, although VA has not officially made a statement on the
cost of the vaccine for Veterans as yet. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">We will continue to share updates as the VA develops their
plan and once more information on who, how, and when is available.</p>Military Disability Made Easyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10320151544107767655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251565681889366489.post-87738242647783128122020-10-28T09:33:00.001-07:002020-10-28T09:33:16.810-07:00Huge Strides in VA Electronic Health Record Improvement<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PLxRWdSFXZ4/X5mctJohvkI/AAAAAAAAAMY/Y7Yie3GIghcHu5uY0W_OwVTB_RUCK7W0gCLcBGAsYHQ/s712/VA%2BEHR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="712" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PLxRWdSFXZ4/X5mctJohvkI/AAAAAAAAAMY/Y7Yie3GIghcHu5uY0W_OwVTB_RUCK7W0gCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/VA%2BEHR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Over the past couple weeks, the VA has made significant strides in their efforts to transition to a more effective and integrated Electronic Health Record (EHR) system.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">For years, the VA, DoD, and USCG have shared medical data through a joint Health Information Exchange (HIE) system, which includes all providers in the Tricare network. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">Within the past few years, however, laws have been passed that increasingly allow veterans to receive treatment from more and more civilian providers, resulting in increased difficulty for both the veterans and the providers to ensure that all treatment records are properly shared between providers as needed. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">Multiple separate records systems makes medical record sharing and receiving incredibly difficult, and especially stressful for Veterans needing their records to support their <a href="https://militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/va-disability-claim.html" target="_blank">disability claim</a>. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">In the first big step to remedy the record-sharing issue with approved civilian providers, the Federal Electronic Health Record Modernization (FEHRM) office announced a partnership with the civilian-based <a href="https://www.commonwellalliance.org/" rel="nofollow" style="color: #954f72;" target="_blank">CommonWell Health Alliance</a> network that connects community providers across the nation.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">Furthering their attempts to create a “seamless health care experience for Veterans” (Secretary Robert Wilkie), the VA launched on October 24<sup>th</sup> the first implementation of their new Electronic Health Record system at some of their main facilities in the Pacific Northwest. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">Providers at these facilities, including Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center in Spokane, will be able to access and update a complete, centralized patient record through this single EHR system. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">The VA’s goal is to have this new EHR system fully implemented at all of their facilities by 2028.<o:p></o:p></p>Military Disability Made Easyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10320151544107767655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251565681889366489.post-17620289391503645262020-10-21T08:59:00.000-07:002020-10-21T08:59:00.493-07:00Progress in Veterans’ Mental Health and Suicide Prevention<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kf0_fmWl9l8/X5BaryQoFJI/AAAAAAAAAMI/LbFRiP8BN54F1vTKYfGxKoazH88_CCvBgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/suicide%2Bprevention.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1827" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kf0_fmWl9l8/X5BaryQoFJI/AAAAAAAAAMI/LbFRiP8BN54F1vTKYfGxKoazH88_CCvBgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/suicide%2Bprevention.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">On October 17</span><sup style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">, 2020, the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2019 was signed into law.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">This act aims to significantly improve access to mental health services and support for all veterans. It is a fairly comprehensive law that aims to improve mental health services in multiple ways. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">Here are some highlights:<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">The law first calls for more thorough reporting by both the DoD and the VA regarding suicides among service members and veterans in an attempt to build a more accurate picture of the realities of the stressors these individuals face that ultimately lead to their suicides and the access or lack of access they had to supportive resources. It also calls for the initiation of multiple studies to better understand various factors, like chronic pain, substance abuse, etc., and their effect on mental health.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">Next, the law establishes a grant program for organizations that provide suicide prevention services to veterans and their families in an effort to further the reach of existing suicide prevention programs.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">The law calls for the development of a three-year pilot program that offers free “integrative health services” (services like animal therapy) to some veterans who suffer from PTSD, depression, or anxiety. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">The law requires the VA to implement various strategies geared toward improving their mental health workforce, including improved training methods, more thorough staffing at facilities, etc. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"> <b><o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">Finally, the law requires the VA to improve their services specifically for Women Veterans, including launching a website specifically for women veterans as well as expanding the Women Veterans Call Center (1-855-829-6636) to include text messaging. