Diverse News 2008®

NEWS FEEDS

RAO Bulletin Update
1 January 2008

THIS BULLETIN CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES
== NDAA 2008 [12] ----------------------------------- (Bush Vetoes)
== VA COLA 2008 ------------------------- (Summary of Increase)
== Identity Theft [09] --------------------------- (Take Precautions)
== QVMB Program ------------------------- (Vet Mortgage Source)
== Aid & Attendance [02] --------------------------------- (Criteria)
== SSA Disability Claim --------------- (568,000 Claims Pending)
== RP DEERS Registration [03] ------------- (Procedures/Hours)
== Military Tax Relief -------------- (Quibbling Delays H.R.3997)
== Medicare Reimbursement Rates [08] -------- (Short Reprieve)
== Veterans in Office [01] -------------------- (Decline Continues)
== Flag Legislation [02] ------------------ (Burial Option Criteria)
== VA Fraud [05] --------------------------------------- (Loudon TN)
== Tricare User Fees [20] --------------------- (Proposed Increase)
== VA Vision Care [01] ------------------ (Compensation Reform)
== HP/Staples Lawsuit ----------------------------- (Ink Cartridges)
== VA Lawsuit (Lack of Care) [01] -------- (VA Seeks Dismissal)
== Hospice Care [01] --------------------- (An Overlooked Option)
== Retiree Asset Strategy Survey ------ (Focused on Preserving)
== Thunderbirds 2008 Show Schedule ----- (Dates & Locations)
== South Carolina Vet Cemetery -------------------- (State's First)
== VA Secretary [06] --------------------------- (Peake Confirmed)
== CA & Federal Disabled Benefits (40% SC) -------------- (List)
== CA & Federal Disabled Benefits (50% SC) -------------- (List)
== CA & Federal Disabled Benefits (60% SC) -------------- (List)
== Veteran Legislation Status 29 DEC 07 ---- (Where We Stand)

NDAA 2008 UPDATE 12: An unfavorable development concerning the Fiscal Year
2008 Defense Authorization Bill has occurred at the 11th hour. The
President's Deputy Press Secretary Scott Stanzel announced 28 DEC that the
President intends to veto H.R. 1585, the National Defense Authorization Act
(NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2008 because a provision in the bill could make Iraqi
assets held in U.S. banks vulnerable to lawsuits. Section 1083 - would
significantly amend current law (the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act) in
ways that would imperil Iraqi assets held in the United States, including
reconstruction and central bank funds. If enacted, Section 1083 would permit
plaintiffs' lawyers immediately to freeze Iraqi funds and would expose Iraq
to massive liability in lawsuits concerning the misdeeds of the Saddam
Hussein regime. The new democratic government of Iraq, during this crucial
period of reconstruction, cannot afford to have its funds entangled in such
lawsuits in the United States. Once in place, the restrictions on Iraq's
funds that could result from the bill could take months to lift, and thus
Section 1083 cannot become law even for a short period of time.

If signed into law, the NDAA would have authorized a 3.5% percent
across-the-board pay increase for active duty service members, rejected
steep increases in Tricare fees and pharmacy co-payments, extended Combat
Related Special Compensation to all combat-related disabled veterans and
provided full Concurrent Receipt of Disability Pay for disabled retirees
rated as Individually Unemployable by the VA. The bill would also lower the
minimum Guard and Reserve retirement age by 90 days for every 3 months
served on active duty and establish a Special Survivor Indemnity Allowance
beginning 1 OCT 08. Each of these items (and many others) is now on hold as
Congress and the Administration try to resolve the issue. According to the
official White House statement, "As soon as possible upon Congress's return
in JAN 08, the Administration will work with Congress to enact the NDAA
adjusted in a manner that protects Iraqi funds in the United States and that
ensures that the additional pay raise for our troops is retroactive to 1 JAN
081". The Senate and the House will be taking up the bill again once they
reconvene after recess, around January 15th. The impending veto action is
an unfortunate consequence of lawmakers incorrectly using the legislative
process-in this case attaching an issue that has nothing to do with national
defense to the NDAA. [Source: NAUS Special Report 28 Dec 07 ++]

VA COLA 2008: Millions of veterans and eligible family members will see
their disability compensation, pension, and survivors' benefits increased as
the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides an annual cost-of-living
increase for key benefits. A recent law signed by President Bush provides a
2.3% increase in disability compensation and survivors' benefits. Eligible
veterans and family members will see this increase starting in their January
2008 checks. Under the veterans' disability compensation program, tax-free
payments will generally range from $117 to $2,527 per month depending on the
degree of disability. Special payments up to $7,232 per month apply to the
most severely injured veterans. Pension disability benefits will also be
increased by the same percentage and effective on the same date. The
maximum annual rate for permanently and totally disabled veterans or
veterans over age 65 can range from $11,181 to $18,654, based on household
income and whether veterans are in need of help with activities for daily
living. This increase also applies to survivors of veterans who died in
service or from a service-connected disability. Dependency and indemnity
compensation (DIC) survivors' benefit payments can range from $1,091 to
$2,499 per month. Survivors of wartime veterans receiving death pension are
also entitled to an increase. The maximum annual payment rate for a
surviving spouse can range from $7,498 to $11,985. Benefits under this
program are intended to bring an eligible spouse's income to a level
established by law. Under each benefit program, additional allowances may
be payable for helpless, minor or school age children. For more information
about VA benefits and services, refer to VA's website at www.va.gov or call
1-800-827-1000. [Source: VA News Release 31 Dec 07 ++]

IDENTITY THEFT UPDATE 09: Start the New Year right by taking the following
precautions against loss of wallet, checkbook, etc.

1. The next time you order checks have only your initials (instead of first
name) and last name put on them. If someone takes your checkbook, they will
not know if you sign your checks with just your initials or your first name,
but your bank will know how you sign your checks.
2. Do not sign the back of your credit cards. Instead, put "PHOTO ID
REQUIRED."
3. When you are writing checks to pay on your credit card accounts, DO NOT
put the complete account number on the "For" line. Instead, just put the
last four numbers. The credit card company knows the rest of the number,
and anyone who might be handling your check as it passes through all the
check-processing channels will not have access to it.
4. Put your work phone # on your checks instead of your home phone. If you
have a PO Box, use that instead of your home address. If you do not have a
PO Box, use your work address. Never have your SS# printed on your checks.
You can add it if it is necessary. However, if you have it printed, anyone
can get it.
5. Place the contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine. Do both sides
of each license, credit card, etc. You will know what you had in your
wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call and cancel.
Keep the photocopy in a safe place. Also carry a photocopy of your passport
when traveling either here or abroad.
6. When you check out of a hotel that uses cards for keys do not turn the
"keys" in. Take them with you and destroy them. Those little cards have on
them all of the information you gave the hotel, including address and credit
card numbers and expiration dates. Someone with a card reader, or employee
of the hotel, can access all that information with no problem whatsoever.

