washingtonscene \\ COLA News //
COLA Creeping The June Consumer Price Index rose for the fourth straight month and is now up 0.5 percent for FY 2016. Barring a summer swoon, there could be a small 2017 COLA. Follow the trends at
www.moaa .org/colawatch.
establishing a leadership succession strategy and management system, apply- ing best private-sector practices; and establishing an expert body to develop recommendations for VA care eligibility and benefit design and simplified eligi- bility criteria.
The commission strongly recommend-
ed the development of a new governance model and an extended term of office for the leader of the VHA care system, believ- ing leadership continuity is essential for real reform to take hold. It also proposed a governing board
of directors charged with developing a national strategy for creating the new system, held accountable to the president for oversight and sustaining continuous transformation.
Commissioners said the VA can trans- form with the right structure and strate- gies in place, but it can’t do it on its own. It will require the full commitment and support of all stakeholders, most of all the White House and Congress. “The release of the VA Commission on
Care report is the culmination of 10 months of hard work by some of the top authori- ties in the field,” says MOAA President and CEO Lt. Gen. Dana T. Atkins, USAF (Ret). “While much more remains to be done, we appreciate the commission’s sincere effort to strike a balance of sustaining and improv- ing VA care delivery while enhancing civil- ian care opportunities. MOAA is grateful for their selfless dedication in producing this thoughtful and thorough report. Along with our veterans service organization partners, we look forward to working with the president and Congress to translate the commission’s recommendations into ef- fective action.” In the meantime, Atkins says, “we urge Congress to pass the VA Secretary’s Consolidation of Care in the Community plan and the Veterans First Act (S. 2921) to help ensure our nation’s
36 MILITARY OFFICER SEPTEMBER 2016
veterans receive the care they need and deserve today and in the future.” It’s now up to the president and Con- gress to make this transformation a reality.
Military Spouse I
State Licensing Your feedback can help fill gaps and provide important insight.
n recent weeks, New York began the process of approving legislation to make it easier for military spouses
who have a license or certification from another state to return to work sooner after a military-directed move to that state. New York is the final state to do so. Does this mean every aesthetician, hy-
gienist, realtor, teacher, and lawyer who is a military spouse will be able to get back to work immediately after relocat- ing without all of the bureaucratic red tape and monetary outlay? No, not yet. It does mean all 50 states are in support of one of three ideas: 1. providing temporary licenses to get spouses back to work until they meet new state specific requirements; 2. expediting the process to verify quali- fied spouses and help them start sooner; or 3. endorsing qualified spouses by
recognizing their out-of-state licenses as sufficient. However, each state has different rules
governing different professions, with differ- ent boards managing different parts. Law- yers, teachers, and medical professionals often are not included in these pieces of leg- islation; they need a different set of rules to accommodate relocating military spouses. If you have experience with this prob- lem, share your story at
www.moaa.org/ spousesurvey. We want to find out where spouses most need help.
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