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Behind the numbers: Servicemember complaints

March 6, 2014


BY 

14,100. Sounds like a random number, doesn’t it? But to us, 14,100 represents the number of servicemembers, veterans and their family members whose stories have come to us through their consumer complaints.

Care and Benefits for Veterans Strengthened by $164 Billion VA Budget

March 4, 2014

WASHINGTON – Continuing the transformation of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) into a 21st century organization, the President has proposed a $163.9 billion budget, a 6.5 percent increase over Fiscal Year 2014, that will support VA’s goals to expand access to health care and other benefits, eliminate the disability claims backlog, and end homelessness among Veterans.  The budget includes $68.4 billion in discretionary spending, largely for healthcare, and $95.6 billion for mandatory programs – mostly disability compensation and pensions for Veterans.

VA’s time to resolve disability appeals shoots up, lagging department’s goals

February 28, 2014

BY CHRIS ADAMS
McClatchy Washington Bureau | February 27, 2014

WASHINGTON — The average time for a denied claim to work its way through the cumbersome Department of Veterans Affairs appeals process shot up to more than 900 days last year, double the department’s long-term target.

After hovering between 500 and 750 days for the past decade, what the VA refers to as its “appeals resolution time” hit 923 days in fiscal 2013. That was a 37 percent jump in one year, from 675 in fiscal 2012, according to a review of the department’s annual performance report.

CFPB Sues For-Profit College Chain ITT For Predatory Lending

February 26, 2014

ITT Pushed Consumers into High-Cost Student Loans Likely to Fail

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) filed a lawsuit against ITT Educational Services, Inc., accusing the for-profit college chain of predatory student lending. The CFPB alleges that ITT exploited its students and pushed them into high-cost private student loans that were very likely to end in default. The CFPB is seeking restitution for victims, a civil fine, and an injunction against the company.

Study: Post-Vietnam Troops Exposed to Agent Orange

February 26, 2014

February 25, 2014 | by Bryant Jordan

A new study found that airmen who flew and maintained the C-123 Provider long after the planes were used to spray Agent Orange over Vietnam were exposed to dangerous levels of the dioxin that remained in the aircraft.

A report in Scientific Research titled "Post-Vietnam Military Herbicide Exposures in UC-123 Agent Orange Spray Aircraft" found that environmental testing of the planes revealed traces of dioxin levels above the Defense Department's own standards for maximum permissible exposure to poisonous chemicals.

VA Initiative Shows Early Promise in Reducing Use of Opioids for Chronic Pain

February 25, 2014

WASHINGTON -- The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has initiated a multi-faceted approach to reduce the use of opioids among America’s Veterans using VA health care.   The Opioid Safety Initiative (OSI) is a comprehensive effort to improve the quality of life for the hundreds of thousands of Veterans suffering from chronic pain. 

Unanimous approval in U.S. House for in-state tuition for vets

February 24, 2014

By George Altman
Army Times Staff writer

Lawmakers in a deeply divided House of Representatives can’t agree on much anymore, but they’re unanimous on at least one thing: Veterans shouldn’t be stuck with out-of-state tuition costs at public universities.

A bill that would force schools to ease such residency rules for vets — or lose GI Bill eligibility entirely — passed the House Feb. 3 without a single dissenting vote, 390-0.

Report: VA Data Breach 'Practically Unavoidable'

February 24, 2014

Feb 24, 2014 | by Michael Hoffman

An internal investigation found the Department of Veterans Affairs' data security is so poor a data breach is "practically unavoidable" within 18 months, according to a draft of the VA's report.

"It's practically unavoidable that a data breach to financial, medical, and personal Veteran and employee protected information may occur within the next 12 to 18 months, with no way of tracking the source of the breach," according to a report obtained by Military.com and first reported by CNBC.

VA Mail-Order Pharmacy Receives Highest Score in Mail Order Segment of J.D. Power Study

February 21, 2014

WASHINGTON -- For the fourth consecutive year, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy receives the highest customer satisfaction score among the nation’s public and private mail-order pharmacies, according to a respected, independent study. “Our Nation’s Veterans deserve a first-class pharmacy as a part of the exceptional health care available,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “It is an honor to hear from Veterans that we are delivering on that commitment.”

Hagel Orders Shakeup of MIA Accounting Agencies

February 21, 2014

WASHINGTON -- In the wake of numerous reports of misconduct and poor management practices by personnel charged with recovering and identifying the remains of missing servicemembers from past conflicts, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel has ordered the Pentagon to come up with a plan to consolidate all Defense Department assets into a single, more accountable entity that will manage all personnel accounting resources, research and operations.

VA Announces Rollout of Secure Veteran Health Identification Cards

February 20, 2014

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                    
February 20, 2014

WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) today announced  the phased roll out of newly designed, more secure Veteran Health Identification Cards. The new cards are distinguished by additional security features and will have a different look and feel. 

Fargo VA Health Care System Names Chief of Staff

February 19, 2014

Fargo, ND - Breton M. Weintraub, M.D. has been selected as Chief of Staff, Department of Veterans Affairs, Fargo VA Health Care System.

Dr. Weintraub received his undergraduate degree at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, and graduated from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.  He completed his residency in the Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City.

VA Partners with Kaiser Permanente

February 19, 2014

WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is collaborating with Kaiser Permanente, a leading member of the health care industry, to pool resources and ideas to solve some of the largest and most complex challenges in VA health care. "VA is always on the lookout for opportunities for partnerships with the private sector and other federal agencies to enhance care for Veterans,"said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki.

First lady: 100 companies to hire 100,000 vets over five years

February 13, 2014

By Cheryl Pellerin

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON (2/12/14) - First Lady Michelle Obama announced Monday that more than 100 construction industry companies have committed to hiring more than 100,000 military veterans over the next five years.

Obama and Labor Secretary Thomas E. Perez delivered remarks at the National Symposium on Veterans" Employment in Construction, hosted at the Labor Department.

Survey Finds Most Military Spouses Underemployed

February 12, 2014

Feb 12, 2014 | by Amy Bushatz

About 90 percent of working female military spouses said they are underemployed at jobs below their experience level, education or both, according to a new report by the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA).

The survey, conducted last fall, queried over 2,000 female military spouses. Researchers with Syracuse University's Institute for Veterans and Military Families combined that data with information from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2012 American Community Survey (ACS) to create a snapshot of military spouse employment challenges.

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