Some critical information to limit the damage in case you or someone you
know has a
Loss is:

- Cancel your credit cards immediately. The key is having the toll free
numbers and your card numbers handy so you know whom to call. Keep those
where you can find them.
- File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where your credit
cards, etc., were stolen. This proves to credit providers you were
diligent, and this is a first step toward an investigation (if there ever is
one). Perhaps most important action of all is to call the three national
credit reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your
name and Social Security number. The alert means any company that checks
your credit knows your information was stolen, and they have to contact you
by phone to authorize new credit The numbers you always need to contact
about your wallet and contents being stolen are:
a.) Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
b.) Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742
c.) TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289
d.) Social Security Administration (fraud line): 1-800-269-0271
[Source: Various Dec 07++]

QVMB PROGRAM: The U.S. Senate unanimously passed legislation (S.2277) on
19 DEC to increase opportunities for veterans to purchase homes through the
Qualified Veterans Mortgage Bond (QVMB) program. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn
(R-TX), a member of the Armed Services Committee, pushed to secure
provisions in the Defenders of Freedom Tax Relief Act that will open an
existing low-interest housing loan program to all veterans, including those
who served after 1977. The overall legislative package now moves to the U.S.
House. Under current law, the Qualified Veterans Mortgage Bond (QVMB)
program is only open to veterans who served on active duty prior to 1977.
S.2277 would greatly expand the QVMB eligibility criteria for veterans who
served in more recent conflicts by eliminating the pre-1977 requirement.

QVMB is a program to purchase certain mortgage loans to qualified
veterans from lending institutions. The funds to be used for these purchases
may be the proceeds of tax-exempt state-guaranteed, Qualified Veterans
Mortgage Bonds. The program will thereby provide low interest single-family
mortgage loans for permanent financing of owner-occupied homes including new
and existing single-family residences and existing duplexes, triplexes and
fourplexes. Eligible duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes must have been
occupied as a multi-family dwelling for at least the preceding five years.
These loans will reflect a low interest rate because they are subsidized by
State appropriation and may be funded through the proceeds of tax exempt
bonds. States presently eligible to participate in this program are Alaska,
Oregon, California, Texas, and Wisconsin. Program requirements are:

. You must be a "qualified veteran" as that term is used in the Internal
Revenue Code. A qualified veteran for purposes of this program includes
specified veterans of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard,
Public Health Service, NOAA, the Coast and Geodetic Survey, and you must
demonstrate that you are a qualified veteran by obtaining a certificate from
the Veteran's Administration.
. Although there are no limits on the acquisition cost of your residence,
you must be able to demonstrate that your residence will become your
principal residence within a reasonable time after the financing is
provided.
. Residences which are likely to be used in a trade or business or as an
investment property or recreational home do not qualify, and you will need
to certify that your residence is not of these types.
. You will need to certify that personal property which is not a fixture is
not being financed.
. Land underlying the residence may be financed only if it reasonably
maintains the basic livability of the residence and does not provide other
than incidentally a source of income to you.
. The proceeds of the loan may not be used to acquire or replace an existing
mortgage.
. If you do qualify for and receive a low interest loan under this program,
the loan will have to be paid in full at the time you sell or in any other
way transfer your ownership interest in your house other than by loan
assumption. This provision will be a condition of your Deed of Trust. This
does not mean that you will not be able to sell your home, just that the new
purchaser will have to obtain other financing or qualify to assume the loan.
[Source: Senator Cornyn Press Release 20 DEC 07 ++]

AID & ATTENDANCE UPDATE 02: This Special Pension (part of the VA Improved
Pension program) allows for Veterans and surviving spouses who require the
regular attendance of another person to assist in eating, bathing, dressing,
undressing or taking care of the needs of nature to receive additional
monetary benefits. It also includes individuals who are blind or a patient
in a nursing home because of mental or physical incapacity. Assisted care
in an assisted living facility also qualifies. This most important benefit
is overlooked by many families with Veterans or surviving spouses who need
additional monies to help care for ailing parents or loved ones. This is a
"pension benefit" and is not dependent upon service-related injuries for
compensation. Most Veterans who are in need of assistance qualify for this
pension. Aid and Attendance can help pay for care in the home, nursing home
or assisted living facility. A Veteran is eligible for up to $1,519 per
month, while a surviving spouse is eligible for up to $976 per month. A
couple is eligible for up to $1,801 per month. To be eligible the veteran
must have served during one of the following periods:
. World War II: December 7, 1941 through December 31, 1946
. Korean War: June 27, 1950 through January 31, 1955
. Vietnam War: August 5, 1964 (February 28, 1961, for veterans who served
"in country" before August 5, 1964), through May 7, 1975
. Gulf War: August 2, 1990, through a date to be set by law of Presidential
Proclamation

The VA must determine that your net worth is such that it will probably not
support you through the remainder of your life. The VA does not include
primary residence or vehicles when determining net worth. To qualify you
must have a "countable income" of less than the pension amount to be
eligible for all or a portion of the pension. Countable Income is the amount
of income a veteran or surviving spouse receives each year, AFTER deducting
all unreimbursed, recurring health care expenses. This includes assisted
living costs, home health care, insurance & Medicare premiums, on-going
pharmacy costs and more. If you have dependents, their health care costs can
also be used to reduce your countable income. However, their income must
also be added into the equation. There are three levels to the Improved
Pension program: Basic Pension, Housebound, or Aid & Attendance. Each tier
has its own level of benefits and qualifications. If you or your loved one
does not qualify for Aid and Attendance, you may want to check to see if you
qualify for another level of the Pension. For example the following would
apply for eligibility to receive the Basic Pension:

. A veteran earns $14,000 per year from Social Security. His wife earns
$9,000 per year. The veteran also earns $5,000 per year from a small company
pension giving the couple a total annual income of $28,000.
. The couple has $38,000 in net worth in CDs and savings and they still live
in the home they bought in 1954. This is not enough to support them for the
rest of their lives...
. The veteran pays $1,800 per month for his wife's home health care, they
each pay a monthly Medicare premium of $93.50 (x 2 = $187/mo), and he also
pays $149 per month for supplemental insurance. Thus, their total medical
monthly expenses are $25,632 per animus.
. When you subtract the medical expenses from their total income, you get a
"countable income" of only $2,368. The maximum benefit amount of $14,313
minus the countable income amount of $2,368 equals $11,945 which would be
paid by the VA if the veteran applies for it...
[Source: www.veteranaid.org/ Dec 07++]

