A proposal to allow adult children to remain covered under their parents’ Tricare plan until age 26 —
without having to pay an extra premium for a separate Tricare plan — has been introduced in Congress.
It’s a matter of equity, said Rep. Elaine Luria (D-VA) during a 28 JAN call with reporters. “In the military
family, those using Tricare don’t have the same ability to keep their children on their health care plan until
age 26,” unlike other health care plans as required by the Affordable Care Act, she said. Luria and Rep.
Michael Waltz (R-FL) introduced the proposed legislation 25 JAN.
More than 37,000 unmarried, adult children of military sponsors were enrolled in either the Tricare
Young Adult Prime or Select programs as of a year ago, according to the Defense Department. The bill,
titled, “Health Care Fairness for Military Families Act of 2021,” would eliminate the requirement to pay a
separate premium for a young adult. That would save some families $459 a month. As of 1 JAN, monthly
premiums increased by 22 percent, to $459 for those in Tricare Young Adult Prime; and by 12 percent, to
$257, for those in Tricare Young Adult Select. Currently, dependent children can remain on their parent’s
Tricare plan until age 21, or until age 23 if the child is enrolled in a full course of study, and the sponsor is
still providing more than half of their financial support. At age 23, the child may qualify to purchase Tricare
Young Adult.
Walz said one estimate is that the proposal would cost the government about $125 million a year, but
cost estimates are part of the process of considering the proposal. He said part of the cost estimate will be
looking at the retention benefits of the proposal, and believes the cost will be offset by those benefits. “I
put it in the ‘right thing to do’ category,” he said. Often, family benefits are a critical factor in troops’
decisions about whether to stay in the military, he said. “We want to impact that good health care….
Something that’s in line with what we’re seeing now across the board in the private sector.”
The same proposal was introduced last year, but didn’t make it into law. Luria said it’s hard to say what
the chances are this year that it will be successful, but noted that COVID-19 has highlighted the importance
of health care. “Persistence wins,” Waltz said. “We’ll just keep pushing for this one.”

