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Archive for January, 2011
Monday, January 31st, 2011
There are thousands upon thousands of veterans in need of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical and mental health care programs. For one reason or another, however, the VA cannot reach these veterans. Other veterans are completely unaware of the help the VA can offer and still others simply refuse to seek out the help they need. If the VA cannot get the veterans to come to them, the VA will go to the veterans.
The best way to get information to people is through a medium in which they trust. A new study suggests for many veterans, one of the best ways mediums may be through their local, neighborhood Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) bartender. Many bartenders have more access more often to veterans than their family members and they have this access in an environment where the veterans are comfortable opening up to them about their problems in ways they won’t with their families.
Bartenders may be in the best position to get a feel for the mental state of the veterans they come into contact with on a regular basis. In theory, those bartenders could then point the veterans to VA health professionals. While certainly not trained to the level of being a health professional, the training these bartenders would have to undergo would give them a basic feel for what to look for in at-risk veterans and what VA programs might be helpful.
The study focused on VFW bartenders because the VFW is an environment with many veterans who are regular customers. Of the bartenders surveyed as part of the study, many felt very close to their regular customers. With such close relationships, suggestions from “friends” about searching out help may be much more effective than anything else.
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: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Mental Health, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), VFW Bartenders
Posted in General, VA News | No Comments »
Thursday, January 27th, 2011
US Rep. Jim Miller (R.Fla.) is the incoming Republican House Veterans Affairs Chairman and he has some concerns about the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) budget. The last 4 years has seen tens of billions of dollars being given to the VA in the name of health care and enhanced benefits. Rep. Miller plans on taking a very close look at how the money was spent.
It is unlikely Rep. Miller will solve future VA issues by increasing their budget, a problem he says his predecessor fueled. Instead, Rep. Miller wants to see the VA operate more efficiently with what they have. The way to do this, according to Miller, is to change the mindset not only at the VA level, but the government level as well. Both the cost and the method of the VA’s services will be examined. Seemingly most important to Rep. Miller is ensuring there is Congressional oversight over the VA’s $125 billion budget while improving veterans’ services.
The VA’s backlog of disability claims is always a hot topic because it interferes with veterans being able to use the benefits they earned through their service to this country. Rep. Miller again calls for oversight over the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) and the VA’s Office of Information and Technology’s collaborative effort to reduce the backlog.
Efficiency is going to have to be the key word over the next couple of years where the VA and VA services are concerned. Financial lethargy, misappropriations, and misuse will no longer fly. Under Rep. Miller’s eyes, neither will having veterans go without their needed and earned benefits.
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: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), House Veterans Affairs Committee, Rep. Jim Miller, VA oversight, Veterans Benefits Administration
Posted in General, VA News, Veterans' Benefits | No Comments »
Wednesday, January 26th, 2011
Taking care of our soldiers means taking care of our soldiers’ families. This is the thinking behind a brand new government initiative President Obama recently revealed that will focus on supporting military families. This initiative will use a “whole-of-government approach” to strengthen military families by coupling multiple agencies in order to make new and more resources available.
Agencies such as the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Education will all work together to meet the requirements of the government’s commitments under this new initiative. Those almost 50 commitments will focus on improving overall quality of life for military families and will range from child care and education to health insurance.
This initiative is more than just a set of commitments, however. President Obama’s entire cabinet put their support behind these efforts. This effort will place military families at the table where federal resources are doled out. At the same time, many of the resources for military families can and will be made available at a community level. Accordingly, there will be a greater push for local organizations to join the family support effort.
VA support programs will include expanding and increasing caregiver support, suicide prevention, and health strategy programs. Keeping in line with VA Sec. Eric Shinseki’s promise, the VA will continue to work towards preventing all homelessness among veterans by 2015.
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: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Government Resources, Military Families, Veteran Disability, veteran family support, veterans and their families
Posted in General, Veterans' Resources | No Comments »
Tuesday, January 25th, 2011
In an attempt to stay ahead of the curve, and continue to set the pace in the health care field, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is developing a new model of health care. The office of Patient Centered Care and Cultural Transformation, which is located in Arlington, Va, saw its first day of operations on January 17, 2011. The office will work toward building patient-centered health care plans for veterans using VA health care services while focusing on a personalized approach to health care.
The current health care landscape in this country is rapidly developing, and in this environment, the VA is in a unique position to transform modern health care culture. Because of the incredible flexibility required to constantly develop and improve new health care models, this new office must be a “living, learning organization.” As new models of care are developed, their results and impact will be measured to determine what initiatives will be made available nationwide at all VA medical centers, as well as assist in their implementation.