SSA DISABILITY CLAIM: To help reduce the enormous waiting times for many
disability benefit applicants to have their benefits approved, and to help
reverse cuts in services to the public in Social Security Administration
(SSA) field offices, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) announced on 21 DEC
an additional $363 million for the SSA to reduce the huge backlog in
disability claims. The funding was included in the omnibus spending package
passed by the Senate on 18 DEC. The House passed the bill on 19 DEC, and
sent it to the President for his signature. "This funding is much needed and
well deserved," said Cantwell. "The Northwest ranks second in the nation
when it comes to waiting times for Social Security disability hearings.
Delays mean that disabled residents in our region wait longer than almost
everyone else to receive a decision on their benefits. In the meantime,
most disabled applicants go without work and health insurance coverage as
they attempt to navigate a rigorous application process. This program needs
support, and I will continue working to ensure the disability backlog is
reduced." The Seattle Social Security Region, which includes Washington,
Oregon, Idaho and Alaska, ranks second in the nation in Social Security
disability hearing delays. The delays mean that disabled residents in the
region wait an average of 584 days to get a decision regarding their
eligibility for federal support. Advocates report that over half of
claimants receive a favorable decision at Social Security disability
hearings. As of DEC 2006, SSA had over 568,000 initial disability claims
pending with an average processing time of 88 days. It also had nearly
718,000 Administrative Law Judge hearings (appeals) pending with an average
delay time of 483 days. [Source: Senator Cantwell Press Release 21 Dec 07
++]

PHILIPPINE DEERS REGISTRATION UPDATE 03: Effective 1 JAN 08 the
DEERS/RAPIDS ID Card workstation located in the U.S. Embassy Manila at the
Social Security and Veteran s Affairs section, Window 3, will be open on a
first come, first served basis on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Applicants should
go to Window 3 and ask for a number, you may then have a seat and wait to be
called. All questions may be directed to (63) (2) 524-2227 on TUE and THUR
between the hours of 08-1500. Calls placed outside of these days and times
will not be entertained. Hours of operation are MON-WED-FRI Closed and TUE &
THUR 08-1500. The workstation will be closed on all weekends and U.S. and
Philippine federal holidays. The following personnel are eligible for DOD
ID Cards:

. Active duty members, retired members, and members of the Reserve
components not on active duty in excess of 30 days.
. Retired Reserve members who have reached their 60th birthday.
. Family members of military sponsors on active duty for more than 30
consecutive days.
. Family members of Ready Reserve (Selected, Individual and Standby
Reservists).
. Family members of Retired Reservists, who have qualified for retired pay
at age 60, yet have not reached age 60.
. Un-remarried or unmarried former spouses previously enrolled in DEERS.
. Medal of Honor recipients and their eligible family members.
. One hundred percent Disabled American Veterans (DAVs) and their family
members. Note that DAVs must have a combined rating of 100% to be eligible.
DAVs receiving 100% because of unemployable status but whose combined rating
falls below 100% are NOT eligible. No exceptions will be made.
. Former members having reached age 60 and in receipt of retired pay for
non-regular service, and their family members.
Also eligible are survivors of the following:
. Active duty & Retired with pay members.
. Reserve members on active or inactive duty.
. Retired reserve members who qualify for pay at age 60 but die before
reaching age 60.
. Medal of Honor Recipients.

In order for dependents to receive an ID card the sponsor must be present,
if not, the dependent must meet one of the following conditions:
. The dependent must bring along an original DD Form 1172 signed by the
sponsor and notarized from a DEERS/RAPIDS workstation validating them as a
dependent, along with a valid national ID (such as a Filipina/US passport,
driver s license, NBI report, voter s card, etc.), or
. The dependent must bring along a valid Power of Attorney notarized by a US
notary which gives her the power to act on the sponsor s behalf, along with
a valid national ID as stated above, or
. If the sponsor is deceased, the un-remarried spouse or unmarried former
spouse may act on their own behalf.

It is advised that they should bring all original and/or certified copies of
documentation that verifies their relationship with the sponsor such as
marriage certificates, birth certificates, and previous DOD ID cards.
Photocopies will not be accepted. [Source: SPC Jeremy Babcock, JUSMAG -
Philippines Dec 08 ++]

MILITARY TAX RELIEF: In the last month, the House and Senate have each
twice passed HR 3997, the Defenders of Freedom Tax Relief Act of 2007
unanimously. The problem is that every time it passed, it was a slightly
different version, and the House and Senate never passed the same one before
Congress adjourned for the year. It's sad to say that Senate-vs.-House
quibbling over a few final details derailed the whole bill, virtually on
Christmas Eve. Hopefully they can reconcile their and pass the bill in the
second session of the 110th Congress which convenes in late JAN. The bill
calls for a range of tax relief for military members, their families and
some small business employers of mobilized reservists. Among other things,
it allows:
. Disabled retirees who suffer delays in the VA claims process file for
refunds of up to five years of back taxes (vs. three under current law).
. Military widows to put their death gratuity amounts (now up to $100,000)
into tax-deferred IRA, and
. Employers to make deposits in 401(k) s for employees who are deployed to
combat zones.
[Source: MOAA Leg Up 21 Dec 07 ++]

MEDICARE REIMBURSEMENT RATES UPDATE 08: All year long, members of Congress
have known they'd have to do something by the end of the year to stop the
9.9% cut in Medicare and TRICARE payments to doctors scheduled to happen in
JAN 08 if Congress didn't change the law. But they also knew that coming up
with the money to pay for that fix was going to be a problem. They thought
they might cut payments to insurance companies that run Medicare HMOs and
several other kinds of providers that some contend are over-reimbursed. But
those potential groups all have their own lobbyists fighting to keep their
profits from being reduced. By waiting until right before Christmas to
approve a payment fix, Hill leaders thought that legislators anxious to get
home for the holidays might be pressured into accepting a deal to stop the
cuts for at least another year. But that strategy didn't work out very well.
In football terms, the best Congress could do before adjourning for the year
amounted to a 20-yard punt out of bounds. Instead of a 9.9% payment cut in
January, Medicare and Tricare doctors will see a 1% increase - for 6 months.
But if Congress doesn't find the money to extend the fix during the first
half of next year (which won't be any easier in an election year than it was
in 2007), an 11% payment cut will kick in on 1 JUL 08.

Kicking this political football out of bounds may not technically be a
foul. But it's a huge potential penalty for military and Medicare
beneficiaries who could find their doctors turning them away if Congress
keeps flirting with these big payment cuts. AARP's director of government
relations David Sloane said, "Enactment of this legislation does little to
protect millions of Medicare beneficiaries from higher monthly premiums and
only temporarily averts the problems beneficiaries would face finding a
physician if payment cuts take place," said The AARP supported cutting rates
for private insurers who provide health coverage through a program called
Medicare Advantage. While most Democrats agreed with that approach, the Bush
administration and many Republican lawmakers disagreed. Under the
compromise, lawmakers would trim $1.5 billion from a fund that would provide
extra payments to certain insurers that entered previously unnerved regions.
But that's a far cry from the $50 billion cut that House Democrats passed
earlier this year. [Source: MOAA Leg Up 21 Dec 07 ++]