On January 1, 2021, H.R. 6395--the FY 2021 NDAA, containing the Tester/Harder Amendment—was
passed into law. At long last, Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange who have been diagnosed with
Parkinsonism, Bladder cancer, and/or Hypothyroidism will be deemed service-connected and be eligible
for healthcare and compensation:
Title XCI—Veterans Affairs Matters, Section 9109 reads as follows: Additional Diseases Associated
with Exposure to Certain Herbicide Agents for Which There is a Presumption of Service Connection for
Veterans Who Served in the Republic of Vietnam. Section 1116(a) (2) of title 38, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs: (I) Parkinsonism. (J) Bladder cancer. (K)
Hypothyroidism. This and the below other highlights of the bill are contained in the conference report at
https://republicansveterans.house.gov/up..._final.pdf:
 Modification of licensure requirements for Department of Veterans Affairs health care
professionals providing treatment via telemedicine.
 Additional care for newborn children of veterans.
 Expansion of eligibility for HUD–VASH.
 Study on unemployment rate of women veterans who served on active duty in the Armed Forces
after September 11, 2001.
 Access of veterans to Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record.
 Department of Veterans Affairs report on undisbursed funds.
 Transfer of Mare Island Naval Cemetery to Secretary of Veterans Affairs for maintenance by
National Cemetery Administration.
 Comptroller General report on Department of Veterans Affairs handling of disability compensation
claims by certain veterans.
 Additional diseases associated with exposure to certain herbicide agents for which there is a
presumption of service connection for veterans who served in the Republic of Vietnam.
On Jan. 5, 2021, President Trump signed into law H.R. 7105, The Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe,
M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvements Act of 2020. “This is the culmination of two years
of bipartisan work,” noted Rep. Phil Roe (R-Tenn.). “There is something in this bill for just about every
one of our nation’s veterans and their loved ones.” View bill conference report at: https://republicansveterans.house.gov/up..._final.pdf. This bill will:
 Require VA to return Disability Based Questionnaires to their public-facing website and requires
the VA to accept Disability Based Questionnaires as evidence in disability compensation claims,
even when completed by non-VA medical providers.
 Increase the timeframe of the Vietnam War Era of military service, stating that the Vietnam Era
began on November 1, 1955, instead of February 28, 1961, which will extend benefits to the more
than 3,200 U.S. Military Assistance Advisory Group (MAAG ) who served in the Vietnam War
during November 1, 1955 – February 27, 1961.
 Eliminate the 12-year time limit governing applications for Veteran Readiness & Employment
(VR&E) benefits for veterans who separated from military service after January 1, 2013 (i.e.,
making VR&E the same as the “Forever G.I. Bill”).
 Set new limits on when the VA’s Debt Management Center may initiate debt collection proceedings
against veterans.
 Lower the age to 55 at which a remarried surviving spouse of a Veteran may still receive
Dependency Indemnity Compensation (DIC).
 Agent Orange Exposure Fairness Act S. 332 and H.R. 566; requires a GAO briefing and report on
repealing the manifestation period for presumptions of service connection for certain diseases
associated with exposure to herbicide agents.
 Increase the federal government’s special pensions for the surviving spouses of Medal of Honor
recipients.
 Require the Veterans Benefits Administration to establish specialized teams for processing Military
Sexual Trauma claims.
 Allow veterans filing a claim for a physical or mental health condition resulting from sexual trauma
to choose the gender of their Compensation & Pension Exam provider.
 Allow National Guard and Reserve service under Title 32 orders to count for VA Home Loan
eligibility.
 Require the VA to allow veterans to update dependent information via the eBenefits website.
 Require the VA to study cancer, diseases, or illness experienced by those who served at the KarshiKhanabad (K2) Air Base in Uzbekistan between October 1, 2001, and September 30, 2005, and
expands VA’s open burn pit registry to include burn pits located in Uzbekistan.
 Specify circumstances under which a Service Member, including members of the National Guard
and Reserves, is considered service-connected for a disability or death from COVID-19.
 Order the VA’s Under Secretary for Benefits to ensure every paper or electronic document relating
to the receipt of non-service-connected pension include a notice that the Department does not
charge any fee in connection with the filing of an initial claim for benefits.
 Services for Women Veterans
o Devotes $20 million for retrofitting healthcare facilities “to make it safer and easier for women
veterans to get care” and requires the Veterans Health Administration to submit plans for
approval regarding how they will designate these funds.
o Mandates that every VA facility have at least one women’s health primary-care provider.
o Creates a permanent Office of Women’s Health within the Veterans Health Administration,
tasked with providing oversight over all Women’s Health Programs within the VA
o Requires VA leaders to create “an anti-harassment and anti-sexual assault policy” and
designate officials to take responsibility for any related complaints.
o Requires VA to create a training module for community healthcare providers that is specific to
women veterans.
o Expands the Advisory Committee on Women Veterans’ mandate to include examining the
effect of intimate partner violence on women veterans, and creates a VA pilot program to care
for survivors of intimate partner violence.
o Ensures that servicemembers and veterans seeking access to care and counseling related to
Military Sexual Trauma can seek this care at any VA healthcare facility, not limited to Vet
Centers.
o Requires VA to enter into agreements with public or private entities, to provide free legal
services to Women veterans to meet the following unmet needs: Child Support, Eviction &
Foreclosure Prevention, Discharge Upgrade Appeals, Financial Guardianship, Credit
Counseling, and Family Reconciliation Assistance.
o Improves access to prosthetic items made specifically for women at VA medical facilities.
 Enhanced Healthcare Services
o Waives VA requirements for receipt of per diem payments for domiciliary care at State
Veterans Homes and modification of eligibility for payments.
o Prohibits the Veterans Health Administration from collecting co-payments from veterans who
are members of a Native American tribal nation.
o Makes permanent a pilot program to provide childcare to veterans enrolled in the VA healthcare
system and gives the Veterans Health Administration five years to implement the provision of
childcare at every VA medical center.
o Requires State Veterans Homes to report on COVID-19 cases within these facilities to the VA.
o Requires the VA to pay for emergency transportation of newborns.
o Requires VA medical facilities to have drop-off locations for controlled substances
medications.
o Mandates an annual audit of facility-level appointment scheduling, which the Veterans Health
Administration must share with Congress.
 Services for Homeless Veterans & Veterans at Risk of Homelessness
o Expands the HUD-VASH voucher program to veterans with Other Than Honorable
characterizations of discharge.
o Increases the amount of grant funds awarded to organizations providing services to homeless
veterans to 115 percent of the State Veterans Home domiciliary rate, and allows for additional
increases of grant funds in higher cost-of-living areas.
o Allows the VA to award grants to legal services organizations assisting veterans who are
homeless and veterans at imminent risk of homelessness.
o Requires the VA to study existing programs that provide assistance to Women veterans who
are homeless, with a goal of identifying continued areas of need.
o Extends contracts for VA Homeless Veteran Case Managers to prevent gaps in services for
homeless veterans during COVID-19.

