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Archive for the ‘Veterans' Dependents’ Category
Monday, February 14th, 2011
Total body health care is just that: total body care. Many health care providers, however, view some medical services as a waste of time and money. Chiropractic services tend to fall into this category. New legislation, however, will increase veterans’ and their dependants’ ability to access chiropractic services through the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) health care system and the Department of Defense (DoD) TRICARE system.
The bill is strongly supported by the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) as well as the Association of Chiropractic Colleges (ACC). The Chiropractic Care to All Veterans Act (H.R. 329) has been reintroduced to the house and is strongly comparable to legislation the House passed in 2010. That legislation, however, was never considered by the Senate. If passed, the Chiropractic Care to All Veterans Act, will populate all chief VA medical centers with chiropractic physicians by 2014. Just as important, however, it would amend the VA Health Care Programs Enhancement Act of 2001, which would ensure veterans and their dependants could not have chiropractic health advantages denied.
Chiropractic care is currently available through 36 VA medical facilities, which leaves 100 main VA facilities without such care available. Prior Congressional action attempting to staff such facilities with chiropractic physicians has unfortunately fallen short. The Chiropractic Care to All Veterans Act will help many veterans with their recovery as over 50% of veterans returning from Southwest Asia and the Middle East seek treatment for musculoskeletal issues.
The Chiropractic Health Parity for Military Beneficiaries Act (H.R. 409) would allow military dependants to draw chiropractic care through the TRICARE program. Only active-duty soldiers are able to use chiropractic care as it is now. Taken with H.R. 329, this bill will provide very comprehensive care to veterans, active duty soldiers, and their dependants.
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: Military Chiropractic Care, The Chiropractic Care to All Veterans Act (H.R. 329), The Chiropractic Health Parity for Military Beneficiaries Act (H.R. 409), US Military Legislation, Veterans disability, Veterans' Benefits
Posted in US Military Legislation, Veterans' Benefits, Veterans' Dependents, Veterans' Resources | No Comments »
Tuesday, January 4th, 2011
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) developed a new program to help veterans by educating their families on how to help the veteran at home. The Families At Ease program attempts to help veterans get the help they need through their family members and friends.
There are many reasons why veterans don’t receive the help they need. For starters, many of them don’t recognize they need help, so they don’t seek it out. Others know they need help, but refuse to seek treatment because of either the stigma attached to it, or their symptoms actually prevent them from being able to go out and get help. Enter the Families At Ease program.
When veterans are suffering, their family members are intimately familiar with their problems. Although family members want to be a positive influence for their veteran, often they do not know how to approach doing so. The Families At Ease initiative provides information on accessing VA programs and facilities to the veterans’ families so they can help connect their loved one with the services and treatments available through the VA.
Family members are a good intermediary between the VA and the veteran as far as motivating the veteran to go into the VA for help. The program also coaches family members on how to talk to their veterans and let them know help is available without coming across as forceful or threatening.
The program has seen positive results from the roughly 50 families and veterans involved so far. Now that the Families At Ease has proven to be a successful program locally, and will now be moved to the national stage.
Learn more about the VA’s Families At Ease program and how it is helping families help veterans.
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: Families At Ease, Mental Health Counseling, VA Health Care System, VA Programs, veteran support, veterans families, Veterans Mental Health
Posted in General, Veterans' Dependents, Veterans' Resources | No Comments »
Thursday, October 7th, 2010
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Board of Veterans’ Appeal awarded the widow of a deceased marine compensation for an uncommon cause. Her husband’s death was due to his exposure to toxic materials while in military service. The Marine was stationed at the Marine Corps Air Station in El Toro, California between 1968 and 1971. His widow was compensated because his progressive small lymphocytic lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia was directly related to his exposure to toxic materials while stationed at El Toro.
For at least part of his time at El Toro, the Marine’s job was to transfer and deliver hazardous materials. The Marine was also constantly exposed to hazardous pollution from burning landfills. The VA found the exposure to the toxic and hazardous materials was “more than likely” responsible for the Veteran’s developing his leukemia and lymphoma. Ultimately, the VA found the veteran had been exposed to:
- Benzene;
- Aromatic amines; and
- Other toxic materials.
