VA Health Care For Women Veterans

On July 7 the Department of Veterans Affairs announced that is has started a massive program
to reach out to Women Veterans.

The VA wants input from Women Veterans on how to improve healthcare services that are provided
to Women Veterans

Members of the VA's Health Resource Center (HRC) will be calling Women Veterans nationwide, asking
for their experiences with the VA; and asking for suggestions that will enhance and further the VA's
mission to provide the best care anywhere.

The VA notes that Women Veterans are the largest and growing the fastest portions of the veteran
population. There are approximately 22.7 million living veterans and women comprise more than
1.8 million of that total. They account for almost 8 percent of the total veteran population, and
6 percent of the total of all veterans currently using VA healthcare treatments.

It is estimated that by 2020 women veterans will make up 10 percent of the veteran population and
9.5 percent of those who use the VA facilities.

The HRC started making calls on June 1 to women who have enrolled, but are not yet using VA
services. The HRC also is informing Women Veterans of services the VA offers, and if the veteran
is interested in using VA health services connects the veteran with the proper department. If a veteran
has any complaints about VA healthcare they are connected with a patient advocate to help solve
the problem.

The VA includes specialists in all aspects of women's health, including general primary care,
heart disease, mental health care, menopausal services, and osteoporosis problems. The VA also
has excellent screenings for breast and cervical cancer.

Recently the Women Veterans Health Care program instituted changes to upgrade and improve
what care is offered to women. Instituting new programs to improve access and enrich services
for Women Veterans. Also instituting comprehensive primary care for Women Veterans, new
research on the effect of military service has on women's lives.

In addition new programs to improve communication and outreach to Women Veterans and providing
mental health, homelessness information and new programs to meet the needs of Women Veterans.

For more information on Women Veterans health care please go to the VA website
Veterans Affairs, Womens Health Care

Jerald Terwilliger
National Chairman
American Cold War Veterans
"We Remember"

---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996

Wilmington, NC VA clinic back on track

In November, 2009 the VA announced that a new "Super Clinic" was to be built in Wilmington, NC.
The plan was to have the clinic completed by this year, but hit a snag last year when the developer could not obtain the land needed for the clinic.

A new contractor for the $66 million project has been secured and the plan now is to have the
clinic operating by 2013.

The new clinic will provide specialty services such as audiology, neurology, podiatry and
optometry as well as primary care and mental health care.

North Carolina is home to nearly 800,000 veterans, and the new clinic will serve up to 7 counties
in Wilmington area of Southeastern North Carolina.

Senators Richard Burr (R-NC), Kay Hagan (D-NC) and Congressman Mike McIntyre (D-NC)
have all praised the plans and have indicated they plan to make sure the program stays on
schedule.

Again the VA is to be praised for increasing the availability of care for our veterans. These men
and women sacrificed a great deal to protect our country, now our country must care for them.

Jerald Terwilliger
National Chairman
American Cold War Veterans
"We Remember"



---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996

New VA Clinic To Be Built In Auburn Maine

Seven years in the planning, ground was broken for a new Veterans Administration outpatient
clinic in Auburn, Maine. Serving the Lewiston/Auburn area, it is the last major population center
to have such a clinic.

It will be a "Super Clinic" which will provide primary care, specialty services and metal health care
to approximately 6,000 veterans in central Maine each year. This will make health care more
accessible to veterans in Maine.

It is expected to take about one year to construct the clinic.

A similar clinic will open in the next week or two in Bangor, ME.

We applaud the VA for the continued building of clinics and hospitals to better serve our
nation's veterans. We do, however, think even more clinics are needed; and the time to process
claims still needs to be improved. There is still a huge backlog of claims, and the long waiting
period causes undue hardships on veterans and their families.

Jerald Terwilliger
National Chairman
American Cold War Veterans
"We Remember"
---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996

VA Budget Request for 2012

VA Announces Budget Request for 2012

Shinseki Pledges to Continue to be "Good Steward" of Resources

WASHINGTON (Feb. 14, 2011) - In announcing the proposed budget for the

Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) during the next fiscal year,

Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki emphasized "making every

dollar" count in the $132 billion budget proposal for VA.

"We will continue to wisely use the funds that Congress appropriates for

us to further improve the quality of life for Veterans and their

families through the efficiency of our operations," said Secretary of

Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki

"In the current constrained fiscal environment, every dollar counts,"

Shinseki added. "We have put into place management systems and

initiatives to maximize efficiency and effectiveness, and to eliminate

waste."

The budget request for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1 must be

approved by Congress before taking effect.

Health Care

The budget request seeks nearly $51 billion for medical care.  It would

provide care to more than 6.2 million patients, including nearly 540,000

Veterans of military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.  

