Date: Fri, 08 Jun 2001 17:38:24 -0700

Subject: National Veterans Wheelchair Games Coming to New York

National Veterans Wheelchair Games Coming to New York
June 1, 2001

WASHINGTON, DC -- More than 500 veterans will compete in the largest annual
wheelchair sports event in the nation -- the 21st National Veterans
Wheelchair Games -- in New York City July 1-5.

The Games, presented by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and
Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), are open to all U.S. military veterans
who use wheelchairs due to spinal cord injury, certain neurological
conditions, amputations or other mobility impairments.

The Bronx VA Medical Center and the Eastern Paralyzed Veterans Association
are hosting the Games this year.

Wheelchair sports can play an important role in the lives of disabled people
and have lasting importance for their lives. For many newly injured
veterans, this event is their first exposure to wheelchair sports.

"The spirit at the National Veterans Wheelchair Games is impressive," said
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony J. Principi. "The magnitude of the
program, the accomplishments of the athletes, the quality of the
competitions and the sheer excitement of the Games are a joy to witness. I
am proud that VA founded and has continued to support this event for more
than 20 years."

"The Games are a sterling example of sports as a rehabilitation tool," said
Joseph L. Fox, Sr., PVA national president. "The Games give veterans an
opportunity to hone their physical skills, to compete against and team with
others, to strive to do their best and to have fun. We hope their experience
at the Games provides a sense of accomplishment that fosters a desire for
further participation in sports and in all that life has to offer."

In this year's events, veterans will compete in track and field, swimming,
basketball, weightlifting, softball, air guns, quad rugby, billiards,
bowling, table tennis, archery and wheelchair slalom. Exhibition events this
year include sled hockey and a "Super G" wheelchair slalom competition.

The 21st National Veterans Wheelchair Games kicks off July 1 with the 2001
Disabled Sports, Recreation and Fitness Expo -- one of the largest
gatherings of suppliers of products and services related to the health,
well-being, sports and recreational needs of people with disabilities. Film
actress Bo Derek, star of the movie "10," will be at the Games July 3-5 to
visit with athletes and present medals. July 4 will feature the Games first
annual Kids Day, when local children with disabilities can interact with
wheelchair athletes, watch them compete and even join in some sporting events.

Most National Veterans Wheelchair Games events will be held at the New York
Marriott Marquis on Times Square, host hotel for housing athletes, hundreds
of staff, family, friends and volunteers. It will also be the site for
opening and closing ceremonies and several competitions, including
weightlifting, wheelchair slalom, table tennis, air guns and quad rugby.
Other venues include Central Park, Chelsea Piers, Riverbank State Park,
Randalls Island and Corner Billiards.

VA is a world leader in rehabilitation, with recreation therapy programs at
each of its 163 hospitals. To learn about VA and programs for veterans,
visit its web-site at www.va.gov.

Subject: Presidential Task Force to Improve Veterans Health Care

Presidential Task Force to Improve Veterans Health Care
June 1, 2001

WASHINGTON, DC -- Health care for the nation's veterans will be the focus of
a presidential task force recently commissioned to improve coordination
between the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of
Defense (DoD).

President George W. Bush announced creation of the task force on Memorial
Day at the White House, saying, "We must improve the way VA and DoD work
together to provide health care to those who have served in uniform."

Heading up the 15-member task force for its two-year study are former New
York Congressman Gerald B.H. Solomon, a long-time veterans' advocate who
served in the Marine Corps during the Korean War, and Dr. Gail R. Wilensky,
a prominent expert on health policy who ran the Health Care Financing
Administration (HCFA) for former President Bush.

"The president recognized we need to improve the availability and delivery
of health care to both America's veterans and military retirees," said
Solomon. "He understands what it means to keep a promise and to get results.
That is what this presidential task force intends to do."

The task forces goals are to improve access to veterans benefits and to
strengthen VA-DoD partnerships for health care services. Among the items
that will be studied are the budgeting processes, billing, reimbursement,
procurement of supplies and services, data sharing and information technology.

"As our veterans age, many of the issues they will face are similar to the
issues faced by our elderly population and the Medicare program," said
Wilensky. "At the same time, we need to be mindful that the nation's younger
veterans are being well served by an ever-changing health care delivery
system. With the focus that a presidential task force can bring to these
issues, I am confident we can accomplish the mission that the president laid
out for us."

The task force has nine months from the first meeting to give the president
an interim report. The final report is due at the end of the second year of
operation.

Coordination between VA and DoD has been a key element in Secretary of
Veterans Affairs Anthony J. Principi's agenda. "I think the walls separating
the departments are too high. Both departments spend millions of dollars
that could be saved annually if VA and DoD pooled resources, equipment and
medical services," Principi said.

For example, VA and DoD signed a memorandum of understanding in 1998 to
establish standardized procedures for separation physicals for people being
discharged from active duty. This program, called Benefits Delivery at
Discharge, provides a single standardized medical exam that satisfies the
needs of both departments and enables VA to more quickly process claims for
service-connected disability compensation.

"Unfortunately, only about 10 percent of the approximately 215,000 military
men and women being discharged each year receive their exams under this
program," Principi said. "Although the program has had great success, we
still have a long way to go."

In addition to Solomon and Wilensky, other members of the Task Force will
include health care experts, representatives from veterans and military
service organizations and officials who have worked in the VA and DoD health
care systems.

"It is imperative that we ensure that veterans health care will be available
for every deserving veteran as long as they need it," said Solomon. "It is
vital because it is the right thing to do for those who served. Along with
Co-Chair Wilensky, we intend to identify ways to make sure 21st century
health care is readily available to these deserving men and women," Solomon
said.

Date: Fri, 08 Jun 2001 16:20:18 -0700

Subject: Bush Signs Smith's Veterans Legislation

House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, http://veterans.house.gov/

(Washington, DC) - President Bush late last night signed into law the
"Veterans' Survivor Benefits Improvement Act," H.R. 801 (now Public Law
107-14), authored by Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-4), the Chairman of the
House Veteran's Affairs Committee, which adds $100 million in new health
care benefits for surviving spouses of veterans.


"We have a sacred obligation to care for our 'Gold Star Wives," spouses of
servicemembers who were killed in action or died from service-related
causes," Smith said. "With the enactment of this new legislation, we now
treat the surviving spouses of veterans in the same manner as those of
military retirees who received similar benefits last year under the 'TRICARE
for Life' enhancements," he said.

"With the President's signature last night, new life insurance and health
care benefits have been created for up to two million eligible spouses and
children of veterans," said Smith. "Under the new law, survivors of
veterans killed in action or from service-related causes who receive
Medicare, will now be eligible to have CHAMPVA, VA's Civilian Health and
Medical Program, provide payment for medical expenses and copayments that
Medicare does not cover," he said.

"In addition, my legislation expands the Servicemenbers' Group Life
Insurance (SGLI) program to include spouses and children; up to $100,000 for
spouses and $10,000 for children," Smith said. "The law also makes
retroactive the previously approved increase to $250,000 of the maximum
benefit for servicemenbers who die in the performance of duty, thereby
covering at least 57 men and women who died in tragic accidents since
October 1, 2000," he said.

The Smith legislation also includes provisions to require the Department of
Veterans' Affairs to develop comprehensive educational and outreach programs
to ensure that eligible spouses and dependents are made aware of the
services and benefits for which they qualify.

"Without an aggressive and pro-active outreach program, unfortunately, many
surviving spouses would never know about these and other benefits they are
eligible to receive," Smith said.

"The men and women who have paid the ultimate price to defend our freedom
deserve to have the their loved ones cared for," said Smith. "With the
President's signature last night, we have taken another important step to
meet our obligation to them, and therefore show all of our nation's veterans
the respect they have earned," he said.

