VVA Message on Toxic Exposures HR 6416

President John Rowan

 

Early Saturday morning, the Miller-Blumenthal Veterans Health Care and Benefits Act, H.R. 6416, 
passed the Senate and is now on the way to the President's Desk for signature into law. Among the 
76 separate provisions of the bill are measures aimed at improving veterans' access to care, benefits, 
education, and homeless assistance. 
 
Also included in the legislation are the provisions of the Toxic Exposure Research Act. 
 
My heartfelt congratulations go to all of you who answered the call and took action, organizing over
250 Agent Orange town hall meetings throughout our nation; activating your communities; and working
with your representatives on Capitol Hill. Through your relentless perseverance, your voices have
been heard. 
 
This legislation, a necessary first step, will lay the groundwork for the research we need
on the health of our children and grandchildren, whom we believe have been impacted by 
exposures during our military service­and in keeping with our founding principle, this 
legislation will ensure that our newer veterans will not have to wait 50 years for answers.
 
This is a milestone. Stand by. Our work is not done. 
 

IG Reports keeping a eye on VA

OIG Monthly Highlights

07/31/2016 08:00 PM EDT

Read about our top reports and investigations in August 2016.

The Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, after receiving a complaint letter, asked VA's OIG to investigate allegations that the Director of the Denver VA Regional Office was habitually absent from work during her designated duty hours and submitted incorrect timecards. OIG substantiated that she misused her official time when she arrived to her duty station late without taking the appropriate leave; when she was absent without leave; and when she improperly split her workday between her duty station, a non-VA location, and teleworking from home. OIG also found that she maintained an improper credit hour system for herself and her office staff. OIG did not substantiate an allegation that she was absent for several weeks at a time without taking sick leave, and OIG administratively closed that allegation. OIG discovered that VA's Office of Accountability Review (OAR) began an investigation concurrent to OIG's. To avoid any duplicative efforts, OIG accepted the misuse of time and timecard allegations, and OAR accepted all other allegations for investigation

VV- Glioblastoma-

---Alert to Vietnam Vets-----

> Hello! Sean,                                                                                                             I wanted to ask if you wouldn't mind posting this story on your group and to share with all your other connections- trying to track the numbers-names of Vietnam veterans with Glioblastoma- brain cancer-/tumors- Brain Tumors are not on agent orange presumptive list -read our story- Thank you! if, you have any further questions, please feel free to call me-Tiger Sheree # 417-766-5640- Back in Sunday, Feb. 20th, 2011- you had done my story- on your blog - I will share with you my journey- Thank you! brother Sean- -Your sister, friend, War Widow, Author, Tiger Sheree Evans
>
> www.saleminsider.com/2016/08/widows-band-together-help-agent-orange-victims-suffering-glioblastoma
> www.salem-news.com/articles/february182011/edward-evans-tk.php
> www.prweb.com/releases/2011/02/prweb5080394.htm
> https://youtu.be/_rfKscdaNqA
> http://yancycaruthers.com/2016/05/30/author-interview-sheree-tiger-evans/
>

Fwd: FW: Gulf War vets should be monitored for ALS, cancer

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Anne Kamansky@verizon.net" <anne.kamansky@verizon.net>
Date: Feb 17, 2016 4:01 PM
Subject: FW: Gulf War vets should be monitored for ALS, cancer
To: "Sean Eagan" <sean.eagan@gmail.com>
Cc:

 

 

From: AMSUS SmartBrief [mailto:amsus@smartbrief.com]
Sent: Wednesday, February 17, 2016 12:58 PM
To: anne.kamansky@verizon.net
Subject: IOM: Gulf War vets should be monitored for ALS, cancer

 

