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Important News About Increasing Your VGLI Coverage
1-01-11 If you have the Veterans Group Life Insurance (VGLI), recent legislation may allow you to increase your VGLI coverage. There are some restrictions: you must request the additional coverage during the 120-day period prior to your 5-year VGLI anniversary; your total amount of coverage cannot exceed $400,000; and, you must be under age 60 on the coverage effective date of your 5-year VGLI anniversary. If you are interested or have questions, read more about it in VGLI News, Vol 5.
Provided by Korea retiree Earl S. Chambers
Regulation provides easier path for Vietnam veterans
9-03-10 Veterans exposed to herbicides while serving in Vietnam and other areas will have an easier path to access quality health care and qualify for disability compensation under a final regulation that will be published Aug. 31 in the Federal Register by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The new rule expands the list of health problems VA will presume to be related to Agent Orange and other herbicide exposures to add two new conditions and expand one existing category of conditions.
"Last October, based on the requirements of the Agent Orange Act of 1991 and the Institute of Medicine's 2008 Update on Agent Orange, I determined that the evidence provided was sufficient to award presumptions of service connection for these three additional diseases," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. "It was the right decision, and the president and I are proud to finally provide this group of veterans the care and benefits they have long deserved."
The final regulation follows Secretary Shinseki's determination to expand the list of conditions for which service connection for Vietnam veterans is presumed. VA is adding Parkinson's disease and ischemic heart disease and expanding chronic lymphocytic leukemia to include all chronic B cell leukemias, such as hairy cell leukemia. In practical terms, veterans who served in Vietnam during the war and who have a "presumed" illness do not have to prove an association between their medical problems and their military service.
By helping veterans overcome evidentiary requirements that might otherwise present significant challenges, this "presumption" simplifies and speeds up the application process and ensure that Veterans receive the benefits they deserve. The secretary's decision to add these presumptives is based on the latest evidence provided in a 2008 independent study by the Institute of Medicine concerning health problems caused by herbicides like Agent Orange.
Veterans who served in Vietnam anytime during the period beginning January 9, 1962, and ending on May 7, 1975, are presumed to have been exposed to herbicides. More than 150,000 veterans are expected to submit Agent Orange claims in the next 12 to 18 months, many of whom are potentially eligible for retroactive disability payments based on past claims. Additionally, VA will review approximately 90,000 previously denied claims by Vietnam veterans for service connection for these conditions. All those awarded service-connection who are not currently eligible for enrollment into the VA healthcare system will become eligible.
This historic regulation is subject to provisions of the Congressional Review Act that require a 60-day Congressional review period before implementation. After the review period, VA can begin paying benefits for new claims and may award benefits retroactively for earlier periods.
For new claims, VA may pay benefits retroactive to the effective date of the regulation or to one year before the date VA receives the application, whichever is later. For pending claims and claims that were previously denied, VA may pay benefits retroactive to the date it received the claim.
For new claims, VA may pay benefits retroactive to the effective date of the regulation or to one year before the date VA receives the application, whichever is later. For pending claims and claims that were previously denied, VA may pay benefits retroactive to the date it received the claim.
VA encourages Vietnam veterans with these three diseases to submit their applications for access to VA health care and compensation now so the agency can begin development of their claims. Individuals can go to a website at www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/AO/claimherbicide.htm to get an understanding of how to file a claim for presumptive conditions related to herbicide exposure, as well as what evidence is needed by VA to make a decision about disability compensation or survivor's benefits.
Additional information about Agent Orange and VA's services for veterans exposed to the chemical is available at www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange. The regulation is available on the Office of the Federal Register website at www.ofr.gov/. (Courtesy of VA)
Air Force Retiree Service, Release No. 08-12-10, Aug. 30, 2010
2009 Pay Rates Available at VA Web Site
12-08-08 All of the new pay rates for 2009 are now available at the VA web site. You can go straight there by going to http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/rates/.
Information provided by Chris Palombi, Assistant Department Service Officer, Veterans of Foreign Wars
VA Announces Online Claims Applications
7-18-08 The Department of Veterans Affairs will now accept online applications from veterans, survivors and other claimants for various benefits without the additional requirement of submitting a signed paper copy of the application.
People can now file initial applications for disability compensation, pension, education, and vocational rehabilitation and employment benefits online. VA will process applications received through its online application Web site, VONAPP, without the claimant's signature. The electronic application will be sufficient authentication of the claimant's application for benefits. Normal development procedures and rules of evidence will still apply to all VONAPP applications.
VONAPP, found at www.va.gov/onlineapps.htm, is a Web-based system that benefits both internal and external users. Veterans, survivors and other claimants seeking compensation, pension, education, or vocational rehabilitation benefits can apply electronically without the constraints of location, postage cost, and time delays in mail delivery.