Settlement Allows Iraq/Afghan Era Vets to Reapply for Honorable Status

The Army will review thousands of discharge records of veterans affected by military sexual trauma, 
posttraumatic stress disorder and other behavioral health conditions following a class-action lawsuit, the service
announced 12 JAN. The review is part of a settlement reached in the lawsuit Kennedy v. McCarthy, which
was preliminarily approved 28 DEC, according to the Army. The service will look at discharges of veterans
affected by PTSD, traumatic brain injury, military sexual trauma or other behavioral health conditions.
“Under the agreement, the Army will automatically reconsider certain discharge-status-upgrade
decisions made by the Army Discharge Review Board between April 17, 2011, and the effective date of
settlement that partially or fully denied relief to Iraq- and Afghanistan-era veterans with less-than-fully honorable discharges,” 
the statement reads. Veterans who were discharged and did not receive an upgrade
to honorable from the review board between Oct. 7, 2001 and April 16, 2011, will also be able to reapply
due to the settlement. The lawsuit was filed April 2017 in the U.S. District Court of Connecticut by Army
combat veterans Steve Kennedy and Alicia Carson, both of whom suffered from PTSD and other health
conditions, but where given a general discharge despite their medical issues, according to the complaint.
Their case was handled by the Veterans Legal Services Clinic at Yale Law School.
 Kennedy served in the Army from 2006 to 2009, including a deployment to Iraq in 2007 and
2008. He returned home from the deployment with PTSD and major depression but was not
properly diagnosed or treated by the Army, according to the court document. “Mr. Kennedy
continued to lead his team to top performance marks but began abusing alcohol, self-isolating,
and self-injuring, which ultimately led to him going absent without leave for two weeks,” the
document states. His commander ordered a psychiatric evaluation and he was diagnosed with
major depressive disorder but not PTSD, despite his symptoms. Kennedy was then discharged
due to his two-week absence, according to the document.
 Carson deployed to Afghanistan in 2010 and served with a Special Forces unit as a gunner, taking
part in more than 100 missions, according to the court document. She was diagnosed with PTSD
and a TBI by Defense Department and Department of Veterans Affairs doctors after returning
from her deployment. Despite receiving a doctor’s note to excuse her from National Guard drills,
the Guard discharged her due to her absences, according to the document.
Their appeals to the review board to have their discharges upgraded to honorable were both denied,
according to the court document. Now due to the settlement, Army, National Guard, and Reserve veterans
who received a discharge that was downgraded from honorable while having a diagnosis or showing
symptoms of military sexual trauma, PTSD, TBI or other behavioral health conditions, might be eligible
for relief, according to the Army. Upgrades to a discharge are not guaranteed and will be decided on a caseby-case basis,
 the service said.
The Army has also agreed to change the procedures for how veterans apply to have their discharge status
upgraded in the future and how the review board addresses these cases, according to the statement. Some
of these changes include allowing veterans to appear via telephone to their review board hearings, more
training for review board members and “updated protocols for decision making in cases involving
symptoms or diagnoses of PTSD, TBI, MST or other behavioral health conditions.” A hearing to give final
approval on the settlement will occur March 24 at 10 a.m. EST. For more information on the settlement,
veterans can go to at http://www.kennedysettlement.com and https://arba.army.pentagon.mil/adrboverview.html.