The budget request also includes almost $1 billion for a contingency

fund and $1.2 billion of operational improvements to manage the

appropriated funds in a fiscally responsible manner.

Major health care provisions include:

*            $6.2 billion for mental health programs, including $68

million directly for suicide prevention;

*            $344 million to activate newly constructed medical

facilities;

*            $208 million to implement new benefits for Veterans'

caregivers;

*            Nearly $509 million for research; and

Shinseki noted the department has created "a portfolio of initiatives"

to improve the quality of VA care while making it easier for patients to

access services.  Primary care providers will put more emphasis upon

disease prevention and healthy living.  New technology - securing

e-mails, social networking and telehealth - will be harnessed to meet

the evolving needs of patients.

For example, in 2010, a daily average of more than 31,000 patients took

advantage of VA's telehome health care.  The budget proposal will allow

more than 50,000 people daily to use this innovative, at-home care.

Among the department's operational improvements is a provision that

calls for VA to implement Medicare's standard payment rates, a measure

that will free $315 million for other health care needs.

Benefits

The proposed budget for the new fiscal year includes more than $70

billion in "mandatory" benefits programs, a category consisting mostly

of VA disability compensation and pension payments.

Shinseki reaffirmed his commitment to "break the back of the backlog" of

claims from Veterans for disability compensation and pensions.  VA's

goal is to provide Veterans with decisions on their claims within 125

days at a 98 percent accuracy rate by 2015.

Various initiatives support continued redesign of VA's business

processes and development of a paperless claims system to improve the

efficiency of VA's handling of applications for compensation and

pensions.  Among the major projects is one to provide Veterans with

streamlined forms to present to non-VA physicians who are evaluating

Veterans for disability benefits, while another new program allows

online application for claims related to exposure to Agent Orange.

Homelessness Prevention

The funding request includes nearly $940 million for specific programs

to prevent and reduce homelessness among Veterans and their families.

This funding is a 17 percent increase over the current budget of nearly

$800 million.

"Homelessness is both a housing and a health care issue," Shinseki said.

"Our 2012 budget plan supports a comprehensive approach to eliminating

Veterans' homelessness by making key investments in homeless and mental

health programs."

Education and Training

The requested budget for "mandatory" benefits programs includes nearly

$11.5 billion for VA education, training, vocational rehabilitation and

employment programs, including educational benefit programs VA

administers for the Department of Defense.  Approximately 925,000 people

will receive benefits under these programs.  Nearly three-quarters of

the funds will go to recipients of the new Post-9/11 GI Bill.  

The budget proposal continues development of an automated Post-9/11 GI

Bill claims processing system that will speed tuition and housing

payments to eligible Veterans.

Information Technology

VA will seek nearly $3.2 billion for the new fiscal year to operate and

maintain its information technology (IT).

"IT is the key to bringing VA into the 21st century," Shinseki said. "It

allows for the efficient delivery of health care and benefits."

A recent independent study found that VA invested $4 billion in medical

IT from 1997 to 2007, which generated $7 billion in savings, mostly from

the elimination of duplicate medical tests and the reduction of medical

errors.

VA has a major role in the development of the "virtual lifetime

electronic record" as part of an inter-agency federal initiative to

provide complete and portable electronic health records for service

members, Veterans, other family members and, eventually, all Americans.

Through a disciplined approach to IT projects, VA transformed its

software development processes, meeting product delivery schedules over

80 percent of the time.

VA is consolidating its IT requirements into 15 major contracts, which

will lower costs and increase oversight and accountability.  Seven of

the 15 contracts are set-aside for Veteran-owned businesses, and four of

those seven are reserved for small businesses owned by service-disabled

Veterans.

Construction

Nearly $590 million in major construction is included within next year's

budget request.  

"This reflects the department's continued commitment to provide quality

health care and benefits through improving its facilities to be modern,

safe and secure for Veterans," Shinseki said.

The funding proposal provides for the continuation of seven ongoing

construction projects at health care facilities - New Orleans; Denver;

San Juan, Puerto Rico; St. Louis; Palo Alto, Calif.; Bay Pines, Fla.,

and Seattle - plus new projects in Reno, Nev.; Los Angeles and San

Francisco.

Also in the budget request is $550 million for minor construction for

such purposes as seismic corrections, improvements for patient safety,

and enhancements for access and patient privacy.

Additionally, the spending proposal includes funds for a gravesite

expansion project at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in

Hawaii.

National Cemeteries

VA is seeking more than $250 million next year for the operation and

maintenance of its 131 national cemeteries.

The department expects to inter about 115,000 people next year at its

national cemeteries.  Nearly 90 percent of the U.S. population is within

75 miles of a VA-run national cemetery or a state-run Veterans cemetery.