There will be 4 regional satellite locations of this new office, and they are scattered across the country. The locations were chosen because of their strong history of providing localized patient-centered care. These locations have been given the responsibility of taking the VA’s new model of health care and working out the kinks so to speak before the programs go nationwide.
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: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), The office of Patient Centered Care and Cultural Transformation, VA Health Care System, VA Patient-Centered Health Care, Veterans disability
Posted in General, VA News, Veterans' Resources | No Comments »
Monday, January 24th, 2011
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is helping soldiers forced to leave their homes following a short sale or a deed-in-lieu (DIL) of foreclosure when the home in question was purchased with a VA back home loan. The VA is mandating that their mortgage servicers give borrowers $1,500 to relocate, which the VA will then reimburse. This $1,500, however, is not counted toward the money being borrowed.
The amount of money the VA will reimburse is limited. The VA will not reimburse past their maximum guaranty placed on the loan in addition to either the cost of a short sale or reselling it as a government owned property (REO). Further, any money on the loan above and beyond the VA’s guaranty claim is the servicer’s responsibility and whichever is larger between the proceeds from the short sale and the home’s net value.
For the last 15 years the VA has been giving servicers financial incentives as motivation to adjust mortgages for those facing foreclosure. The tactics they are using now with their servicers are along the same lines, albeit somewhat more geared toward creating the safest loans possible. The VA is also recommending their servicers stick to the Treasury Department’s HAFA guidelines if they plan on loaning to a borrower for a short sale. They also insist their servicers use written agreements with borrowers.
Servicers usually prefer DIL and/or short sales to foreclosures because the property is generally kept in better shape. No matter what happens, the soldier has to vacate his house, and the VA has stepped in to give what help they can.
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: foreclosures, home loans, housing crisis, REO Property, VA loans, VA Mortgage Servicers
Posted in VA News | 1 Comment »
Thursday, January 20th, 2011
Over the last couple of years, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has tried many approaches to combating homelessness among veterans to meet VA Sec. Eric Shinseki’s goal of eliminating veteran homeless within 5 years. The VA in downtown Los Angeles, working alongside non-profits, is targeting the 60 most persistent homeless veterans in downtown LA to get them into housing.
This initiative will see the VA doing the exact opposite of what they normally do as far as housing veterans. The VA will issue housing vouchers to the veterans who are the worst off. The majority of these veterans have mental illnesses and many are addicted to drugs or alcohol.
The agencies working together to bring “Vets to Home Project 60” have for years worked towards a similar goal independently and have no history of collaboration. Yet, these agencies have finally come together to form a unified front against homelessness. It is hoped the program will be able to be replicated in other areas of the country.
The VA will issue 60 section 8 housing vouchers for the veterans involved in this initiative. Project 60’s benchmark for success is moving these 60 chronically homeless veterans into permanent housing within 2 years.
Normally, the VA does not place homeless veterans into housing before those veterans are both sober and involved in some sort of treatment program. Project 60 has the VA placing veterans in housing without the previous qualifications. This time around the help comes after the housing. The one major issue facing Project 60 is their complete lack of funding.
Those involved in Project 60 hope a successful result will beget funding. The housing-first idea has not previously been available to veterans. That the VA is willing to attempt something so very different than what they have done in the past shows their dedication to exploring all options that may help get homeless veterans off the streets and into decent housing.
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: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), homeless veterans, Housing First Program, Los Angeles VA, Vets To Home Project 60
Posted in VA News, Veterans' Resources | No Comments »
Wednesday, January 19th, 2011
Approximately 180,000 combat veterans are being given the opportunity to enroll for their earned Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care benefits through a streamlined process and without having to demonstrate why they qualify for benefits. Most of those eligible for the accelerated process are veterans of Iraq or Afghanistan. The opportunity, however, is only being offered for a limited time and that time is quickly coming to an end.
Those veterans eligible for the accelerated enrollment come from a particular group. To qualify, veterans must have been in combat and have been on active duty on November 11, 1989 with a separation date from the military no later than January 28, 2003. These veterans have only until January 27, 2011 to take advantage of the streamlined enrollment for veterans health care. After this date, the VA will require these veterans to prove why they are eligible for benefits. i.e., they have service-related disabilities or suffer from various health problems.
Even without current health issues presenting themselves to the veterans , there are benefits to enrolling in the VA health care plan. VA health care is administered without charging its members premiums or co-pays, unless the veteran receives treatment not connected to their service issues. Enrolling in VA health care services is a lifetime enrollment, which is another reason to enroll while it is as easy as possible.
This is likely the last time in their lifetimes these veterans will be given a benefit such as VA health care via a no-questions-asked application. To date, approximately 16,000 veterans have enrolled, which is a surprisingly low number. Waiting past the date will subject these veterans to enrolling in VA health care but subject to standard eligibility rules.