NEWS RELEASE from the United States Department of Defense

No. 232-01
(703)695-0192(media)
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 29, 2001
(703)697-5737(public/industry)
REMAINS OF THREE U.S SERVICEMEN RECOVERED IN NORTH KOREA
Remains believed to be those of three American soldiers, missing in action from the Korean War, will be repatriated in formal ceremonies at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, on Tuesday, May 30, at 9 a.m., Hawaii time.
The remains will be flown on a U.S. Air Force aircraft from Yokota Air Base, Japan, where a United Nations Command repatriation ceremony was held today.
A joint U.S.-North Korean team operating in Unsan and Kujang counties and along the Chong Chon River, about 60 miles north of Pyongyang, recovered the remains during operations that began earlier this month. The area was the site of battles between Communist forces and the U.S. Army's 1st Cavalry Division, and 2nd and 25th Infantry Divisions in November 1950.
The 28-person U.S. teams were composed primarily of specialists from the Army's Central Identification Laboratory Hawaii.
The Defense Department's POW/Missing Personnel Office negotiated an agreement with the North Koreans last year that led to the scheduling of this year's operations. This year's work in North Korea promises to be the most productive yet, with ten individual operations scheduled, including some near the Chosin Reservoir.
Seventeen operations were conducted between 1996 and 2000 in North Korea, which resulted in the recovery of 107 sets of remains believed to be those of U.S. soldiers. Eight have been positively identified and returned to their families for burial with full military honors. Another 10 are nearing the final stages of the forensic identification process.
Of the 88,000 U.S. servicemembers missing in action from all conflicts, more than 8,100 are from the Korean War.
-END-

May 25, 2001

HOUSE PASSES AMENDED BENEFITS BILL EXPANDING HEALTH, INSURANCE
COVERAGE

Bill headed to White House for President's signature

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Just before Memorial Day was a fitting time for the House to pass a "family-friendly" benefits bill
expanding health and insurance coverage for surviving dependents of veterans and servicemembers, House VA Committee
Chairman Chris Smith (NJ-4) said Thursday.



"This bill is a reminder of what is owed to the survivors of our servicemen and women, and although much remains to be done
by this Congress, it is a harbinger of what we can accomplish to keep our commitment to veterans," he said after passage of the
Senate-amended H.R. 801, the Veterans' Survivor Benefits Improvements Act of 2001.



The amended H.R. 801, now on its way to the White House for the President's signature, would:



· Expand health coverage under the Civilian Health and Medical Program-Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) for
survivors of veterans who died from a service-connected disability. Under this measure, CHAMPVA beneficiaries
who are Medicare-eligible would receive coverage similar to "TRICARE for Life" improvements Congress gave to
Department of Defense beneficiaries last year. Such coverage would be automatic for CHAMPVA beneficiaries
already eligible for Medicare on the date of enactment. Future Medicare-eligible CHAMPVA beneficiaries would
have to obtain Medicare Part B coverage before receiving the new benefit.


· Expand the Servicemembers Group Life Insurance (SGLI) program to include spouses and children. Spousal
coverage could not exceed $100,000 and child coverage could not exceed $10,000. Upon termination of SGLI, the
spouse's policy could be converted to a private life insurance policy.




· Make the effective date of increased maximum SGLI coverage from $200,000 to $250,000 retroactive to October
1, 2000. This would provide increased benefits to survivors of servicemembers who died in recent training accidents
or acts of terrorism while on duty.



· Require the VA to make eligible dependents aware of VA services through the media and other outreach efforts



"Memorial Day is a day of national remembrance for the sacrifices made by our veterans to keep this nation free," Chairman
Smith said. "The enactment of HR 801 will not only help the thousands of families who need our compassion and assistance; it
is part of a growing recognition by our country that our veterans are not forgotten, and that we need to remember and pay
tribute to their service 365 days a year, not just on holidays and celebrations."



"I want to thank Ranking Member Lane Evans (IL-17) for all of his work and support for this legislation," Smith added.
"Bipartisanship is alive and well on the House Veterans' Affairs Committee."

VA NEW ENGLAND HEALTHCARE SYSTEM
CENTRAL AREA SUB-REGION MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE COUNCIL


A meeting of the Central Sub-Region Mini MAC was held at West Roxbury on
Tuesday, April 10, 2001 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM. The following were in
attendance:

George R. Poulin, Associate Hospital Director, Bedford
Wayne T. Szretter, Integration Manager, Boston Healthcare System
Robert G. Noble, American EX Prisoners of War
Larry Callaghan, Board Member NE Chapter PVA
Ed DeBity, Veterans Benefits Clearinghouse
Thomas Daley, Disabled American Veterans
Robert Hall, Mass Department of Veterans Services
Dorothy Sayer, Veterans Council, National Alliance for the Mentally Ill
Raymond O'Brien, Veterans of Foreign Wars
John Regan, Disabled American Veterans
Rodney A. Zablan, Disabled American Veterans
Edward Bryan, Persian Gulf Veterans
Patrick J. Leonard, Disabled American Veterans
George Guertin, American Legion
General Weeks, Blinded Veterans Association
Diane Keefe, Public Affairs, Boston Healthcare System
Deborah Outing, Public Affairs, Bedford
George Donovan, Facilitator, Bedford

Purpose: To conduct the business of the VA New England Healthcare System
Central Sub-Region Mini MAC.

Desired Outcomes: 1) Boston Integration Update, 2), CARES Update, 3)
Strategic Plan Update, 4) Capital Assets Bedford & Boston Healthcare System,
and 5) Review Central Sub-Region Mini-MAC Future Agenda Items

1. The minutes of the March 13, 2001 meeting were accepted as
published.

2. Boston Healthcare System Integration Update - Wayne Szretter
presented the following information on the status of the BHS integration:

· Plymouth CBOC: We are currently still in the process of searching
for a location for the CBOC in Plymouth. It appears that space at one of
the affiliates of Jordan Hospital may not be available.
· Canteen services at West Roxbury have been expanded to include
Saturdays from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
· At Jamaica Plain we are in the process of moving many of the
specialty clinics to the new Ambulatory Care Addition that are currently
scattered throughout Building No. 1.
· Shuttle service between the Brockton and Jamaica Plain Campuses
will begin by the end of April (5 trips per day are planned)
· The temporary expansion of the emergency room at West Roxbury is
underway, and should be complete by mid May
· Construction of the MRI building is expected to resume this week
(JAN 2001 activation)
· Design of Minor Projects are underway

Ø PACU/Step-down Unit (West Roxbury)
Ø Primary Care/ER (West Roxbury)
Ø Cath Lab (West Roxbury)
Ø Medicine Ward (West Roxbury)
Ø Psych Ward (West Roxbury)
Ø Prosthetics (Jamaica Plain)
Ø Audiology (Jamaica Plain)
Ø Outpatient Oncology (Jamaica Plain)
· At a VISN Transportation Coordinators' meeting the next day the
need for a van exchange system was identified.
· The DAV has 3 new transportation vehicles and the VA has ordered 3
new cell phones for communication for the drivers.

After the presentation the following questions and answers were discussed:

· You mentioned beginning design for several construction projects.
How does this relate to the CARES process? Some of the projects predate the
CARES process and will not be affected and others that are after the start
of the CARES process will be validated by CARES.
· Where is the ATM machine located at West Roxbury? It's located on
the 1st floor of the OREA building.
· When will the renovation of the SCI unit take place? The MRI
project needs to be completed first.
· What will happen to the remainder of the space at JP once the
clinics are centralized? The remaining space will be utilized in the most
efficient manner and leasing of space will be one of the options used to
help increase revenue sources.
· What is happening with signage and the telephone directory? There
are still multiple moves and relocations planned and that need to be
completed before final signage and telephone directories can be
accomplished. However, in the meantime we are trying to post temporary
signage and publish telephone numbers.
· At the last meeting it was mentioned that veterans who are 50%
Service Connected or greater are eligible for dental care. A resource issue
was identified as the reason not all these veterans are provided services.
What can be done to address this issue? We are not sure but will try and
have someone come to the next meeting to address this issue.

3. CARES Update-Mr. Konik could not attend the meeting as planned.
There was a Congressional briefing in the VISN followed by a Strategic
Planning meeting that required Mr. Konik's participation. He will be
invited to the May meeting to address the status of the CARES process.

4. Strategic Plan Update - Same comments as above as Mr. Konik also
planned to address the Strategic Plan with the members.

