There are clouds on the horizon for some veterans currently enrolled in the Veterans Affairs Caregiver program. This program allows a family member of a qualified disabled veteran to receive payment when they perform as the veteran’s caregiver.
A VA rule change in July 2020 rendered some 6,700 veterans currently enrolled in the program to be “ineligible” with no provisions for grandfathering these veterans. These “legacy” veterans are being given until Oct. 1, 2022, to be reevaluated to see if any changes in their circumstances might render them “eligible” again.
While the rule change did expand criteria to include veterans who were seriously injured in the line of duty after May 7, 1975, and before Sept. 11, 2001, the financial loss to many the legacy program veterans will be devastating, in addition to the decline in everyday care and quality of life they will likely also experience.
Most veterans affected by the changes are probably aware by this time, but please know that a strong coalition of the various national veterans’ organizations recently sent a joint letter to Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough decrying the changes. This is a necessary step before an all-out effort aimed at federal representatives and senators can start.
The main thrust of the effort is to highlight that veterans are going to be losing benefits without Congress altering the original eligibility criteria they enacted. In addition, the normal due process and a realistic appeals process veterans are entitled to, by law, are being bulldozed by the VA. We can only hope those with the authority soon recognize that cutting a severely disabled veteran’s benefits with the stroke of a pen is just the plain wrong thing to do.
For more information, go to: bit.ly/3IxBsJo
Persian Gulf Veterans and Gulf War Syndrome
Veterans Affairs has kindly extended a presumptive period set to expire at the end of this year to December 31, 2026, for qualifying chronic disabilities. This basically allows veterans to continue to file for recognition and benefits as the twelve or so presumptive medical conditions might manifest themselves up to the end of 2026.
About one-third of Gulf War veterans suffer from chronic multisymptom illness (CMI). This is a series of symptoms, which can include chronic fatigue, respiratory problems, musculoskeletal pain, cognitive problems, and persistent skin rashes, that currently defy medical explanation.
Gulf War Syndrome is believed to be caused by exposure to a toxic brew of chemical warfare agents, particularly nerve gas, which was inadvertently released both by battle damage to Iraqi military facilities and postwar demolition of munitions.
Other suspect components include Pyridostigmine bromide tablets, which were given as a preventive measure against chemical warfare, along with anthrax and other vaccines, exposure to smoke from oil well fires, pesticides, and particles from depleted uranium used in U.S. anti-armor munitions.
For more information, go to: bit.ly/3rGd5mF
As always, if you would like to provide any information or highlight your veterans group, please email osceolavets@gmail.com.
