VETERANS NEWS from the USSVI Veterans Service Officer Items provided by John Dudas - VSO Contact: john-dudas@cableone.net Veterans Administration NEWS RELEASES |
CURRENT YEAR VETERANS NEWS POSTINGS
| Posting Date | Subject | |
| 19 May 2007 |
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Text (Full Story here) | |
| 19 May 2007 |
Title
Text (Full Story here) | |
| 19 May 2007 |
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Text (Full Story here) | |
| 19 May 2007 |
VA Retro Pay Slowdown
Thousands of disabled military retirees due back pay under one of the military's two "concurrent receipt" programs -- CRSC and CRDP - will wait longer than they expected to be paid in full, say senior officials. (Full Story here) | |
| 19 May 2007 |
VA Hospitals to Have Access to DoD Active Duty Medical Records
Beginning this week, medical staff at all 154 hospitals and the roughly 800 clinics run by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs should be able to access the Department of Defense medical records of servicemembers returning from Afghanistan and Iraq. (Full Story here) | |
| 19 May 2007 |
New Easier CRSC Claim Form
The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has significantly revised the claim form for Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC). (Full Story here) | |
| 19 May 2007 |
More 22 Dollar Drugs for TriCare
On March 22, a DoD panel proposed moving several pain, glaucoma, and antidepressant medications to the third tier ($22 copay vs $3 or $9 for drugs on first and second tiers), along with some newer sedatives. (Full Story here) | |
| 19 May 2007 |
Military Gets Bigger Pay Raise
Military people next January would get a 3.5 percent pay raise, under a compensation package voted Wednesday by the House armed services' subcommittee on military personnel. (Full Story here) | |
| 19 May 2007 |
Med Watch
FDA informed consumers and healthcare professionals regarding the dangers associated with buying prescription drugs over the internet. (Full Story here) | |
| 19 May 2007 |
Army Opens New Resort in Virginia
The United States military is adding Virginia's oceanfront to such destinations as Hawaii and Germany where servicemembers and their families can get some affordable rest and relaxation. (Full Story here) | |
| 19 May 2007 |
Study - Agent Orange Causes Genetic Disturbance
A study published in the journal "Cytogenetic and Genome Research" shows that exposure to Agent Orange, and other defoliants, has led to genetic disturbance in New Zealand Vietnam War veterans that continues to persist decades after their service. (Full Story here) | |
| 15 May 2007 |
TRICARE Helps Medicare Beneficiaries
Since the beginning of the Medicare Part D prescription drug program, individuals that become eligible for both Medicaid and Medicare benefits (so-called "dual-eligibles") have automatically been enrolled into Medicare prescription drug plans. (Full Story here) | |
| 15 May 2007 |
New VA Facility Coming to Des Moines
Officials broke ground on Friday, March 23, for a joint Department of Defense and VA health care clinic in Goose Creek, S.C. (Full Story here) | |
| 15 May 2007 |
Groundbreaking in South Carolina
Officials broke ground on Friday, March 23, for a joint Department of Defense and VA health care clinic in Goose Creek, S.C. (Full Story here) | |
| 15 May 2007 |
Detroit Domiciliary Dedicated
Department of Veterans Affairs officials recently dedicated the Detroit Domiciliary for Homeless Veterans. (Full Story here) | |
| 31 March 2007 |
Tax Season Survival Guide
With tax deadlines approaching, retirees should have their 2006 information and forms ready to go. Retired Pay Account Statements (RAS) and 1099Rs are posted to myPay (https://mypay.dfas.mil/mypay.aspx) for quick and easy access. For retirees who do not have a myPay account or have requested hardcopy documents, these forms were mailed on schedule in December. For retirees who have not received their end-of-year statements and tax forms, several options exist to request DFAS reissue them. Please read more about important tax information at the following link: (Full Story here) - External Link | |
| 31 March 2007 |
Concurrent Retirement Disability Payments Increase
Concurrent Retirement Disability Pay (CRDP) is a phased-in restoration of the retired pay deducted from military retirees' accounts due to their receipt of Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) compensation (reflected on Retiree Account Statements as the "VA waiver"). Additional CRDP information can be found here: (Full Story here) - External Link | |
| 31 March 2007 |
TRICARE Prime reminds retirees of a convenient payment option
TRICARE makes it easy for retirees to pay their TRICARE Prime enrollment fees by establishing a monthly allotment from their service retirement pay. The Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS), the U.S. Coast Guard, and the U.S. Public Health Service deducts the retirement pay allotment. More information about TRICARE can be found here: (Full Story here) - External Link | |
| 31 March 2007 |
VA Retro Update
The Disabled Military Retiree Retroactive Pay program, commonly called VA Retro, is well underway. Eligible retirees are those receiving either Combat- Related Special Compensation (CRSC) or Concurrent Retirement Disability Payments (CRDP) and have been awarded a retroactive disability rating increase by the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) since their date of initial entitlement. For more information about the VA Retro program, please follow the link below: (Full Story here) - External Link | |
| 04 February 2007 |
BRAC Update
