Sunday, February 14, 2010
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
New Deal For Vets With PTSD
In response to a class-action lawsuit, The Department of Defense has agreed to retroactively upgrade the disability ratings of more than 4,000 Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder since 2002, but who received low military disability ratings. The new agreement will increase these Veterans’ disability rating to 50 percent.
The increase rating is a critical victory for these Veterans who suffer from PTSD. It provides them with eligibility for disability retirement and access to the military’s triple health insurance option, for Veterans, their spouses and dependent children. The new benefits will be effective as of their original date of discharge.
These newly-classified disabled “retirees” could also receive retroactive compensation for any out-of-pocket medical costs incurred since their discharge. They will also receive retiree access to military base shopping and recreational services.
The settlement comes as a result of a class action lawsuit brought by the National Veterans Legal Services Program (NVLSP). The organization argued that former service members, diagnosed with PTSD and then separated as unfit for service, were illegally denied retiree status and medical benefits for years.
The increase rating is a critical victory for these Veterans who suffer from PTSD. It provides them with eligibility for disability retirement and access to the military’s triple health insurance option, for Veterans, their spouses and dependent children. The new benefits will be effective as of their original date of discharge.
These newly-classified disabled “retirees” could also receive retroactive compensation for any out-of-pocket medical costs incurred since their discharge. They will also receive retiree access to military base shopping and recreational services.
The settlement comes as a result of a class action lawsuit brought by the National Veterans Legal Services Program (NVLSP). The organization argued that former service members, diagnosed with PTSD and then separated as unfit for service, were illegally denied retiree status and medical benefits for years.
New Bill for Homeless Vets
Last week the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee approved a bill that could provide job opportunities and housing for homeless Veterans, especially women and Veterans with families.
Including two amendments by Sen. Jon Tester, these services would be offered to struggling Veterans across rural America.
S. 1237 would increase the Veterans Affairs grant program that pays up to 65 percent of construction costs associated with modernizing, expanding or building Veterans housing. It would also establish a new grant program to assist homeless women Veterans and homeless Veterans with children in rejoining the labor force.
Tester’s unanimously approved amendments, appropriate at least 5 percent of the bill’s funds for programs in frontier and rural communities, It would also create an automatic enrollment system for National Guardsmen and Reservists. 5 percent is the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans’s estimate of the number of homeless Veterans in rural communities.
Including two amendments by Sen. Jon Tester, these services would be offered to struggling Veterans across rural America.
S. 1237 would increase the Veterans Affairs grant program that pays up to 65 percent of construction costs associated with modernizing, expanding or building Veterans housing. It would also establish a new grant program to assist homeless women Veterans and homeless Veterans with children in rejoining the labor force.
Tester’s unanimously approved amendments, appropriate at least 5 percent of the bill’s funds for programs in frontier and rural communities, It would also create an automatic enrollment system for National Guardsmen and Reservists. 5 percent is the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans’s estimate of the number of homeless Veterans in rural communities.
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