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: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), service-connected disabilities, Service-Related Disabilities, VA Health Care Benefits, VA Health Care System, VA streamlined health care enrollment, Veterans disability, Veterans' Benefits
Posted in Veterans' Benefits | No Comments »
Tuesday, January 18th, 2011
A Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) internal memo laid out what the VA plans on doing, in part, over the next couple of months. Specifically, they plan on hiring 705 “high priority” positions in their information technology (IT) department by April 22, 2011. The memo described the VA’s need to hire for these positions as “critical,” and then referred to their race to fill these new positions as the “race to 705.” It is very possible this will only be the first stepping stone in the VA’s hiring for their IT staff.
The VA is hiring from the top down, meaning they are filling high priority positions first. If, however, individuals best suited for lower level positions are discovered in the hiring process, the VA will identify the best of those people, and put them into those lower level positions. They did not, however, specify what positions they were looking to fill. If all goes according to plan, the VA will work through the entire hiring process over two highly accelerated weeks. At the end of last fiscal year, the VA employed 7,580 people in their IT department.
The VA’s budget is $145 million less than what they requested. Accordingly, like all other federal agencies, they have to do as much as they can with what they are given.
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: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), VA Employment, VA IT Department
Posted in VA News | No Comments »
Monday, January 17th, 2011
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) cemetery in Sarasota, Florida has had its problems over the last couple of years. It appears those problems may be at an end and the construction of the cemetery looks like it might be back on track. According to U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Sarasota), he has been asking VA Sec. Eric Shinseki to do what is necessary to get the cemetery back under construction since September.
Finally, a new construction contract was granted for the development of phase 1B of the Sarasota National Cemetery, which will include:
- 11,500 crypt grave sites;
- 16,000 cremain sites;
- An administration building with electronic grave site locator;
- A maintenance compound;
- Two committal service shelters;
- A flag and/or assembly area;
- A memorial wall; and
- Avenue flags.
The cemetery was originally supposed to start construction in May of 2009 and be completed in May of 2011. The original contractors however, were disqualified. They were unable to meet some of the contract’s vital fundamentals. Now the contract was granted to a service disabled veteran-owned business at a value of $15.9 million. Tentative dates for the ground breaking are late January into February, with an estimated end date of late July or August, 2012.
Phase 1B will cover 50 acres, which will result in creating an additional 8 years of burial services. For the almost 400,000 veterans and dependents in the surrounding 8 communities qualifying for burial, completing construction on the Sarasota National Cemetery will be a welcome relief. Rep. Buchanan sees the local veterans in the area being owed an obligation, and having this cemetery completely is one large step toward meeting that obligation.
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: Sarasota National Cemetery, veteran cemetery
Posted in General, VA News | No Comments »
Thursday, January 13th, 2011
Cognitive rehabilitation therapy (CRT) is a relatively new treatment for traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Even though it is a “young” therapy, it has garnered extensive support from both the medical and the legal community. Tricare Management Agency, the military health care provider, conducted an internal study into CRT in 2009. Tricare found no scientific proof supporting the use of the therapy and therefore refuses to cover CRT when it is the only treatment being used to treat brain injuries. If it is coupled with another therapy, it may be covered.
Cognitive rehabilitation therapy can cost up to $50,000 for every 4-month program. Not only is the therapy expensive, it can be tremendously time consuming, based on the extent of the injury sustained by the brain. Extreme cases may require patients to relearn simple, everyday tasks.
Some in the medical community challenge Tricare’s motivation behind its study. Tricare stood accused of being more concerned with the cost of health care than the possible benefits of CRT when performing their 2009 analysis. After reviewing Tricare’s study, the lead researcher believed any new treatment would likely be rejected on a cost-control basis. Further, he recommended to military officials CRT solo coverage not be denied. Tricare, of course, denied cost being an element in their decision to deny coverage for independent CRT care.
Congressional task forces assembled with the sole focus of brain injuries annd multiple lawmakers petitioned for Tricare to cover CRT therapy. They rely on multiple studies demonstrating the effectiveness of CRT on patients with TBIs. Additionally, a group of military doctors supported individually reimbursing CRT therapy to the Department of Defense (DoD).
Whether Tricare will eventually cover CRT is unknown. The military requested a study into the effectiveness of CRT in patients with TBIs and if there are any specific treatments with enough support to convince Tricare to cover the therapy. This study should be completed by the end of this year.
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: Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapy (CRT), Disabled Veterans, Military Health Insurance, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Tricare Management Agency, Veterans disability
Posted in VA News, Veterans' Disability, Veterans' Resources | No Comments »
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