VA Conceals Costs Of Disability Claims!

[Gimpy]

No wonder the VA budget continues to be 'shortchanged' these past few years!

This should wake up some folks around here!


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Veterans' care a concealed cost of war


By Dan Moffett
Palm Beach Post Editorial Writer



The National Security Archive is an independent, nongovernmental research group located at George Washington University.


Researchers there use the Freedom of Information Act to obtain declassified government documents and make them available to the public.


In January, the NSA asked the Department of Veterans Affairs for records about the number of disability claims filed by veterans who served in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. How the government responded to the request and what the researchers ultimately found out should make Americans worry even more about where the country is heading.


At first, the VA made the amazing pronouncement that no documents existed. The archive's researchers were asked to believe that the government had no records of claims by Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. Of course, this could not be true. For the next nine months, the NSA made repeated requests and finally threatened to sue the VA if it did not turn over the records. This month, the government relented and complied. There were plenty of reports and plenty of documents.


"For the agency to take nine months to 'find' information that is of current public interest in the context of the ongoing global war on terrorism is astounding," said Meredith Fuchs, the NSA's general counsel. "It is one thing for the VA to be reluctant to deliver bad news but another thing entirely to deny the existence of the information."


Thousands coming home disabled


The news definitely was bad. The records show that about one in five service members leaving the military after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan has been disabled to some degree. More than 104,000 of the 567,000 returning veterans from the two wars have been given disability compensation so far, and more are applying for it each day. At least 1.5 million U.S. troops will serve in Iraq and Afghanistan, which suggests the possibility of 400,000 disabled veterans if current proportions hold.


The potential burden to U.S. taxpayers is staggering. The Bush administration last year had to send VA Secretary Jim Nicholson to ask Congress for $2 billion more for veterans' care because of an embarrassing series of inadequate budget requests. Senate Republicans are pushing a bill that would appropriate $26 billion for veterans medical services next year - about 15 percent more than the administration proposed.


"Failure to do otherwise," says Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, "would be an open invitation to returning to the budget shortfalls of the past that contributed to historic primary care backlogs."


The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the administration's 2007 veterans' health budget is $10 billion below what's needed. Backlogs in claims processing and appointments with physicians have increased during the past three years, due to the troops returning from the battlefields. The administration admits that the year began with 52,000 people stuck on waiting lists to receive care at VA hospitals, but veterans groups believe the number is much higher now.


Numbers only will get worse

Is there any wonder why the VA is reluctant to give up information on the growing ranks of Iraq and Afghanistan vets who are receiving disability compensation? The White House can't begin to defend its budget requests if all the numbers are put on the table. The numbers will only get worse, as healthy veterans develop symptoms of service damage years later. About 30,000 Iraq and Afghanistan vets already have sought treatment for post-traumatic stress, and that number could increase exponentially as war-related psychological problems develop.


The news last week that the Pentagon is making contingency plans to keep 140,000 troops in Iraq through 2010 raises the ominous prospect of creating a generation of disabled veterans that would rival those from the Vietnam War. President Bush not only will pass on the Iraq mess to his successor but also the incalculable bills for treating its wounded.


Were it not for the Freedom of Information Act and the National Security Archive, Americans might be tempted to believe that the White House has a plan to care for the nation's veterans.

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What have I been saying for YEARS now??

Folks better wake the hell up!

[Packo]

Gimpy,

I commented on this awhile back. When I worked for the VA, I can tell you that the hospitals, regional offices, etc., put in the budgets that they really need to operate efficantly, and the people at the top sumit something way lower to look good to whoever is running things in Washington. I thought all this would change when the VA was made a cabinet level position but it didn't. I remember when seeing 40-60 patients a week at the Vet Center, how we begged for more therapist and were told, just do quantity AND quality.

This is real sad for the fact that how is whoever is in charge of the country supposed to make a decision when they are not getting the proper information.

Pack

[Gimpy]

sad alright.

What I don't buy into is that if some folks in Congress are 'aware' that the amount proposed by the Bush administration is insufficient or less than is actually needed as this sentence in the above article claims------"Senate Republicans are pushing a bill that would appropriate $26 billion for veterans medical services next year - about 15 percent more than the administration proposed."------- Why are we not as a group (and individually) raising holy hell with Bush and his Cabinet Secretary at the VA???

If "Congressional" Republicans (or Democrats for that matter) can have access to the information that shows the amount "proposed" is inadeqaute, why not the Bush Budget gurus???

I truly believe they are hell bent on trying to reduce government spending even at the terrible expense of underfunding the vital services and benefits offered by the VA.

[Robert Ryan]

Said state of affaris isn't it . Maybe if they had a veteran for Secratary of Veterans Affairs that might change. And maybe if the VDCB would realse their report now instead holding it back for a year (due to this year being an election year) maybe something could be done.

[Packo]

Your right Gimpy....but as I said...this happens because everybody tries to submit...(sumit was a misspell), a budget they think will make them look good. Happened when the Dems ran things, happens while the Republicans run things. Both are at fault....but and a BIG BUT in my mind is that the Republicans ran on the "a promise made is a promise kept" mantra. I believed when they took power that the LAST THING TO EVER TAKE A HIT OF ANY KIND WAS VETERANS BENEFITS. Well, we got a war, and we'd have one no matter who was running things and my disappointment is that Republicans are not voting, IMHO, for us on Veterans issues. They are also not doing a fucking thing about illegal immigration. Will it be different with Dems.....well maybe on the Veterans end, but illegal immigration will get worse, if that's possible, and IMHO a bunch of other stuff. My problem is that I no longer trust any of them and have NO VIABLE OPTION. You are so right that we ought to be OUTRAGED, and have been begging for a Veterans March on DC to let ALL of them know, for a long time. Problem is.....it ain't happining and I can't do a friggin' thing about that. It' frustrating my dear Southern Brother.....fugging frustrating.

Pack

[Arrow]

Packy,

You've been reading my mail. I wish I could say the same of those Republican Senators and Representatives that I voted into office.They either ignore my mail or send some generic statement that restates the problem but doesn't tell me what they plan to do about it.:cd:

[Packo]

Sis,

I get the same crap. Double talk that usually doesn't have anything to do with what I asked them. I'm not defending Republicans because I believe fully that they have punked out on many issues and are spending like drunken Paratroopers. I am also not defending Democrats and a perfect example is when Andy's rating was cut from 100-30% he contacted Kerry and Kennedy and nothing was done by either of them to help him. He didn't even get a reply. He called me for help and I hooked him up with Sen. Rockefellars office, who I used to work with when with the VA, and he got the VA to call Andy the next day and restore his 100%. Now, Jay pisses me off on a bunch of issues but when it comes to Veterans, he the best, hands down. I am just mourning the fact that I have no real alternatives and it leaves me feeling helpless. Well, gotta go to my C&P on my hip. They are trying to knock down my rating again......like my 3rd replacement is going to miracle itself well. Also, my CIVILIAN ortho doc is sending me to a specialist in Colombia, SC, due to it looks like it's getting bad again and may need a 4th replacement. That, of course, doesn't influence the VARO who want to cut my disability. And so it goes.

Pack

[Arrow]

Packy,

Man oh man, nothing upsets me more than to read this stuff. Bean counters making themselves look good at the expense of disabled veterans, sickening.I know you have a good support system but if you need moreback up let me know. I'll be glad to write a letterreminding them the first duty of the VAis to HIM THAT HAS BOURNE THE BATTLE!!!!!!

SIS