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 38 CFR Part 17 RIN 2900- AP46 Prosthetic and Rehabilitative Items and Services; Delayed Effective Date AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs. ACTION: Final rule; delay of effective date. SUMMARY: In accordance with the Presidential directive as expressed in the memorandum of January 20, 2021, from the Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff, entitled “Regulatory Freeze Pending Review” and the OMB guidance M-21-14, “Implementation of Memorandum Concerning Regulatory Freeze Pending Review”, both issued on January 20, 2021, this action temporarily delays until February 26, 2021 the effective date of the rule entitled Prosthetic and Rehabilitative Items and Services, published in the Federal Register on December 28, 2020, to allow Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) officials the opportunity for further review and consider the new regulations. DATES: The effective date of the rule amending 38 CFR part 17 published at 85 FR 84245, December 28, 2020, is delayed until February 26, 2021. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Penny Nechanicky, National Program Director for Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service (10P4RK), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20420; penny.nechanicky@va.gov; (202) 461-0337. (This is not a toll-free number.) SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background This rulemaking adopts proposed amendments to VA’s regulations governing the provision of prosthetic and rehabilitative items and services as medical services to This document is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on 01/28/2021 and available online at federalregister.gov/d/2021-01904, and on govinfo.gov veterans. It establishes a new section for the provision of prosthetic and rehabilitative items and services, clarifies eligibility for such items and services, and defines the types of prosthetic and rehabilitative items and services available to eligible veterans. VA bases this action on the Presidential directive as expressed in the memorandum of January 20, 2021, from the Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff, entitled “Regulatory Freeze Pending Review.” That memorandum directed the heads of Executive Departments and Agencies to consider temporarily postponing for 60 days from the date of the memorandum the effective dates of all regulations that had been published in the Federal Register but had not yet taken effect. The memorandum also noted certain exceptions that do not apply here. VA therefore is delaying the effective date for the rule entitled “Prosthetic and Rehabilitative Items and Services” to February 26, 2021, determining 30 days is sufficient time to assess without unduly impacting or delaying delivery of support and services. The Agency's implementation of this action without opportunity for public comment is based on the good cause exception in the Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), in that seeking public comment would be impracticable, unnecessary and contrary to the public interest. The temporary delay in effective date until February 26, 2021, will give Agency officials the opportunity for review and consider the new regulations, as required by the memorandum of the Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff, dated January 20, 2021. The Prosthetic and Rehabilitative Items and Services rule would have taken effect on January 27, 2021, the effective date for this regulation will be extended by 30 days from the original effective date. It would not have been possible to provide a meaningful opportunity for public comment prior to that effective date, and delay of the effective date is in the public interest because it allows an opportunity for the new Administration to consider the policy implications of the final rule before it becomes final. Thus, the good cause exception in 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) applies to VA’s decision to extend the effective date of the Prosthetic and Rehabilitative Items and Services rule without first going through notice and comment. In taking this action, the Agency also invokes the good cause exception in 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), which allows the action to be immediately effective for “good cause” rather than subject to the requirement in the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553(d)) that a minimum of 60 days is required before a rule may become effective. The nature of this action is to extend by 30 days the effective date of a final rule that otherwise would become effective on January 27, 2021. Seeking prior public comment on this postponement would have been impracticable, as well as contrary to the public interest, in the orderly issuance and implementation of regulations. Signing Authority The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or designee, approved this document and authorized the undersigned to sign and submit the document to the Office of the Federal Register for publication electronically as an official document of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Chris Diaz, Acting Chief of Staff and White House Liaison, Department of Veterans Affairs, approved this document on January 25, 2021, for publication.