VETERANS IN OFFICE UPDATE 01: The 110th session of Congress has the lowest
percentage of veterans in the House and Senate since before World War II.
And that number is expected to drop even further with 10 veterans planning
to retire or run for other offices. After the Korean War, well over 70% of
all members of the House and Senate were veterans. Now the number is 24% -
29 Senators and 100 House members have had some military experience. (In the
109th Congress the total number was 141). Only eight World War II vets are
still serving: Sens. Daniel Akaka and Daniel Inouye, both D-Hawaii; Frank
Lautenberg, D-N.J.; Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, and John Warner, R-Va.; and Reps
John Dingell, D-Mich.; Ralph Hall, R-Texas, and Ralph Regula, R-Ohio. Warner
and Regula will retire in 2009. [Source: TREA Washington Update 21 Dec 07
++]

FLAG LEGISLATION UPDATE 02: U.S. Rep. Paul Broun has introduced a
resolution to allow families to ask honor guards to give the traditional "13
Fold" flag recitation at burial ceremonies in national cemeteries. Earlier
this year, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, in response to a single
complaint, temporarily banned the 13 Fold recitations. The complaint
objected to the phrases "God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of
Jacob" and "God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost" in the
recitation. Veterans Affairs later allowed the recitation, but only if a
grieving family specifically requested it, said Broun, R-Athens. The
legislation, H.R. 4781, would ban honor guards from participating in the
funeral of any veteran interred in a national cemetery unless the veteran's
family is told about the option of having the honor guard perform the
traditional recitation. These meanings, not part of the U.S. Flag Code,
have been ascribed to the 13 folds of American flags at veteran's burial
services:

1. Symbol of life.
2. Symbol of our belief in the eternal life.
3. In honor and remembrance of the veteran departing our ranks who gave a
portion of life for the defense of our country to attain a peace throughout
the world.
4. Represents our weaker nature, for as American citizens trusting in God,
it is to Him we turn in times of peace as well as in times of war for His
divine guidance.
5. A tribute to our country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur, "Our
country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right; but it is
still our country, right or wrong."
6. Represents where our hearts lie. It is with our heart that we pledge
allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic
for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all.
7. A tribute to our armed forces.
8. A tribute to the one who entered in to the valley of the shadow of
death, that we might see the light of day, and to honor mother, for whom it
flies on Mother's Day.
9. A tribute to womanhood.
10. A tribute to father.
11. In the eyes of a Hebrew citizen, represents the lower portion of the
seal of King David and King Solomon, and glorifies, in their eyes, the God
of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
12. In the eyes of a Christian citizen, represents an emblem of eternity
and glorifies, in their eyes, God the Father, the Son, and Holy Ghost.
13. When the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost, reminding
us of our national motto, "In God We Trust."
[Source: Athens Banner-Herald article 21 Dec 07 ++]

VA FRAUD UPDATE 05: Three executives from an assisted-living facility in
Loudon TN were indicted on charges of stealing veterans benefits from a
resident, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) said on 19 DEC. The
former owners of Mountain View Assisted Living Facility, Ronnie Costner, 68,
and Lynn Costner, 57, each were indicted on one count of theft of property
between $10,000 and $60,000, as was former administrator Curtis Sorells, 41.
The investigation began in 2003 after complaints about "abuse of patient
fund," a TBI press release states. TBI spokeswoman Kristin Helm said the
victim, a man, no longer lived at the facility but that no one notified the
Veterans Administration, so the suspects kept receiving his benefits. The
suspects were booked into the Loudon County jail and released on bond.
[Source: Knoxville News State Briefs 20 Dec 07 ++]

TRICARE USER FEES UPDATE 20: The DoD Task Force on the Future of Military
Health Care released its final report on 20 DEC and the results were pretty
much as expected. The report said the relatively low health fees paid by
military retirees vs. the growing cost of military health benefits are out
of step with overall trends in the U.S. health care system and unfair to the
U.S. taxpayer. The task force, co-chaired by Gen. John D.W. Corley, USAF,
Commander of Air Combat Command, and economist Dr. Gail Wilensky,
recommended retiree fee increases that were patterned generally after those
recommended by DoD for the past two years. Under the task force's plan:

. Retirees under 65 would be restricted from shifting between using TRICARE
Prime, the managed care program, and Tricare Standard except during
designated annual open seasons.
. Fees would be stratified in three tiers, based on the amount of the
member's military retired pay. Most retired officers with families covered
under Tricare Prime would pay an annual enrollment fee of $780 for 2008,
with the fee rising steeply to $1,800 a year by 2011.
. Those in Tricare Standard would end up paying about $1,100 a year in
enrollment fees and deductibles by 2011.
. Medicare-eligibles (i.e. TFL users) would have to pay an annual enrollment
fee of $120 per year by 2011.
. Any beneficiary who didn't pay the enrollment fee also wouldn't be allowed
to use military pharmacies.
. As for pharmacy coverage, the task force recommended raising copayments
for retail pharmacy use from the current $3 (generic), $9 (brand-name
formulary), and $22 (non-formulary) to $15, $25, and $45, respectively -
significantly greater increases than previously proposed by the Pentagon.

Recommendations from the Task Force on the Future of Military Medical
Care are surprising only in that the large increases could be phased in over
four or five years in an effort to cushion the blow. A $10 monthly fee for
Tricare for Life is also recommended, an amount the task force admits has no
direct bearing on the Pentagon's expenses for providing medical care. The
Defense Department has been trying for several years to increase Tricare
enrollment fees, co-payments and deductibles, as well as co-payments for
using retail pharmacies, but has been blocked by Congress. The 2008 defense
authorization bill passed by Congress last week included a one-year
prohibition on fee increases. President Bush was expected to sign that bill
before the end of the year. The ban would not prevent the Bush
administration from including the fee increases in its 2009 defense budget
request. In its final report, delivered to Defense Secretary Robert Gates on
20 DEC, the task force said, "Americans everywhere are paying high costs for
health care. While military retirees deserve a more generous benefit because
of their sacrifices and years of service, relatively modest increases in
out-of-pocket costs will not only help stabilize the system and make it more
accountable but will also be looked upon as being appropriate by the
American taxpayer." Medical care costs are becoming a huge part of the
annual defense budget. In 2001, medical costs were $19 billion, but in 2007,
the defense health care budget was more than $39 billion. The
fastest-growing part of the health budget is pharmacy costs, where spending
quadrupled between 2000 and 2007, the report said. [Source: Navy Times Rick
Maze article 21Dec 07 ++]

