VFW Action Corps Weekly June 20, 2014

In this Issue:
1. VA Access Bill Headed to Conference
2. House VA Committee Discusses Fee Based Care
3. VFW Supported Legislation Introduced in the Senate
4. VA Calls for Monthly Review of Facilities
5. Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry Open
6. Retired USMC Cpl. Receives Medal of Honor
7. DOD Identifies 21 Missing Service Members

1. VA Access Bill Headed to Conference: On Thursday, House and Senate lawmakers voted to
send legislation aimed at fixing VA care and access issues to a conference committee. Discussions
had started on the bills differences, but House Committee Chairman, Jeff Miller (R-FL) said that the
complicated and highly technical nature of the issues required a formal conference to smooth out
the differences between the two chambers. Senate VA Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
agreed that members need an opportunity to discuss differences and get this right for veterans and
their families. Earlier this week, the VFW, along with 19 of our VSO community partners, sent a
letter to House and Senate VA leaders outlining our views on the conferenced bill.
2. House VA Committee Discusses Fee Based Care: On Wednesday, The House VA Committee
heard testimony from witnesses whose companies provide care to veterans outside the VA
healthcare system. Representatives from TriWest Healthcare Alliance, Health Net Federal Services
and Cary Medical Center in Maine all commented that they provide a diverse set of services to
augment care received within VA - when and where VA may not be able to provide that service to
veterans. David McIntyre, President and CEO of TriWest spoke about their contract with VA to
provide a network of coordinated care through VAs new Patient Centered Community Care (PC3)
program. The VFW submitted testimony for the record and relayed our support for the PC3 program,
stating that the contract requirements of the program mark a significant improvement over the old
fee basis system, which lacked coordination and quality controls. We also urged Congress to address
current healthcare issues within VA by using all available tools to provide timely access to care to
include non-VA care when necessary.
3. VFW Supported Legislation Introduced in the Senate: Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH)
recently introduced a bill that would allow traumatic events that do not immediately cause injuries to
be entered into service members medical records. All too often, veterans are unable to prove that
they were exposed to events like IED blasts and witnessing combat losses when later seeking care
and benefits from DOD and VA. Senator Browns bill, S. 2368, the Fairman Significant Event Tracker
(SET) Act of 2014, would solve that problem by establishing a way for small unit leaders to submit
reports on traumatic events experienced by individuals under their commands at the conclusion of
each mission. The idea for the SET was originally proposed by VFW member Mike Fairman, a Navy
Corpsman and Afghanistan veteran from Ohio, and the VFW worked closely with Senator Brown on
the final language of the bill. To read more about the bill from Senator Brown, click here:
http://www.brown.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/in-struthers-sen-brown-announces-plan-
that-would-make-it-easier-for-veterans-with-war-related-injuries-to-claim-benefits