Veterans
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SAN ANTONIO – Air Force Airman 1st Class Nicholas A. Hiatt graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, San Antonio, Texas.
The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills.
Airmen who complete basic training earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force.
Hiatt is the son of Michele Hiatt of Clearlake Oaks, Calif.
He is a 2012 graduate of Lower Lake High School in Lower Lake, Calif.
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WASHINGTON, DC – VA is partnering with Delta Dental and MetLife to allow eligible veterans, plus family members receiving care under the Civilian Health and Medical Program (CHAMPVA), to purchase affordable dental insurance beginning Nov. 15, VA officials announced.
“VA continues to explore innovative ways to help veterans get access to the care and services they have earned and deserve,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “This new dental program is another example of VA creating partnerships with the private sector to deliver a range of high-quality care at an affordable cost, for our nation’s veterans.”
More than eight million veterans who are enrolled in VA health care can choose to purchase one of the offered dental plans.
This three-year pilot has been designed for veterans with no dental coverage, or those eligible for VA dental care who would like to purchase additional coverage.
Participation will not affect entitlement to VA dental services and treatment.
There are no eligibility limitations based on service-connected disability rating or enrollment priority assignment.
People interested in participating may complete an application online through either Delta Dental, www.deltadentalvadip.org , or MetLife, www.metlife.com/vadip .
Coverage for this new dental insurance will begin Jan. 1, 2014, and will be available throughout the United States and its territories.
Also eligible for the new benefits are nearly 400,000 spouses and dependent children who are reimbursed for most medical expenses under VA’s CHAMPVA program.
Generally, CHAMPVA participants are spouses, survivors or dependent children of Veterans officially rated as “permanently and totally” disabled by a service-connected condition.
Dental services under the new program vary by plan and include diagnostic, preventive, surgical, emergency and endodontic/restorative treatment.
Enrollment in the VA Dental Insurance Plan (VADIP) is voluntary. Participants are responsible for all premiums, which range from $8.65 to $52.90 per month for individual plans. Copayments and other charges may apply.
Historically VA’s free dental services have gone to veterans with dental problems connected to a medical condition that’s officially certified as “service connected.” Free dental services will continue for those Veterans.
For more information on VADIP, visit www.va.gov/healthbenefits/vadip , or contact Delta Dental at 1-855-370-3303 or MetLife at 1-888-310-1681.
Veterans who are not enrolled in the VA health care system can apply at any time by visiting www.va.gov/healthbenefits/enroll , calling 1-877-222-VETS (8387) or visiting their local VA health care facility.
Bill expanding telehealth services to veterans, active-duty servicemembers and dependents introduced
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WASHINGTON, DC – On Friday, U.S. Reps. Mike Thompson (CA-5) and Scott Peters (CA-52) introduced H.R. 3507, the 21st Century Care for Military & Veterans Act.
This bipartisan legislation would expand coverage of telehealth services to active-duty servicemembers, their dependents, retirees, and veterans.
Because of provider shortages at local practices, many servicemembers and veterans lack access to a primary care physician, and in rural and underserved communities patients often must travel extended distances to see a healthcare provider.
The bill would establish and expand reimbursement policies covering the use of telehealth services, including essential mental health monitoring, under TRICARE and the VA.
“Often times telehealth provides the best care available and as a wounded combat Vietnam veteran, I understand that our servicemembers, veterans and their families have earned and deserve the best,” said Thompson. “This bill will make sure our men and women of the Armed Forces and their families can get the highest quality care in a timely manner no matter where they live or how far away they are from the doctor they need to see. It’s the right thing to do for those who have sacrificed so much for us.”
“As we look for ways to provide the best-quality care for our servicemembers and veterans, telehealth technologies are increasingly important to the full range of options we should be offering,” Peters said. “We’ve already seen that these technologies create a more responsive and more efficient health care system that provide for better care and lower costs. That’s the type of commonsense approach that can make a real difference in military and veterans communities in San Diego and across the country.”
The legislation introduced today would leverage innovative technologies already in use today – including audio and video conferencing, smart devices, and remote monitoring – to bring the doctor to the patient.
