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Archive for January, 2010
Friday, January 29th, 2010
The St. Louis VA health care organization (VAMC) is one of the busiest in the country and they had a problem: how to smoothly control patient flow on a budget while preparing for an increasing amount of patients. Troop surges in Afghanistan and returning veterans are constantly adding to the current veteran population so the VAMC had to be prepared.
The St. Louis VAMC solved their problem by using their new Versus Technology’s Real-time Location System (RTLS), which is currently being used in hundreds of other health care facilities. The St. Louis VAMC is using this technology in their outpatient eye clinic and their operating room in an effort to improve:
- Safety;
- Efficiency;
- Patient flow;
- Room status;
- Patient interaction;
- Prevent roadblocks; and
- Volume management.
Upon entering the St. Louis VAMC, patients are given a Versus badge linked to the RTLS. The badge will allow the clinic staff to:
- Locate the patient;
- Monitor the patient’s wait time; and
- Monitor the length of the patient’s procedures.
The clinic staff also wears the badges and this allows their interaction time with the patients to be monitored and, conversely, how long each patient is alone. At the end of a patient’s visit, the system produces a report detailing every stage of a patient’s visit.
Read more about patient control automation in the St. Louis VMAC.
If you need assistance with your veterans disability claim, contact the veterans disability rights law firm of LaVan & Neidenberg. Veterans disability rights lawyers can help you win your claim against the VA!
Tags: real time location system, St. Louis VAMC, VA healthcare, VA medical facility
Posted in Disabled Veterans | No Comments »
Friday, January 29th, 2010
The VA currently punishes pension qualified veterans for being victims of crimes and accidents when they receive a settlement or insurance reimbursement that causes them to exceed their “income” limit. Fortunately this policy is about to change.
The Veterans Pensions Protection Act is newly introduced legislation designed to protect veterans from losing their pensions; income they rely on to survive. Currently, the VA may cancel or decrease a veteran’s pension if they receive insurance payments to cover losses after being a victim of:
- An accident (including medical expenses);
- Theft;
- Loss; or
- Casualty loss.
Veterans must meet certain requirements in order to qualify for pensions. In deciding if a veteran meets the annual income requirements, the VA looks at all sources of revenue. If the veteran’s income exceeds the VA established limit, that veteran is not granted a pension. If a veteran is already receiving a pension and their income jumps above the VA’s limit, that veteran loses their pension.
The VA considers Insurance payments or other types of reimbursement income. This new legislation will fix this technicality to guarantee that veterans qualifying for pensions continue to receive them. The Veterans Pensions Protection Act will allow these types of insurance payments, settlements, and reimbursements to become exempt from the VA’s income calculations when considering whether to grant pensions to deserving veterans.
Read more about this proposed legislation.
If you are a veteran who has been denied disability compensation by the VA, contact LaVan & Neidenberg. We can appeal your rating decision and fight for your rights. You are entitled to certain programs and benefits based upon your VA rating decision so contact our veterans disability rights firm today.
Tags: VA Benefits, VA legislation, veteran pensions, Veterans Pensions Protections Act
Posted in VA News, Veterans' Benefits | No Comments »
Thursday, January 28th, 2010
The VA is proposing a new transitional housing facility for homeless veterans. If completed, the new facility will exist on currently unused land at the VA Medical Center in Martinsburg, WV (VAMC).
The goal of the program is to provide homeless veterans temporary housing for up to two years while they:
- Search for employment;
- Receive job training;
- Receive access to care at the VAMC; and
- Receive help in returning to independent living outside the facility.
The program is being developed through an Enhanced Use Lease project (EUL), which means the VA will partner with a developer to construct and manage the facility for up to 75 years. Ownership of the land remains with the VA while the developer will own all improvements made upon the land.
There are currently other EUL projects focusing on homeless veterans already in existence at numerous VA facilities and even more under construction. These EUL projects costs the VA nothing as:
- The VA already owns the land;
- Outside partners will finance, run, and completely maintain the facility;
- The developer provides all the required services to operate the facility;
- The developer will make money through subsidy programs and grants; and
- Veterans accepted into the facility must financially contribute.