VA VISION CARE UPDATE 01: U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI), Chairman of
the Veterans' Affairs Committee, noted with gratitude Senate action
approving a House amendment to H.R. 797, the Dr. James Allen Veteran Vision
Equity Act of 2007. Last month, the Senate passed a modified version of
H.R. 797, which was introduced by Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D-WI). On 17
DEC, the Senate concurred with the subsequent House amendment, paving the
way for the bill to be sent to the President's desk for signature. "This
bill will allow veterans who are legally blind to receive compensation that
VA's current strict eligibility requirements preclude them from receiving."
said Senator Akaka. Akaka is the author of S.1163, a companion bill to
H.R.797. The House bill as amended would alter the vision impairment
standard for two groups of veterans: those with service-connected blindness
in one eye who later lose vision in the other eye, and those who receive
special compensation for multiple disabilities that include vision
impairment. The bill also provides important improvements to certain burial
and memorial benefits that govern how fallen veterans are honored. It:
. Authorizes financial assistance from VA to state veterans' cemeteries.
. Eliminates the time limitation for states filing for reimbursement for
interment costs.
. Makes permanent the authority for VA to furnish government headstones and
markers for veterans buried in private cemeteries.
. Directs VA to design and make available an appropriate marker to denote
the veterans' status of those interred in private cemeteries, as an
alternative to a government furnished headstone.
[Source: Senator Akaka Press Release 18 Dec 07 ++]

HP/STAPLES LAWSUIT: A Boston man has filed a class-action lawsuit accusing
hardware maker HP (Hewett Packard) and office supply retailer Staples of
colluding to inflate the price of printer ink cartridges in violation of
federal antitrust law. According to the suit, HP allegedly paid Staples $100
million to refrain from selling inexpensive third-party ink cartridges,
although the suit doesn't make it clear how plaintiff Ranjit Bedi arrived at
that figure. For most printer companies, ink is the bread and butter of
their business. The price of ink for HP ink-jet printers can be as much as
$8000 per gallon for their superior quality photo printer ink. HP is
currently the dominant company in the printing market, and a considerable
portion of the company's profits come from ink. The printer makers have been
waging an all-out war against third-party vendors that sell replacement
cartridges at a fraction of the price. The tactics employed by the printer
makers to maintain monopoly control over ink distribution for their printing
products have become increasingly aggressive. In the past, we have seen HP,
Epson, Lenovo and other companies attempt to use patents and even the
Digital Millennium Copyright Act in their efforts to crush third party ink
distributors. The companies have also turned to the use of microchips
embedded in ink cartridges that work with a corresponding technical
mechanism in the printer that blocks the use of unauthorized third-party
ink. Adding insult to injury most printers misreport that they are low on
ink when they are not. A new study says that on average, more than half of
the ink from inkjet cartridges is wasted when users toss them in the
garbage. Bedi's suit asks for unspecified damages and an injunction barring
the two companies from engaging in anticompetitive business practices.
[Source: http://arstechnica.com/index.ars Ryan Paul article 18 Dec 07 ++]

VA LAWSUIT (LACK OF CARE) UPDATE 01: The government asked a San Francisco
federal judge on Friday to dismiss a high-profile lawsuit challenging the
system of treatment and benefits for returning combat veterans. The
government's lawyers argued that civil courts have no authority over the
Department of Veterans Affairs' medical decisions or how it handles
grievances and claims. "If plaintiffs are not happy with the way the system
is currently working, their remedy is to take it up with Congress" or with
the veterans department, Justice Department attorney Daniel Bensing told
U.S. District Judge Samuel Conti. He said that in 1988, Congress created a
system of reviewing veterans' claims and it can't be second-guessed by
regular courts. It was the first hearing on the nationwide lawsuit that is
being closely watched by veterans, their families and advocacy groups. The
suit seeks a judicial finding that the VA's system of handling claims and
appeals violates veterans' rights. The plaintiffs also want court orders
requiring the department to provide immediate medical and psychological help
to returning troops and to screen them for risk of stress disorders and
suicide.

Gordon Erspamer, a lawyer for veterans' advocates, argued that the
system established under the 1988 law is rife with constitutional violations
that federal courts are competent to judge. Wounded veterans, he said, are
arbitrarily denied care and benefits, are forced to wait months for vital
treatment and years for benefits, have no access to lawyers or potential
witnesses, and have little recourse when their claims are rejected. Under
the current procedures, Erspamer said, the government "can deny health care
to veterans coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan with impunity. ... If this
court dismisses this case, there is no way that these claims will ever be
adjudicated." Conti, a World War II veteran and a judicial conservative
during his 37 years on the bench, raised questions about the courts'
authority over the dispute but did not say how he would rule on the
government's dismissal motion.

The suit was filed in July by two organizations - Veterans for Common
Sense and Veterans United for Truth - as a proposed class action on behalf
of 320,000 to 800,000 veterans, or their survivors, claiming
service-connected deaths and disabilities. They focused on claims of
post-traumatic stress disorder, increasingly common among returning troops.
A Pentagon study group reported in June that about 84,000 veterans, more
than one-third of those who sought care from the VA from 2002 through 2006
had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress or another mental disorder.
The Pentagon group also found that the system was understaffed, prompting
the VA to announce staffing increases in July. The suit said the department
has a backlog of more than 600,000 disability claims. Veterans' advocates
say the VA pressures stressed-out soldiers to acknowledge pre-existing
"personality disorders" that gain them a speedy discharge while forfeiting
future disability benefits. Erspamer said improper delays and denials of
treatment and benefits have contributed to an epidemic of suicides.
[Source: San Francisco Chronicle Bob Egelko (begelko@sfchrionicle.com)
article 15 Dec 07 ++]

HOSPICE CARE UPDATE 01: Hospice care helps terminally ill patients prepare
for death, treating their symptoms and pain and preparing them -- and their
families -- for the end. The patients maintain their dignity and some
semblance of control over their life. Their families receive counseling to
help them come to terms with their impending loss. It's humane. It's caring.
It's thoughtful. Why, then, do so few Americans chose to receive hospice
care, even though Medicare covers the expense? A study published in July in
the New England Journal of Medicine found that only one-third of Americans
die under the care of hospice, despite hospice being essentially free of
charge. And those who avail themselves of hospice care often aren't getting
the full benefit of it, said Dr. Donald Schumacher, president and CEO of the
National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, the world's oldest and
largest nonprofit membership organization devoted exclusively to promoting
access to hospices. "They hold off the ultimate decision until they finally
have to face it," Schumacher said. "And when we speak to families, the
question we hear over and over again, is, 'Why didn't we come into hospice
sooner?' "

There currently are more than 3,500 hospices in the United States, and
more are being built every year, Schumacher said. "Approximately 500 new
hospice licenses were issued over the past two years," he said.
Hospice care is end-of-life care provided by health professionals and
volunteers. The hospice plan provides medical, psychological and spiritual
support, the goal of which is to help people who are dying experience peace,
comfort and dignity. Caregivers control pain and other symptoms as much as
possible, so a person can remain as alert and comfortable as possible. But
hospice also focuses on the family members as well, helping them deal with
the reality of death, said Carol Spence, director of research for the
National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. "We outright make the
patient's family our unit of care, so there's a lot of attention given to
the family caregivers, including bereavement care following the death of the
patient," she said. Usually, patients are given hospice care when they are
expected to live six months or less. Hospice care can take place at their
home or in a hospice center. Seeing the value of the care, hospitals and
nursing facilities also are opening hospice units to help the dying.