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p>Military Disability Made Easyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10320151544107767655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251565681889366489.post-47796674735090170242020-10-20T10:50:00.003-07:002020-10-20T10:51:38.124-07:00VA Disability Rates WILL increase in 2021!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: start;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fe4Fxn18UfA/X48jKkuWwlI/AAAAAAAAAL4/x0dkNYTvCaEvcb6pU52U6SJMFQtDYhEbQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/2021%2BVA%2BDisability%2BRates.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fe4Fxn18UfA/X48jKkuWwlI/AAAAAAAAAL4/x0dkNYTvCaEvcb6pU52U6SJMFQtDYhEbQCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/2021%2BVA%2BDisability%2BRates.png" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">With Covid-19 causing financial devastation across the country, many rumors have been circulating that the Cost of Living Allowance for Social Security and VA Disability benefits would not increase in 2021. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Last week, however, a 1.3% COLA increase was announced for 2021. Although lower than the increases over the few previous years, this increase comes as welcome news for the hundreds of thousands of veterans who rely on their disability benefits. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What does this mean for you? Check out the<a href="https://militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/va-disability-chart.html#2021" target="_blank"> 2021 VA Disability rates</a> now to see how your payment will increase</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><o:p></o:p><p></p></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><br /><p></p>Military Disability Made Easyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10320151544107767655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251565681889366489.post-35967971762744453022020-09-03T10:55:00.000-07:002020-09-03T10:55:06.827-07:00VA Family Caregiver Program Expanding to Include Vietnam, Korean, and WWII Veterans<p><span face=""></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face=""><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VzF6eejftso/X1Esm8STY7I/AAAAAAAAAKI/yMgMdUw9EiwYk1DUZrDza-CA851qUqhJQCLcBGAsYHQ/s905/VA%2BFamily%2BCaregiver%2BPogram.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="582" data-original-width="905" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VzF6eejftso/X1Esm8STY7I/AAAAAAAAAKI/yMgMdUw9EiwYk1DUZrDza-CA851qUqhJQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/VA%2BFamily%2BCaregiver%2BPogram.png" width="320" /></a></span></div><span face=""><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">The VA if <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/07/31/2020-15931/program-of-comprehensive-assistance-for-family-caregivers-improvements-and-amendments-under-the-va" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">officially making two changes</a> to the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC), starting in October.</span></span><span face="" style="font-family: arial;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">The Family Caregiver Program gives educational resources, tips, peer connections, workshops, and in-home support services to family members who are caring for disabled veterans in their homes. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">Currently, the PCAFC is only available to the family caregivers of veterans who were seriously injured in the <u>line of duty </u>on or <i>after</i> September 11, 2001. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b>Change 1.<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">Starting in October, the Family Caregiver Program will be expanded to include family caregivers of veterans who were seriously injured in the <u>line of duty</u> on or <i>before</i> May 7, 1975. This includes Vietnam, Korean, and WWII veterans.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">The VA has not yet published the exact date in October when those eligible under this new ruling will be able to apply. Any applications received before that date will be denied, so check the <a href="https://www.caregiver.va.gov" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">VA’s Caregiver website</a> for the exact date in October. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b>Change 2.<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">In Fall 2022, the Family Caregiver Program will expand even further to include every veteran ever seriously injured (incurred or aggravated) in the line of duty. The program will no longer be limited to veterans injured before 1975 or after 2001. The exact effective date for this change has also not been set since we are still 2 years out. <o:p></o:p></p>Military Disability Made Easyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10320151544107767655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251565681889366489.post-60253062552416284122020-07-14T09:59:00.000-07:002020-07-14T10:00:49.410-07:00Military Disability for Covid-19The VA is currently in the process of initiating procedures to ensure the correct processing and ratings of VA Disability Claims for Covid-19.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eTStNa7r_-s/Xw3iELRsWXI/AAAAAAAAAI8/hVVGmRG2ccgPPZpXAKi1gLeU_CbYPeD0wCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/covid19.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eTStNa7r_-s/Xw3iELRsWXI/AAAAAAAAAI8/hVVGmRG2ccgPPZpXAKi1gLeU_CbYPeD0wCK4BGAYYCw/s320/covid19.png" width="320" /></a>By the end of July, the VA plans to release a policy letter which instructs all claims for Covid-19 to be rated <a href="http://www.militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/analogous.html">analogously</a> under <a href="http://www.militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/infectiousdiseasesandimmunedisorders.html#aa">code 6335</a> for West Nile Virus.<br />
