News Vets Can Use
General Membership Meeting
The monthly General Membership Meeting is held on the First Thursday of each month at 4PM. It is held in the small auditorium at the Charlotte Players, 1182 Market Circle, Port Charlotte, FL 33952. We look forward to your attendance!
What new Agent Orange presumptive conditions will VA add?
The PACT Act is a new law that expands VA health care and benefits for Veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxic substances. This law helps us provide generations of Veterans—and their survivors—with the care and benefits they’ve earned and deserve.
The Act (1) expands and extends eligibility for VA health care for Veterans with toxic exposures and Veterans of the Vietnam era, Gulf War era, and Post-9/11 era, and (2) expands eligibility for benefits for Veterans exposed to toxic substances.
What new or expanded presumptions will the Act create and when will they be in effect?
For Gulf War and post 9-11 Veterans, that includes:
Brain cancer, Glioblastoma, Respiratory (breathing-related) cancer of any type, Gastrointestinal cancer of any type, Head cancer of any type, Lymphoma of any type, Lymphatic cancer of any type, Neck cancer, Pancreatic cancer, Reproductive cancer of any type, Kidney cancer, Melanoma, Asthma (diagnosed after service), Chronic rhinitis, Chronic sinusitis, Constrictive bronchiolitis or obliterative bronchiolitis, Emphysema, Granulomatous disease, Interstitial lung disease (ILD), Pleuritis, Pulmonary fibrosis, Sarcoidosis, Chronic bronchitis, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
For Vietnam Veterans and other Veterans exposed to tactical herbicides, that includes two Agent Orange presumptive conditions:
Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), High blood pressure (hypertension
Important for Veterans and Spouses:
VA enrolled veterans admitted to a local hospital for life threatening conditions thru the Emergency Room by ambulance or other means, need to follow these steps to ensure VA payment:
- Show the local hospitals admitting clerk ALL the veteran’s insurance information.
- Call Bay Pines VA at 1-844-724-7842
- Provide Bay Pines VA the name of the local hospital
- Provide Bay Pines VA the Date of Admittance
- Provide Bay Pines VA the Name of Veteran
- Provide Bay Pines VA the last 4 of Veterans SSN
- Provide Bay Pines VA with a call back phone number
- Within 48 hours of admission, the Veteran or family member MUST call Bay Pines VA to confirm Hospital admission
VA enrolled Veterans, please ensure your spouse or significant other has this information. It is very important.
VA Call Center Works To Resolve Community Care Billing
Specially trained employees from VHA’s Office of Community Care (OCC) are available to help Veterans resolve adverse credit reporting or debt collection actions resulting from authorized VA community care claims.
“Our number one goal is to help Veterans resolve community care billing issues as quickly as possible”. Call center staff work one-on-one with impacted Veterans to research and resolve their collection-specific issues.
Veterans should first gather any letters, notices or information regarding debt collection or adverse credit reports related to authorized use of community care.
Then call the toll-free number at 877-881-7618 (option 1) Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm Eastern time.
VA staff will collect the Veteran’s information, investigate the issue and then follow up with details of the final resolution and answer questions. Veterans may also request an adverse credit history letter that accepts or denies responsibility of the issue, as appropriate.
For more information go to https://www.va.gov/communitycare
Source: US Department of Veterans Affairs newsletter, October 21, 2020
UNDERSTANDING THE V.A. APPEALS PROCESS
If you are reading this, you are probably already somewhat familiar with the VA claims process. If your claim was denied or you didn’t obtain the result you were hoping for, the DAV can file an appeal on your behalf. There are three levels of appeals: the Supplemental Claim, the Higher-Level Review, and the Decision Review Request Board Appeal AKA the Notice of Disagreement.
- Supplemental Claim is a new review of an issue previously decided by the V.A. It requires that you submit new and relevant evidence to support the appeal your original claim for benefits. A separate Supplemental Claim must be submitted for each benefit type.
- Higher-Level Review is also a new review of an issue previously decided by the VA. No new evidence submission is permitted. It is possible to request the review to be at the same office or at another office but that option may not be available in some instances. The Higher-Level Review must be submitted within one year of the date of the decision notice. A separate Higher-Level Review must be submitted for each benefit type that is appealed.
- A Notice of Disagreement is if you want to file one or more issues with a Veterans Law Judge at the Board of Veterans Appeals. You can appeal one or more issues that were previously denied. There are 3 review options within the Board Appeal: Direct Review, Evidence Submission and Hearing Request. Each option has its own advantages and disadvantages. This must also be filed within one year of the decision notice.
If you want to appeal a VA decision, DAV Chapter 82 can help you decide which option is right for you. We can assist you in acquiring evidence and completing the proper forms. The VA also has a Duty to Assist in obtaining evidence, which may be the reason veterans receive US Mail communications requesting additional information. Come in and discuss with any Service Officer. No appointment necessary.
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