Officials announced that VONAPP reduces the number of incomplete applications received by VA, decreasing the need for additional development by VA claims processors. The online application also provides a link to apply for VA health care benefits and much more.
More than 3.7 million veterans and beneficiaries receive compensation and pension benefits from VA, and approximately 523,000 students receive education benefits. Approximately 90,000 disabled veterans participate in VA's Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment program.
For more information about VA benefits, go to VA's Web site at www.va.gov or call the toll-free number (800) 827-1000.
Source: VA News Release, Jul 16
Service Connection Established for Primary AL Amyloidosis
6-25-08 On July 27, 2007, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Institute of Medicine issued its most recent report on its formal review of the scientific and medical literature on health effects potentially related to exposure to herbicides and related materials used during the Vietnam War, Veterans and Agent Orange: Update 2006. A task force was formed to review the findings of the report and to make recommendations to the Secretary with respect to adding any additional diseases to the list of diseases currently recognized as being associated with herbicide exposure in Vietnam. Based on the recommendations of the task force, the Secretary announced his decision that the evidence warrants establishment of a presumption of service connection based on service in the Republic of Vietnam for primary AL Amyloidosis. As required by law, a notice will be published in the Federal Register announcing this addition and 38 CFR 3.309(e) will be amended to include this disease.
Information provided by Chris Palombi, Assistant Department Service Officer, Veterans of Foreign Wars
VA Denies Service Connection for Hypertension
6-25-08 On June 10, 2008, Secretary Peake announced that, based on the National Academies of Sciences (NAS) Institute of Medicine report, there was no evidence to support the presumption of service connection for hypertension due to herbicide (Agent Orange) exposure.
information provided by Chris Palombi, Assistant Department Service Officer, Veterans of Foreign Wars
VA Data Theft
5-24-06 Veterans Affairs officials today [May 22, 2006] announced the theft of personal information on up to 26.5 million veterans. However, VA Secretary R. James Nicholson stressed there's no indication the information is being used for purposes of fraud
"We at the VA have recently learned that an employee here, a data analyst, took home a considerable amount of electronic data from the VA, which he was not authorized to do," Nicholson said. "His home was burglarized, and this data was stolen."
The compromised data includes names, Social Security numbers and birthdates of veterans separating from the military since 1975, he said. The information also may have included data on veterans who separated before 1975 but who submitted a claim for VA benefits.
No medical or financial information was compromised, though the files might have contained numeric disability ratings in some cases, Nicholson added. A statement issued by the department indicated that spousal information also might have been compromised in some cases.
The remainder of the Defense News article is deleted. More details are available in this VA statement, VA-Q and A, and a notification letter to veterans.
Montgomery GI Bill Payments Rise
2-01-06 The Department of Veterans Affairs has increased its Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty Payment rates for full-time school attendance from $1,004 monthly to $1,034 a month. MGIB-Selective Reserve payments for full-time students went from $288 monthly to $297. Activated Reserve MGIB payments went to as high as $827 based on the length of activation. Survivors and Dependents (DEA) rates went to $827 monthly for full-time institutional training. For other rates, visit http://www.gibill.va.gov/education/rates.htm. [Armed Forces News, Jan 27]
VA Office in Seoul Offers Support to Korea Retirees
5-5-04 The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Benefits Delivery at Discharge office in Seoul has a primary mission of supporting separating and retiring military members. However, the office is prepared to provide support to retirees as described in this flyer. They do not have all the capabilities and data access of a standard VA office in the U.S., but will provide support for what they can do and refer you to an office than can support your other requests.
Divorce and VA Disability Compensation
1-19-02 Military retirees who receive part of their retired pay as disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) may find their pay threatened by divorce action. A supreme court ruling noted that state courts only have jurisdiction on pay as permitted by the Uniformed Services Former Spouse Protection Act (USFSPA). Disability benefits are specifically not divisible by the USFSPA. For details on this case, go to http://www.divorcesource.com/research/edj/disabilitybenefits/00jan8.shtml.
Additional Illnesses Added to Agent Orange List
12-11-00 The Veterans Administration (VA) has added Prostate Cancer and Diabetes to the list of illnesses with connection to Agent Orange exposure. Veterans who served in Vietnam between 1962 and 1975 can apply to the VA for compensation. Extracts from medical records should be included with the claim to show evidence of onset, diagnosis and treatment.
The VA has also established an Agent Orange Korea Registry for veterans who served near the Korean demilitarized zone (DMZ) during 1968-69 when Korean Army forces sprayed Agent Orange to control vegitation along the DMZ. Veterans who believe they may qualify should contact the VA to have their name added to the registry. In addition, the VA is studying whether to add Hepatitis C as a compensable illness for veterans who served in Vietnam and who had blood transfusions.
