More real support for veterans

There are a lot of small improvements happening to support the troops after they come home; not reported significantly, since no drama.

Check out the basics from the Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America:

President Obama signed the "Veterans' Emergency Care Fairness Act" into law on Thursday. The Department of Veterans Affairs can now reimburse veterans enrolled in VA health care for the remaining cost of emergency treatments if the veteran's outside insurance only covers part of the cost. Previously, the VA only reimbursed veterans or paid outside hospitals if the veteran had no outside health insurance.

More from the Catholic Veterans of the USA:

“For veterans with limited insurance, a trip to the emergency room should not result in financial ruin,” said Chairman Akaka, who introduced the bill in the Senate last year. “With this new law, VA will be positioned to help veterans who are enrolled in VA care whose insurance does not cover the full cost of emergency treatment.”

The Veterans’ Emergency Care Fairness Act, signed into law by President Obama last night, will enable the Department of Veterans Affairs to reimburse veterans enrolled in VA health care for the remaining cost of emergency treatment if the veteran has outside insurance that only covers part of the cost. Previously, VA could reimburse veterans or pay outside hospitals directly only if a veteran has no outside health insurance.

Disclaimer: I'm working with both the Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America and the Department of Veterans Affairs, for even more improvements for vets.

Comments

[Free SMs]

i think so too

[Medianewstime]

Good for veterans:)

[Computer Services Baltimore]

Can i use this blog as reference in my college report

Regards

[Gary]

Improvements? Are You kidding?

I served 16 years, and I’m a Vet of the first gulf war. While I’m not missing a limb due to combat (I’m still a partial hand and foot amputee as well as a burn survivor), I did suffer lung damage during the gulf war that requires me to take a great deal of medication just to take each breath, yet I don’t qualify for help.

Several months ago I had a run of bad luck…

Truck died, so I spent every dime I had to replace it only to lose my job 3 days later. One week after that my land lord of 13 years knocked on my door and said I had to move out. He was having hard times on his farm and gave the house to a family that was going to work for him.

Due to the housing problems, the people (and veterans) lost homes they could not afford. They then moving in to all the cheap places to rent. Meaning that I didn’t do anything wrong, but I still had to pay for it.

My unemployment check was only $260 PER MONTH which is not enough to rent ANYTHING.., and I didn’t qualify for an extension because I didn’t make enough money. (I was too poor, so they took away the only income I had).

The result… I’m homeless, and currently living in a friends basement temporarily as I have to leave soon. I sleep on the cold floor next to my dog, and it rarely gets above 62 degrees. All the state, county, and VA say they cannot help me, and that I fall between the cracks.

I have $70k in VA medical bills, ZERO income, no health insurance, no home, and no hope. Two weeks ago my mother (a double amputee on hospice) went to the hospital after a fall. The hospital then stated that she needed to be moved to a nursing home, and demanded I allow her to move in with me. I explained I would love to, but I was currently homeless I would not sign the paperwork. The state stepped in, voided my power of attorney, took control of my mother, her dog, and her belonging and has not told me where she is at. My only physical address was my mother’s house and it’s where I was receiving my VA prescriptions, but the state changed the locks on the mailbox, and her apartment where my belonging were stored.

They also failed to pay for the storage rent, and I had to step in because most of my belongings are stored there, but now next month I will lose everything in storage because I no longer have and money, I will have to cancel my car insurance because I cannot afford it, and I have to cancel my PT visits at the VA for my legs and hand.

Just another little bit of background.. I was born Feb 9th, 1966, and today I turned 44 years old, and nobody cared. I will spend the day in the basement like all other days trying to stay warm and trying to survive another day.

I also spent 10 years helping burn survivors every single day, and I’m trying to get a grant through Pepsi to do peer support webcasts. The first of its kind, but I don’t even have a home yet, and I need the equipment to provide the service. The online peer support means less money is spent on doctor visits for common questions, so less time is wasted, and a great deal of money is saved. Plus after live interactive peer support webcasts people take less time with the doctor because they know what to ask and how to ask it so the doctors knows what to look for, once again saving time. I simple $50k grant could save millions each year, not just in the US but worldwide. And all this will be lost when I’m not able to survive.

I tried to get to some land I own in the Nevada desert, but I could not afford the move. I intended to live in my tent, but now I cannot setup my tent anyplace, so once I leave here shortly I WILL DIE. In Wisconsin it’s too cold to live through the night homeless.

Plus the day I lose all my possessions in storage is the day I give up. That day will be here a little over a month from now, and because of organizations such as yours who only care about a select group of veterans I WILL DIE, and frankly nobody will care. Just like today, my birthday…