To the extent allowable, payment or reimbursement of the expenses of emergency treatment, not previously authorized, in a private or public (or Federal) hospital not operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs, or of any emergency treatment not previously authorized including transportation (except prosthetic appliances, similar devices, and repairs) will be paid on the basis of a claim timely filed, under the following circumstances:

(a) For veterans with service connected disabilities. Emergency treatment not previously authorized was rendered to a veteran in need of such emergency treatment:

(1) For an adjudicated service-connected disability;

(2) For nonservice-connected disabilities associated with and held to be aggravating an adjudicated service-connected disability;

(3) For any disability of a veteran who has a total disability permanent in nature resulting from a service-connected disability (does not apply outside of the States, Territories, and possessions of the United States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico); or

(4) For any illness, injury or dental condition in the case of a veteran who is participating in a rehabilitation program under 38 U.S.C. ch. 31 and who is medically determined to be in need of hospital care or medical services for any of the reasons enumerated in § 17.47

(i) (2); and

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 1724, 1728)

(b) In a medical emergency. Emergency treatment not previously authorized including medical services, professional services, ambulance services, ancillary care and medication (including a short course of medication related to and necessary for the treatment of the emergency condition that is provided directly to or prescribed for the patient for use after the emergency condition is stabilized and the patient is discharged) was rendered in a medical emergency of such nature that a prudent layperson would have reasonably expected that delay in seeking immediate medical attention would have been hazardous to life or health. This standard is met by an emergency medical condition manifesting itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity (including severe pain) that a prudent layperson who possesses an average knowledge of health and medicine could reasonably expect the absence of immediate medical attention to result in placing the health of the individual in serious jeopardy, serious impairment to bodily functions, or serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part. And,

© When Federal facilities are unavailable. VA or other Federal facilities that VA has an agreement with to furnish health care services for veterans were not feasibly available, and an attempt to use them beforehand or obtain prior VA authorization for the services required would not have been reasonable, sound, wise, or practicable, or treatment had been or would have been refused.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 1724, 1728, 7304)

[39 FR 1844, Jan. 15, 1974, as amended at 49 FR 5616, Feb. 14, 1984; 51 FR 8672, Mar. 13, 1986; 56 FR 3422, Jan. 30, 1991. Redesignated at 61 FR 21966, May 13, 1996; 76 FR 79070, Dec. 21, 2011; 80 FR 79484, Dec. 22, 2015]

§ 4.57 Static foot deformities.

It is essential to make an initial distinction between bilateral flatfoot as a congenital or as an acquired condition. The congenital condition, with depression of the arch, but no evidence of abnormal callosities, areas of pressure, strain or demonstrable tenderness, is a congenital abnormality which is not compensable or pensionable. In the acquired condition, it is to be remembered that depression of the longitudinal arch, or the degree of depression, is not the essential feature. The attention should be given to anatomical changes, as compared to normal, in the relationship of the foot and leg, particularly to the inward rotation of the superior portion of the os calcis, medial deviation of the insertion of the Achilles tendon, the medial tilting of the upper border of the astragalus. This is an unfavorable mechanical relationship of the parts. A plumb line dropped from the middle of the patella falls inside of the normal point. The forepart of the foot is abducted, and the foot everted. The plantar surface of the foot is painful and shows demonstrable tenderness, and manipulation of the foot produces spasm of the Achilles tendon, peroneal spasm due to adhesion about the peroneal sheaths, and other evidence of pain and limited motion. The symptoms should be apparent without regard to exercise. In severe cases there is gaping of bones on the inner border of the foot, and rigid valgus position with loss of the power of inversion and adduction. Exercise with undeveloped or unbalanced musculature, producing chronic irritation, can be an aggravating factor. In the absence of trauma or other definite evidence of aggravation, service connection is not in order for pes cavus which is a typically congenital or juvenile disease.