Telehealth technologies, in their various forms, bring a host of benefits including improved patient outcomes, decreased disparities and variations in care, and vastly expanded options for outpatient health treatments.
The VA has already seen both clinical and cost-saving benefits through telehealth technologies, including a 40 percent reduction in bed days and an 87 percent reduction in annual per-patient cost between when compared to existing home-based care programs.
In addition to Peters and Thompson, the bill is co-sponsored by Reps. Gregg Harper (R-MS-3) Peter Welch (D-VT At-Large).
H.R. 3507 has been endorsed by the American Telemedicine Association.
Thompson represents California’s 5th Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma Counties. He is a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Rep. Thompson is also a member of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition and chairs the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Wine Caucus.
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WASHINGTON, DC – The Department of Veterans Affairs announced that one million veterans, servicemembers and family members have benefited from the Post-9/11 GI Bill since the program’s inception in August 2009.
The Veterans Benefits Administration, which administers the program, has distributed over $30 billion in the form of tuition and other education-related payments to veterans, servicemembers and their families; and to the universities, colleges and trade schools they attend.
“This is one of the most important programs helping our Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans reach their educational goals and find a good job,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “We're proud this important benefit is making such a big difference in the lives of so many Veterans and their families.”
“Over the next few years, as more than a million service men and women end their military careers and return to civilian life, education will be at the forefront of that transition,” said Dr. Jill Biden. “As a community college teacher, I have seen firsthand the qualities our veterans bring to the classroom – dedication, a sense of teamwork, and a commitment to their work. Helping our veterans succeed in the classroom so they can go on to find good jobs to support their families is one important way we can thank them for their service.”
VA announced that Steven Ferraro, who is currently attending Middlesex County College, a public community college in Edison, N.J., has been identified as the one millionth Post-9/11 GI Bill beneficiary. Ferraro served in the Army from 2003-2013 and deployed to Iraq in 2008 as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He is the father of three and is majoring in communications.
“I thought it was a great privilege to be the one millionth recipient of the GI Bill,” said Ferraro. “Coming back to college after leaving the military, it was a great stepping stone for me and my family.”
“We are pleased that the Post-9/11 generation of veterans is taking advantage of this significant benefit program,” said Under Secretary for Benefits Allison A. Hickey. “The scope of the program we’ve administered thus far would fund the undergraduate student bodies of Virginia Tech, Ohio State University, West Virginia University, and University of Florida combined – for eight years.”
The Post-9/11 GI Bill is a comprehensive education benefit created by Congress in 2008. In general, veterans and servicemembers who have served on active duty for 90 or more days since Sept. 10, 2001 are eligible. On average, VA processes the initial claims for Post-9/11 GI Bill educational benefits in 23 days.
VA’s new automated processing system, called the Long-Term Solution, uses more than 1,600 business rules to support end-to-end automation of Post-9/11 GI Bill claims, ensuring accurate payments without the need for manual handling, also resulting in quicker processing of education claims.
Servicemembers have the opportunity to transfer the benefit to immediate family members. Legally, GI Bill benefits are tiered based on the number of days served on active duty, giving activated National Guard and Reserve members the same benefits as all other active duty members. These benefits include:
- Up to the full amount of tuition and fees for a state-operated college or university. The Yellow Ribbon Program may provide additional assistance for students attending private institutions or who are charged out-of-state tuition and fees;
- Monthly housing allowance, which is based upon the location of the school; and
- Annual books and supplies stipend of up to $1,000.
The Post-9/11 GI Bill also provides work-study programs, tutorial assistance and license and certification test reimbursement.
Enacted in 1944, the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act, known as the “GI Bill of Rights;” recognized that military service was an inherently selfless act which demanded a certain amount of compensation.
As a result of the bill, nearly half of the 16 million veterans of World War II went to school and received an education – helping to rejuvenate the post-war economy and transform not only the lives of veterans, but the fabric of the nation.
The Post-9/11 GI Bill builds on the same great legacy of the original GI Bill, giving Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and their families a chance to improve their lives and invest in their future through higher education.