5. Bedford & Boston Capital Assets Review - Mr. Donovan presented the
following information on the Capital Assets for the Bedford and Boston
Healthcare System Capital Assets including leased space:

Bedford

VA Owned Property Gross Square Feet
55 Buildings
1,157,563

VA Leased Property Gross Square Feet
5 Buildings including:
21,300
· Lowell VCCC
· Lowell Vets Center
· Lynn CBOC
· Haverhill CBOC
· Winchendon Day Activity Center

Boston Healthcare System

Jamaica Plan

VA Owned Property Gross Square Feet
9 Buildings
948,958

Brockton
33 Buildings
1,163,627

West Roxbury
13 Buildings
565,431

VA Leased Property Gross Square Feet
6 Buildings including:
102,232
· Causeway Street Clinic
· Worcester Outpatient Clinic
· Lowell Outpatient Clinic
· PRRTP House
· Quincy CBOC
· Framingham CBOC

After the presentation the following questions and answers were discussed:

· What has the CARES process done to date to assess the status of
the space at each facility? There have been two groups of individuals from
VA Headquarters visit the facilities thus far. The first group conducted a
Space and Functional assessment of all the space at each of the facilities.
The second group conducted a Facility Conditional Assessment of the space,
which evaluated the utility systems at each facility.
· What is the Status of the RFP for the Assisted Living Facility at
Bedford? The RFP are on the street for the potential bidders to request for
a submittal package. The advertisement closes on April 13, 2001. Potential
bidders who responded to this ad will receive an RFP package and have until
12:00 noon on May 15, 2001 to respond with their submittal.
· The group requested more detail in the space data. They wanted to
know the space at each facility that was leased to outside interests? Mr.
Donovan explained that the data he presented was taken from a spreadsheet
for the entire VISN with all assets listed. He will send out the Boston
area facilities data for the next meeting.

6. Handouts - The following information was made available for the
participants:

· Meeting Agenda and Minutes
· News at a Glance

7. Future Agenda Items - The members suggested the following for the
next meeting:
· Transportation Update
· CARES Update
· Dental Eligibility/Resource & Crowns Issue
· Strategic Plan Update

8. The meeting adjourned at approximately 2:00 PM. The next meeting
will be held on May 8, 2001 from 1:00-3:00 at the West Roxbury facility.

George Donovan

February 2001 Legislative Bulletin by DAV National Legislative Director

107th Congress

On January 3, 2001, members of the 107th Congress began the legislative session and were sworn in to office.

Principi Nomination Confirmed

On January 23, the Senate voted to confirm (by unanimous vote of 100 yeas) the nomination of Anthony J. Principi to be Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA). Mr. Principi was named VA Deputy Secretary by former President Bush in 1989 and later served as Acting Secretary in 1992. He is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and a decorated Vietnam veteran. He is also a life member of Disabled American Veterans Chapter 2 in San Diego, California.

House Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Named

Republicans chose Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ) to succeed Representative Bob Stump (R-AZ) as Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Representative Smith has served on the committee for 20 years. The promotion was part of a changeover of chairmen required by the six-year term limitations House Republicans imposed on Committees when they became the majority party in 1995. As Chairman of the full committee, Smith will oversee the Department of Veterans Affairs, with its $48 billion budget, more than 100 national cemeteries, a comprehensive benefits program, and one of the world's largest health care systems. Representative Lane Evans (D-IL), is still the Ranking Democratic member on the full committee.

The House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee Chairmen were also named. Representatives J.D. Hayworth (R-AZ), Subcommittee on Benefits; Jerry Moran (R-KS), Subcommittee on Health; and Steve Buyer (R-IN), Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. Democrats are still in the process of choosing new members, including ranking members of subcommittees.

Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) remains the Chairman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee and John D. Rockefeller, IV (D-WV), is still Minority Ranking Member.

Concurrent Receipt Update

In January, Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) and Congressman Michael Bilirakis (R-FL) introduced legislation to end the unfair practice of deducting disability compensation from a veteran's longevity retirement pay. Companion bills, S. 170 and H.R. 303, both aptly named the Retirement Pay Restoration Act of 2001. DAV fully supports both bills and we encourage you and your family members to write, telephone, or send a prepared e-mail message from our web site to your members of Congress urging them to support H.R. 303 and S. 170.

The issue of full concurrent receipt will remain a top priority for the DAV during the 107th Congress. We are working with key congressional staff members and eleven other veterans and military service organizations to get Congress to remove the prohibition on concurrent receipt of military longevity retired pay and veterans' disability compensation. We are pursuing a number of initiatives to achieve this goal. Success on this legislation depends largely on the strength of our grassroots lobby. We encourage you to tell other veterans, family members, and friends to take action now to correct this injustice. We appreciate your continued support on this issue.


Persian Gulf War Veterans Update

In January, over 300 medical and scientific researchers met in Alexandria, Virginia, for the fifth annual gathering of experts studying the illnesses of Persian Gulf War (PGW) veterans. The conference was sponsored by the Research Working Group of the Military and Veterans Health Coordinating Board (MVHCB), established in 1994 to plan and coordinate PGW related research projects.

Researchers, clinicians, veterans, and government officials concerned with the health consequences of the Gulf War exchanged ideas, shared information and presented recent study results during the three-day event. To date, the federal government has sponsored 192 research projects costing $155 million. The MVHCB summary report on Gulf War veterans' illnesses is available on the Internet at www.mvhcb.gov. January 17 marked the 10th anniversary of the beginning of Operation Desert Storm.


VA Secretary Rules on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses

On January 17, 2001, then Acting Secretary of Veterans' Affairs Hershel W. Gober announced that the latest medical research does not justify granting presumptive service-connection for illnesses affecting veterans after serving in the Persian Gulf War. The VA based its decision on the Institute of Medicine (IOM) study released in September 2000, which looked at more than 10,000 published scientific studies related to four potential causes of Gulf War illnesses, including depleted uranium, sarin (a nerve gas), vaccines, and pyridostigmine bromide (a medication used to protect troops from nerve gas). The only significant findings from the study were a link between some medical problems and exposure to high levels of sarin nerve gas but VA said that there is no evidence that U.S. troops were exposed to high levels of sarin during the Gulf War.

OSAGWI Pesticide Report Released

On January 12, the Pentagon's Office of the Special Assistant for Gulf War Illnesses (OSAGWI) released a report on pesticide use by U.S. troops during the Persian Gulf War. The report stated that many service members used pesticides in areas where they worked, slept and ate. Research was conducted to determine if the variety of symptoms reported by thousands of Gulf War veterans, including memory loss, chronic fatigue, sleep, mood, and neurological effects, and muscle and joint pain were linked to pesticide use by American troops during the war. The study conducted by the RAND Corporation suggested that exposure to some pesticides could be among potential contributing agents to some undiagnosed illnesses reported by Gulf War veterans. However, it found that it is unlikely that exposure to certain pesticides alone explains the myriad of health problems reported by Gulf War veterans and that more research is needed to confirm or deny a causal link between pesticides and other agents and illnesses among Persian Gulf War veterans.

Additional Studies Needed

Congressman Lane Evans (D-IL) issued the following statement after the release of the final report in December 2000, by the Special Oversight Board for the Department of Defense Investigations of Gulf War Chemical and Biological Incidents: "This final report is not the final word on Gulf War illnesses." Representative Evans, the Ranking Democratic Member on the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, believes that additional studies are needed to determine whether and to what extent veterans serving in specific locations and at specific times have similar manifestations of illnesses. Representative Evans called for further studies that focus on veterans' symptoms and their location at a particular time during the Gulf War rather than trying to identify specific cause of illnesses. Representative Evans noted that findings of the Kansas study are similar to those identified in reports compiled by the democratic staff of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Those reports identified substantially greater percentages of undiagnosed illnesses being service connected by the VA for veterans who served in specific locations at specific times.


2001 DAV Mid-Winter Conference

I encourage everyone to attend the 2001 DAV Mid-Winter Conference, March 11-14, at the Hyatt Regency in Arlington, Virginia. The conference, held in conjunction with the Commanders and Adjutants Association annual meeting, features informative service and legislative workshops. It is an excellent time for DAV members to meet with their elected representatives on Capitol Hill to emphasize the need for their support of veterans' issues. Please join DAV National Commander Armando C. Albarran during his legislative presentation to a joint session of the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees on Wednesday, March 14 at 10:00 a.m. in the Cannon House Office Building.




POW/MIA SUMMIT

The Disabled American Veterans will host a national summit on POW/MIA issues on Thursday, September 20, 2001, in Washington, D.C.

