James48843
Well-known member
Statement from VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki on Veterans Health Care and Tricare
WASHINGTON - As Secretary of Veterans Affairs, I accepted the solemn responsibility to uphold our sacred trust with our nation’s Veterans. Fears that Veterans health care and TRICARE will be undermined by the health reform legislation are unfounded. I am confident that the legislation being voted on today will provide the protections afforded our nation’s Veterans and the health care they have earned through their service. The President and I stand firm in our commitment to those who serve and have served in our armed forces. We pledge to continue to provide the men and women in uniform and our Veterans the high quality health care they have earned.
President Obama has strongly supported Veterans and their needs, specifically health care needs, on every major issue for these past 14 months – advance appropriations, new GI Bill implementation, new Agent Orange presumptions for three additional diseases, new Gulf War Illness presumptions for nine additional diseases, and a 16% budget increase in 2010 for the Department of Veterans Affairs, that is the largest in over 30 years, and which has been followed by a 2011 VA budget request that increases that record budget by an additional 7.6%.
To give our Veterans further assurance that health reform legislation will not affect their health care systems, the Chairmen of five House committees, including Veterans Affairs Chairman Bob Filner and Armed Services Chairman Ike Skelton, have just issued a joint letter reaffirming that the health reform legislation as written would protect those receiving care through all TRICARE and Department of Veterans Affairs programs.
2. Putting Veterans Fears to Rest – Tammy Duckworth
Update from Matt Flavin, who completed deployments to Bosnia, Afghanistan and Iraq and serves as Director of Veterans and Wounded Warrior Policy: As a proud VFW member, I want to underscore that the health reform legislation being voted on today will not adversely impact our nation’s veterans. In fact, during his time in office, President Obama has provided an historic increase in benefits for our veterans and has upheld every pledge to protect the benefits our veterans have earned in service to our nation. He will continue to stand firm in his commitment to veterans.
To give our veterans further assurance that this legislation will not affect their health care systems, the Chairmen of five house committees including Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Bob Filner and Armed Services Chairman Ike Skelton, have just issued a joint letter (pdf) reaffirming that the health reform legislation as written would protect those receiving care through all TRICARE and Department of Veterans Affairs programs. In case any questions remained, yesterday’s unanimous passage of HR 4887 in the U.S. House of Representatives, the TRICARE Affirmation Act, made it crystal clear that our veterans – in particular those who depend on TRICARE - will not be harmed by this bill. The White House supports this legislation as well.]
As Assistant Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, a constant concern for me is having our Veterans dragged into partisan politics. Unfortunately the debate over health reform has seen that happen far too many times, and at the VA we often have to correct misinformation and assure Veterans that the care they rely on will not be taken away from them.
One of the concerns we are hearing the most now is whether health reform will affect the care Veterans receive under the VA system.
Let me be unambiguous: The healthcare that Veterans receive through the VA system, including dependents of certain veterans enrolled in the CHAMPVA program, will be safe and sound under health reform. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs would continue to maintain sole authority over the system and for enhancing the quality and access for all eligible Veterans.
In addition, TRICARE will continue to be available for all eligible servicemen and women, and their families. Those who are covered by TRICARE would meet the shared responsibility requirement for individuals to have insurance, thereby exempting such members of the uniformed services and dependants from being assessed any sort of penalty. The President has made it clear publicly and to me that he is committed to ensuring that America’s servicemen and women have high quality care, and with health reform that commitment remains very much intact.
I have personally seen what a devastating medical condition can cost. Had I been injured on the freeway and not in combat, it is likely that I would be bankrupt even though I had medical insurance through my civilian employer. I personally receive my world class healthcare from the VA and as a dependent on my husband's Tricare eligibility. This bill is good for our nation and our Veterans and Service Members and their families can be reassured that their benefits are safe.
Tammy Duckworth is the Assistant Secretary of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs for the Department of Veterans Affairs
3. Presumptions of Service Connection for Persian Gulf Service
Secretary Shinseki is taking steps to make it easier for Veterans to obtain disability compensation for certain diseases associated with service in the Persian Gulf War or Afghanistan. This will be the beginning of historic change for VA, and the Veterans we serve.