The VA stressed one point very strongly in their proposal for placement of this facility at VAMC: this is transitional housing, NOT an emergency shelter.
Additional housing benefits are available to disabled veterans which may be based on your disability rating. Contact the veterans’ disability rights law firm of LaVan & Neidenberg.
Tags: homeless veterans assistance, VA Benefits, VA News, veterans transitional housing
Posted in VA News, Veterans' Benefits | 1 Comment »
Thursday, January 28th, 2010
More than 400 veterans and 600 volunteers, many VA employees, attended the Winterhaven Homeless Veterans Stand Down at the VA Medical Center in Washington D.C. (DCVMAC). The crowd was joined by Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki who stated he was “personally committed to ending homelessness among Veterans within the next five years.”
The Stand Down was held in support of homeless veterans and puts the veterans in touch with not only VA services but the services of 80 community agencies. Homeless veterans attend the Stand Down in hopes of receiving:
- Health care;
- Employment;
- Education; and
- Housing services.
Stand downs are not unique to D.C., they are held across the country with the goal of bringing together in one place all the critical services homeless veterans need to improve their lives. These events have all possible resources on hand so veterans can be serviced immediately. Things most of us take for granted, like hot meals, haircuts, and warm clothing are cherished by the attending veterans.
Not only were basic services available, veterans were offered medical screenings covering:
- Flu shots;
- Cholesterol;
- Hepatitis C;
- HIV;
- Prostate; and
- General physical exams.
Veterans were also offered various consultative services, mental health referrals for those suffering from PTSD and substance abuse, employment assistance from numerous organizations, and help with VA benefit claims. Perhaps most importantly, those veterans with housing vouchers and those seeking them were screened for immediate placement in available units.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation by the VA, contact LaVan & Neidenberg. We can appeal your rating decision and fight for your rights. You are entitled to certain programs and benefits based upon your VA rating decision so contact our veterans disability rights firm today.
Tags: homeless veterans, Homeless Veterans Stand Down, VA medical center, veterans assistance
Posted in General, Veterans' Events | No Comments »
Wednesday, January 27th, 2010
The VA was honored last week at the Cheers Awards by the Independent Institute for Safe Medication Practices for their use of bar code technology for medication administration. The Cheers Awards tributes agencies, both public and private, for maintaining high standards for preventing patient injury and medication errors.
The VA’s health care system has integrated the use of bar codes on patient wristbands for over ten years and was one of the first organizations to do so. Each bar code contains an exclusive number assigned to only one patient.
When medication is dispersed, it is first scanned and compared to the patient’s unique bar code to ensure the patient receives the proper medication in the proper dose. In the ten years since the implication of this process, more than 1.3 billion doses of medication have passed through the system.
The VA’s bar code process has also been recognized for its effectiveness by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, the American Society of Health Systems Pharmacists, and has won the Federal Technology Leadership Award. This latest award demonstrates the VA’s continued dedication to patient safety.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation by the VA, contact LaVan & Neidenberg. We can appeal your rating decision and fight for your rights. You are entitled to certain programs and benefits based upon your VA rating decision so contact our veterans disability rights firm today.
Tags: bar code technology, Cheers Award, VA healthcare system
Posted in VA News | No Comments »
Wednesday, January 27th, 2010
In exchange for performing such an valuable service to their country, the VA offers former Prisoners of War preferential medical treatment as well as benefits that are also extended to their families.
Former POWs with service-connected disabilities are eligible for VA health care that includes:
- Hospital treatment;
- Nursing home treatment; and
- Outpatient treatment.
