washingtonscene
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Caregiver Relief
n 2009, the House and Senate passed separate versions of legis- lation to provide additional com- pensation and benefits to caregivers of certain wounded warriors. On
April 22, both the House of Representa- tives and the Senate voted unanimously to approve compromise legislation (S. 1963) authorizing two levels of caregiver support: one for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and one for veterans of all other periods. Caregivers for both groups of seriously disabled veterans would be eligible for ed- ucation and training help, counseling and mental health services, and respite care. Caregivers of Iraq and Afghanistan vet-
erans also would be entitled to VA health coverage, a monthly stipend based on the cost of providing in-home care by local- ity, and lodging and subsistence payments when accompanying patients on medical visits to distant locations. MOAA and The Military Coalition have
highlighted these needs in testimony before Congress, and MOAA’s September 2009 Defense Forum Washington focused on wounded warriors and emphasized the fi- nancial strains imposed on parents, siblings, and other caregivers who aren’t eligible for military or VA benefits and who often sacri- fice their jobs, homes, and financial savings to become full-time caregivers for severely wounded and injured servicemembers. The new legislation also upgrades VA coverage for female veterans, including a
TRICARE Protection
Approved
New law fixes health care reform omission.
O
n April 12, as MOAA predicted, the Senate passed Sen. Jim Webb’s (D-Va.) TRICARE Affirmation Act
(S. 3148), which makes it explicit in law that TRICARE constitutes qualifying cov- erage for national health care reform pur- poses — thus avoiding any question that
J U N E 2 0 1 0 MI L I T A R Y O F F I C E R 2 9
The House and Senate unanimously approve new legislation in late April authorizing benefit upgrades for female veterans and caregivers of wounded warriors.
child care pilot program and up to seven days of post-delivery care for newborns of female veterans. In addition, it will require the VA to assess barriers to de- livery of care for female veterans, train VA mental health professionals on sexual trauma issues, and implement a reinte- gration program for female veterans. At press time, the legislation was head- ing to the president for his signature. The main issue now is how quickly
the VA will be able to implement the new initiatives. MOAA and all other mili- tary and veterans’ organizations will be pushing for action as soon as possible to ease the burdens service-caused injuries have imposed on so many caregivers of America’s heroes.
Coming Next Month
■ The House and Senate Armed Services com- mittees will draft their respective versions of the FY 2011 Defense Authori- zation Bill in May. Check next month’s Washington Scene for new details.
L E G I S LAT IVE NEWS THAT AF F ECTS YOU
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