The Gulf War Veterans Illness Task Force (GWVI-TF) is a leading edge of the Secretary’s vision of transforming the VA into a 21st century organization. Improving the responsiveness of VA to the challenges facing the 1990-1991 Gulf War Veterans is a priority that requires innovation and the engagement of all stakeholders, including VA employees, DoD, Congress, Veterans’ Service Organizations (VSOs), and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs).
Following the initial recommendations made by the GWVI-TF, VA is publishing a proposed regulation in the Federal Register (see attached) that will establish new presumptions of service connection for nine specific infectious diseases associated with military service in Southwest Asia during the Persian Gulf War, or in Afghanistan on or after September 19, 2001 (Brucellosis, Campylobacter jejuni, Coxiella burnetii (Q fever), malaria, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Nontyphoid Salmonella, Shigella, Visceral leishmaniasis, and West Nile virus).
With the proposed rule, a Veteran need only show service in Southwest Asia or Afghanistan, and a current diagnosis of one of these nine diseases. Because the Persian Gulf War has not officially been declared ended, Veterans serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom will also be eligible for VA’s new presumptions. Secretary Shinseki decided to include Afghanistan Veterans in these presumptions because the 2006 report of the National Academy of Sciences found that the nine diseases are prevalent in that country.
Because of your hard work and dedication to our Veterans, VA has touched nearly one out of three Gulf War I Veterans though medical services and/or the payment of benefits. Because of your continued commitment to make VA a results oriented organization, we will continue to improve the access to our benefits and services for Gulf War I Veterans, and Veterans of all Eras.
Thank you for your continued support and advocacy on behalf of all Veterans.
Douglas Carmon
NGO Ombudsman
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
(more at: http://www.unionvoice.org/unionveterans/home.html )
Visit the web address below to tell your friends about this.
Tell-a-friend!
If you received this message from a friend, you can sign up for Union Veterans.
WASHINGTON - As Secretary of Veterans Affairs, I accepted the solemn responsibility to uphold our sacred trust with our nation’s Veterans. Fears that Veterans health care and TRICARE will be undermined by the health reform legislation are unfounded. I am confident that the legislation being voted on today will provide the protections afforded our nation’s Veterans and the health care they have earned through their service. The President and I stand firm in our commitment to those who serve and have served in our armed forces. We pledge to continue to provide the men and women in uniform and our Veterans the high quality health care they have earned.
President Obama has strongly supported Veterans and their needs, specifically health care needs, on every major issue for these past 14 months – advance appropriations, new GI Bill implementation, new Agent Orange presumptions for three additional diseases, new Gulf War Illness presumptions for nine additional diseases, and a 16% budget increase in 2010 for the Department of Veterans Affairs, that is the largest in over 30 years, and which has been followed by a 2011 VA budget request that increases that record budget by an additional 7.6%.
To give our Veterans further assurance that health reform legislation will not affect their health care systems, the Chairmen of five House committees, including Veterans Affairs Chairman Bob Filner and Armed Services Chairman Ike Skelton, have just issued a joint letter reaffirming that the health reform legislation as written would protect those receiving care through all TRICARE and Department of Veterans Affairs programs.
2. Putting Veterans Fears to Rest – Tammy Duckworth
Update from Matt Flavin, who completed deployments to Bosnia, Afghanistan and Iraq and serves as Director of Veterans and Wounded Warrior Policy: As a proud VFW member, I want to underscore that the health reform legislation being voted on today will not adversely impact our nation’s veterans. In fact, during his time in office, President Obama has provided an historic increase in benefits for our veterans and has upheld every pledge to protect the benefits our veterans have earned in service to our nation. He will continue to stand firm in his commitment to veterans.