For more information on VA education benefits go to http://www.gibill.va.gov/ .
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WASHINGTON, DC –The Department of Veterans Affairs has made significant progress in reducing the backlog of disability compensation claims – from 611,000 to 400,835 or 34 percent – since peaking in March.
Concurrently, VA improved the accuracy of disability ratings, and provided hundreds of thousands of claims decisions to veterans who have waited the longest.
“Veterans shouldn’t have to wait for the benefits they’ve earned,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki. “This has never been acceptable, but we are executing our plans and moving in the right direction to meet our 2015 goal of eliminating the backlog. We still have more work to do, but we are making clear progress and no one is more committed than our VBA employees, more than half of whom are veterans themselves.”
Since the VA launched the initiative to eliminate the oldest claims first, claims processors at the 56 regional offices of the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) have been focused on claims that had been waiting longer than one year.
As of Nov. 4, VBA has completed 93 percent of these older claims, resulting in over 476,000 decisions for veterans since the initiative began on April 19.
The proportion of claims decisions that resulted in benefits being granted remained on par with historical averages – between 65 and 70 percent.
At the same time, the accuracy of rating decisions has improved. The three-month average for decision accuracy when evaluating a complete claim file is 90 percent – a 5 percentage point improvement since 2011, and a 7 percentage point improvement since 2010.
The three-month average accuracy for rating individual medical conditions inside each claim has climbed three points to 96.7 percent since December 2012.
VBA also directed 20 hours of mandatory overtime per month for claims processors, and worked with the Veterans Health Administration to place VA physicians in regional offices to review medical evidence to help speed decisions.
Mandatory overtime was halted during the government shutdown in October, but has been re-established and will continue through Nov. 23.
VBA anticipates mandatory overtime to continue in 2014, based on available funding. Optional overtime for claims processors will remain in effect.
“I am grateful to our employees, many who have been working long periods of overtime since May, for their great dedication in helping our veterans get the benefits they’ve earned,” said Under Secretary for Benefits Allison A. Hickey. “I talk to them every day and they are committed to building on their record-breaking progress, helping transform the VA into a paperless system, and ending the backlog for good.”
In the coming months, VBA will continue its effort on further reducing the backlog, focusing on those claims that have been pending the longest. VBA will also continue to prioritize disability claims for homeless Veterans, those experiencing extreme financial hardship, the terminally ill, former Prisoners of War, Medal of Honor recipients, and veterans filing Fully Developed Claims (FDC). Filing an electronic FDC is the quickest way for veterans to receive a decision on their compensation claim ( http://www.benefits.va.gov/fdc/ ).
Regardless of the status of their compensation claims, veterans who have served in combat since Nov. 11, 1998, are eligible for five years of free medical care from VA for most conditions.
Veterans can learn more about disability and other veterans benefits on the joint Department of Defense/VA web portal eBenefits at www.ebenefits.va.gov .
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WASHINGTON, DC – The Department of Veterans Affairs has hired 815 peer specialists and peer apprentices, exceeding the hiring goal set in President Obama’s Aug. 31, 2012, executive order aimed at improving access to mental health services for veterans, service members and military families.
On June 3, VA announced the department met another goal established by the executive order by hiring 1,600 additional mental health professionals.
“We have made strong progress to expand veterans’ access to quality mental health services, but we must continue to increase access,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “These newly hired employees, veterans themselves, are uniquely equipped to guide fellow veterans through difficult issues.”
Peer specialists and peer support apprentices are a unique cadre of people joining VA’s mental health care teams. They are veterans who have successfully dealt with their own mental health recovery for a minimum of one year.
Peer specialists are trained and certified, while peer support apprentices are undergoing training and certification to become peer specialists. An additional component from the Executive Order mandated that all training for these peer counselors would be complete by the end of the year. VA remains on track to meet that requirement.
“We are proud to have exceeded the hiring goal established by the president in his executive order,” said Under Secretary for Health, Dr. Robert A. Petzel. “We are well on the way to have all of these new hires trained by the end of the calendar year.”
