Patti's Blog - Advocate for Elders, People with Disabilities and Their Families

Veterans wait too long on disability claims

Excerpt from SF Gate: (click for entire article)

Those who have served know the military rules: Be on time, do it now. Once they file disability claims with the Department of Veteran Affairs, however, veterans wait, and wait longer. This is an injustice to our veterans and ill serves our communities.

The VA's Oakland regional claims office has the dubious distinction of the slowest response to disability claims - on average 320 days, compared with 241 days for the VA's 57 regional offices overall. A VA inspector general report on Oakland found a 38 percent accuracy rate. The VA's stated goal is to clear claims in 125 days with 98 percent accuracy.

Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Hillsborough, who saw the ceiling-high stacks of paper files at the Oakland office, said, "The backlog is staggering and unacceptable on any level. The VA Oakland office needs to take steps to make it more accountable to veterans." She and Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, have organized a forum on Monday to help veterans.

Thank Congress for Helping Military Kids with Autism!

Excerpt from Autism Votes: (click for entire article)

The U.S. House of Representatives has just approved a bipartisan amendment that will help our members of the military by dramatically improving their access to quality care for their dependents with autism. The vote came on an amendment to the Department of Defense bill that was sponsored by Representative John Larson of Connecticut. Under the current system, our military members lose coverage for medically recommended behavioral health treatments (specifically Applied Behavior Analysis) when they leave active duty, even when they are forced to retire due to injuries sustained in combat. Existing ABA benefits are limited and often fall short of minimum standards and prescribed levels of care placing an undue financial strain on many military families.

Will justices review how states treat veterans' disability pay in divorce cases?

Excerpt from Stars and Stripes: (click for entire article)

A disabled veteran has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to consider anew whether states violate federal law when they allow divorce courts to count a veteran’s disability compensation in calculating spousal support.

The petition also invites the justices to consider an issue that states are more sharply divided over: whether federal law bars state courts from considering VA disability benefits communal property to be divided in divorce like other marital assets.

In dissolving the near 20-year marriage of Peter James Barclay, an Air Force veteran, and his wife Claudia Kay, an Oregon district court judge in 2010 considered the value of Peter’s VA disability payments in awarding spousal pay of $1000 a month. His only income is VA benefits and Social Security Disability Insurance, a tax-free total of just over $4400 a month.

Disability Advocate Earns Military Spouse of the Year Award

Excerpt from The Wrightslaw Way: (click for entire article)

Contratulations Jeremy!

On Military Spouse Appreciation Day, May 10, 2012, Jeremy Hilton received the Military Spouse of the Year Award.

Jeremy has championed the progression of disability policy and the exceptional family member program for military families.

Welcome National Veteran Small Business Conference and Expo

Excerpt from National Veteran Small Business Conference Expo: (click for entire article)

The Department of Veterans Affairs is excited to host the National Veteran Small Business Conference and Expo. As the largest nationwide conference of its kind, this event focuses on helping Veteran-owned businesses maximize opportunities in the federal marketplace.

Join nearly 6,000 participants in Detroit for the opportunity to:

    Connect with procurement decision makers from other businesses and federal agencies
    Expand knowledge through over 200 training and business requirement sessions
    Engage with other attendees and gain visibility in the Expo Hall of nearly 500 booths
    Use VetGovPartner to facilitate online and onsite networking including face-to-face sessions with senior procurement decision makers

Social Security and Department of Defense Implement New Process to Improve Efficiency for Wounded Warriors Applying for Disability Benefits

Excerpt from SSA.gov: (click for entire article)

The Social Security Administration and the Department of Defense (DoD) are working together to improve access to disability benefits for the nation’s Wounded Warriors, service members, veterans, and their dependents.  A new nationwide project enables Social Security disability case processing sites to receive military medical records from multiple DoD facilities with a single request to a centralized DoD site.  As of today, this initiative is in its first phase of nationwide expansion.

“Receiving electronic medical records for our Wounded Warriors and other military personnel will significantly shorten the time it takes to make a disability decision,” said Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security.  “This new process will improve the speed, accuracy, and efficiency of the disability program.”

Power Prosthetics Propel Service Members to Better Lives

Excerpt from Science and Technology: (click for entire article)

Marine Corps Cpl. Garrett Carnes was on a clearing mission in Afghanistan‘s southern Helmand province in February when he stepped on a pressure plate that exploded and cost him both legs.

Two months later, the former squad leader was fitted with prosthetic legs -- one with the X2 microprocessor power knee, and the new combination of a bionic foot and ankle at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center here.

Carnes, 22, called his first steps “motivating.” The gift of being able to walk so soon exceeded his expectations. “Mentally, it feels good to get back on my feet,” he said, taking steps on a slightly elevated ramp with parallel bars to grasp. “It’s a little awkward, like a baby who’s learning to walk.”

Social Security and Department of Defense Implement New Process to Improve Efficiency for Wounded Warriors Applying for Disability Benefits

Excerpt from SSA.gov: (click for entire article)

The Social Security Administration and the Department of Defense (DoD) are working together to improve access to disability benefits for the nation’s Wounded Warriors, service members, veterans, and their dependents.  A new nationwide project enables Social Security disability case processing sites to receive military medical records from multiple DoD facilities with a single request to a centralized DoD site.  As of today, this initiative is in its first phase of nationwide expansion.

“Receiving electronic medical records for our Wounded Warriors and other military personnel will significantly shorten the time it takes to make a disability decision,” said Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security.  “This new process will improve the speed, accuracy, and efficiency of the disability program.”

Prolific 92-Year-Old DVD Bootlegger Sends Thousands of Films To Troops Overseas

Patti's Comments:  Love This!!!!

Excerpt from Geek O System: (click for entire article)

When you think of pirates and bootleggers, there’s typically two places your mind might go: Punk kids, or vast organizations of bootleggers, all with thick accents. Hyman Strachman is neither of those, instead, he is a 92-year-old World War II veteran. He is however, probably one of the worlds foremost bootleggers. For eight years, Stachman has been running a pretty impressive bootlegging operation from his apartment, copying thousands of first-run movies, and sending them to U.S. troops overseas. Hardly some punk kid.

Over the course of his bootlegging career, Strachman went from burning the DVDs on his own personal computer to purchasing a $400 rig that would let him copy 7 at a time. Amusingly enough, Strachman does not actually torrent or download the films himself or anything, but rather buys them from a local bootlegger, and then proceeds to bootleg said bootlegs. Though his methods may seem a little roundabout, his record is impressive; he’s sent at least 4,000 boxes of DVDs, free of charge, to soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Veterans Need More Help

Excerpt from Planet of the Blind: (click for entire article)

"The Department of Veterans Affairs says it plans to hire 1,900 psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, clinicians and clerical employees, a 10 percent increase in its mental health staff. That’s welcome progress for a system that is struggling to meet the needs of veterans. But there are questions about whether it will be enough — and whether the department is truly facing up to its problems."