Lump Sum Payments For Va Disability Compensation?

[Gimpy]

Better watch out folks-----------we're about to get SCREWED AGAIN!

THE VETS' COMMISSION MEETING WILL DISCUSS LUMP-SUM BUYOUTS OF VA DISABILITY PAYMENTS -- Presumptive conditions will also be on the agenda September 13, 14 & 15 in Washington, D.C.

It's time for another meeting of the Veterans' Disability Benefits Commission. ..commonly known as the "Commission from Hell."

The big issue up for discussion this time around is lump-sum buyouts of VA disability payments.

The reason? To save the VA money!

There are many variations on this theme...so let's run down some concepts that have been discussed in the past...as far back as the Reagan administration (no surprise there!) when the idea was pushed by Budget Director David Stockman.

Currently, many politicians support this idea. Most notable is Rep. Steve Buyer (R-IN), Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. More on this can be found here... http://www.vawatchdog.org/
milcom/areyoureallyaveteran.htm

The idea is to buyout a veteran's disability payments by offering a lump sum of cash.

Usually, the discussion has centered around 10% and 20% (Priority Group 3) service-connected veterans.

As an example (I'll use round numbers), if a vet gets $200 a month and his life expectancy is 20 more years...the total expected payments would be $48,000.

But, most involved in past discussions believe the buyouts would only offer only a percentage. Usually mentioned is 50%...so the buyout could be just $24,000.

Many vets would jump at this. But, there will be "fine print" with which to contend.

Up for consideration:

If the veteran's service-connected condition worsened, would he be able to file a claim or would the condition now not be compensable?

Would the VA continue to treat the veteran for the condition even though he wasn't getting compensation? Or, would the condition now be considered not to exist?

What about another condition that occurs that is secondary to the original service-connected condition? How would that fit in?

Would the VA stop at 10% and 20%?

And, would the buyouts be mandatory or optional?

This is a slippery slope.

In no way should any version of a lump-sum buyout be allowed in the VA disability compensation system!

Vets' Commission web site here... http://www.vetscommission.org/

Their meeting agenda can be found here... http://www.vetscommission.org/displayContents.asp?id=6

An outline of their agenda is below:

###START###

Metro-Washington, DC Public Meetings


The next public meeting of the Veterans Disability Benefits Commission is scheduled for Wednesday, September 13; Thursday, September 14; and Friday, September 15 (until noon), in the Beacon Hotel, located at 1615 Rhode Island Avenue NW in Washington, DC.


The meeting will begin 8:30 a.m. each day. On September 13, the meeting will end at 5 p.m., on September 14 at 4:30 p.m., and on September 15 at 12 noon.


The agenda for September 13 will include updates on the progress of the studies being conducted by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and the Center for Naval Analyses (CNA). CNA will also present a report of its review of lump sum payments as an option for disability compensation. There will be a presentation by the Veterans Health Administration on environmental and deployment health issues related to presumption of service connection and an overview by Commission staff of the Bradley Commission report.


The agenda for September 14 will include a briefing on the Army's Battle Mind Training program and discussions of the 2006 Older Americans Report and the aging veteran population, as well as initial draft issue papers by Commission staff. Commissioners Cassiday and
McGinn will provide a summary of their regional team site visits to the Pacific Northwest and New England. There will also be time set aside on Thursday afternoon, September 14, for public comments.


On September 15, the Commission will receive an update on the VA-DoD Information Technology (IT) initiatives in various stages of development or implementation to foster interoperability between the two agencies' health IT systems. Certification and training for VA Compensation and Pension examiners and the use of templates for these exams will also be addressed.


The meeting is open to the public.
Time will be set aside on Thursday afternoon,
September 14, for public comments.

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All veterans living near the site of this meeting should try and attend to voice their objections to this plan.

[Robert Ryan]

mmm.... smells like an ambush to me. Think I'll keep my guard up.

[Gimpy]

Everybody needs to keep their guard up!............

The BIG SCREW is about ready to turn on us again!.......

[Gimpy]

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