washingtonscene
Free Vaccines TRICARE now will offer free vaccinations — in- cluding the shingles vac- cine for beneficiaries age 60 and older — through its retail pharmacy network. TRICARE rec- ommends calling your pharmacy in advance to ensure the vaccine is in stock and a pharmacist is available to administer it. Unfortunately, re- funds can’t be provided for beneficiaries who previously paid for vac- cination before the new program was instituted.
Virginia council successfully has run a similar event for many years. These events provide a great opportunity for MOAA state leaders to meet face-to-face with their legis- lators and discuss key issues of interest. A common theme among the legisla-
tors’ remarks was concern over the coming budget cuts and the need to ensure the na- tion does right by the military and veterans’ community while also reining in the deficit. MOAA hopes the success of the Mary-
land Council of Chapters’ first congres- sional luncheon will lead to it becoming an annual event and hopes more state councils can emulate this very impressive debut.
Caregiver Program
D
Though the payment is paid directly to the servicemember, the stipend is to offset the financial burden and hardship of pri- mary caregivers, including family members and friends. Many such caregivers give up their jobs, benefits, and homes to provide full-time care, services, and support for loved ones disabled in service. The new DoD program is meant to provide a “seam- less transition” for caregivers — so they receive similar benefits while the service- member is on active duty and when he or she transitions into the VA system. Servicemembers receiving compensa-
Unveiled New DoD compensation matches the VA’s.
oD recently released the details of its new caregiver compensation program for eligible servicemem-
bers who have sustained a permanent catastrophic injury or illness that was in- curred or aggravated in the line of duty. The Special Compensation for As-
sistance with Activities of Daily Living (SCAADL) is a monthly stipend paid to severely injured servicemembers who require regular aid and attendance after hospitalization. The monthly stipend of roughly $1,600
was mandated as part of the FY 2010 De- fense Authorization Act. The payment is designed to mirror the VA caregiver com- pensation program established last year for severely disabled veterans. The new DoD program is provided for
severely disabled personnel who need simi- lar care while they are still on active duty.
40 MILITARY OFFICER NOVEMBER 2011
tion by other federal agencies for outpa- tient or in-home services to assist with activities of daily living are not eligible for the stipend. The compensation will be pro- vided until 90 days after a servicemember is discharged from service or when he or she begins to receive comparable compen- sation from the VA. Those who meet the criteria for
SCAADL must be certified by a DoD or VA physician. Each service is required to set up procedures for implementing the pro- gram and informing servicemembers and families of eligibility and assisting with enrollment. DoD expects approximately 350 servicemembers to qualify for the pro- gram at this time. MOAA is pleased this program is up and running but has concerns about potential interruptions and changes in care and services during the transition from DoD’s program to the VA’s. MOAA will continue to work with both departments and Congress to address potential glitches.
MO
— Contributors are Col. Steve Strobridge, USAF- Ret., direc tor; Col. Mike Hayden, USAF-Ret.; Col. Bob Norton, USA-Ret.; Cmdr. René Campos, USN- Ret.; Capt. Kathy Beasley, USN-Ret.; Col. Phil Odom, USAF-Ret.; Karen Golden; Bret Shea; and Matt Murphy, MOAA’s Government Relations Depart- ment. To subscribe to MOAA’s Legislative Update, visit
www.moaa.org/email.
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