Write Your Representative & Senators

[Gimpy]

If you value your Social Security Disability compensation and your VA disability compensation!

From the Congressional Budget Office:


This volume--one of the Congressional Budget Office's (CBO's) regular reports to the House and Senate Committees on the Budget--presents options for altering federal spending and revenues. The volume aims to help policymakers in their annual tasks of making budgetary choices, setting priorities, and adapting to changes in circumstances.

The options discussed in this report stem from various sources. They are derived from legislative proposals, the President's budget, Congressional and CBO staff, other government entities, and private groups.


Veterans Benefits and Services


700-01 Narrow the Eligibility for Veterans' Disability Compensation to Include Only Veterans with High-Rated Disabilities


700-02 Narrow the Eligibility for Veterans' Disability Compensation to Veterans Whose Disabilities Are Related to Their Military Duties


700-03 Increase Beneficiaries' Cost Sharing for Care at Nursing Facilities Operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs


700-04 Reduce Veterans' Disability Compensation to Account for Social Security Disability Insurance Payments


04--Mandatory

Reduce Veterans' Disability Compensation to Account for Social Security Disability Insurance Payments

http://www.cbo.gov/bo2005/bo2005_sh...fm?index=700-04

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Millions of dollars) 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2006-2010 2006-2015
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Change in Outlays -1,451 -1,505 -1,556 -1,610 -1,669 -7,792 -17,114

Approximately 2.6 million veterans--about 1.7 million of whom are under age 65--receive compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for disabilities associated with their military service. The amount of compensation is based on a rating of an impairment's average effect on a person's earning ability. Additional allowances are paid to veterans whose disabilities are rated 30 percent or higher and who have dependent spouses, children, or parents.

Veterans with disabilities may also qualify for cash payments from other sources, including workers' compensation; means-tested programs such as Supplemental Security Income; private disability insurance; and, for veterans under 65, Social Security's Disability Insurance (DI) program. An estimated 120,000 veterans who receive disability compensation from VA also receive DI payments from the Social Security Administration.


When Social Security beneficiaries are eligible for disability benefits from multiple sources, ceilings usually limit their combined disability benefits from public sources to 80 percent of their average earnings before they were disabled. Those DI payments--after any reduction, if applicable--are adjusted periodically for changes in the cost of living and the average wage level nationwide. Veterans' compensation payments for disabilities, however, are not included and do not apply toward the limit, nor do means-tested benefits and certain benefits based on public employment .


This option would limit veterans' disability compensation for individuals receiving both that compensation and DI payments. Under the option, disability compensation would be reduced by the amount of the DI benefit. Applying that change to both current and future recipients of veterans' compensation would affect an estimated 126,000 recipients in 2006, saving almost $1.5 billion that year and an estimated $7.8 billion over the 2006-2010 period. Applying that change only to veterans who were newly awarded compensation payments or DI payments would affect an estimated 2,500 recipients in 2006, saving $30 million in outlays that year and an estimated $850 million over the 2006-2010 period.


This option would eliminate duplicate payment of public compensation for a single disability. However, opponents view this option as subjecting veterans' disability benefits to a form of means-testing (they are currently considered an entitlement).

Moreover, to the extent that this option applied to current recipients of DI benefits, some disabled veterans would see their income drop.

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NOW.....................do you SEE what they're going to try next???

If this passes, and you are receiving Social Security disability and your VA disability compensation...............you will LOSE the amount paid to you from Social Security by having it "deducted" from your VA disability compensation!

WRITE or CALL your elected officials!

[1CAVCCO15MED]

Under this change I would lose about 30% of my income. I especially resent them doing this and other things while there are troops in harm's way. What it means to me is the fact I worked for 35 years with PTSD means nothing. It was a struggle every day, even though I didn't know what was wrong but I did it anyway. I paid into Social Security like everyone else and I deserve to get it.

[Chas H]

I'm in the same boat. I can't imagine the G'ment would pull the rug out from under us, but Bush is desperate. His war in Iraq is bleeding us out, we're running out of money.

[SuperScout]

"His" war in Iraq? Bush is "desparate"? Obviously, Chas H has a different paradigm, one that leans way leftwards. Figures.

[Chas H]

Because you disagree with me I am left leaning?
Just whom appointed you the arbiter and defender of Conservatism?

[Gimpy]

well...................I was wondering how long it would take for the "rabble-rousers" to come out of the woodwork.

Welcome to the world as the "ScoutMaster" :re: sees it Chas H! The longer you hang around here you'll SEE just how "nasty" some folks can be when someone attempts to speak out or about subjects and conditions that they may be inclined to be in "disagreement" with.

Stick around...................you'll see what I mean.

BTW..................WELCOME ABOARD!

PS------One of his "tactics" is to attack the "messenger" and use character assassination rather than attempting to address the "message". Exactly as he has done here in this case.

Better get used to it................it's the only way he knows to try and make his case. He has NO CASE otherwise!

[Boats]

Hey guys you know I've seen many of us leaning one way or the other over the years. It's the winds that blow out of the East from all the storms they've been having in Washington.

We are like a huge prairie bending back and forth under these conditions. After a while the reed breaks - but eventually another one will grow and it too will bend back and forth from these winds that continue to blow from the East.

[Gimpy]

just the point.

I think Chas H was saying that just because his "opinion" may differ from that of SuperNasty...........dosen't automatically place him in the category of "leaning" one way...............or the other!

Sounds like he made a pretty fair assesment of the Scoutmasters comment(s) to me!