Part of the difficulty in choosing to use a hospice can be how hard it
is to really know how much time a person has left, Spence said. "It's
difficult in general to come up with an accurate picture of disease
projections," Spence said. "People are living with chronic illnesses that
will have an inevitable downward course, but knowing precisely when death
will approach is not an easy thing." Bringing hospice in doesn't mean
they're going to die tomorrow. It means a better quality of life for
whatever amount of time you have left, whether it's a week or a month or six
months. Another possible reason for people failing to use hospice can be
found in American attitudes toward dying -- going to hospice can seem the
equivalent of failing forgiving up. Our American culture is death-averse.
The medical community and the general population, the attitude is shown in
the metaphors used, whatever the disease you have -- 'I'm going to fight it,
I'm going to beat it.' "

There's also some misunderstanding over who can utilize hospice care,
with many people believing it's mainly for those dying of cancer. In fact,
about 40% of U.S. hospice admissions are for patients suffering from some
other life-ending disease, such as end-stage heart disease, dementia, lung
disease or stroke, according to the National Hospice and Palliative Care
Organization. The misunderstandings also involve the cost of care. Many
people believe hospice is too expensive or out of their price range, even
though Medicare or private insurance covers the full cost of hospice care.
Despite all this, the number of hospices and the number of people turning to
them are expected to grow as baby boomers enter retirement age and begin
facing their own mortality, said Schumacher, a member of that generation
himself. To learn more, refer to the NHPCO website
http://www.nhpco.org/templates/1/homepage.cfm. [Source: HealthDay News
Dennis Thompson article 16 Dec 07 ++]

RETIREE ASSET STRATEGY SURVEY: A new survey shows that retirees, highly
concerned about running out of financial assets, may be overly focused on
preserving their savings principal and needlessly reducing their quality of
life. The survey, commissioned by AARP and the American Council of Life
Insurers (ACLI), examined the retirement finance strategies of retirees age
60 to 75 with assets of at least $50,000, not including their homes. The
survey found that 75% of those interviewed are concentrating on either
building or maintaining their "savings and investment principal." This
suggests that retirees may be sacrificing their present finances as a
long-term management strategy. Only about 23% have allowed themselves to dip
into principal in the last year, the AARP-ACLI study showed. Plans to
curtail spending may be a long-term strategy for many retirees given the
fact that 64% of those interviewed said that they would cut back on their
spending if the value of [their] investments went down by five percent.
"Many retirees may be able to improve the quality of their lives without
risking their nest egg," said Jean Setzfand, Director of Economic Issues
Agenda at AARP. She noted that while retirees should protect enough savings
to allow for things like the skyrocketing costs of health care and a longer
life expectancy, it is important to determine whether you can use your money
to make retirement more enjoyable. "A guaranteed income product would
substantially improve the peace of mind of many retirees," said Walter
Welsh, ACLI Executive Vice President, in referring to study findings that
49% think such an investment would add to their peace of mind. The report
also identified five different management styles to describe how the
retirees handled their finances, pointing to those two described as thrifty
and undisciplined as the most interested in a guaranteed lifetime income
strategy. For more information on this report, refer to www.aarp.org or
www.acli.com. [Source: AARP Policy & Research article 10 Dec 07 ++]

THUNDERBIRDS 2008 SHOW SCHEDULE: The Air Force Thunderbirds have released
their performance schedule for 2008, their 55th anniversary year. The
Thunderbirds are the official Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron. The unit
consists of eight pilots (including six demonstration pilots), four support
officers, four civilians and about 110 enlisted airmen. The lead pilot this
year is Lt. Col. Greg Thomas. The other demonstration pilots are: Maj. Chris
Austin, Thunderbird No. 2, left wing; Maj. Scott Poteet, Thunderbird No. 4,
slot; Maj. Samantha Weeks, Thunderbird No. 5; and Maj. Tyrone Douglas,
Thunderbird No. 6, opposing solo. Weeks is the first-ever female
Thunderbird, and is in her second year with the squadron. The 2008 schedule
is as follows:
MARCH
15 - San Angelo, Texas
29 - Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.
APRIL
5 and 6 - Punta Gorda, Fla.
12 and 13 - Lakeland, Fla.
19 and 20 - Wilmington, N.C.
26 - Charleston Air Force Base, S.C.
MAY
3 and 4 - March ARB, Calif.
10 and 11 - Langley Air Force Base, Va.
17 and 18 - Fort Smith, Ark.
24 - Tinker Air Force Base, Okla.
28 - U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo. (Invitation Only)
31 - McGuire Air Force Base, N.J.
JUNE
1 - McGuire Air Force Base, N.J.
7 and 8 - Rockford, Ill .
14 and 15 - Quebec City
21 - Klamath Falls, Ore.
24 - Eielson Air Force Base, Ala.
28 and 29 - Elmendorf Air Force Base, Ala.
JULY
4 and 6 - Battle Creek, Mich.
12 and 13 - Milwaukee, Wis.
19 and 20 - McChord Air Force Base, Wash.
23 - Cheyenne, Wyo.
26 and 27 - Rochester, N.Y.
AUGUST
8 and 10 - Abbotsford, Canada
16 and 17 - Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.
20 - Atlantic City, N.J.
23 and 24 - Kansas City, Mo.
30 and 31 - Travis Air Force Base, Calif.
SEPTEMBER
6 and 7 - Westover ARB, Mass.
12 and 13 - Reno, Nev.
14 - Mountain Home, Idaho
20 and 21 - Scott Air Force Base, Ill
27 and 28 - Salinas, Calif
OCTOBER
4 - Vance Air Force Base, Okla.
11 and 12 - Ft. Worth, Texas
18 and 19 - Dobbins Air Force Base, Ga.
25 and 26 - Houston, Texas
NOVEMBER
1 and 2 - Lafayette, La.
8 and 9 - Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
[Source: Air Force Times article 17 Dec 07 ++]

SOUTH CAROLINA VET CEMETERY: According to Philip Butler, director of the
State Office of Veteran Affairs. South Carolina has opened the M.J. "Dolly"
Cooper Veterans Cemetery in Anderson for men and women who've honorably
served their nation. The site adjacent to the Richard Campbell State
Veterans Nursing Home on the Belton Highway is the first state veterans
cemetery. Residents have been so anxious to have a veterans cemetery in the
northwestern region of the state that a number of burials were scheduled
even as the site was opening, Butler said. Other ceremonies are scheduled
for later this month, as well as January and February, said Phyllis Brown,
administrative assistant at the cemetery. At least 120 veterans have come by
to make sure they have the proper paperwork on file to have their remains
laid to rest at the site, she said in a telephone interview. Veterans,
their spouses or family members must have records to prove the veteran
served in the military and was honorably discharged. To be buried at the
Anderson site, they also must show some type of residency in South Carolina.
For example, a veteran must have lived in the state at the time of entering
the military, at the time of discharge or lived in the state for a 20-year
period, Brown said. "Sometimes that can be difficult to verify, so it is
helpful to begin the search (for records) early," she said. Veterans also
may indicate in advance what they would like to have inscribed on their
granite headstones in addition to the required information such as name,
branch of service and dates of birth and death, she said. Local funeral home
directors also can be helpful in assisting veterans and their families
should they care to prepare in advance, she said.