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This code will allow for a 100% rating while the Covid-19 infection is active. After that, it will be rated on any lasting side effects (respiratory conditions, liver conditions, etc.).<br />
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All infectious diseases are rated using a similar system, so until the VA is able to create a new code specifically for Covid-19, rating it under code 6335 will enable veterans to receive a consistent and fair rating.<br />
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The VA's Covid-19 policy letter is still under review, and so may be adjusted before its official release. We'd be surprised, however, if it changes much, as this analogous rating enables Covid-19 to be rated using the same principles that apply to other infectious diseases.<br />
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Once the policy letter is released, the VA will be able to process VA Disability Claims for Covid-19 quickly and accurately, but the benefits will also extend to active duty members who are being medically separated. Since the DoD uses the VASRD and the VA's assigned ratings, the DoD will also start using code 6335 for Covid-19 cases leading to medical discharges.Military Disability Made Easyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10320151544107767655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251565681889366489.post-59678781325943413442019-03-07T16:53:00.000-08:002019-03-07T16:53:15.394-08:00Public Comment Period for the Veterans Community Care Program<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Recently, the Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks (MISSION) Act was passed that requires the VA to establish criteria to determine when eligible veterans can choose to receive care from community healthcare providers.<o:p></o:p></div>
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On February 22<sup>nd</sup>, the VA published its <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/02/22/2019-03030/veterans-community-care-program" target="_blank">proposed regulations </a>to determine the criteria for veterans to receive non-VA care as a part of the new Veterans Community Care Program.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Veterans Community Care Program will replace the Veterans Choice Program in June 2019 and will allow eligible veterans to choose to receive their healthcare, including hospitalization and extended care, through community care providers. <o:p></o:p></div>
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To be eligible, veterans would either have to be enrolled in the VA healthcare system or be eligible to receive VA care (but have not enrolled) and must meet at least one of the following <u>proposed</u>criteria:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->The required care or service is not offered by the VA.</div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">2.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">There is no full-service VA medical facility in the veteran’s state.</span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->The veteran was enrolled in the Veterans Choice Program and is grandfathered into the Veterans Community Care Program.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->The VA is not able to comply with the VA’s access standards to provide care or services to the veteran.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->The veteran and his care provider have determined that receiving care or services from a community care provider is in the best medical interests of the veteran.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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As these changes would affect numerous veterans, the VA has opened a public comment period to allow veterans to submit feedback concerning these criteria, including proposing additional criteria. All comments concerning these access criteria as well as other provisions in the program must be received on or before March 25, 2019. <o:p></o:p></div>
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This is your opportunity to tell the VA about your experiences, point out changes you’d like to see, and have a say in the process. The VA looks at all the comments it receives and must consider them before making the final criteria for participation in the Veterans Community Care Program. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Written comments may be submitted by email through <a href="http://www.regulations.gov./">http://www.regulations.gov.</a> Written comments may also be mailed or hand-delivered to Director, Office of Regulation Policy and Management (ooREG), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue NW, Room 1063B, Washington, DC 20420. Submissions may also be faxed to (202) 273-9026. <b>Please be sure to indicate that these comments are being submitted in response to “RIN 2900-AQ46, Veterans Community Care Program” in order for them to be directed to the right place.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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</style>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251565681889366489.post-84893902199289444372019-02-22T11:54:00.002-08:002019-02-26T10:21:33.060-08:002019 Sporting Events for Disabled Veterans<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXNZhP1oqTUYrH4fnNepsnbTVTlezxeAX8HcxTyIH-p7j6rw1W5qM1uPn9sGeRlEqHzZSkhCB-nTkkrLNW9dw_V2VxzlzrwRhH78AprlvSqTiHge8y-yhgwO8qJR96UcaZLH8NoZpH7AU/s1600/disabled+veteran+bill+of+rights.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXNZhP1oqTUYrH4fnNepsnbTVTlezxeAX8HcxTyIH-p7j6rw1W5qM1uPn9sGeRlEqHzZSkhCB-nTkkrLNW9dw_V2VxzlzrwRhH78AprlvSqTiHge8y-yhgwO8qJR96UcaZLH8NoZpH7AU/s320/disabled+veteran+bill+of+rights.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11.5pt;">There are several notable sporting events for disabled veterans coming up in 2019 that are geared to a wide range of experience and ability levels. These events are held in several locations across the country. Links to further information about each event is provided below.