Former White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough became the 11th secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs during a ceremonial swearing-in ceremony Tuesday at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, D.C.

Vice President Kamala Harris administered the oath of office to McDonough using his father's Bible. McDonough's wife, Karin Hillstrom, was present at the brief event, as were their two sons. The couple's college-aged daughter, Addie, joined via video.

During his confirmation hearing, McDonough said he would work to ensure that veterans are receiving the best care, support and treatment through the COVID-19 pandemic; he also pledged to ensure that the VA improves services for all veterans.

On Tuesday, he said he would make every decision based on whether it "increases veterans' access to care and benefits and improves outcomes for them."

"Assessments of our efforts will be measured by the outcomes we generate for veterans and by listening to what veterans have to say about their experiences," McDonough said in a message to employees and veterans.

He will "ensure that VA welcomes all veterans, including women, veterans of color and LGBTQ veterans" and strive to make sure employees live up to the department's core values of integrity, commitment, advocacy, respect and excellence in "all our interactions," he said.

"This means that all VA patients, staff, their families, caregivers, survivors, visitors and advocates must feel safe in a workplace free of harassment and discrimination. I will not accept discrimination, harassment, or assault at any level or at any facility within VA. We will provide a safe, inclusive environment for Veterans and VA employees," McDonough said.

He also singled out veterans who were sexually assaulted while serving in the military, saying the department will "redouble efforts" to provide care and services for them.

"We can achieve our mission only by embracing the incredible diversity that defines our veteran population and all of America, leveraging everyone's talents and passions," McDonough said.

The Senate confirmed McDonough's nomination Monday in an 87-7 vote; all those who voted against him were Republicans and five were veterans. None of those who opposed the nomination publicly said why they were against it.

Speaking before the vote, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the VA has "one of the most sacred missions" of government -- caring for veterans -- and the task requires "organization, institutional know-how, and administrative troubleshooting."

"I am confident that Mr. McDonough's decades of experience at the highest levels of government make him well-qualified to take on the job," Schumer said.

Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas, the highest ranking Republican on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, also praised McDonough before the vote.

"He has experience leading and implementing policy across the federal government and has earned a reputation for being able to make government work better. Although he is not a veteran, he has made his case that he is personally devoted to serving veterans and seeing them achieve success, and it is my belief that he is sincere in that assertion," Moran said.

McDonough takes office as the VA is in the midst of the historic COVID-19 pandemic, which had killed 9,648 VA patients and sickened at least 215,000 as of Tuesday. The department continues to provide support at non-VA facilities, including 2,417 staff members working with state and local health care systems as part of the nationwide pandemic response.

And it is working through the process of vaccinating its nine million VA patients. As of Tuesday, the VA had vaccinated more than 898,000 veterans.

"President Biden gave me a clear mission -- to be a fierce, staunch advocate for veterans and their families. His marching order to me is clear: Fight like hell for veterans," McDonough said.

His nomination came as a surprise to veterans organizations, some of which expressed disappointment in the selection of a non-veteran.

But following his confirmation vote, many expressed a desire to work with him to benefit veterans.

"Though we have and will continue to confront VA policies when we believe they fall short, the American Legion also believes that VA is a system worth preserving for America's veterans. Congratulations, Secretary McDonough," American Legion National Commander Bill Oxford said.

"The new secretary arrives at a time when the VA is challenged to meet the critical needs of veterans during a deadly and continuing pandemic. We encourage him to act as a true partner in helping veterans obtain the quality and timely services they need, and to work transparently and with accountability with the [veteran and military service organization] community toward that goal," Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America Executive Vice President Tom Porter said.

Concerned Veterans for America, a conservative organization that supports broader use of private health networks and physicians to provide care to veterans, issued a statement expressing hope that McDonough will preserve the VA's community care programs as they were outlined by the Mission Act, signed by former President Donald Trump.