The summit will include briefings and panel discussions which will focus on issues surrounding Americans taken prisoner or listed as missing in action from World War II, the Korean War, the Cold War, the Vietnam War, and the Persian Gulf War. One of the summit's aims is to assess the current status of efforts to achieve the fullest possible accounting of these missing Americans, including those who might still be alive. Another is to provide a broad perspective on salient issues as a way of informing and influencing our nation's POW/MIA-related public policy, both current and future.

We will provide more information in the near future about the upcoming summit. We hope you will be able to join us for this important event.


BILLS INTRODUCED IN THE 107TH CONGRESS

The following bills have been introduced in the House or Senate since January 2001. This list includes bills of interest to disabled veterans and their families.

· H.R. 51 would provide that persons retiring from the Armed Forces shall be entitled to all benefits which were promised them when they entered the Armed Forces.
· H.R. 65, the Military Retirement Equity Act of 2001, would permit retired members of the Armed Forces who have a service-connected disability to receive a portion of their military retired pay concurrently with veterans' disability compensation.
· H.R. 179, the Keep Our Promise To America's Military Retirees Act, would restore health care coverage to retired members of the uniformed services.
· H.R. 208 would direct the Secretary of the Treasury to determine and report to Congress an appropriate tax incentive to encourage individuals other than members of the Armed Forces to participate as members of honor guards at funerals for veterans.
· H.R. 290 would revise the effective date for an award of disability compensation by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs under section 1151 of title 38, United States Code, for persons disabled by treatment or vocational rehabilitation.
· H.R. 303, the Retired Pay Restoration Act of 2001, would permit retired members of the Armed Forces who have a service-connected disability to receive both military retired pay by reason of their years of military service and disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs for their disability.
· H.R. 435 would improve access to medical services for veterans seeking treatment a VA outpatient clinics with exceptionally long waiting periods.
· H.R. 439 would extend commissary and exchange store privileges to veterans with a service-connected disability rated at 30 percent or more and to the dependents of such veterans.
· H.R. 440 would authorize transportation on military aircraft on a space-available basis for veterans with a service-connected disability rated 50 percent or more.
· H.R. 442 would increase the maximum amount of a home loan guarantee available to a veteran.
· H.R. 510/S. 281, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Education Act, would authorize the design and construction of a temporary education center at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in the District of Columbia.
· H.R. 511 would improve outreach programs carried out by the VA to provide for more fully informing veterans of benefits available to them under the law.
· H.R. 609, the Veterans' Compensation Equity Act of 2001, would provide limited authority for concurrent receipt of military retired pay and veterans' disability compensation in the case of certain disabled military retirees who are over the age of 65.
· H.R. 612, the Persian Gulf War Illness Compensation Act of 2001, would clarify the standards of compensation for Persian Gulf veterans suffering from certain undiagnosed illnesses.
· S. 38 would permit former members of the Armed Forces who have a service-connected disability rated as total to travel on military aircraft in the same manner and to the same extent as retired members of the Armed Forces are entitled to travel on such aircraft.
· S. 43 would authorize certain disabled former prisoners of war to use Department of Defense commissary and exchange stores.
· S. 170, the Retired Pay Restoration Act of 2001, would permit retired members of the Armed Forces who have a service-connected disability to receive both military retired pay by reason of their years of military service and disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

CONCLUSION

The legislative staff looks forward to seeing many of you at the DAV 2001 Mid-Winter Conference in March. We need to continue working together to educate members of Congress and the Administration about disabled veterans' needs and concerns. I am grateful for your continued support and confident we can meet the challenges ahead.

Please check the legislative action section of our web site at www.dav.org for legislative updates and calls to action on important issues. If you want to receive legislative alerts and updates automatically, I encourage you to sign up for the DAV Commanders Action Network (DAV CAN) program.

___________________________
JOSEPH A. VIOLANTE
National Legislative Director
JAV:lmb

IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Dan Amon http://veterans.house.gov
March 7, 2001

SMITH CALLS FOR $2.1 BILLION INCREASE IN FISCAL YEAR 2002 VA DISCRETIONARY
SPENDING

VA Committee recommendations address healthcare needs,
claims backlog, and crumbling medical infrastructure

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The House Veterans' Affairs Committee approved Wednesday
what Chairman Chris Smith (R-NJ) called "a work in progress," a fiscal year
2002 budget calling for a $2.1 billion increase in discretionary VA
spending.

The VA Committee recommended increases of more $1.525 billion in VA health
care and $49.8 million to address the backlog of disability and pension
claims.

Chairman Smith said the Administration's recommended billion-dollar, 4.5
percent increase in discretionary VA spending outlined Tuesday by VA
Secretary Anthony J. Principi would "just about keep veterans health care
even."

"But we need to do more than keep health care even," Chairman Smith said.
"We know from our hearing yesterday that veterans programs have some
specific needs for which funding has been too long deferred."

Smith thanked Ranking Democrat Member Lane Evans (D-IL) for his bipartisan
support in drafting the budget request.

The $1.525 billion increase in VA medical care would include $141 million
for mental health programs, $100 million for higher pharmacy costs, $88
million for long-term care, $75 million for staff to reduce waiting times,
$68 million for emergency care, $30 million for homeless programs, $23
million for spinal cord injury programs, and $1 billion to adjust for
inflation.

A $130 million increase proposed for the Veterans Benefits Administration
includes the $49.8 million for an additional 830 full-time employees to help
deal with a backlog in claims processing that everyone agrees is getting
worse.

In addition to the $2.1 billion increase in discretionary spending, the VA
Committee recommends $300 million in additional direct spending for further
benefit increases in both the Montgomery GI Bill and the Veterans
Opportunities Act of 2001 introduced on February 28.

The VA Committee also recommends a $325 million increase for VA medical
facility repair. The amount accommodates The Veterans Hospitals Emergency
Repair Act, which would authorize a two-year total of $550 million. The
measure was drafted prior to but introduced the day after earthquakes
damaged a medical center in the State of Washington. VA studies have
revealed that the risk of seismic damage to a number of VA medical
facilities posed a danger to patients. The VA Committee also seeks modest
increases for state nursing home and cemetery grants programs as well as for
the National Cemetery Administration.

DAV National Service Officers VA C-Number Distribution
Boston, Ma.
Effective Jan. 01, 2001

Matthew J Carpenter 00 to19

Timothy E Voner 20 to 39

Laroy G Canady 40 to 59

Mason J Sullivan 60 to 79

Robert C Sinclair 80 to 99

The numbers above correspond to the last two digits of your VA C- Number and the NSO that will be representing your claim. These numbers are also available at www.davma.org, Directories, DAV National Service Office. Please pass this information to your membership

The Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999 (TWWIIA) was enacted on December 17, 1999. Section 101(a) of TWWIIA establishes the Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program (the Ticket to Work program). The Ticket to Work program will make more service providers available to Social Security and Supplemental Security Income beneficiaries with disabilities who are seeking employment services, vocational rehabilitation services, and other support services to assist them in obtaining, regaining, and maintaining self-supporting employment. Under the Ticket to Work program, SSA will issue tickets to these beneficiaries, who will have the option of taking the ticket to service providers of their choice called employment networks. Employment networks also will be able to choose who they serve under the program.

We will issue tickets to beneficiaries in phases, beginning in 2001. This will allow us to evaluate the Ticket to Work program and make any necessary improvements before the Program is fully implemented nationwide by 2004. During the first phase of the Program, we will be distributing tickets in the following States:

Arizona
New York

Colorado
Oklahoma

Delaware
Oregon

Florida
South Carolina

Illinois
Vermont

Iowa
Wisconsin

Massachusetts

SSA Publishes New Rules to Encourage Work Efforts of People with Disabilities

On July 26, 2000, as part of the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, President Clinton announced that The Social Security Administration (SSA) would soon publish proposed rules including automatic adjustments each year to the SGA level for individuals with impairments other than blindness. These adjustments would be based on any increases in the national average wage index. Those proposed rules were published in the Federal Register on August 11, 2000. On December 29, 2000, after taking into consideration the public comments received, SSA published final regulations with three important changes.