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11.5pt;">The Valor Games</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11.5pt;">, designed to be an introduction to the experience of competing with a disability, are open to both disabled veterans and active duty personnel. Events range from cycling to archery, volleyball, and more. Lodging, meals, and ground transportation during the 3-day event will be provided for all participants. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11.5pt;">The Valor Games are regional, with the <span style="color: #000099;"><a href="https://www.bridge2sports.org/valorgamesse/" target="_blank">Valor Games Southeast</a></span> being held this year in the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hills area of North Carolina from May 20-23. Registration for this event just closed but you can sign up for the wait list online. <span style="color: #000099;">The </span><a href="https://valorgamesfarwest.com/" target="_blank">Valor Games Far West</a> will be held in Alameda, CA from May 30-June 2. Click the links above for more information. Registration for Valor Games Far West opens March 3, 2019.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11.5pt;"><span style="color: #000099;"><a href="http://wheelchairgames.org/" target="_blank">The National Veterans Wheelchair Games</a></span></span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11.5pt;"> will be held this year in Louisville, KY from July 11-16. Events include archery, basketball, slalom, swimming, weightlifting, and much more. Registration for the Wheelchair Games is now open and closes April 15. Follow the link for more information and to apply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11.5pt;"><span style="color: #000099;"><a href="https://www.blogs.va.gov/nvspse/national-veterans-golden-age-games/" target="_blank">The National Veterans Golden Age Games</a></span></span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11.5pt;"> are open to all veterans 55 and older, including those with disabilities and/or limited abilities, who receive their health care from the VA. They will be held from June 5-10 in Anchorage, Alaska. Online registration opens February 25 and closes March 8. For more information, please visit VA.gov.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11.5pt;"><span style="color: #000099;"><a href="https://www.blogs.va.gov/nvspse/national-disabled-veterans-tee-tournament/" target="_blank">The Disabled Veterans TEE Tournament</a></span></span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11.5pt;"> is now a National event. This year, the TEE Tournament will be held in Iowa City, IA, from September 8-13. It is designed as a rehabilitative experience for legally blind or disabled veterans, where veterans receive golf instruction and compete in golfing events. In addition, participants will have the opportunity to participate in other activities and events, including kayaking, horseback riding, disc golf, and adaptive biking, among others. Registration is now open and closes May 1<sup>st</sup>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogs.va.gov/nvspse/national-veterans-summer-sports-clinic/" target="_blank"><br /></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11.5pt;"><span style="color: #000099;"><a href="https://www.blogs.va.gov/nvspse/national-veterans-summer-sports-clinic/" target="_blank">The National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic</a></span></span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11.5pt;"> will be held this year in San Diego, CA from September 15-20. This week-long event is open to veterans whose conditions developed in the last 6 years. Conditions can include TBI, amputations, PTSD, visual impairment, and many more. Veterans will participate in a wide range of water and land events, including track and field, surfing and kayaking, and more. Registration is now open and closes May 1.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251565681889366489.post-39721766221132491102019-02-06T13:21:00.000-08:002019-02-06T13:21:20.747-08:00VA Appeals Modernization Act to be Fully Implemented in February 2019<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On January 18, 2019, the VA published in the <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/01/18/2018-28350/va-claims-and-appeals-modernization" target="_blank">Federal Register</a> its Final Rule regarding implementation of the new VA Appeals system, which will replace the current Legacy appeals system as of February 19, 2019. All appeals filed on or after this date will be reviewed under the new system known as “RAMP.” <o:p></o:p></div>
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The Rapid Appeals Modernization Program (RAMP) was first launched on November 4, 2017. Originally, it was only open to veterans who received invitations, but has since opened to any veterans wishing to apply. Come the 19<sup>th</sup>, however, RAMP will become the only VA Appeals option. <o:p></o:p></div>
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RAMP was designed to streamline the VA appeals process. Instead of just a single option to appeal to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (BVA), RAMP offers 3 lanes veterans can choose from:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;">1. <b>Local Higher Level Review</b>. This lane is for cases that don’t have any new evidence and are fairly straightforward. If the VA made an error and the evidence in the claim clearly proves their error, then this is the lane for you. The majority of appeals that don’t have new evidence will be fine in this lane. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;">2. <b>New Evidence (Supplemental)</b>. This lane is for claims that have new evidence that wasn’t submitted with the original claim. If the VA made a decision about your case, but didn’t have all the evidence and you’d like to submit additional evidence, then this is the lane for you. Only submit to this lane if you have new evidence regarding your conditions that the VA has not yet seen. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;">3. <b>The Board</b>. This lane sends a case directly to the BVA. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;">Veterans who had an appeal pending under the old Legacy claim system or those who received either a Statement of the Case (SOC) or a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC) will be given the opportunity to choose a lane within the new appeals system or remain in the line for the BVA. