washingtonscene
tract way back in 2009, before Humana successfully protested. Pending the outcome of the latest ap- peal, the current contracts will remain in place, with seamless continuity of care for all beneficiaries. Once a final contract award is rendered, there will be at least a nine-month transition period to the new contract. Due to the extended delays in award- ing a contract in the South Region, the Fort Campbell, Ky., area (which is sched- uled to fall under the South Region under the new contract) will continue to be ad- ministered by TRICARE North (contract- ed by HealthNet) until the new South Region contract officially takes effect.
Caregiver Relief
Too Narrow Legislators bash the VA’s plan.
I
n March, leaders of the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs committees issued a bipartisan slap at the VA’s be- lated and too-narrow implementation of relief for wounded warrior caregivers in- cluded in the 2010 Caregivers and Veter- ans Omnibus Health Services Act (Public Law 111-163). In a March 8 joint letter to President
Obama, Senate Committee Chair Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Senior Republican Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and House Commit- tee Chair Jeff Miller (R-Fla.) and Senior Democrat Bob Filner (D-Calif.) com- plained the VA missed the implementation deadline of Jan. 30, 2011, and restricted eligibility rules, “contrary to the intent of the law, [creating] hardship for veterans and family caregivers meant to be helped by the new program.” The letter asked the president to direct the VA and the Office of Management and
38 MILITARY OFFICER MAY 2011
Budget (OMB) to implement regulations for the new program within 60 days and ensure the rules “comply with the specific eligibility criteria … set out in the law.” Committee leaders had estimated the
program would help about 3,500 caregivers, but VA Secretary Eric Shinseki told legisla- tors the VA-written rules would restrict eli- gibility to about 850 caregivers of wounded Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who other- wise would have to be hospitalized. Ironically, the VA-written rule would
deny the new benefits — including a monthly stipend and respite care relief — to Sarah Wade, a caregiver invited to stand beside President Obama at the White House ceremony when he signed the new caregiver relief package into law in May 2010. “Instruction and training in the provi- sion of care, respite, technical assistance, counseling, and a living stipend for those who are forced to leave their jobs or work fewer hours to provide care to their loved ones are all being withheld as some in VA attempt to stymie this program,” the legis- lators said in their letter to the president. “[The] VA and OMB need your leadership to implement this program.” MOAA couldn’t agree more.
Defense Budget D
Will Be Cut Hill targets the growing budget.
eputy Defense Secretary William Lynn ran into a bipartisan wall in a March 10 Senate Budget
Committee hearing when he asserted the Pentagon’s FY 2012 defense budget re- quest represents a “reasonable” amount to address wartime national security needs while also supporting administration ef- forts to contain the deficit.
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