"We call on the Secretary to provide assurances community care access standards will not be walked back, and veterans will retain the freedom to choose the care that meets their unique needs," CVA Executive Director Nate Anderson said.

H.R. 637/S.134: The Veterans Economic Recovery Act of 2021
Congress has perhaps no greater calling than the calling to help those who have served live their version of
the American dream once they hang up their uniforms and to put the numerous skills and talents that
veterans developed in service to use in their civilian lives. In 2019, the veteran unemployment rate was just
3.1%, the lowest in 19 years. However, due to the economic impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,
the veteran unemployment rate rose to 5.3% as of December 2020. More than 81% of the over 462,000
veterans unemployed at the start of 2021 are in their prime working years between the ages of 22 and 66.
Helping these veterans affected by the pandemic get back on their feet should be one of Congress’ highest
priorities.
On 8 FEB, Rep. Mike Bost (R-IL) introduced VFW-supported H.R. 637. A few days prior, Sens. Tester
(D-MT) and Moran (R-KS) introduced the senate version S.134 of this legislation. This important
legislation would provide 12 months of retraining benefits to certain veterans who became unemployed as
a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligibility criteria for obtaining this retraining benefit includes:
 Being between the ages of 22 and 66
 Having an honorable or other than dishonorable discharge;
 Non-eligibility eligible for any other VA education benefits.
 Non-enrolment in another Federal of State job training program,
 Not receiving disability compensation for reasons that have led to unemployability, or in receipt
of any unemployment benefit when they begin training under this program.
Members of the National Guard or Reserve who were called up on Federal orders to assist states with the
COVID-19 response would also be eligible for the rapid retraining program as long as they meet the other
age, unemployment, and discharge requirements.

Did you know that there’s more to the VA home loan than just the loan guaranty? In fact, the program has additional help for Veterans with serious, service-connected disabilities. One of those programs is the Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) program.

SAH grants assistance to the most seriously disabled service members and Veterans to pay for life-changing and independence-enhancing modifications and adaptations to their homes and residences. New changes to the laws that govern the administration of the SAH program offer an even greater opportunity for VA to fund these adaptations.

SAH grants are allocated by VA to very seriously disabled Veterans or service members who meet narrow eligibility criteria for funding to adapt their homes to accommodate their special needs.

There are three adapted housing grant types: Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) grant, the Special Housing Adaptation (SHA) grant, and Temporary Residence Adaptation (TRA). Each grant type has different criteria for determining eligibility for the grant award. Eligibility criteria for these grants can be found here.

In August 2020, Public Law 116-154, the “Ryan Kules and Paul Benne Specially Adaptive Housing Improvement Act of 2019” was enacted. This law makes significant changes to the SAH grant program and enhances access to important funding for Veterans with serious and very specific service-connected disabilities.

Changes to the SAH program under PL 116-154 include:

Veterans rated with a service-connected blindness disability – without a loss, or loss of use of a lower extremity – are now eligible for the SAH grant. Statute now reflects that all SAH-qualifying disabilities must be permanent. These changes became effective August 8, 2020.
The lifetime grant usage is no longer limited to three uses for each individual. Eligible service members and Veterans are now able to use the grant a total of six times.
VA is authorized to approve up to 120 grants per year, an increase from the previous statutory limit of 30 per fiscal year for Veterans and service members who experienced the loss or loss of use of one lower extremity after September 11, 2001.
The aggregate limit amount for the SAH grant has been raised to $100,896, and the SHA grant has been increased to $20,215.
VA encourages all Veterans, as well as those who know of seriously disabled Veterans who may meet eligibility criteria for these specialized grants, to become familiar with the SAH grant program. VA is here to serve those who have served our country, and that is especially true for those who can benefit from the SAH program.

Key takeaways from the passage and signing of The Ryan Kules and Paul Benne Specially Adaptive Housing Improvement Act of 2019 (PL 116-154): https://benefits.va.gov/BENEFITS/factshe...tsheet.pdf

For more information about the Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) grant program at VA, visit: https://www.va.gov/housing-assistance/di...ng-grants/.

