Sestak's Veterans Summit III, A Model For Others to Emulate…Part II

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Sestak’s Veterans Summit III, A Model For Others to Emulate…Part II…

"Finally, this event is about accountability for our elected representatives, including myself, as well as the people charged with giving Vets and their families the benefits they deserve. That is why it is so important to me to have Mr. Gingrich, the heads of the VA Medical Centers in our region, and others here, so the Vets in my District can hear directly from them and communicate directly with them.

I have the up most confidence in new VA Secretary Eric Shinseki, Mr. Gingrich and their team to provide the leadership that is necessary, partly because they understand, from their exceptional service in the Army, that leaders must be held accountable for their performance." said Congressman Sestak as the Summit, Focus on the Military Family began with two panels of guests from within government, the VA and the private sector addressing the plethora of benefits and services available. 

     

John R Gingrich, Chief of Staff, Dept of Veterans Affairs began by speaking to the issues of resources and responsibilities that the VA has to not talk the talk, but rather walk the walk as he invited every one to visit the VA tables in the grand hallway where VA staff were standing by.

summit_iii_066_small_400He  spoke of the 21st Century VA’s timing and opportunity for veterans to be the focus of a lifetime of coverage and the new linkage between the VA and DOD with the electronic initiative that will lead to a paperless VA by 2012, a remark that was met with rousing approval from veterans who knew too well the frustration of delays for help relying on a system that was created during the civil war, in the era of the modern world.

AHLTA gives healthcare providers access to data about beneficiaries’ conditions, prescriptions, diagnostic tests and additional information essential to providing quality care.

With real-time access to beneficiaries’ information "on demand," healthcare providers are able to deliver safer and more efficient care around the globe.

When minutes matter most, AHLTA can mean the difference between life and death. Whether it’s on the battlefield or safely back home, this secure, robust, patient-centered data collection system is redefining the healthcare delivery experience.

GLOBAL INFORMATION ON HEALTHCARE

Bill Walsh of Congressman Sestaks staff http://sestak.house.gov/ was credited with a 7 day a week effort putting vets first and credit was given to James Webb and others who made the new GI Bill a reality, with the new times using  new technology and the 15% increase in veterans coming aboard in search of benefits, at a 30 year high.

Mike Moreland http://www.visn4.va.gov/ spoke of the 130,000 employees and 5000 volunteers and 2.7 million visits to the VA and the 300 thousand treated with a 2 Billion dollar budget and his job of over seeing 450 performance measures that he conducts every day and the 67 million spent by February and the  projects ready for every dollar the stimulus affords the VA already.

Philadelphia VA Regional Office & Insurance Center

summit_iii_069_small_400Thomas Lastowaka

Told the audience that some 40% of the VA claims were handled regionally, the highest in the country at 2 times that amount of all other centers, and that staffing was okay at 100% from 412 to 900  resulting in processing time for claims  down from 170 days to 12o with a special pension, nursing home spousal medicaid benefit that comes to $90.00 a month which he admitted did not sound like a lot of money but was a very appreciated cash benefit to every one utilizing the program.

Philadelphia VA Medical Center

Richard Citron ddressed the latest at the Philadelphia VA and the parking lot there seemed to draw the biggest approval, and we all know where ever we live in large population areas that parking has to be a very big concern when it comes to seeking out and getting health care especially for our wounded veterans and their families. Mr Citron also spoke of the constant streamlining of the administration of the facility and the hard work done by the staff there, the staff in attendance were asked to stand and be recognized which was met by a warm sustained applause.

Gary Devansky spoke to the Coatesville VA medical center and explained that there were 1300 employees there with 34 ptsd & rehab programs available, that are rated # 2 of the 153 outpatient centers, and for 2 years running was rated as # 1.. He also advised that there were 475 beds there and non va resources had 237 beds available with a the Mary E. Walker House, a  womens shelter in Philidelphia, Fresh Start at 50 beds .

Mr Devansky also announced an upcoming Team River Kayak outdoor program.

Wilmington VA Medical Center

summit_iii_045_small_400It was Charles Dorman and State Senator Andrew Dinnimen  who shared the microphone with an exchange on how more service members were serving from Pa than WWII who are ready to be treated with the dignity and respect that they have earned, as the National Guard demographic of 40-50 year olds being of particular concern, when  the conversation turned to vets getting every benefit they deserved and how the issues of homelessness among veterans has, and will continue to be stubborn statistic to address and that the prison population of vets is estimated at 15% and that mental health care as well as addictions cannot be over looked as well.

State Rep Brian Letz an Iraqi Vet and Paratrooper,  recalled benefits debriefing meetings before separation and how his mind was on getting home and not the details of the important information he has come to consider today as he sits on the stage and sees the issues from the perspective he has now. He spoke of Blue Star Families in an age when no one else is a vet in the neighborhood, and that many may not understand what the family is dealing with every unexpected knock at the door or when the phone rings as well as the economic challenges they face when the bread winner is called to service. And Letz also empathised at how these families rely on veterans organizations to help them get the information they need and the access to the benefits they have available to them, groups like the VFW Americam Legion, AMvets and the Marine Corps League.

Professor Thomas J Reed, Director of the Widener University veterans Law Clinic hushed the room when he began to speak to the legal issues facing veterans and their families when he spoke of when after a vet  "lost the 1st round " that’s where he came in to be the corner persons and see to it the vets are ready to answer the 2nd round bell better prepared and supported by his teams backing to face the VA entity for just compensation and benefits based on a civil war era system where changes are due, with the VA and military retirement is side by side in the information age instead of being disjointed, assuring the audience things can be done, that legislation is pending and that legal affairs volunteer were standing by at table 5, and it was then you heard the rustle of papers and chairs as some made their way out of the packed auditorium to the great hall at the first break and every table was flooded with interested people with questions.

Tomorrow-Part III The Executive Session Begins.

Cold War Vets, The St Louis Fire, Taxes, Medicare vs. VA, SBA, Crime and Punishment…….

 

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