Senior military officials are pressuring lawmakers to add billions of dollars to a long-term continuing resolution (CR) to cover necessary base-closure costs and pay for military construction and quality of life projects in fiscal 2007, warning that failure to do so would have dire consequences for the services. (Full Story here) | |
| 04 February 2007 |
VA Retroactive Pay Update
On 1 SEP 06 the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) finalized plans for disabled military retiree retroactive pay. (Full Story here) | |
| 04 February 2007 |
VA Panel Hearing Change
On 11 JAN congressional leadership from both the House of Representatives and Senate made good on one of their commitments to America's veterans. (Full Story here) | |
| 04 February 2007 |
VA Budget 2007 Update
Secretary of Veterans Affairs R. James Nicholson notified Congress 19 DEC that he was transferring $250 million from construction and maintenance in order to pay for medical care costs for veterans. (Full Story here) | |
| 04 February 2007 |
Tricare Uniform Formulary Update
On 20 DEC, beneficiary representatives got to review the latest Defense recommendations to move some Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy medications to the third tier ($22 copay), along with some newer contraceptive and topical antifungal agents. (Full Story here) | |
| 04 February 2007 |
Lackland AFB Now Offers Eye Surgery
The Wilford Hall Refractive Surgery Center at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, is offering eye surgery as a possible replacement for eyeglasses. (Full Story here) | |
| 04 February 2007 |
South Dakota Veterans Bonus Update
The state of South Dakota is paying a veterans' bonus of up to $500 to certain servicemembers. (Full Story here) | |
| 04 February 2007 |
Social Security Fund Depletion Update
After numerous refusals over three and a half years, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has released the first known public copy of the U.S.-Mexico Social Security Totalization Agreement. (Full Story here) | |
| 04 February 2007 |
PTSD Update
A groundbreaking study of 1,946 male veterans of World War II and Korea suggests that vets with symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder are at greater risk of heart attacks as they age. (Full Story here) | |
| 04 February 2007 |
NDAA 2007 Update #2
Completion of the 2007 NDAA and subsequent signature by the President established two modifications to existing benefits for retirees (Full Story here) | |
| 04 February 2007 |
NDAA 2007 Update
U.S. Military Contractors operating in combat zones are now subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). (Full Story here) | |
| 04 February 2007 |
Navy Lodge Opens New Facility in Norfolk, VA
Navy Lodge Norfolk VA has opened the doors of its new four-story 100-room facility. (Full Story here) | |
| 04 February 2007 |
Military Legislation Status 13 Jan 07
Following is a listing of Congressional bills of interest to the military community that have been introduced in the 110th Congress. (Full Story here) | |
| 04 February 2007 |
Medicare Part D Update
HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt announced 8 JAN that independent estimates for the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit for the FY 2008 budget cycle show that net Medicare costs are 30% less ($189 billion lower) than were originally predicted when the benefit was created in 2003. (Full Story here) | |
| 04 February 2007 |
TREA Issues 2007 Legislative Agenda
In 2007 the military community can expect to see numerous bills introduced in the 110th Congress that will impact on their well being. (Full Story here) | |
| 04 February 2007 |
IRS New Collection Policy
The IRS's national taxpayer advocate Tuesday issued a stinging rebuke of the agency's program to use private agencies to collect delinquent tax debts (Full Story here) | |
| 04 February 2007 |
Disabled Veterans Tax Termination Act
Representative Jim Marshall on 9 JAN introduced HR 333, the Disabled Veterans Tax Termination Act (Full Story here) | |
| 04 February 2007 |
CRDP Update
Following in his father's footsteps, Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) has reintroduced concurrent receipt legislation in the new 110th congress which is well-known to the disabled military community. (Full Story here) | |
| 04 February 2007 |
Commissary User Savings
Commissary customers closed 2006 with record-breaking savings. (Full Story here) | |
| 04 February 2007 |
COLA 2008 Update
The Military Coalition (TMC), a grouping of more than 30 associations that support quality-of-life issues for troops, veterans, retirees, and their families, has set a goal for 2007 of adjusting active-duty and reserve military pay upwards with an ultimate intent of matching private-sector wages. (Full Story here) | |
| 04 February 2007 |
Veteran's Educational Assistance Bill Proposed
Freshman Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) introduced "The Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2007" (S.22) (Full Story here) | |
| 04 February 2007 |
Navy Announces 2007 “Calendar for America”
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The Navy announced the 2007 “Calendar for America” Dec. 22, setting forth the official schedule of Navy Weeks in cities across America in the coming year. (Full Story here) | |
| 04 January 2007 |
Veterans Benefits Bill Signed into Law
President George Bush signed into law a $3.2 billion comprehensive benefits and health care bill for veterans sponsored by U.S. Senator Larry Craig, the outgoing chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs. (Full Story here) | |
| 08 January 2007 |
"Aid and Attendance" an Under-Used Benefit
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is reaching out to inform wartime veterans and surviving spouses of deceased wartime veterans about an under-used, special monthly pension benefit called Aid and Attendance. (Full Story here) | |