For more information about the VA Home Loan Program, visit https://www.va.gov/housing-assistance/home-loans/.

Veterans filing disability claims have said they want choices and faster decisions. Due to improvements in the system and processes, Veterans are now getting more options.

VA’s Benefits Administration’s (VBA) goal is to deliver VA benefits and services to Veterans and their families in a responsive, timely and compassionate manner, in recognition of their service to the Nation. To work toward fulfilling the goal of delivering benefits faster and more effectively, VBA has implemented improvements to the benefits processes – with more improvements planned.

To meet this goal, VBA built a customer service framework focused on listening to Veterans’ input and improving its processes based on that input. The customer service model then empowers both Veterans and employees to make changes.

“Since implementing this framework, VBA has made improvements for Veterans that are powerful and measurable,” said Brianne Ogilvie, executive director of VBA’s Office of Administrative Review, which oversees the process of requesting a decision review on Veterans’ claims decisions. “Most importantly, VBA made these changes based on direct feedback from Veterans.”

How has Veteran feedback improved VBA processes?

Appeals Modernization Act of 2017
One example is the transformation of the appeals process. For years, Veterans have been asking for VA “to fix the broken appeals process.” Appeals are the result of a Veteran formally disagreeing with the decision that VA made on her compensation claim. In that process – now known as “the legacy appeals process” – Veterans could wait three to seven years for a single decision – and even longer if they disagreed with that decision!

Today, the legacy appeals process is closed to new appellants. Its replacement required legislative change. To get there, VBA worked closely with internal and external partners, including Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs), Veteran advocates, other VA administrations, and Congressional staffers to draft and pass the Veteran Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017 (AMA).

AMA created two new decision review processes: the Higher-Level Review and the Supplemental Claim. These are in addition to a traditional appeal to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (BVA). One of the most popular features of the new law is that Veterans can now decide which of the three options to pursue, based on their situation.

Implementing these new decision review processes significantly decreased the number of Veterans waiting for decisions on their disagreements, as well as the time they waited.

When AMA was fully implemented two years ago, VBA set a goal to complete decisions in an average of 125 days. Veterans who chose one of these two new processes no longer wait years for a decision. Instead, VBA is meeting its average timeliness goals in both the Higher-Level Review and Supplemental Claim lanes. (Interested? Here’s how to opt-in from the legacy process. And, here’s how to track our numbers. )

In Fiscal Year 2021, Higher-Level Reviews are being completed in an average of 124 days, and Supplemental Claims are being completed in an average of 94 days. Since VA implemented AMA, VBA reduced its inventory of pending appeals by 87%.

VSignals
In addition to revamping the appeals process, VBA continues to seek Veterans’ input about the services they receive through the launch of a new survey program. These Veteran-focused electronic surveys are known as VSignals.

Each week, VBA sends approximately 2,800 VSignals surveys focused on the end-to-end customer experience with its two AMA decision review processes. The surveys capture insights about Veterans’ experiences appealing a claim decision when submitting their decision review request – and their experiences at the end of the process, once they receive a decision.

“Veterans can see that their feedback is directly responsible for improvements to the process, and that encourages them to participate in the surveys. The more feedback we get, the better for the Veteran experience,” Ogilvie said.

Each returned survey helps VBA understand the strengths and weaknesses in its processes. Each week, VBA calls several survey respondents to learn even more about their experiences. These calls are opportunities for VBA to address concerns and understand specifically what is and is not working for Veterans. The calls also allow VBA to determine where the Higher-Level Review and Supplemental Claim processes can be further improved.

VBA has already made clear improvements to the customer experience through its deliberate, customer-focused efforts. The organization continues to listen, improve, and empower Veterans and employees to identify future enhancements to meet its ongoing goal of delivering benefits in a responsive, timely and compassionate manner.