A message from PEF Retirees President Steve Muscarella
Closing ranks in health care battle
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ThePEFRetireesstandsin contracts.Fifty-seven careforallitscitizens.ButtheU.S.
solidaritywithourunionbrothersand millionAmericans leaves47millionAmericans
sistersinsupportofhealthcare havedifficultypaying uninsured.
reform. theirmedicalbills. MartinLutherKingJr.said,“Ofall
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Webelievetheadministrationin Healthcareproviders theformsofinequality,injusticein
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Washingtonwhenitreportstherising tendtoshiftthecostof healthcareisthemostshockingand
costofhealthcareinAmericais caringforthe inhumane.”
unsustainable.WetrustPresident uninsuredtothose ThePEFRetireesexiststoprotect
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Obamawhenhepledgesnottoaccept whohaveinsurance.It andenhanceyourrightsandbenefits
healthcarereformlegislationunlessit isamonumentaldrag inretirement.Wewillnotsupportany
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isaffordableandprovidesquality
MUSCARELLA
onthefiscalstability program,planorlegislationthat
healthcareforallcitizensinthis ofourcountry, woulddiminishthesebenefits.Wealso
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country. consuming16percentoftheAmerican willnotabandonthishistoricand
Weagreewithourunionsthat economy. monumentalstruggleformeaningful
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R insistourhealthcaresystemis Theelderlyareparticularlyatrisk. andnecessarychange.
basicallyflawed.Weacceptthe Theolderpopulationincreased11.2 Now,onamorepersonalnote,if
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argumentthathealthcaredollarsare percentfrom1997to2007.Americans youhaveinteractedwithourPEF
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unwiselyspent.Toomuchofthis aged65andoldernownumber37.9 Retireesoffice,youprobablywere
revenueiswastedonadministrative million.Onaverage,weretireat64 communicatingwithAliceHughes.For
costs,advertisingandexecutive andcanexpecttoliveanother16 16years,shehasbeenthefaceand
compensation.Greaterincentivesare years.Wewillneedmorepublicand voiceofourretireeorganization,but
neededtoholddowncosts. privateresourcestomaintainour nowshehasretired.Wewillmissher
Weallsufferfromthetremendous qualityoflife. hardwork,dedicationandsweet
fiscalburdenofhealthcarecosts.It Everyotherindustrializednationin nature.ThePEFRetireeswishesher
affectsourpensions,salariesand theworldguaranteesaffordablehealth allthebestinherownretirement.
Enhanced GI Bill increases benefits to eligible vets
ByDEBORAHA.MILES thefirstpartiscoverageoftuitionand veterancanreceiveanywherefrom
ThefederalPost-9/11GIBillthattook fees.InNewYork,forexample,aneligible approximately$800to$2,800amonthif
effectAugust1isbeingtoutedbyPEF veterancantakeadvantageofthePost- theyattendonafull-timebasis.
membersatthestateDivisionofVeterans 9/11GIBill,alsocalledChapter33,and Anotherimprovementofthebillisan
Affairs,BureauofVeterans’ gotoanypubliccollegewithoutpayinga eligibleveterancannotbedeniedthe
Education. dimeout-of-pocketfortuition. benefitevenifheorsheisreceivingafull
“Thisisamajor “Everystateinthenationwasaskedby scholarship.
enhancementtothe theVAtodeterminethehighestamountof CraigFarley,supervisor
existingGIBillbenefit,” publicinstitution’stuitionthatcanbe atthebureau,saidthebill
saidJeffreyKaye,an charged.WefoundinNewYorkthefigure alsobooststheeligibility
associateatthebureau. tobeabout$23,000,”Kayesaid. requirements.Forexample,
“Therehasbeennothing Ifaveteranelectstogotoaprivate ifanindividualinthearmed
likeit.Thisisthebiggest,
singleincreaseinGIBill
moneytha
KAYE
schoolwheretuitionmaybetwicethat forceshasservedatleastsix
amount,ifnotmore,theveteranhasto
t’severcome comeupwiththebalance.Butifthe
downthepike.” universityisenrolledintheYellowRibbon
Andthegoodnewsisspreadingfast GIEducationEnhancementProgram,then
FARLEY
yearsandhasagreedto
serveanadditionalfour
years,thebenefitsmaybe
transferredtoaspouseor
acrossthecountry. theschoolessentiallysplitsthebalance children.
Thebureau’schiefandchairmanofthe withtheVA.Thisprogramallows Whilethebillprovidesalottothose
VeteransAdvisoryCommitteeon institutionsofhigherlearningintheU.S. whoservedourcountry,itisalso
EducationinWashingtonD.C.,James tovoluntarilyenteranagreementwiththe complicated.FarleyandBombardsaidthe
Bombard,saidthefederal VAtofundtuitionexpensesthatexceed choiceaneligibleveteranmakesregarding
VeteransAdministration thehighestpublicin-stateundergraduate Chapter33electionisirrevocable.
(VA)isalreadyswamped tuitionrate. “Weadviseallveteransapplyingfor
withnearly25,000 Thesecondpartis$1,000forbooksand benefitstotakeitveryseriously.Getadvice
applicationsforbenefits. suppliesperyear,whichispaiddirectlyto fromacrediblesourcebeforeyoumakea
“Weexpecttoseea25 thestudent. decision,”Bombardsaid.“Doyour
percentincreaseduringthe Thethirdpart,whichKayecalledthe researchandhomework.”
nextcoupleofyears,” “realgemofthebill,”isthehousing Thesitetovisitformoreinformationis
BOMBARD
Bombardsaid. allowance. www.gibill.va.govorcall1-888-442-4551
Theenhancedbenefits Dependingoncost-of-livingcriteria tospeakwithaveterans’benefits
arethree-fold.Kayesaid wheretheschoolislocated,aneligible counselor.
Page10—TheCommunicatorSeptember2009 PEFInformationLine:1-800-553-2445
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