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;">Under the Legacy appeals system, BVA claims took an average of 3-5 years to complete. When RAMP first launched in 2017, the VA stated that its goals were to complete supplemental claims or higher level reviews within an average of 125 days and to complete Board appeals within an average of 365 days. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;">The VA conducted a review at the one-year mark and reported that over 58,000 veterans chose to use RAMP’s first 2 lanes in that first year. As of November 6<sup>th</sup>, 2018, over 26,000 decisions had been issued with retroactive rewards totaling over $112 million. The average processing time was 115 days. While these are the official numbers released by the VA, we know that many veterans have had their RAMP claims pending for much longer. The VA is clearly still working out the kinks of the new system, however, it has been very successful for a good many veterans. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Once a decision is made on their RAMP claim, veterans have further options for appeal if they are still not happy with the decision. If there is additional new evidence that the VA <u>has not seen</u>, the veteran can appeal to the Supplemental Lane, even if they’ve been through that lane before. If there is no new evidence, then the veteran can appeal to the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC). As long as all additional appeals are submitted within the proper timeframes, the effective date of the claim will not be effected. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;">We will be updating our site with full info on the new RAMP system when everything goes into effect on the 19<sup>th</sup>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Until then, here is the VA’s <a href="https://www.benefits.va.gov/BENEFITS/factsheets/appeals/RAMP_factsheet.pdf." target="_blank">official information</a> on RAMP.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251565681889366489.post-30876018263148609642018-12-27T17:00:00.001-08:002018-12-27T17:00:47.609-08:00The VA Currently Cannot Decrease or Stop Caregiver Benefits<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
The VA has been experiencing numerous issues with their <a href="https://www.caregiver.va.gov/" target="_blank">Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers</a> over the last few years. <o:p></o:p></div>
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In 2017, the VA suspended the entire program for 3 months (from April 2017 to July 2017) in response to complaints. This lead to a few significant changes being made in <a href="http://news.militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/2017/09/changes-to-comprehensive-caregiver.html" target="_blank">September 2017</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJJ3U2r4cjscAdhsrZ70nSXsbIIunGfQNl9bnRWSHIJFRR0CVKV1icRWo9lZjhL6KHzRv57SgQt3utXW4kM7Tk1tUZPIteAFMVv74FTVrXsFOcJRqLSa0EHhpD-xp0BHg4dV7ssrG1A5o/s1600/caregiver.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="485" data-original-width="750" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJJ3U2r4cjscAdhsrZ70nSXsbIIunGfQNl9bnRWSHIJFRR0CVKV1icRWo9lZjhL6KHzRv57SgQt3utXW4kM7Tk1tUZPIteAFMVv74FTVrXsFOcJRqLSa0EHhpD-xp0BHg4dV7ssrG1A5o/s320/caregiver.jpg" width="320" /></a>These changes, however, were not enough to stop the level of complaints, and so the VA opened two comment periods, one in <a href="http://news.militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/2018/01/thirty-day-comment-period-for-caregiver.html" target="_blank">January 2018 </a>and one at the beginning of December. The comments raised many issues and concerns about inconsistencies in the application of eligibility requirements by various VA medical facilities, and especially about veterans and their caregivers arbitrarily having their funding levels reduced or being discharged from the program without explanation, even though the veteran continued to need and receive care from a family caregiver. <o:p></o:p></div>
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In response to the January comment period, the VA Mission Act was signed into law last June. The VA Mission Act covers many areas of care, both in and out of network. It mandates changes and improvements in wait times, access to care, closing funding gaps, consolidating programs and modernization, among other things. One significant change prompted by the Mission Act is the expansion of the Family Caregiver Program to include all veterans, instead of mostly post-9/11 veterans. The Mission Act, however, has not adequately addressed the issue of veterans losing their much-needed caregiver benefits. <o:p></o:p></div>
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In direct response to this issue, the VA announced on December 21<sup>st</sup>that any discharges and decreases in funding to veterans in the caregiver program temporarily cannot be initiated by the VA. During this period, the VA will conduct an internal review. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The VA states that they are seeking long-term legal and regulatory changes designed to improve the program and provide disabled veterans and their caregivers with the best possible care. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Although the VA cannot initiate the termination of benefits during this period, terminations that are requested by the veteran or the caregiver, those due to permanent institutionalization or long-term hospitalization, those requested by the local Caregiver Program for non-compliance with program regulations, or those caused by the death of the veteran will continued to be processed. <o:p></o:p></div>
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All current beneficiaries of the program will not be affected by this temporary change, and VA medical facilities will continue to accept and approve applications to the program, which has added over 38,000 caregivers since 2011. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p></o:p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2