First, we find applicants for Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income benefits not to be disabled if they are working and performing substantial gainful activity, regardless of their medical condition. In addition, after a person becomes entitled to Social Security benefits based on a disability, we consider whether the person's earnings demonstrate the ability to engage in substantial gainful activity when we determine ongoing entitlement to benefits. (We do not use substantial gainful activity as a measure for continuing eligibility for Supplemental Security Income benefits.) Under our old rules, if a person's average monthly earnings were more than $700, we would ordinarily consider that the person engaged in substantial gainful activity. This earnings guideline applied to all employees including those in sheltered workshops or comparable facilities and, in certain circumstances, to the self employed.

Under the new rules, based on the average wage, we will adjust annually the substantial gainful activity amount for people with impairments other than blindness. Beginning January 1, 2001, the guideline will be $740.

Second, the trial work period is a work incentive. During the trial work period, a Social Security beneficiary with a disability may test his or her ability to work and earn any amount as long as his or her impairment continues to exist. The trial work period is 9 months (not necessarily consecutive) in a rolling 60-month period. Under the old rules, we counted any month the person earned more than $200 from his or her work as one of the nine months for the trial work period.

Under the new rules, we are increasing this monthly amount from $200 to $530 beginning January 1, 2001. For future years, we will adjust the amount based on increases in the average wage.

The third change affect Supplemental Security Income beneficiaries who are child-students. Under the old rules, these people could exclude up to $400 a month of earned income with an annual limit of $1,620. By being excluded, this earned income had no effect on eligibility or benefit amounts under the Supplemental Security Income Program.

Under the new rules, we are raising the amount of earned income that may be excluded to $1,290 a month with an annual limit of $5,200. For future years, we will adjust the amount based on increases in the cost-of-living.

These changes are part of the Social Security Administration's continuing campaign to improve our programs and policies supporting and encouraging work efforts by people with disabilities.

Regulation as Published in the Federal Register on December 29, 2000

As the Massachusetts DAV delegation (42 delegates so far are going) prepare for the Mid Winter Conference in Washington from March 9 to 14, 2001, please note the Joint Veterans Affairs Committee hearing schedule for the DAV. Also, click on the link below to review the hearing of last year on March 1, 2000 when National Commander Dobmeier gave his testimony...........thanks rodney

Full Committee Joint with Senate Veterans Affairs
Hearing to receive the legislative priorities of the Disabled American Veterans
DATE/TIME/PLACE: March 14 (Wednesday), 10:00 a.m., 345 Cannon
News Page I Witness List

http://veterans.house.gov/hearings/schedule106/mar00/3-1-00/news.htm

Link from above here.

IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Dan Amon

February 15, 2001
PHONE: (202) 225-3664

FAX: (202) 225-2629
http://veterans.house.gov

VA Committee Holds Organizational Meeting,
Chairman Smith Sets Agenda for 107th Congress
WASHINGTON, D.C. Promising an ambitious, "proactive" and bipartisan agenda, Chairman Chris Smith (R-NJ) convened the House Committee on Veterans Affairs for the 107th Congress Wednesday.

Smith listed new members and subcommittee assignments, praised the achievements of former Chairman Bob Stump (R-AZ) and Ranking Democrat Lane Evans (D-IL), and then outlined his vision for the Committee. That vision includes making veterans "a top budget priority" for Congress.

"Our Committee will remain proactive on veterans issues," Smith promised. "We will be veterans advocates. We will continue to improve their health care and other benefits so that veterans programs are relevant and responsive for all who answered the call to defend our country and our way of life."

Smith said the VA Committee would continue to examine ways to speed up the pace of disability claims processing and waiting periods for health care appointments. He vowed to build on the Committees recent successes in upgrading VA health care.

"The VAs health care delivery system is growing old and needs maintenance and improvements," he said. "We directed VA to implement a far-reaching long-term care policy, and we must make sure the needed resources are there."

Ranking Democrat Member Evans said he "couldnt agree more" with Smiths view that no one in America "deserves more attention and tangible assistance than our veterans."

"Your priorities were also reported to be a world-class health care system and prompt and fair decisions on claims for benefits," Evans said. "Mr. Chairman, I pledge to work with you to achieve these goals for our veterans and their dependents. Members on this side of

the aisle share your determination for veterans to truly receive world class service."

Smith introduced three new VA Committee members, Representatives Rob Simmons (R-CT), Ander Crenshaw (R-FL), and Henry Brown (R-SC). Evans announced the new Subcommittee Ranking Democrat Members. They are Representatives Bob Filner (D-CA), Subcommittee on Health; Silvestre Reyes (D-TX), Subcommittee on Benefits; and Vic Snyder (D-AR), Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.

Subcommittee chairmen, announced at last weeks Republican caucus, are Representatives Jerry Moran (R-KS), Health; J.D. Hayworth (R-AZ), Benefits; and Steve

February 6, 2001

SMITH, EVANS ASK VA SECRETARY PRINCIPI
TO ACT ON REGULATIONS HELPFUL TO VETERANS

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The chairman and ranking Democrat on the House Veterans'
Affairs Committee have urged the new Veterans Secretary to implement four
executive orders issued by former President Clinton in his last days. All
eleventh hour executive orders have been put on hold for review by President
Bush.

Chairman Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Ranking Democrat Lane Evans (D-IL) wrote
Tuesday to VA Secretary Anthony J. Principi acknowledging the need for the
new Adminstration's cabinet heads to review recent regulations but stressed
the bipartisan support for the pending regulations concerning certain
illnesses presumed connected to military service.

"We hope these regulations will not be unduly delayed as a result of this
review," Smith and Evans wrote. "Our laws and our actions should reflect
the appreciation and respect that our disabled veterans have earned. Equity
and compassion would be well served by prompt action to finalize these
regulations now under review."

"The executive orders affecting our veterans are bipartisan, long overdue
changes," Smith added, "I'm hopeful the new Secretary will do what he can to
have them reinstated in an expedited manner."

Smith and Evans wrote that they are particularly concerned with proposed
regulations covering the presumption of service connection for Type 2
diabetes, hepatitis C, and illnesses associated with exposure to atomic bomb
testing, and with revised disability ratings for liver disease caused by
hepatitis C.

Last month the VA published in the Federal Register a regulation presuming a
service connection for Vietnam veterans with Type 2 diabetes. The statutory
comment period for the regulation ends March 12.

Smith and Evans wrote that current disability ratings for liver disease were
issued nearly 50 years ago, long before the existence of hepatitis C was
identified. Last August 7 the VA proposed revising the ratings to reflect
current medical terminology and to establish unambiguous criteria. Smith
and Evans wrote that few comments were received before the comment period
ended last October 6 and few revisions were made to the proposed
regulations.

Smith and Evans noted that some veterans exposed to risk factors for
hepatitis C during military service have difficulty proving service
connection because symptoms are slow to appear and a reliable test for the
virus was not identified until 1992. After considerable discussion with the
House Veterans' Affairs Committee on January 17 the VA submitted to the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations providing a presumption of
service connection for veterans exposed to blood transfusions and other risk
factors. Smith and Evans urged OMB to review the regulations within the
normal 90 days.

Smith and Evans urged the same 90-day OMB review of a regulation submitted
last December 20 which would provide atomic veterans the same consideration
civilians receive under the recently amended Radiation Exposure Compensation
Act of 1990. Civilians exposed to "downwind" atomic particles or employed
at nuclear facilities currently are eligible for compensation for bone,
lung, colon, ovarian, brain and central nervous system cancers. The same
conditions are not now presumed service connected for veterans exposed in
Japan and at Pacific and Nevada test sites.

"All of the veterans who would be effected by these orders have honorably
served our nation," Smith said. "I am optimistic the new Administration
will move swiftly to ensure that these due benefits are readily available,"
Smith concluded

Tuesday, February 6, 2001

Associated Press
United States servicemen salute and drape the nation's flag over
a casket containing the remains of an American soldier during a
repatriation ceremony at Phnom Penh airport in Cambodia today.
The remains were found on Koh Tang island off the southern
coast of Cambodia, where U.S.teams have been searching for
the remains of 18 American servicemen believed killed
at the end of the Vietnam war in 1975.

U.S. soldier, among last
Viet war dead, on way
to Oahu for ID

Associated Press

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia -- U.S. officials today sent back to the United States what are believed to be the remains of one of the last American soldiers killed in combat during the Vietnam War era.