Specialists and apprentices are working at every VA medical center throughout the country as well as at community-based outpatient clinics with more than 10,000 enrollees.
As the nation’s largest integrated health care system, VA cares for more than 6.3 million veterans annually, and has seen an increase in the amount of service men and women who are dealing with mental health issues.
VA’s push to hire veterans who can provide peer support is a key part of a greater effort aimed at increasing access to mental health care services for the nation’s veterans by hiring thousands of new mental health professionals.
Earlier this year, VA announced a 50 percent increase in staffing for the Veterans Crisis Line (1-800-273-8255), which has been credited with rescuing more than 26,000 actively suicidal Veterans.
This year, VA held Mental Health Summits at 151 VA medical centers across the country to further engage community partners, veteran service organizations, health care providers and local governments, and to address the broad mental health needs of veterans and their families.
To learn more about current VA Peer to Peer job opportunities visit: http://www.vacareers.va.gov/peer-to-peer /.
Veterans and their families interested in learning more about the mental health services provided by VA can go to www.mentalhealth.va.gov .
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Senior Activity Center has joined with Ginny Craven and Operation Tango Mike to provide letters to our soldiers stationed away from home.
Please take a few moments to express whatever is in your heart. Your expression of thanks for the jobs they do, or good wishes you send, could make a big difference in their day.
Please do not date your letter, or add a happy holiday for any occasion. Operation Tango Mike may then use them at any time during the year.
Feel free to write as often and as many letters as you wish. If for any reason you are unable to write your own letters, there are preprinted letters available at the front desk of the senior center.
Turn your letters in to the Lakeport Senior Activity Center, 527 Konocti Ave., Lakeport.
For more Information call the center at 707-263-4218.
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UKIAH, Calif. – This week North Coast Honor Flight is taking 50 veterans on a trip back to Washington, DC to see the memorials that were created in their honor.
Jim Sligh, project chair, said that he was happy that the government is working again so there is no need to storm the barricades at the monuments.
“We are so grateful to have been part of Honor Flight,” said Sligh. “We owe a debt of gratitude to these heroes for all that they have endured on our behalf. It is important that they are able to see the national monuments that honor those who never made it home from war.”
Sligh thanked everyone who made the trip possible as well as the entire community, which has shown its support and love to each of these veterans.
With more than 1,000 World War II veterans dying each day, the time to express thanks to these brave men and women is running out.
Only four and one half years after World War II ended, America found itself at war in Korea. Those aging veterans also are being honored as part of the effort.
North Coast Honor Flight will continue to pay tribute to America’s veteran heroes, honoring all they have given.
The organization thanked Mendocino and Lake counties, and those in the surrounding areas who supported our effort to honor our veterans with, “One More Tour with Honor.” They couldn’t do it without the community's support.
North Coast Honor Flight is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization. If you choose to donate with a check, please make the check out to North Coast Honor Flight and mail to North Coast Honor Flight, C/O Cunningham Malone and Morton, 710 E St., Eureka, CA 95501.
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WASHINGTON, DC – Employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs are working to resume normal operations as quickly as possible.
Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) regional offices reopened their doors and resumed public contact services for veterans on Thursday.
“With the shutdown over, we are all very grateful that the Nov. 1 benefit checks will go out to approximately five million veterans and other beneficiaries as scheduled,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “We at VA are working quickly to resume normal operations in order to fulfill our solemn obligation – to ensure that veterans receive the benefits and services they have earned through their service. I want to thank all of our VA employees for their dedication and resolve during this difficult period.”
During the government shutdown, VA medical centers, clinics, and other health services remained open.
Due to the shutdown, VA claims processors were unable to continue working 20 hours of overtime per month to reduce the backlog of claims, overtime that has helped VA significantly reduce the disability claims backlog by more than 190,000 claims over the last six months.
Mandatory overtime will resume immediately and will continue as planned through Nov. 16, at a minimum.
“In the coming weeks and months, we will fight hard to regain ground lost as a result of the government shutdown,” said Shinseki. “We remain committed to eliminating the disability claims backlog in 2015.”
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