Proposal would reshape Tricare fee structure, encourage managed care | Surgical teams risk life and limb removing unexploded ordnance from patients | House approves VA disability exams by local doctors Created for anne.kamansky@verizon.net |  Web Version   February 17, 2016     SIGN UP | FORWARD | ARCHIVE | ADVERTISE   Top Story Sponsored By Proposal would reshape Tricare fee structure, encourage managed care The Defense Department's budget proposal includes Tricare reforms that DOD officials say would save about $1 billion each year, simplify insurance options, improve access to managed care and encourage more efficient use of military medical care. The proposal raises fees, co-pays and out-of-pocket spending limits for retirees, family members and survivors. The News Tribune (Tacoma, Wash.) (2/14) Share:  Sign up to receive a daily summary of top diabetes news Keep up with the latest in diabetes care, nutrition, trends and technology with a summary of stories hand-picked by expert editors. This daily newsletter for health professionals is brought to you by the American Diabetes Association and features news from HealthDay News, Reuters and other leading sources. Sign up now.   Military Health System Surgical teams risk life and limb removing unexploded ordnance from patients Air Force Maj. Travis Newberry, a head and neck surgeon, and colleagues described in the Journal of Neurosurgery how they removed a metal bullet that they thought might have been unexploded ordnance from a pregnant patient's cheek in Afghanistan. Though such procedures are uncommon, they do require special precautions, and the Army is due to release updated guidelines this month for removing unexploded ordnance from patients. National Public Radio (2/12) Share:    Veterans Health Administration Sponsored By House approves VA disability exams by local doctors Veterans would be allowed to use local doctors for disability examinations instead of having to travel to Department of Veterans Affairs facilities under a bill passed by the House last week. The bill would require the VA to compile information from local doctors and gauge progress on the bill's implementation. Star Tribune (Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.) (2/15) Share:  IG's report highlights shortcomings at VA crisis hotline Some calls to the Department of Veterans Affairs' 24-hour suicide prevention hotline main call center in Canandaigua, N.Y., have gone to voicemail or to backup centers, where staff have left some calls unanswered, according to a VA Inspector General report. The VA said it will implement the report's recommendations, including setting specific expectations for backup centers and quality assurance criteria for all calls, by Sept. 30. Daily News (New York) (2/16) Share:  Other News §  VA investigates claims of misconduct at Cincinnati hospital Reuters (2/13) Share:  Participate in the Veterans Wellbeing Survey Today Share your story while entering to win up to $100 in gift cards at the same time! The Veterans Wellbeing Survey is a research project aimed at improving resources made available to veterans. All current and former US military service members are invited to participate in this anonymous survey today.     National Health Care US surgeon general urges Flint, Mich., health practitioners, leaders to help residents Health practitioners, community leaders and faith leaders should get involved in educating residents about the issues they face regarding the water crisis in Flint, Mich., said US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy. "I understand that after everything that Flint residents have been through, that they would have some trust issues when it comes to the water and to the information that they're getting," he said. "That's why it's so important in this community that trusted voices speak out, and help people get the information they need." Detroit Free Press (2/15) Share:    Health and Medical Research IOM: Gulf War vets should be monitored for ALS, cancer Despite spending more than $500 million on research between 1994 and 2014, the US government still has not definitely identified the health effects of serving in the 1990-91 Gulf War, an Institute of Medicine committee reported. Gulf War veterans appear to be at increased risk for chronic fatigue syndrome, digestive disorders, mental health conditions, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, fibromyalgia, chronic pain and sexual dysfunction, the federally funded report said. The Department of Veterans Affairs should monitor Gulf War veterans for degenerative brain diseases, such as ALS, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, as well as for cancer, the IOM said. HealthDay News (2/11) Share:  Other News §  Dementia risk linked to proton pump inhibitors United Press International (2/15) Share:  §  Study: Anemia drugs do not improve QOL for patients with chronic kidney disease HealthDay News (2/15) Share:  §  Analysis suggests link between Agent Orange exposure and thyroid cancer Healio (free registration)/Endocrine Today (2/11) Share:    AMSUS News AMSUS welcomes its newest members Whether you joined AMSUS because of a referral from a current member, for a subscription to Military Medicine, discounts to the Annual Meeting and online CEs or any other reason -- welcome! See other member updates and membership benefits, including the Member-Get-a-Member program. Participants are updated monthly and posted online. 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