The first section opened at the Anderson cemetery is 27 acres of
rolling hills with room for 6,800 casket grave sites, 740 in-ground
cremation burial sites and a scattering area for cremated remains located
near a flag memorial site. In the next three months, 800 columbarium niches
will be open for cremated remains. South Carolina received a $5,183,850
grant from the federal government to build the 57 acre site, and the state
will pay to maintain it. Formal opening ceremonies will be held in the
spring. There are two national veterans cemeteries in South Carolina. One in
Florence and another in Beaufort but the space is limited. A third national
veterans cemetery will be built on the northern edge of Fort Jackson near
Columbia and is expected to begin burials at the end of 2008. About 413,000
veterans are estimated to be living in the state. Information on VA burial
benefits can be obtained from national cemetery offices, from the VA Web
site on the Internet at http://www.cem.va.gov or by calling VA regional
offices toll-free at (800) 827-1000. Information about the South Carolina
veterans cemetery can be obtained from the Governor's Office of Veterans
Affairs at (803) 734-0200 or by contacting the Cemetery Superintendent Mr.
Larry Montandon directly at 140 Inway Drive Anderson, SC 29621 Tel: (864)
332-8022. For additional info refer to
http://www.govoepp.state.sc.us/va/EligibilityFacts.pdf. [Source:
www.scnow.com Susanne M. Schafer article 17 Dec 07 ++]

VA SECRETARY UPDATE 06: The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee endorsed
James Peake's nomination unanimously as Veterans Affairs secretary and the
Senate then confirmed him by unanimous consent. In a ceremony on 20 DEC he
was sworn in by President George W. Bush as the nation's sixth Secretary of
Veterans Affairs. Retired Lt. Gen. Peake, 63, the son of a medical services
officer and Army nurse, has spent 40 years in military medicine. He retired
from the Army in 2004 after being lead commander in several medical posts,
including four years as Army Surgeon General. President Bush said one of
Peake's first tasks would be to continue to implement recommendations of the
presidential commission on veterans care chaired by former Sen. Bob Dole,
R-Kan., and former Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala. The
recommendations include aggressively treating post-traumatic stress disorder
and traumatic brain injury, streamlining VA processes and strengthening
support for families. Peake's "decades of expertise in combat medicine and
health care management have provided him with a thorough understanding of
the department's responsibility to care for America's veterans," Bush said
in a statement. Widely supported by both Democrats and Republicans, Peake
has promised lawmakers that he would be an independent advocate for veterans
and get needed funding for their care.

Former Veterans Affairs Secretary James Nicholson stepped down 1 OCT
07. Gordon Mansfield, the VA's deputy secretary has been serving as acting
secretary. The favorable Senate vote came after Peake assured lawmakers that
he would learn from past VA mistakes by placing more medical staff at VA
clinics and budgeting better to meet the agency's needs. He also promised to
find other ways to retain senior VA officials than awarding lucrative
performance bonuses each year regardless of merit. "I believe General
Peake's heart is in the right place, but this job will take more than just
promises," said Sen. Patty Murray, (D-WA)., a member of the Senate panel.
"He needs to work everyday to overcome the bureaucratic ineptitude, backlog
of claims, wait times, and other challenges that our veterans face every
day." More than 5.5 million veterans are expected to receive care this year
in VA's 153 hospitals and 900 clinics. VA also provides disability
compensation and pensions to 3.5 million veterans and family members, and
operates 125 national cemeteries. [Source: AP article 16 Dec 07 ++]

CALIFORNIA & FEDERAL DISABLED BENEFITS (40% SC): Veterans who are residents
of California who are rated 40% overall disabled by the VA as a result of a
service connected (SC) determination are entitled to the following state and
federal benefits. This list was last updated OCT 06. For residents of other
states the federal benefits are the same but the state benefits will be in
accordance with that state's laws. To determine what they are check the VA
website associated with the state in question:

1. Eligibility for additional allowance for dependents-spouse, children,
dependent parent(s).
2. Eligibility for additional aid and attendance allowance for disabled
spouse.
3. VA fee basis outpatient medical card for SC condition(s) requiring
treatment.
4. Enrollment in VA Healthcare Priority Group 2 (no healthcare co-payments
required; pharmacy co-payments required for NSC medications, except for
former POWs).
5. Eligibility for sensorineural aids-hearing aids, eyeglasses, contact
lenses-without regard to whether the condition producing need for such is
service-connected.
6. Eligibility for Service-Disabled Veterans' Life Insurance (RH).
7. Possible eligibility for special monthly compensation for loss or loss of
use of a creative organ; loss of a female breast; or, loss or loss of use of
one foot or one eye.
8. Possible eligibility for payment of annual clothing allowance for
specified SC disorders resulting in need for prosthetic appliance or use of
a wheelchair, or for certain skin conditions.
9. Possible eligibility for one-time assistance in purchase of
specially-adapted automobile.
10. Possible eligibility for Automobile Adaptive Equipment Allowance.
11. Eligibility for education or training under VA Vocational
Rehabilitation.
12. Golden Access Passport for U.S. National Parks.
13. Eligibility for 10-point preference for Federal Civil Service
employment. Under certain circumstances, may be employed on a noncompetitive
basis.
14. Eligibility for 15-point preference for State of California employment.
15. Home loan guaranty funding fee exemption.
16. Possible eligibility for Home Improvement and Structural Alteration
(HISA) home modification grant.
17. Eligibility for CAL-VET College Tuition and Fee Waiver for children
(Plan B).
18. Possible eligibility for DMV Disabled Person Parking Placard.
19. If a 20-year military retiree, possible eligibility for CRSC.
20. Possible eligibility for the California Disabled Veteran Business
Enterprise (DVBE) and the Federal Service Disabled Veteran Owned Business
(SDVOB) programs.
[Source: CA Dept of VA website Nov 07 ++]

CALIFORNIA & FEDERAL DISABLED BENEFITS (50% SC): Veterans who are residents
of California who are rated 50% overall disabled by the VA as a result of a
service connected (SC) determination are entitled to the following state and
federal benefits. This list was last updated OCT 06. For residents of other
states the federal benefits are the same but the state benefits will be in
accordance with that state's laws. To determine what they are check the VA
website associated with the state in question:

1. Eligibility for additional allowance for dependents-spouse, children,
dependent parent(s).
2. Eligibility for additional aid and attendance allowance for disabled
spouse.
3. VA fee basis outpatient medical card (all conditions requiring treatment,
whether SC or not, except dental).
4. Enrollment in VA Healthcare Priority Group 1 (no co-payments required).
5. Eligibility for sensorineural aids-hearing aids, eyeglasses, contact
lenses-without regard to whether the condition producing need for such is
service-connected.
6. Eligibility for Service-Disabled Veterans' Insurance (RH).
7. Possible eligibility for special monthly compensation for loss or loss of
use of a creative organ; loss of a female breast; or, loss or loss of use of
one foot or one eye.
8. Possible eligibility for payment of annual clothing allowance for
specified SC disorders resulting in need for prosthetic appliance or use of
a wheelchair, or for certain skin conditions.
9. Possible eligibility for one-time assistance in purchase of
specially-adapted automobile.
10. Possible eligibility for Automobile Adaptive Equipment Allowance.
11. Eligibility for education or training under VA Vocational
Rehabilitation.
12. Golden Access Passport for U.S. National Parks.
13. California State Park pass (requires SC wartime-incurred disability)
($3.50 one-time fee). Entitles the holder to the use of all basic State Park
System operated facilities at no further charge. Not valid at units operated
by local government, private agencies or concessionaires."
14. Reduced fee for hunting license.
15. Reduced fee for basic sport fishing license.
16. Eligibility for 10-point preference for Federal Civil Service
employment. Under certain circumstances, may be employed on a noncompetitive
basis.
17. Eligibility for 15-point preference for State of California employment.
18. Home loan guaranty funding fee exemption.
19. Possible eligibility for Home Improvement and Structural Alteration
(HISA) home modification grant.
20. Eligibility for CAL-VET College Tuition and Fee Waiver for children
(Plan B).
21. Possible eligibility for DMV Disabled Person Parking Placard.
22. If a 20-year military retiree, possible eligibility for CDRP or CRSC.
[Source: CA Dept of VA website Nov 07 ++]

CALIFORNIA & FEDERAL DISABLED BENEFITS (60% SC): Veterans who are residents
of California who are rated 60% overall disabled by the VA as a result of a
service connected (SC) determination are entitled to the following state and
federal benefits. This list was last updated OCT 06. For residents of other
states the federal benefits are the same but the state benefits will be in
accordance with that state's laws. To determine what they are check the VA
website associated with the state in question:

1. Eligibility for a rating of total disability because of individual
unemployability.
2. Eligibility for additional allowance for dependents-spouse, children,
dependent parent(s).
3. Eligibility for additional aid and attendance allowance for disabled
spouse.
4. VA fee basis outpatient medical card (all conditions requiring treatment,
whether SC or not, except dental).
5. Enrollment in VA Healthcare Priority Group 1 (no co-payments required).
6. Eligibility for sensorineural aids-hearing aids, eyeglasses, contact
lenses-without regard to whether the condition producing need for such is
service-connected.
7. Eligibility for Service-Disabled Veterans' Insurance (RH).
8. Possible eligibility for special monthly compensation for loss or loss of
use of a creative organ; loss of a female breast; or, loss or loss of use of
one hand, one foot, or one eye.
9. Possible eligibility for payment of annual clothing allowance for
specified SC disorders resulting in need for prosthetic appliance or use of
a wheelchair, or for certain skin conditions.
10. Possible eligibility for one-time assistance in purchase of
specially-adapted automobile.
11. Possible eligibility for Automobile Adaptive Equipment Allowance.
12. Eligibility for education or training under VA Vocational
Rehabilitation.
13. Golden Access Passport for U.S. National Parks.
14. California State Park pass (requires SC wartime-incurred disability)
($3.50 one-time fee). Entitles the holder to the use of all basic State Park
System operated facilities at no further charge. Not valid at units operated
by local government, private agencies or concessionaires.
15. Reduced fee for hunting license.
16. Reduced fee for basic sport fishing license.
17. Eligibility for 10-point preference for Federal Civil Service
employment. Under certain circumstances, may be employed on a noncompetitive
basis.
18. Eligibility for 15-point preference for State of California employment.
19. Home loan guaranty funding fee exemption.
20. Possible eligibility for Home Improvement and Structural Alteration
(HISA) home modification grant.
21. Eligibility for CAL-VET College Tuition and Fee Waiver for children
(Plan B).
22. Possible eligibility for DMV Disabled Person Parking Placard.
23. If a 20-year military retiree, possible eligibility for CDRP or CRSC.
24. Possible eligibility for the California Disabled Veteran Business
Enterprise (DVBE) and the Federal Service Disabled Veteran Owned Business
(SDVOB) programs.
[Source: CA Dept of VA website Nov 07 ++]

VETERAN LEGISLATION STATUS 29 DEC 07: After completing work 19 DEC, the
House and Senate officially recessed until the New Year. (Technically, only
the House adjourned; the Senate is keeping pro forma sessions to stop the
President from making any recess appointments.) Although some pro forma
sessions are scheduled, the full House does not return until 15 JAN, while
the Senate will reconvene 22 JAN 08. For a listing of Congressional bills of
interest to the veteran community that have been introduced in the 110th
Congress refer to the Bulletin's House & Senate attachments. By clicking on
the bill number indicated you can access the actual legislative language of
the bill and see if your representative has signed on as a cosponsor.
Support of these bills through cosponsorship by other legislators is
critical if they are ever going to move through the legislative process for
a floor vote to become law. A good indication on that likelihood is the
number of cosponsors who have signed onto the bill. A cosponsor is a member
of Congress who has joined one or more other members in his/her chamber
(i.e. House or Senate) to sponsor a bill or amendment. The member who
introduces the bill is considered the sponsor. Members subsequently signing
on are called cosponsors. Any number of members may cosponsor a bill in the
House or Senate. At http://thomas.loc.gov you can also review a copy of each
bill's content, determine its current status, the committee it has been
assigned to, and if your legislator is a sponsor or cosponsor of it. To
determine what bills, amendments your representative has sponsored,
cosponsored, or dropped sponsorship on refer to
http://thomas.loc.gov/bss/d110/sponlst.html. The key to increasing
cosponsorship on veteran related bills and subsequent passage into law is
letting our representatives know of veteran's feelings on issues. At the
end of some listed bills is a web link that can be used to do that.
Otherwise, you can locate on http://thomas.loc.gov who your representative
is and his/her phone number, mailing address, or email/website to
communicate with a message or letter of your own making. [Source: RAO
Bulletin Attachment 13 Dec 07 ++]

Lt. James "EMO" Tichacek, USN (Ret)
Director, Retiree Assistance Office, U.S. Embassy Warden & IRS VITA Baguio
City RP
PSC 517 Box RCB, FPO AP 96517
Tel: (760) 839-9003 when in U.S. & Cell: 0915-361-3503 when in Philippines.
Email: raoemo@sbcglobal.net Web:
http://post_119_gulfport_ms.tripod.com/rao1.html
AL/AMVETS/DAV/FRA/NAUS/NCOA/MOAA/USDR/VFW/VVA/CG33/DD890/AD37 member

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