WASHINGTON-Legislation introduced in the House of Representatives by House
Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Christopher Smith (R-N.J.) is a bold
step toward providing dependable, stable, and sustained funding for veterans
health care, according to the Disabled American Veterans (DAV).

The Veterans Health Care Funding Guarantee Act of 2002 (H.R. 5250) calls for
a fundamental change in the way government funding is provided for the
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical care system. "This shift in VA
health care funding from a discretionary to a mandatory program would
guarantee adequate resources to care for sick and disabled veterans," said
DAV National Commander George H. Steese, Jr.

Ask your local Congressmen and Senators to support this bill and if possible
sign on as co-sponsors.

VA Agent Orange Claims Retroactive:  A federal appeals court in San Francisco has ruled that Vietnam vets who contacted prostrate cancer and diabetes related to Agent Orange exposure should receive retroactive disability benefits dated to the time they first filed a claim with the VA.  The ruling of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals sets a legal precedent
that could extend to a wide range of illnesses associated with
herbicides.  The appeals court decision let stand a lower court
ruling that held the VA incorrectly interpreted regulations to deny retroactive payments to vets who filed claims after early 1994.
      A DEC 1999 U.S. District Court ruling held that all Vietnam veteran prostrate cancer claimants and  their survivors are entitled to retroactive benefits to the date of their first filing of their claim for service connection or survivor's benefits (as long as the prostrate claim was not final before 25 SEP 1985). Also upheld by the appeals court was a provision in a 2000 ruling by U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson, ordering the VA to provide retroactive payments to the estates of veterans who died before the VA paid the money they were owed.  In addition to the prostrate cancer, the appeals ruling also affects veterans who filed for adult-onset, or Type
2, diabetes which was added to the list in 2000.  The VA still has the right to further appeal this decision. [Source: DAV Magazine May/JUN 2002]

Pharmacy  Discount:  The American Veterans [AMVET] organization provides a free prescription discount card to its members.  The card entitles members up to a 40% discount for all family member's prescription drugs at participating pharmacies.  Most national chain pharmacies will honor this
card.  You can call [888]-868-5854 to confirm if your local pharmacy will also honor it.  The service is offered through MemberHealth, Inc. (MHI) who administers the operation of packaged health benefit discount programs.  To determine the average price of a drug you can check their product guide at
www.mhrx.xom by either brand or generic name to determine if their price is cheaper than you are currently paying.  The saving for the medications listed are as printed, but there is no guaranteed percentage savings on every prescription purchase.  The price you pay depends on the participating pharmacy and the type of drug you require. It is possible that the medication you require is already priced by your pharmacy at a very competitive price.  If that is the case MHI cannot discount an
existing low or promotional price.  If you are not currently
receiving medications through Tricare or the VA this may be a way to save a few dollars. This article should not be considered an endorsement of this program, but only informational in nature. There may be other drug discount
programs of this type available to vets that the RAO is not aware of so you may want to shop around. [Source: Amvets Post 96 n_s_o@37.com &
www.mhrx.com]

H.R. 439 would extend commissary and exchange store privleges to veterans with a service-connected disability rated at 30 % or more. Similar privileges would be granted to their dependents.

--------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "James F. Tichacek" <raoemo@mozcom.com>
To: (Recipient list suppressed)
Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2001 16:30:32 +0800
Subject: RAO Bulletin Update: VA Claims for Older Vets & Military Lodging
Requests
Message-ID: <4.3.2.7.2.20010829161946.00c983a0@mozcom.com>

VA Claims for Older Vets: Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony J.
Principi
announced an unprecedented effort to move some long-pending applications
for benefits, especially from older veterans, to a special unit designed
to
speed action on their claims. The focus of the initiative is veterans 70
years of age or older. The VA estimates these veterans are dying at a
rate
of 1,369 each day and have a typical life expectancy of less than 10
years.
VA compensates veterans for disabilities that arose or worsened
while
they were in the military. When a service-connected condition
deteriorates
later in life, veterans may be entitled to higher payments, and most of
the
pending VA workload of older veterans relates to these kinds of "reopened

claims." VA's 57 regional claims offices have been instructed to pull the

benefit applications of veterans age 70 or older that have been pending
for
more than a year, an estimated 6,000 applications. A special team in
Cleveland will tackle that workload as a top national priority, then will

move to another 17,000 of the longest-pending claims of other veterans
where the claims have been pending more than a year. At the same time,
VA
is focusing existing resources at nine centers on 58,000 more
long-pending
claims from other veterans who have waited more than a year for a
decision.
These applications often raise complex legal and medical issues.
Overall, VA has about 668,000 claims of all types awaiting an
initial
decision or on appeal. That includes an inventory of 355,000 VA regional
office determinations on disability claims for service-connected
compensation, a level VA considers double an acceptable amount in
progress
at any given time.
Even after the backlog of the long-pending claims of older veterans is
reduced, VA will keep in place new rules to raise the priority of all
applications of veterans who are age 70 or older. [Source: NAUS Update
24
AUG 01]

Military Lodging Requests: Military retirees can check on the
availability
of billeting at military facilities anywhere in the world through one
toll-free call. The number (800) 462-7691 connects callers with a
central
reservation system that can provide information on availability's and
book
rooms.
Navy Lodge guests can reserve rooms by logging onto NEXCOM's
Website
(http://www.navy-nex.com/). Guests can reserve a room or change, cancel,
or
confirm a reservation by accessing the Navy Lodge online registration
link
on the Website. The request is sent to the Navy Lodge Program's Central
Reservation Center (CRC) in Jacksonville, Fla., for processing. Users
should receive an e-mail confirmation on any change made within 24 hours.

If no confirmation number is given, guests can call the CRC at
1-800-NAVY-INN. Internet reservations cannot be made, changed, or
canceled
later than two days prior to the arrival date. For more information,
visit
http://www.navy-nex.com/ or telephone 1-800-NAVY-INN and speak with the
customer service representative.

Lt. James "EMO" Tichacek, USN (Ret)
Director, Retiree Activities Office & U.S. Embassy Warden Baguio City RP
Email: raoemo@mozcom.com (PRI) or raobaguio@hotmail.com (Alternate)
Web: http://post_119_gulfport_ms.tripod.com/rao1.html
Tel: (63-74) 445-6786 or 446-2087 to record msg. or FAX 1-801-760-2430