Medical News

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The USS Warrington is listed as a ship exposed to Agent Orange, information is as follows:
 
Operated Mekong Delta Rung Sat Special Zone North of Vung Gahn Rai Bay - March 1967
 
Blue Water Navy Agent Orange Exposure List (06 JAN 2011)
http://www.bluewaternavy.org/shiplist3.pdf
http://www.naus.org/documents/AgentOrangeShipsLits1-11.pdf
 
Additional websites with Agent Orange information:
www.naus.org
www.veteranstoday.com
www.vawatchdog.org
www.military.com
www.myhealth.va.gov
 
MESOTHELIOMA: The following websites have information about Mesothelioma which may be helpful to our shipmates who may be having health problems due to this illness.
www.mesotheliomaweb.org
www.mesothelioma.com
 
ASBESTOS: The following websites have information about asbestos which may be helpful to our shipmates who may be having asbestos-related health problems.
www.asbestos.net/veterans
www.asbestos.com/va-claim.php
 
VA ADDS CHAT TO ONLINE APPLICATION FOR HEALTH BENEFITS:
Veterans will find it easier and faswter to apply for benefits now that VA has enhanced and streamlined its online Form 1O-1OEZ, Application For Health Benefits. This revised online application now features a chat function, which will allow Veterans to receive live assistance while they are filling out the form. Additional enhancements to the process include simplification of questions related to military service in Southeast Asia during the Gulf and in the Vietnam wars. Several additional minor enhancements make the application easier and faster for Veterans to complete. Veterans may complete or download the 10-10EZ form at the VA health eligibility website at www.1010ez.med.va.gov/sec/vha/1010ez.
 
MOST OVERLOOKED VETERAN'S BENEFIT:
Here is some information that you may not know about for veterans. Please take time to read this information, it could help you out in some hard times. Regardless of your personal status, consider passing this along to all veterans, families of veterans or individuals with veterans in their family.

Aid and Attendance is an underutilized special monthly pension benefit offered by the Veterans Administration for veterans and surviving spouses who require in-home or live in nursing homes.

To qualify, a veteran (including the surviving spouse) must have served at least 90 days of active military service, one day of which is during a period of war, and must be discharged under conditions other than dishonorable. The veteran's benefit is $18,234 annually (paid monthly) and increases to $21,615 if a veteran has one dependent. The surviving spouse alone is $11,715 annually.

For more information, call 1-800-827-1000, visit http://www.va.gov/ type "Aid and Attendance" in the search block, or contact your local VA office.

Apply on-line at http://www.vabenefits.vba.va.gov/vonapp/main.asp

The Special Pension for Veteran's Aid and Attendance pays up to $1,644 a month, $19,736 annually, toward assisted living, nursing homes or in-home care for veterans 65 and older who served at least 90 days and one day during wartime - stateside or overseas. Veterans and their spouses can receive up to $23,396 annually and spouses of deceased veterans, $12,681.

Yet, an estimated $22 billion a year goes unclaimed. In 2007, only 134,000 seniors nationwide received the benefit, which was established in 1952. Literally hundreds of thousands of veterans don't even know about this benefit. Of those that do, may disqualify themselves on income or assets or find the paperwork too burdensome. Streamlined process board helps families complete the necessary forms, so that approval comes in four to six months. The process is streamlined for vets who are blind or have memory issues and widows with medical needs. If applicants qualify, payments are retroactive. The few who are denied on excessive liquid assets can seek financial advice to qualify.
 
REQUEST YOUR DD-214 ON-LINE:
Request Copies of Military Personnel Records and/or Medical Records from the National Archives.

You can now request your DD-214 on-line. The National Personnel Records Center has provided the following website for veterans to access their DD-214 online at http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/

This may be particularly helpful when a veteran needs a copy of his DD-214 for employment or benefit purposes. Military veterans and the next of kin of deceased former military members may now use a new online military personnel records system to request documents. Other individuals with a need for documents must still complete the Standard Form 180 that can be downloaded from the web site. The new web-based application was designed to provide better service on these requests by eliminating the record center's mailroom processing time. Also, because the requester will be asked to supply all information essential for NPRC to process the request, delays that normally occur when NPRC has to ask veterans for additional information will be minimized.
 
VA OFFICE OF SURVIVORS ASSISTANCE (OSA):
The OSA ensures families of the fallen have full access to the services and benefits to which they‘re entitled. It was established by public law to serve as a resource regarding all benefits and services furnished by the Department to survivors and dependents of deceased Veterans and members of the Armed Forces.

The OSA is your advocate to ensure fairness, equity and appropriateness of all survivor benefits and to serve as the liaison for intra- and inter-agency collaboration and coordination on survivor issues. The OSA is also fully committed to staying in step with the needs of survivors to ensure that they remain a viable advocate for the survivor community. The OSA can be contacted at officeofSurvivors@va.gov.

The OSA website, http://www.va.gov/survivors, includes a list of Frequently Asked Questions that cover many of the needs of survivors.

For example:
  1. How do I apply for benefits?
  2. Is there someone that can help me file my claim?
  3. How do I check the status of my claim?
  4. How do I know if I am eligible for a benefit?
  5. As a surviving spouse, am I eligible for VA medical care?
 
VA LAUNCHES PERSONALIZED HEALTH BENEFITS HANDBOOK:
WASHINGTON (Feb. 22, 2012) – Veterans enrolled in the health care system of the Department of Veterans Affairs have begun to receive personalized booklets that explain their health care benefits and contain other useful information.

“VA is committed to providing our Nation’s Veterans with consistent, clear information about the services available to them,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki.

The new booklet, called a Health Benefits Handbook, will provide a personalized listing of health benefits based on each Veteran’s specific eligibility. The handbook will also have contact information for their local VA medical facilities, appointment scheduling information, guidelines for communicating with their clinical team and, as applicable, information about copays.

Distribution of the handbooks began this month, with all 8.5 million Veterans enrolled in VA’s health care system scheduled to receive their handbooks by 2013. Veterans will receive updates to their handbook to reflect changes to their benefits or eligibility.

VA operates 152 medical centers and more than 800 community-based outpatient clinics. Last year, inpatient facilities treated more than 690,000 patients, while outpatient clinics registered more than 79 million visits.

For more information about the Health Benefits Handbook, visit www.va.gov/healthbenefits/vhbh or call VA’s toll-free number at 1-877-222-VETS (8387).
 
THE NAVY-MARINE CORPS RELIEF SOCIETY
offers Financial Aid to meet Emergency Needs.
Website: www.nmcrs.org
The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society can provide interest-free loans or grants to help with emergency needs such as:
  • Emergency Transportation
  • Funeral Expense
  • Medical/Dental bills (patient's share)
  • Food, Rent and Utilities
  • Disaster Relief Assistance
  • Child Care Expenses
  • Essential Vehicle Repairs
  • Unforeseen Family Emergencies
How to apply:
Service members or eligible family members who have an emergency need should contact their nearest NMCRS location. For a list of locations, visit www.nmcrs.org.
 
VA WEBSITES & PHONE NUMBERS:
 
POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD):
For information on the VA's programs relating to PSTD, visit www.ptsd.va.gov.