More than 150 people attended a solemn ceremony at the airport of the Cambodian capital, where a box containing the remains was covered in a U.S. flag and loaded onto a plane to be sent to an Army laboratory in Hawaii for positive identification.

It could take a year or more for the remains to be identified and the victim's family informed.

The remains were located by a team of about 50 Americans and Cambodians last week on Tang Island, off the Cambodian coast in the Gulf of Thailand.

The U.S. lost 18 servicemen in a battle there in May 1975 when three helicopters went in to rescue the crew of a civilian cargo vessel captured by Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge, which had taken over the country the previous month. The island was much better defended than U.S. intelligence reports had indicated, and the civilian crew of the merchant ship Mayaguez was not even on the island when the attack took place.

The debacle was the last U.S. combat engagement in Cambodia or Vietnam.

The remains are thought to be of a combatant killed in the May 1975 battle. U.S. forces were prevented by heavy Khmer Rouge fire from retrieving his body, U.S. Ambassador Kent Wiedemann said.

Richard Wills, the excavation team's chief anthropologist, confirmed that a Khmer Rouge veteran had pointed out the spot where the U.S. serviceman was buried. The remains were recovered one day before the end of a one-month search and excavation mission.

Wiedemann said at the airport ceremony that it was a day of "pride and gratification," describing the deaths of U.S. servicemen in the region as being for a noble cause. "Soldiers came here with selfless motives on behalf of freedom ... and to fight for the nation's security," Wiedemann said.

Tuesday, January 30, 2001

By Ronen Zilberman, Star-Bulletin
A casket with the remains of an unknown soldier is removed
from where it was interred at Punchbowl cemetery. Modern
technology to analyze the DNA contained in the remains will
be used to try and identify the individuals buried under
the "Unknown" markers there.

Experts to
exhume four
Punchbowl graves

The military hopes to use
DNA comparisons to account
for missing U.S. personnel
Group asks Pentagon to reveal burial sites.

By Gregg K. Kakesako
Star-Bulletin

A search to account for the missing in World War II and the Korean War continues today as military forensic experts exhume four graves at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Punchbowl.

Forensic anthropologists at the U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory at Hickam Air Force Base will then try to match mitochrondrial DNA to identify the Korean War and World War II remains classified as unknown.

Johnie Webb, the laboratory's deputy director, said that in the case of the two World War II remains, his office is fairly certain that one set belongs to Seaman 2nd Class William Arthur Goodwin, who was one of the 1,177 crewmen killed during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941.

Webb believes the other grave may contain the remains of Seaman Apprentice Thomas Hembree, a sailor from the seaplane tender USS Curtis. That same plot could also hold the remains of Seaman 1st Class Wilson Rice, who also was killed on Dec. 7, 1941.

In the case of the Korean War remains, Webb said two sets of remains were among the 70 American soldiers whose remains were recovered by the North Koreans and returned to the United States under "Operation Glory" in 1954.

They are believed to be soldiers killed during the Chosin campaign, Webb said.

All of the remains are buried in Punchbowl in metal caskets.

They will join two other sets of Korean War remains disinterred on Sept. 15, 1999 after the Pentagon announced a policy to apply DNA technology to try to identify remains previously classified as unknown.

But Webb said forensic experts at the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory in Rockville, Md., have been unable to get a good DNA sample for testing.

William Arthur Goodwin
SEAMAN 2ND CLASS
Webb said one of the reasons military experts have been unable to get a good DNA sample is "probably because of the chemical that was placed on the remains as it was being prepared for shipment to Hawaii."
The military, based on information supplied by the North Koreans and other sources, have a good idea of the identity of many of those soldiers buried as unknown. This is based on the forensic evidence -- such as age, race, dental records and other records -- compiled when the remains were processed in Japan after the war ended.

Donna Knox, president of the Coalition of Families of Korean War and Cold War POW-MIAs, believes the Pentagon should release the names of those American soldiers even if the latest series of DNA testing is unsuccessful.

She said the Army laboratory has been "very diligent" in the way it has handled the problem for the past two years and she is "hopeful that it will be able to overcome that hurdle."

But if it can't, Knox -- whose father was navigator on a B-26 shot down over North Korea on Jan. 13, 1952 -- wants the Pentagon to inform the families of these missing soldiers.

At Punchbowl, 866 sets of unidentified remains from the Korean War are buried in Section U on the mauka side of the crater.



In 1999, Joseph Campbell, president of the USS Arizona Reunion Association, asked Webb to have Goodwin's remains exhumed and tested. He based his request on the research of Lorraine Marks-Haislip, the association's historian; and Ray Emory, who fought the Japanese from the deck of the USS Honolulu on Dec. 7.

Campbell said his brother, Goodwin, was one of two sailors killed in the Arizona's Gun Turret 4. The body of one of the sailors was identified, while the other body was not found until Aug. 29, 1942, while salvage work was being done. That body was never identified and buried in a Punchbowl grave marked unknown.

Six hundred fifty-three Pearl Harbor casualties are buried at Punchbowl as unknowns in 265 grave sites.

Campbell said the military's DNA laboratory told him that "it would take a year to complete the job." Webb is more optimistic. He hopes it can be done in six months.

Campbell said that if the tests are successful, he plans to rebury his brother at Punchbowl. "He's with all of his shipmates."

Except this time it will be with a marker that says "something more than just unknown."

"Whatever the outcome," said Campbell, now 82 and who hopes to journey to Pearl Harbor in December to observe the 60th anniversary of the Japanese attack, "I hope to put closure on this whole thing."

As the DAV prepares for the 21st century, veterans programs remain the target of congressional budget cuts. Veterans must show their elected representatives that they demand adequate funding for veterans programs, including health care. With less than adequate funding for VA health care, veterans must clearly say that enough is enough and take their call for increased funding to the halls of our national government.


Veterans can do that by becoming part of the DAV's Mid-Winter Conference, March 11-March 14, 2001, at the Hyatt Regency in Arlington, Virginia, just across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. Attending the Mid-Winter Conference will provide valuable insights into the critical issues facing you and your families. You can be part of our efforts to make veterans programs a national priority. Find out where your elected representatives stand on veterans issues and frankly tell them what you think should be done to preserve and protect your hard-earned rights and benefits.


Join National Commander Armando C. Albarran and hundreds of representatives from DAV Chapters and Departments all across the country as the Commander delivers the DAV's Legislative Presentation to a joint session of the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees on Wednesday, March 14, 2001. The presentation will begin at 10:00 a.m. in the Main Caucus Room on the 3rd floor of the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill.


The DAV Mid-Winter Conference, held in conjunction with the Commanders & Adjutants Association annual meeting, begins on Sunday, March 11. Featured at the Mid-Winter Conference are a series of exciting and informative workships and meetings which will give you an in-depth perspective covering several crucial issues, including:


* Legislation and policies affecting disabled veterans and their
families;

* Federal funding for veterans programs and services.

* The future of health care for veterans; and

* Programs serving homeless veterans.


With the National Commander's Legislative Presentation scheduled for Wednesday, you'll have plenty of time for face-to-face visits with your elected representatives on Capitol Hill and personally deliver the DAV's message to your members of Congress and key members of their staffs.


DAV and Auxiliary members wishing to stay at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City (1-800-233-1234) should make reservations early. Room availability is limited, so reservations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. The cutoff date for reservations is February 15, 2001.

Veterans are
warned of scam
over disability checks

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Star-Bulletin staff

Veterans are warned of a financial scam that offers lump-sum payments in exchange for monthly VA disability checks or pensions.

"These schemes seem to target the most desperate of our veterans," said Hershel W. Gober, acting secretary of Veterans Affairs. "Doing this to veterans is reprehensible."

Federal law outlaws the direct sale of VA benefits. The VA also is prohibited from paying pensions and disability compensation to anyone other than a veteran, family member or lawful guardian.

The latest schemes, however, try to avoid the long-standing federal prohibition by representing these transactions as loans. Companies persuade veterans to give up their disability and pension checks for a specific period -- up to eight years -- in exchange for a lump-sum cash payment typically worth 30 to 40 percent over that same period. "No financial expert on this planet would encourage anyone to accept 30 cents today if they could get a dollar tomorrow," said Gober. In some cases, the veteran must also take out life insurance naming the company as beneficiary.