Former POWs without service-connected disabilities are eligible for VA hospital and nursing home care regardless of their ability to pay and are also given priority for outpatient care. Any former POW receiving treatment in an approved outpatient center is qualified for the following, as needed:
- Medicines
- Glasses
- Hearing aids
- Prostheses and
- All dental care
The Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) benefit is paid monthly to a surviving spouse and in some cases former children and parents. This benefit is paid if the former POW:
- Was a service member who died on active duty; OR
- Died from service-related disabilities; OR
- Died on or before September 30, 1999, AND was continuously rated totally disabled for a service-connected condition (including individual un-employability) for at least 10 years immediately preceding death; OR
- Died after September 30, 1999, AND was continuously rated totally disabled for a service-connected condition (including individual unemployability) for at least one year immediately preceding death.
The VA also offers benefits to the families of former POWs. Certain dependents and survivors may also be eligible for VA benefits to include:
- Health care
- Death pension
- Education and training
- Home loan guaranty and
- Burial in a national cemetery
If you are a former POW or a surviving family member looking to file for benefits, contact LaVan & Neidenberg, a veterans law firm located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. We represent more than 5000 disability claimants. Our disability attorneys have experience with cross examining agency-appointed medical and vocational experts and take time when speaking with you about your disability claim. Call us today at 1-888-234-5758 for a FREE legal consultation. There is NO OBLIGATION to hire our firm and there are NO FEES unless one of our trained disability lawyers wins your case.
Tags: POW, prisoner of war benefits, service-connected disabilities, Veterans disability
Posted in Disabled Veterans, Veterans' Benefits | No Comments »
Tuesday, January 26th, 2010
Congress passed The Former Prisoners of War Benefit Act into law in 1981. This act established several things:
- An advisory committee on Former Prisoners of War;
- Mandated medical and dental care; and
- Identified certain service-connected conditions as presumptive for former POWs (which has been updated since via the VA).
The presumptive conditions for former POWs are broken into two categories. The first category covers the 7 diseases listed below as long as the disease has manifested itself to “a degree of 10% or more” after discharge or release from active duty and includes:
- Psychosis;
- Dysthymic disorder, or depressive neurosis;
- Post-traumatic osteoarthritis;
- Any of the Anxiety States;
- Cold Injury;
- Stroke and Complications; and
- Heart Disease and Complications.
The second category includes diseases presumed to be service-connected if the former POW was captive for at least 30 days:
- Avitaminosis;
- Chronic Dysentery;
- Helminthiasis;
- Malnutrition, including associated Optic Atrophy;
- Any other nutritional deficiency;
- Peptic Ulcer Disease;
- Beriberi;
- Cirrhosis of the Liver;
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome;
- Pellagra and any other nutritional deficiency; and
- Peripheral Neuropathy, except where directly related to infectious causes.
Currently, approximately 15,367 former POWs have received compensation for various service-connected illnesses, diseased, or injuries. Former POWs can apply online for compensation for their service-connected injuries, illnesses, and diseases.
If you are a former POW and suffering from any of the medical conditions listed above, contact LaVan & Neidenberg, a veterans law firm located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. We represent more than 5000 disability claimants. Our disability attorneys have experience with cross examining agency-appointed medical and vocational experts and take time when speaking with you about your disability claim. Call us today at 1-888-234-5758 for a FREE legal consultation. There is NO OBLIGATION to hire our firm and there are NO FEES unless one of our trained disability lawyers wins your case.
Tags: POW benefits, POWs, service related diseases
Posted in Disabled Veterans, Veterans' Benefits | No Comments »
Tuesday, January 26th, 2010
There was a time when a VA home loan was one thing a soldier or veteran could count on when shopping for a home. Those days may have passed as a recent trend shows sellers refusing to sell to buyers with VA home loans.
VA home loans allow active and retired service members to purchase homes with no money down and very low interest rates. Real estate agents and brokers, however, are noticing a trend in sellers rejecting VA bids for a number of reasons:
- Buyer risks;
- New and severe inspection standards; and
- The amount of paperwork involved in VA loans.
Essentially, VA home buyers are being punished out of fear that because they have a home loan not requiring a down payment, they are buying more house than they are able to afford. Therefore, the sellers have no faith the loans will actually be approved.