El Toro contained four landfills that burned hazardous materials that included industrial solvents, fuels, and waste. The Environmental Protection Agency placed El Toro on its National Priorities list of locations containing hazardous waste requiring cleanup.
El Toro’s groundwater has since been tested and has been found to contain Trichloroethylene (TCE) and perchloroethylene (PCE) among other contaminants. El Toro veterans are beginning to come forward and reporting serious health problems, likely due to their exposure to such carcinogens.
El Toro hosted thousands of soldiers and their families between 1968 and 1971. Given the amount and level of toxic materials El Toro has housed, the VA may have a very expensive problem on their hands.
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: Disabled Veterans, El Toro, Hazardous Materials, survivor benefits, The Department of Veterans Affairs, toxic exposure, VA Health Care System, Veterans disability
Posted in VA News, Veterans' Dependents, Veterans' Disability | No Comments »
Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010
The Miami Fisher House was built to support the families of soldiers in the Bruce W. Carter Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center in Miami, Florida. It opened last week and is the first Fisher House in South Florida, and 1 of only 4 in the entire state.
Relatives of VA Medical Center patients can stay in 1 of the Fisher House’s 20 rooms temporarily and free-of-charge. Family members consider the Fisher House a home away from home. It is certainly a more comfortable alternative to spending hundreds of dollars on hotels or sleeping in hospital rooms while supporting a loved one receiving care at the Miami VA medical center. The Fisher Homes provides families with:
- private bathrooms;
- beds;
- linens;
- a TV room;
- a community kitchen with multiple stoves and ovens;
- dressers; and
- chairs.
The Fisher House foundation is a non-profit that has already built 47 Fisher Houses in the last 20 years. They supplied the majority of the $7 million price tag to build and furnish the Miami Fisher House. Approximately $2 million was raised through a local fundraiser.
The Miami Fisher House manager has commented on the drop in stress levels in family members after the first night spent in the house. A happier and less stressed family is a better support system for the veteran undergoing treatment at the Miami VA.
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: Disabled Veterans, Miami Fisher House, Miami VA, veteran family support, Veterans disability
Posted in General, Veterans' Dependents, Veterans' Resources | No Comments »
Monday, September 20th, 2010
When it came to light Prudential Financial was essentially making profits off of the money owed to the families of fallen soldiers, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) was seemed shocked. Shocked that Prudential would keep life insurance payments owed to those families in their corporate accounts and that they refused to issue the lump sum payouts to family members as required by contract. What the VA failed to mention, however, was their agreement with Prudential allowing Prudential to do this very thing.
The VA’s secret agreement affects the lives of 6,000,000 soldiers and their families. The VA had a signed contract and an oral agreement with Prudential in which the VA authorized Prudential to utilize retained-asset accounts. These accounts held lump-sum payments from life insurance payouts intended for families of fallen soldiers.
Prudential did not disburse those lump-sum payouts, however, they issued checkbooks. Those checkbooks worked like IOUs against the account as opposed to drafts. Prudential kept the money in their corporate accounts, which they used for investments, and retained the investment income for itself. This has been happening since 1999.
The VA’s authorization for Prudential to operate like this was finally put in writing in 2009 with an amendment to their original contract. For those 10 years, Prudential’s actions could be considered a breach of contract to the survivors of fallen service members. For those 10 years Prudential was violating the terms of their original contract with the VA. For 10 years the VA allowed Prudential to disregard their contractual obligation to furnish survivors with lump-sum payouts.
Multiple investigations have been opened into Prudential’s practices, including one by the VA itself. As of the end of June, Prudential had approximately $662,000,000 of survivors’ money in their corporate account.
