VFW Post 2667

ATLANTA - There is an under-used, special monthly pension benefit available to Georgia's wartime veterans and surviving spouses of deceased wartime veterans incapable of self support and in need of regular personal assistance. "Many wartime veterans and surviving spouses whose incomes are above the federally mandated limit for a basic VA pension may still be eligible for pension at the higher housebound or Aid and Attendance rate," points out Georgia Commissioner of Veterans Affairs Pete Wheeler. "Although this is not a new program, not everyone is aware of his or her potential eligibility." The Aid and Attendance pension benefit may be available to any wartime veterans and surviving spouses who have in-home care or who live in nursing-homes or assisted-living facilities. "Especially helpful if they have large medical expenses that they may not receive reimbursement," noted Commissioner Wheeler. For a wartime veteran or surviving spouse to qualify for ...

WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has announced 3,174 Veterans have already been notified of the results of testing they underwent recently, that testing was conducted because of improperly reprocessed endoscopy equipment that may have been used in their care. These Veterans, in the Tennessee, Georgia and South Florida areas were among 10,555 Veterans sent letters offering free testing. VA patients, who believe that they may have been exposed to cross contamination, were patients that received endoscopic procedures at the VA’s Murfreesboro, TN, facility from April 2003 to December 2008 and the VA’s Augusta, GA, hospital from January 2008 to November 2008 and the VA’s Miami hospital from May 2004 to March 2009. As of April 1, 2009, 17 veterans have tested positive for Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, or the Human Immunodeficiency (HIV) Virus. Five Veterans tested positive for Hepatitis B virus; eleven for Hepatitis C; and one for HIV. Of the positive test results, eleven ...

These proposed changes could have a significant impact to retirees... WASHINGTON (AFRNS) -- The Quadrennial Review of Military Compensation has recommended fee changes to Tricare, the military's health system. The recommendations would mostly affect retirees and will not affect active-duty servicemembers or their dependents, retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Jan D. "Denny" Eakle, the director of the study, said in a Pentagon briefing Aug. 5. "Retiree fees ought to relate to how much the plan is worth," she said. "The... higher-value plans should have higher premiums associated with them." The panel believes fees need to be fair to all retired military members, General Eakle said. "They ought to reflect how much income an individual has, so that if they make more money and are therefore better able to pay for a system, they should do so," she said. The full article is available at www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle/aspx?id=50705