If a veteran has a disability rated at 50 percent, it could mean receiving a one-time payment of about $20,000, then forfeiting a $609 monthly payment that in the course of eight years would bring in nearly $60,000.

"VA lawyers are still studying the fine print in these schemes ," Gober said. "Even if they're legal, they're despicable, because they take money away from people in the direst financial straits."

Please pay particular attention to Item 3, the Boston Integration update by Mr. Lawson as these changes will take place on Jan. 20, 2001 Rodney

VA NEW ENGLAND HEALTHCARE SYSTEM
CENTRAL AREA SUB-REGION MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE COUNCIL

A meeting of the Central Sub-Region Mini MAC was held at West Roxbury on Tuesday, December 12, 2000 from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM. The following were in attendance:

Michael M. Lawson, Boston Healthcare System Director
George R. Poulin, Asociate Hospital Director Bedford
Michael J. Miller, MD, Ph.D., Chief Medical Officer VISN 1
Ed DeBity, Veterans Benefits Clearinghouse
Thomas Daley, Disabled American Veterans
Joseph Badzmierowski, Paralyzed Veterans of America
Thomas Kelley, Commissioner, Mass Dept. of Veterans Services
Tom Materazzo, City of Boston Veteran Services
John Nolen, Clinical Director, NE Shelter for Homeless
Raymond OBrien, Veterans of Foreign Wars
Rodney A. Zablan, Disabled American Veterans
Edward Bryan, Persian Gulf War Veterans
George Guertin, American Legion
General Weeks, Blinded Veterans Association
Patrick J. Lepnard, Disabled American Veterans
Deborah Outing, Facilitator, Bedford
Diane Keefe, Public Affairs, Brockton/West Roxbury
George Donovan, Facilitator, Bedford

Purpose: To conduct the business of the VA New England Healthcare System Central Sub-Region Mini MAC.

Desired Outcomes: 1) CARES Update, 2) Review FY 2000 Attendance Report, 3) Review Minutes, 4) Boston Integration and 5) Review Central Sub-Region Mini-MAC Future Agenda Items

1. The minutes of the November 14, 2000 meeting were accepted as amended and published.

2. CARES Update George R. Poulin, Associate Hospital Director, Bedford gave the following presentation on the CARES process:

A. Mr. Poulin reviewed the four CARES flow charts that were given to the participants and summarized a meeting held in Denver, Co. to initiate the CARES process by indicating:

VA HQ began the CARES process to indicate the reasoning behind a $1 million a day spent on maintaining capital assets as a result of a GAO and congressional reports.

The CARES process is designed to assure that dollars spent are going towards clinical care.

The objective is to determine how VA will be spending money to provide care in the year 2010 and

To determine how VA can adjust what it is doing now to meet the needs of the veterans in 2010.

The CARES process is being implemented in three phases:

Phase 1 A pilot in the Chicago, II. Network

Phase 2 Role out the pilot to 7 (seven) more VISNs (VISN 1 in this group)

Phase 3 Role out the CARES process to the remaining VISNs

Booze, Allen, Hamilton a healthcare consulting firm has been hired by VA to collect and evaluate data to determine to 2010 needs

Plans and data are being gathered at this time to present to the consultant firm by VISN 1 facilities. Currently VISN 1 is involved by conducting a physical inventory of all its assets, what function is it providing, who is using it and is it suitable for the current use.

The consultant will be given this information and will visit each VISN facility to verify the information.

There is also a review process within the VISN which is at two levels
1) a Clinical Review Group which will be led by the Chief Medical Officer for the VISN and

2) an Administrative Group that is led by Providence VAMC Director Mr. Ng.

The projected timeline for the consultant to review the VISN 1 information is January 20001.

This process is not the same as the BRAC (Base Realignment and Closure) process done in the past by Congress to DoD bases. The difference in this process is the emphasis on realigning the capital assets to meet the veterans 2010 needs where the BRAC process was to identify what bases to close. However this does not mean that significant mission changes will not occur at VA facilities.

B. After Mr. Poulins presentation the following questions and answers were discussed:

Is the CARES program taking the place of the BRAC program for DoD? No. One of the major differences between the BRAC and the CARES programs is the BRAC was designed to close DoD bases and realign base missions. The CARES program is not designed to close facilities but is to look into the future of healthcare through the year 2010 and realign the VA capital assets and missions to meet veterans healthcare needs identified for 2010. The CARES program includes all of VA (VHA, VBA and National Cemeteries).

The CARES process includes input and review by stakeholder groups as it proceeds.

Barry Bell, a former VA Network Director and Hospital Director, is the lead consultant for Booze, Allen, Hamilton. His knowledge and experience in the VA will be a valuable asset to the process.

Who started the CARES process the VA or congress? It was a combination of both as a result of a GAO report that VA facilities were costing $1.0 million a day to maintain. This program was developed to determine the capital assets needed to address the identified healthcare needs of veterans through the year 2010.

The CARES flowchart lists stepsi.e., Marketing of Health Care Needs of Veterans. Who will be doing this? The consultant will be using actuarial data to determine the needs of the veterans in 2010.

3. Boston Integration UpdateMr. Lawson provided each member with a handout about the Plans for Consolidation of Inpatient Medicine and Realignment of Emergency Services in the Boston Healthcare System dated December 8, 2000. The document included:

Identification of the impact of the changes on the Jamaica Plan and West Roxbury Campuses.

Nursing plans to meet the consolidation/realignment of emergency services and inpatient medicine services.

The date the integration/realignment is scheduled to occur (Saturday January 20, 2001) due to the availability of the national Guard to help.

There will be a slow down period for elective admissions, clinical research studies, VISN admissions and EMS services during the period of 1/13/01 through 1/28/01 to prepare for the changes.

Other major issues identified:

Admission/Discharge Improvements

Public Relations (VA Publications, Veterans Organizations, Congressional Staff, employee forums, local newspapers, local area medical facilities, Boston EMS, etc.)

Quality management

Nursing Retention and Recruitment

Parking/Lodging Services/Transportation between campuses

Mr. Lawson emphasized the following when discussing the changes to be implemented above:

The goal is to have the Jamaica Plain campus become the largest and best Outpatient Ambulatory Care facility on the East Coast. The core reason for the integration was to move all inpatients to West Roxbury and this will nearly be completed with the move of surgery and medical care. The remaining inpatient service will be psychiatry and this will take a while longer due to the construction dollars needed to renovate for there arrival.

The main reason for the emphasis on completion of the medical care move at this time is the concern for patient safety. The current situation requires the staffing of two medical care facilities 24 hours/day and 7days/week. The consolidation will reduce this burden to one facility.

The CARES process has currently halted the ability of facilities to provide the needed construction to address physical facility needs until the CARES process is completed. This caused the Nurse Executive to come to management to discuss the need to consolidate the medical service at one facility to address the patient safety and lack of construction dollars to provide renovations.

The VISN Clinical Care Council supported the BHS need to consolidate inpatient medical services at the West Roxbury facility on Jan. 20, 2001

Questions asked after all the presentations

If 2 South will not be open because of construction, where will the patients go? The patients will be placed on appropriate existing wards within the West Roxbury facility. There is a realization that the demand for medical beds will exceed the current capacity, however we need to consolidate the medical operation in one facility to reduce the current potential safety issue. There may have to be the development of sub-acute beds within the VISN to reduce the burden on the BHS to utilize acute beds for inappropriate utilization. This will reduce the need to provide chronic care at an acute care facility.

Is there a list of services posted for each facility so veterans are aware of the services one can seek at each facility? Im not aware of such a list however this is a good idea and we will produce such a list.

Will the Causeway Street Clinic close? No this is a $1.2 million dollar outpatient asset that will continue to meet the needs of the veterans in the foreseeable future.

How many RNs will the West Roxbury Campus gain and where will they go? I do not know the specific number but there will be an increase in the number of RNs at the West Roxbury campus as a result of the move of medical care. They will go to the areas deemed most in need of staff.

Is Respiratory being removed from the Brockton facility? No this is a persistent rumor that does not seem to want to go away and we can not seem to locate the source. The current and planned mission for the Brockton facility requires the need for respiratory services.