What is not being understood is that VA loans are all underwritten and will not be denied. Still, sellers don’t want the financial risk of going into escrow and then having to pay the extra fees associated with a home loan falling through.
Unless lenders want to begin taking the time to close a home sale with a buyer backed by a VA loan, soliders and veterans may continue to struggle along with the housing market when relying on a VA home loan.
Additional housing benefits are available to disabled veterans which may be based on your disability rating. Contact the veterans’ disability rights law firm of LaVan & Neidenberg.
Tags: buying a home, VA Home Loan
Posted in General | 7 Comments »
Monday, January 25th, 2010
The phrase Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has become very commonplace and with good reason: it seems to be affecting more veterans than ever before.
Severe mental health issues affect more than just the veteran, it also affects their families, caregivers, and the people who love them. Seeing a loved one struggle with a mental health issue like PTSD can be confusing or frustrating for family members who have no idea how to handle or even respond to this behavior.
Due to the increasing number of PTSD cases, educational and counseling programs are being created to help veterans and their families deal with these mental health issues together.
The Syracuse VA Hospital has recently begun offering a program called the Family-to-Family Education Program, which is designed to aid both families and caregivers in understanding various mental health issues, including PTSD.
Because of the nature of mental illnesses, it is often difficult for family members to fully understand what is happening to their loved one. The Family-to-Family Education Program is designed to help families not just cope with their family member’s illness, but show them how to get help before a crisis occurs.
Many veterans have mental health issues that can only be treated with counseling, medications, or both. This program helps family members get the aid they need and at the same time gives them a forum to relieve some of their stress and frustration in dealing with the unknown and often frustrating issues these mental health conditions create.
The Family-to-Family Education Program is free and open to anyone with a loved one experiencing a mental health issue. To learn more about this program or register, call Ann Canastra (Program Coordinator) at 425-4400 extension 51009 or the Syracuse VA Hospital.
If you are a veteran and suffering from PTSD and fighting the VA to get disability compensation, contact LaVan & Neidenberg, a veterans law firm located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. We represent more than 5000 disability claimants. Our disability attorneys have experience with cross examining agency-appointed medical and vocational experts and take time when speaking with you about your disability claim. Call us today at 1-888-234-5758 for a FREE legal consultation. There is NO OBLIGATION to hire our firm and there are NO FEES unless one of our trained disability lawyers wins your case.
Tags: Family support programs, Mental Health Issues, post-traumatic stress disorder, VA healthcare, veterans and their families
Posted in Veterans' Dependents, Veterans' Disability, Veterans' Resources | 2 Comments »
Monday, January 25th, 2010
Agent Orange is a defoliant herbicide that was used in Vietnam to clear trees and shrubs in order to expose enemy troops to American soldiers. The effects, however, were much more than expected. While the herbicide worked as it was designed, there were some very serious side effects.
Many veterans exposed to Agent Orange during their tours ended up suffering and disabled due to the exposure and those effects continue to this day. According to the VA, approximately 2.6 million Vietnam veterans were exposed to Agent Orange between January 1965 and April 1970.
The government has recognized and offered benefits for a select number of diseases they acknowledge resulted from exposure to Agent Orange. Recently however, the government expanded their list of acknowledged agent orange-related diseases to now include:
- B cell leukemia;
- Ischemic heart disease; and
- Parkinson’s disease.
Not only is the government recognizing that these diseases are related to Agent Orange exposure, but there is a very real possibility that widows may also be entitled to some benefits based on those conditions. Furthermore, the VA benefits are not only limited to Agent Orange exposure, but most likely to exposure to other herbicides as well.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, contact LaVan & Neidenberg. You may be entitled to certain programs and benefits so contact our veterans disability rights firm today.
Tags: Agent Orange, B cell leukemia, Ischemic heart disease, parkinson's disease, Veteran’s Benefits, Vietnam veterans
Posted in Veterans' Benefits | 1 Comment »
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