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: Military Life Insurance, Prudential Financial, Retained-asset accounts, Veteran Life Insurance, Veterans' Benefits
Posted in VA News, Veterans' Benefits, Veterans' Dependents | No Comments »
Monday, August 2nd, 2010
Survivors of soldiers killed in combat are discovering horrible truths about the life insurance policies their soldiers held. Instead of being given lump-sum payouts, these survivors are given checkbooks from the life insurance company to retained-asset accounts holding the money . These accounts are held by various insurance companies and those companies are using these accounts to make money off the deaths of U.S. soldiers.
Many survivors are under the mistaken belief the money from their soldiers’ life insurance policies are sitting in a bank, which is insured by the FDIC. In reality, the money is in a specialized account, managed by insurance companies, and earning higher interest than what they pay out to survivors.
Prudential and MetLife are the two largest life insurance companies in the U.S. and neither separates their death benefit money into separate accounts. Survivors are then told their money is in a secure account. Metlife’s communication to survivors includes language stating the money in the account is guaranteed by MetLife. What survivors are not told, however, is Metlife’s guarantee is “subject to the financial strength and claims-paying ability of MetLife.” Further, the account is not insured by the FDIC, and is Metlife’s corporate investment account.
Essentially, these life insurance companies are keeping money they are not entitled to keep, and then placing that money in an account used for investments and collecting high interest for the insurance company’s benefit. At the same time, they are paying out money to survivors at interest rates lower than what they would get if the money were placed in any bank’s saving account and keeping the majority of the actual interest earned for themselves.
These companies are profiting off the death of U.S. soldiers. The entire situation is flawed and will continue to operate the exact same way until new regulations are put in place denying insurance companies the ability to profit in such a way.
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: death benefit compensation, Life insurance, survivor benefits
Posted in General, VA News, Veterans' Dependents | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 25th, 2010
The Richmond Fisher House is located at the Hunter Holmes McGuire Veterans Affairs Medical Center and is only one of many homes around the country for the families of veterans requiring significant or long-term medical care. The Fisher House Foundation was developed to aid those family members of veterans receiving medical health care by offering on-site living accommodations in as close to possible home away from home conditions.
Some of the families stay in the Fisher homes for long periods of time, so the accommodations have to be comfortable. The Richmond Fisher House is one of the largest such homes and contains:
- Over 16,000 square feet of living space;
- 21 Bedrooms;
- A dining room;
- A living room;
- A family room; and
- A communal kitchen.
Fisher House plays a vital role in helping families support those veterans undergoing treatment. Many families do not have the funds to pay for extended hotel stays. Fisher House serves more than just a financial role; they bring families together that eventually develop support systems for each other.
Fisher house provides more than just a place to stay, it attempts to provide a home away from home. Supporting family members undergoing medical therapy takes a toll on everyone involved. Staying at Fisher House gives people all the comforts they have at home at no cost:
- Washers and dryers;
- Personal bathrooms;
- Libraries of books and DVDs;
- Linens; and
- Play areas for children including an outdoor playground.
Sitting in a hospital all day can be stressful on both adults and children. Without these amenities, their stays would be much more stressful. There is no way to measure how critical the role Fisher House plays in family members staying in support of their veteran.
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: Disabled Veterans, families of veterans, Fisher House, VA healthcare, VA medical facility
Posted in General, Veterans' Dependents, Veterans' Resources | No Comments »
Monday, May 10th, 2010
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is focused on ensuring veterans are provided educational benefits. Despite its problems, the Post-9/11 GI Bill has provided educational benefits to thousands of veterans. The VA has now extended their educational focus to a whole new group of beneficiaries through a brand new program and scholarship.
Children of soldiers who died while on active duty since September 11, 2001 are now entitled to have their college tuition paid under the Fry Scholarship. The VA is now accepting applications for the scholarship which will be retroactive to August 1, 2009. Starting on their 18th birthdays, recipients have 15 years to use their benefits. According to VA estimates, almost 1500 soldiers’ children will be entitled for the scholarship in 2010.
2nd District Congressman Mike Michaud (Maine) is on the House Veterans Affairs Committee and chairs the Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Health. Along with many other people, Michaud believes this scholarship and access to education is the very least Congress can do to help those families of soldiers killed in the line of duty.
The Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship is named after a veteran who died in Iraq in 2006 attempting to disarm an explosive. Sergeant Fry left three children behind and inspired the development of this scholarship.
Benefits being offered to veterans are always being improved. It is a fairly new but important trend to expand the benefits being offered to the veterans’ families. This scholarship is the latest step in ensuring those soldiers paying the ultimate price for this country do so knowing their families will be taken care of in their absence.
Learn more about educational benefits for children of fallen soldiers.
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: education benefits for veterans, survivor benefits, Veterans' Benefits
Posted in General, Veterans' Dependents | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 4th, 2010
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is constantly working to improve conditions for female veterans. Female veterans require not only different health care, they require different perspectives from their health care providers.
The VA operates Operation Home Front for the benefit of female soldiers. Approximately 14% of active duty soldiers and 17% of reservists and the National Guards are female. 139,000 female veterans live in Florida alone. Because the VA’s support programs have been traditionally geared towards men, it is a great relief to see the VA focusing so much on caring for their female veterans.
In an effort to close the gap between the traditional male-oriented VA services and what is needed to care for female veterans, the VA and Florida’s Department of Children and Families combined to fund and create Operation Home Front. Operation Home Front is a transitional housing facility located in Cocoa, Florida and will open next spring. 28 female veterans and their children will be able to reside in the facility while the veterans participate in:
- Substance abuse programs; and
- Mental health programs.
Operation Home Front is the only facility in Florida, and one of very few in the nation, allowing female veterans to participate in rehabilitation programs while living along side their children. Children are a critical element of the program.
Counselors have found women in treatment programs such as these are easier to treat when they are with their children – children keep the women in treatment. Children don’t just offer motivation for the veterans, their presence allows the bonding process to continue with mother and child throughout the program.
Every female veteran staying at Operation Home Front has a program customized specifically for her needs. Treatment can last from 60 days to over a year and can include:
- Specialist counseling;
- Rehabilitation services;
- Health and psychological support.
Many of the transitions back to the civilian world that female veterans are facing are unique to them. The VA has recognized this fact and is providing more services every day to help.
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: female veterans, Veterans Health Care, veterans transitional housing, Veterans' Benefits, Veterans' Resources
Posted in Disabled Veterans, General, Veterans' Benefits, Veterans' Dependents | 2 Comments »
Friday, February 12th, 2010
The “widow’s tax” is a government policy that refuses widows of veterans who died from a military service related cause to collect:
- Military survivor’s benefits (retirement pay); and
- The full annuity (basically an insurance policy) purchased when their military spouses were alive.
The Senate has voted to eliminate this “tax” every year since 2005, but at the last minute every year the bill ends up being written in private, and both the House and Senate drop the vote. The widows lobbying for the abolition of the “tax” are told every year there is no funding for them. There are approximately 54,000 survivors being affected by the policy, and with the ongoing current wars, that number is growing.
Politicians, however, keep promising they will help. The widows continue to find politicians to champion their cause at least in the short term, and they are always left flat in the end. Both Nancy Pelosi and President Obama, while still an Illinois Senator, took up the cause and promised to help the widows. Neither one of them have taken any steps to follow through with their promise.
Congress could help the widows, but it would take a massive vote. In the very least, the widows would like to see enough politicians with enough political will to promote this issue to the level on which it deserves to be recognized. Congress did take action in 2008 and granted survivors $50 more per month than what they were receiving and the widows consider that somewhat of a victory.
Perhaps one day Congress will see that taking care of the families of dead soldiers sent to defend this country as enough of a priority to take action. The widows have amassed 300 co-sponsors for their legislation in the House and at least 50 in the Senate. Now it is just a waiting game to see if Congress will pass it into law.
Learn more about the widow’s tax and its progression through Congress.
If you are a surviving family member of a deceased veteran, you may be entitled to certain benefits. The law office of LaVan & Neidenberg may be able to help, contact our veterans disability rights firm today.
Tags: survivor benefits, veterans and their families, widows of veterans, Widows Tax
Posted in General, Veterans' Dependents | No Comments »
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