What is the problem with the RNs coming to West Roxbury? As in any change process there is fear on the part of the individuals who are required to change. Management has indicated that RNs will not loose their jobs as a result of the integration, however fear still arises in employees minds. Union and management issues are raised when working conditions are changed also.

Dental work at the JP facility is good for root canals however when a crown is needed the wait can be 8 12 months what is going on? I am unaware of this situation. I will determine what is happening and report back to the group. Along the lines of increased waits, there has been data showing increased waits for audiology & optometry. We are currently recruiting 2 more audiology staff and looking at the same for optometry.

Ive run into the situation where a veteran sees a primary care MD and after the visit gets a follow-up visit before leaving. Then after leaving the veteran finds out he/she cannot make the visit and tries to reschedule and the visit gets extended an additional 5 weeks. Is there some way to not extend veterans who already had appointment beyond others veterans who did not. I am unaware of this issue and will get back to the group.

I had a veteran trying to contact ophthalmology. The veteran tried for 7 days 7 calls per day and the phone just rang with no answer. Is there something wrong with the phone in ophthalmology? Not that I am aware. I will check and get back with the group.

I just want to make a statement as a veterans who receives his care at the BHS that the staff are very user friendly towards me and provide good service.

4. Review Minutes - The members decided not to review the ELC and Clinical Care Committee minutes of 11/25/00 and 10/4/00 respectively since they just received them and did not have adequate time to read them. These minutes will be placed on the January meeting agenda for review.

5. Future Agenda Items - were reviewed with the following suggestions made:

Add CARES to the February agenda and provide information on how the CARES process will be communicated to stakeholders

Add Eligibility Criteria

Add issues of Reimbursement

Add transportation

5. The members reviewed the following Pluses (those things that went well with the meeting) and Deltas (those areas that need improvement):

Add bottled Water to available drinks
Put the Room Number of the Meeting on the Agenda


6. The meeting adjourned at approximately 2:30 PM. The next meeting will be held on January 9, 2001 from 1:00-3:00 at the West Roxbury facility.


George Donovan

Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 07:41:41 -0800

Subject: VA Transforms Health Care

Linda D. Kozaryn
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Dec. 27, 2000 -- Veterans' health care is now
more accessible, efficient and patient-centered, according
to Thomas L. Garthwaite, undersecretary for health at the
Department of Veteran Affairs.

"In the last six years, the VA has changed dramatically,"
he said in a recent interview with American Forces Press
Service. Today, he noted, the VA has the data to prove it
provides as good quality care as in any health care system.

The VA has changed from a hospital-based system to a
primarily outpatient system, Garthwaite said. The ratio of
outpatient visits to inpatient admissions in 1995 was 29-
to-1. By 1999 it was 48-to-1.

"We've gone from mostly an inpatient setting where we treat
illness in its latter stages to a system focused on
prevention of disease, early detection, health promotion
and easier access," he said.

VA officials also introduced performance measures to ensure
administrators and clinicians focused on the same goals.
"What we've tried to do is determine what's important to
patients, measure it and reward that," Garthwaite said.

As a result, the department has treated more veterans,
improved quality and patient satisfaction and reduced the
cost of care per veteran served by more than 20 percent. VA
officials call the department a leader in patient safety,
computerized patient record keeping, surgical quality
assessment, rehabilitation, mental health care and medical
research.

"We have one of the best immunization rates in the country,
the best use of aspirin and beta blockers after heart
attacks, and some of the best cancer screening data,"
Garthwaite said. "We're not just trying to say we're
better, we're trying to show people. We look for other
health care systems to compare ourselves against."

VA health care facilities provide medical, surgical and
rehabilitative care for about 3.7 million people each year.
>From 1997 to 1999, with 20,000 fewer employees and a budget
that increased only minimally compared to inflation, VA
cared for an additional 500,000 veterans.

"We opened the doors of eligibility and half a million
people walked in -- they didn't run the other way,"
Garthwaite stressed. "And people keep coming back. The
evidence indicates that they're largely satisfied with our
service."

The VA now operates 173 hospitals with at least one in each
of the 48 contiguous states, Puerto Rico and the District
of Columbia. It also operates more than 650 ambulatory care
and community-based outpatient clinics, 134 nursing homes,
40 domiciliaries, 206 readjustment counseling centers and
73 home health care programs.

In fiscal 2000, the VA treated more than 670,000 patients
in VA hospitals, 110,000 in nursing homes and 26,000 in
domiciliaries. VA's outpatient clinics registered more than
37 million visits.

"We've closed over half the inpatient beds while at the
same time seeing half a million more people," Garthwaite
said. VA officials restructured the medical system into 22
integrated networks that pool resources to meet local needs
in the most cost-effective manner.

By decreasing the amount of inpatient care, Garthwaite
said, VA officials could put more resources into community-
based facilities. About 300 new community-based outpatient
clinics are now located closer to veterans, requiring less
driving and effort to reach them.

"Health care is local," he stressed. "It needs to be closer
to where people live. You can't expect to get your
hypertension treated by someone 200 miles away. It's worth
driving for brain surgery or heart surgery, but is it
really worth driving that far to have your blood sugar
checked or a physical exam or get a prescription for your
cold?"

VA officials have also worked to reduce red tape. From
fiscal 1995 to fiscal 1999, they eliminated nearly 2,800 VA
forms. They scanned their remaining forms onto a CD, which
was then distributed to field facilities. Forms are also
now available on the Internet.

"We've taken a long form and now call it '1010EZ,'"
Garthwaite said. "It's much easier and it's now up on the
Web if you want to file electronically. We're trying every
way we can to minimize that look and feel of government
bureaucracy and make it effective and efficient."

A 1999 survey commissioned by the National Partnership for
Reinventing Government found that veterans who use VA
hospitals and clinics were increasingly satisfied with VA
health care. Eighty percent of VA health care users were
more satisfied than two years earlier.

The survey confirmed that administrative changes have led
to better health care and greater satisfaction among the
veterans the VA serves, Garthwaite said. "This survey gives
us solid information as we plan further improvements in VA
health care for veterans," he said.

VA's emphasis on reporting and correcting medical errors
makes it a national leader in patient safety programs. VA
approaches safety with a broad strategy that includes error
prevention and reduction, education and research, he said.
VA has pioneered a bar code system for administering
medication that cuts medical errors by two-thirds, for
example.

VA's emphasis on patient safety and ensuring consistently
reliable, high-quality care has resulted in improvements
that meet or exceed national standards, according to
Garthwaite. At a Dec. 7, 2000, National Forum on Quality
Improvement in Health Care, attended by 3,000 health care
professionals, Dr. Donald M. Berwick, a leader in the
field, cited the VA as a positive example.

"We've worked with his institute to do some of our quality
initiatives, so he's gotten to know us a little better,
seen some of our data and seen what we've done," Garthwaite
said.

VA is also affiliated with 107 medical schools, 54 dental
schools and more than 1,140 other schools across the
country, he noted. More than half of all practicing
physicians in the United States have had part of their
professional education in the VA health care system. Each
year, approximately 100,000 health professionals receive
training in VA medical centers.

VA clinical staff are among the best doctors in America,
Garthwaite said, and VA medical facilities are at the
forefront of treatment technology.

"We did over 300,000 consultations across the airwaves last
year. We most recently saw that demonstrated with a patient
in Missoula, Montana, who was able to have a clinic visit
with a psychiatrist in Fort Harrison. We were able to
provide specialized care in a relatively remote area
without having anyone travel."

The VA also does about a billion dollars in research every
year and continues to make major discoveries, Garthwaite
noted.

"A lot of people don't know that the mathematics behind MRI
and CT scans was a VA discovery," he said. "More recently,
we discovered a gene for schizophrenia. There's some
interesting research work going on in Alzheimer's and a
variety of other areas."

The VA also does research on AIDS, alcoholism, aging,
rehabilitation and other medical woes. Clinical trials have
led to such therapies as aspirin for heart patients,
surgical treatment to reduce risk of stroke and treatment
options for prostate cancer.

VA researchers involved in Persian Gulf-related projects
have established three environmental hazards research
centers. This year, VA officials announced plans to
establish a research center to investigate potential
environmental reproductive hazards of military service.

All in all, Garthwaite concluded, the VA has come a long
way. "We're not your father's VA," he said.