To give our veterans further assurance that this legislation will not affect their health care systems, the Chairmen of five house committees including Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Bob Filner and Armed Services Chairman Ike Skelton, have just issued a joint letter (pdf) reaffirming that the health reform legislation as written would protect those receiving care through all TRICARE and Department of Veterans Affairs programs. In case any questions remained, yesterday’s unanimous passage of HR 4887 in the U.S. House of Representatives, the TRICARE Affirmation Act, made it crystal clear that our veterans – in particular those who depend on TRICARE - will not be harmed by this bill. The White House supports this legislation as well.]
As Assistant Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, a constant concern for me is having our Veterans dragged into partisan politics. Unfortunately the debate over health reform has seen that happen far too many times, and at the VA we often have to correct misinformation and assure Veterans that the care they rely on will not be taken away from them.
One of the concerns we are hearing the most now is whether health reform will affect the care Veterans receive under the VA system.
Let me be unambiguous: The healthcare that Veterans receive through the VA system, including dependents of certain veterans enrolled in the CHAMPVA program, will be safe and sound under health reform. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs would continue to maintain sole authority over the system and for enhancing the quality and access for all eligible Veterans.
In addition, TRICARE will continue to be available for all eligible servicemen and women, and their families. Those who are covered by TRICARE would meet the shared responsibility requirement for individuals to have insurance, thereby exempting such members of the uniformed services and dependants from being assessed any sort of penalty. The President has made it clear publicly and to me that he is committed to ensuring that America’s servicemen and women have high quality care, and with health reform that commitment remains very much intact.
I have personally seen what a devastating medical condition can cost. Had I been injured on the freeway and not in combat, it is likely that I would be bankrupt even though I had medical insurance through my civilian employer. I personally receive my world class healthcare from the VA and as a dependent on my husband's Tricare eligibility. This bill is good for our nation and our Veterans and Service Members and their families can be reassured that their benefits are safe.
Tammy Duckworth is the Assistant Secretary of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs for the Department of Veterans Affairs
3. Presumptions of Service Connection for Persian Gulf Service
Secretary Shinseki is taking steps to make it easier for Veterans to obtain disability compensation for certain diseases associated with service in the Persian Gulf War or Afghanistan. This will be the beginning of historic change for VA, and the Veterans we serve.
The Gulf War Veterans Illness Task Force (GWVI-TF) is a leading edge of the Secretary’s vision of transforming the VA into a 21st century organization. Improving the responsiveness of VA to the challenges facing the 1990-1991 Gulf War Veterans is a priority that requires innovation and the engagement of all stakeholders, including VA employees, DoD, Congress, Veterans’ Service Organizations (VSOs), and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs).
Following the initial recommendations made by the GWVI-TF, VA is publishing a proposed regulation in the Federal Register (see attached) that will establish new presumptions of service connection for nine specific infectious diseases associated with military service in Southwest Asia during the Persian Gulf War, or in Afghanistan on or after September 19, 2001 (Brucellosis, Campylobacter jejuni, Coxiella burnetii (Q fever), malaria, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Nontyphoid Salmonella, Shigella, Visceral leishmaniasis, and West Nile virus).
With the proposed rule, a Veteran need only show service in Southwest Asia or Afghanistan, and a current diagnosis of one of these nine diseases. Because the Persian Gulf War has not officially been declared ended, Veterans serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom will also be eligible for VA’s new presumptions. Secretary Shinseki decided to include Afghanistan Veterans in these presumptions because the 2006 report of the National Academy of Sciences found that the nine diseases are prevalent in that country.
Because of your hard work and dedication to our Veterans, VA has touched nearly one out of three Gulf War I Veterans though medical services and/or the payment of benefits. Because of your continued commitment to make VA a results oriented organization, we will continue to improve the access to our benefits and services for Gulf War I Veterans, and Veterans of all Eras.
Thank you for your continued support and advocacy on behalf of all Veterans.
Douglas Carmon
NGO Ombudsman
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
(more at: http://www.unionvoice.org/unionveterans/home.html )
Visit the web address below to tell your friends about this.
Tell-a-friend!If you received this message from a friend, you can sign up for Union Veterans.