For the fourth consecutive time in 10 years, VA's system of national

cemeteries has bested the nation's top corporations and other federal

agencies in a prestigious, independent survey of customer satisfaction.

The fiscal year 2012 budget plan includes $46 million to fund creation

and improvement of state Veterans cemeteries and tribal government

Veterans cemeteries.

Further information about VA's budget proposal for fiscal year 2012 is

available on the Internet at www.va.gov/budget/products.asp.

---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996

VA Developing Innovative Patient-Centered Model of Care for Veterans

WASHINGTON (Jan. 19, 2011)-- The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is

creating a new office to develop personal, patient-centered models of

care for Veterans who receive health care services at VA's more than

1,000 points of care across the Nation.

"VA has become one of the Nation's leaders in quality health care and is

increasingly cited as the standard to emulate," said VA Under Secretary

for Health Dr. Robert A. Petzel. "However, we must always continue to

find ways to deliver more with our systems to the incredible patients we

are honored to serve. We need to be data-driven, providing the

treatments and therapies with the best clinical evidence, and we need to

be patient-centered, never losing sight that we have been given the

noble mission to care for our Nation's Veterans, families and

survivors."

The new VA Office of Patient Centered Care and Cultural Transformation

began operations on Jan. 17 and is based in Arlington, Va.

The office's director, Dr. Tracy Williams Gaudet, comes to VA from Duke

University Medical Center where she has served as the executive director

of Duke Integrated Medicine since 2001.  Dr. Gaudet received her

Bachelor of Arts and medical degrees from Duke University.  

"The VA's vision and commitment to cultural transformation comes at a

pivotal moment for health care in this country, and I am deeply honored

to be joining VA in this important work," said Dr. Gaudet.  "The Office

of Patient Centered Care and Cultural Transformation will be a living,

learning organization in which we will discover and demonstrate new

models of care, analyze the results, and then create strategies that

allow for their translation and implementation across the VA.  VA will

continue to be a national leader in innovation, and, in this way, we

will provide the future of high-quality health care to our Veterans." 

The VA Office of Patient Centered Care and Cultural Transformation will

have four regional implementation teams at select VA medical centers

across the country: Birmingham, Ala; East Orange, N.J.; Dallas; and Los

Angeles.

Each VA medical center was selected for excellence already demonstrated

in producing cultures of patient-centered care based on established

criteria.  These regional teams, comprised of patient-centered care

consultants, will be responsible for facilitating the culture change for

patient-centered care at all VA facilities.

---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996

S.1237-Homeless Women Veterans and Homeless Veterans with Children Act of 2009

There is a bill in the Senate S.1237 RS Homeless Women Veterans and Homeless Veterans with Children Act of 2009
This bill was introduced by Senator Patty Murray (WA) with 8 cosponsors.
It has been reported out of the Committee on Veterans Affairs, and placed on the Senate Legislative Calendar.

This is a very important bill that will be of special interest and provide support for Women Veterans
and homeless Veterans with children. It will greatly increase special programs for Women Veterans
and homeless Veterans and will provide more and better care.

The American Cold War Veterans support this bill, and we reach out to our sisters-in-arms, knowing
the extra burdens faced by Women Veterans. The trials and tribulations these brave women face
are often much harder than those faced by male Veterans.

We seek equal treatment for ALL Veterans, no matter where on when they served. The uniform worn,
the job description, sex or national origin have no bearing on one fact: they are Veterans.

That should be the only criteria needed to allow access to the Veterans Administration; health care,
disability pensions, or any other program offered by the VA.

It is time for America to stand up for our Veterans and demand the best possible care. These Veterans
stood up for America, placed their lives on hold, faced danger and arduous conditions everyday.

Please contact both of your Senators, email, phone, fax, face-to-face tell them that ALL Veterans
deserve the same and equal treatment: the best our country can give them. Ask them to cosponsor
and vote for passage of S. 1237. Do not take no or a "canned" response as an answer. Contact your
Senators often, perhaps they will finally understand.

Jerald Terwilliger
National Chairman
American Cold War Veterans
"We Remember"

----------------"And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades."-- Robert M. Gates, 1996

VA Handbook

The Veterans Administration has issued their new handbook for Veterans and Dependents
you can view it here
http://www1.va.gov/opa/publications/benefits_book.asp
or you can contact your local VA facility to request a copy.

Jerry

Louisiana to privatize Veterans Homes

Is this the first step to total change in VA Homes?
http://www.wxvt.com/Global/story.asp?S=11653548

This may or may not help veterans care, but seems a strange way to go.

Jerald Terwilliger
National Chairman
American Cold War Veterans, Inc.