VA Suspends Enrollment for Many Veterans

If current trends continue 164,000 category 8 veterans would have tried to enroll in the VAHealth Care System this year. 500,000 over the next three years would have entered the system. No longer. VA Secretary Anthony J. Principi announced that as of January 17, 2003 no new Category 8 veterans will be enrolled. A category 8 veteran has no VA compensated disability and has an income above the HUD Low Income Threshold. That amount for Nassau and Suffolk Counties $40,150 single or $ 45,900 married is one of the highest in the nation. The VA no longer has enough money to treat all veterans who ask for treatment at a VA Medical Center. The Secretary has decided that to guarantee quality care to disabled veterans, the indigent, and those with special health care needs (blind or spinal cord injured) wealthier veterans will have to go elsewhere.

The number of veterans using VA Medical Centers has grown from less that 3 million to almost 7 million in the last six years. Many are enrolling because prescription drugs can be purchased for $7 per prescription per month. There are 25 million veterans in the US today. Millions of these veterans would fall into category 8. I can not think of a better reason to join the American Legion or the VFW than to fight the eroding of veteran's benefits. For more information on enrollment and eligibility for Health Care call toll free 1-877-222-VETS.

Based on a recently released review of scientific studies, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Principi has decided to extend benefits to Vietnam veterans with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The ruling means that veterans who served in Vietnam during the Vietnam War don't have to prove that this illness is related to their military service to qualify for Department of Veteran Affairs disability compensation. All Vietnam veterans should contact the Northport VA Medical Center and enroll in the Agent Orange registry. Although you may have to wait many months for an appointment you will be screened for the 12 diseases associated with exposure to Agent Orange. Call the Northport VA at 631-261-4400 x 2347.

Veterans who served in Vietnam between 1 March 1961 and 29 March 1973 are eligible to receive the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm Award. Vietnam veterans whose DD214's do not reflect the award may receive government acknowledgement of this medal by requesting a DD215 from the National Records and Personnel Center using the standard SF 180 form. This form is available on line or at the Nassau County Veterans Service Agency.

Korean War veterans are now eligible to wear a medal initially offered to them 50 years ago but never issued. South Korea will provide the "Republic of Korea War Service Medal to veterans and surviving next of kin at no cost. The veteran must have served in Korea or the adjacent waters or participated in aerial flight in support of active combat operations between June 25, 1950 and July 27, 1953. Send a request for the medal and a copy of the veteran's DD214 to HQ AFPC/DPPPRA, 550 C WEST SUITE 12, RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, TEXAS 78150-4714.

Small Businesses hurt by the call up of owners or key employees to the National Guard or Reserves are now eligible for relief from the Small Business Administration. Loans up to $1.5 million are available as well as business counseling and training. Call the SBA at 800-827-5722 or www.sba.gov/reservists or call the office of Veterans Business Development at 202-205-6773. 450 reservists were activated in January from the 800th MP Brigade headquartered in Uniondale. More are expected to be called up in February.

The DOD began investigating operational shipboard hazard and defense (SHAD) tests in 2000. At least 49 tests were conducted in the 1960's using chemical and biological agents. The DOD has released fact sheets on 42 of the tests. The Ships involved were USS Berkeley , USS Fechteler, USS Okanogan, USS Wexford County, USS Carpenter, USS George Eastman, USS Granville S. Hall, USS Herbert Thomas, USS Hoel, USS Navarro, USS Power, USS Tioga County. Interested veterans should check out www.deploymentlink.osd.mil/ or call me at the Nassau County Veterans Service Agency. Any vet who has information about these tests should call the Department of Defense Deployment Health Support Directory at 800-497-6261. Veterans who feel their current medical condition may be the result of these tests should call the VA Helpline at 800 749-8387.

For information on any of the subjects in this report call me at the Nassau County Veterans Service Agency. 516-572-8452

January 29, 2003

VA Suspends Enrollment for Many Veterans