Disabled American Veterans Offers Story Ideas on Medical Care 5/12/2003
From: David E. Autry of Disabled American Veterans, 202-314-5219 News Advisory: Why do veterans wait months for needed medical care? Why is Congress looking into fraud at VA medical centers? How do veterans get to doctor appointments at far-away VA medical centers? These stories opportunities from the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and more are below. ATOMIC VETERANS The National Research Council says veterans who participated in aboveground nuclear weapons testing 50 years ago received more radiation than the government had estimated. Atomic veterans who suffer from 21 types of cancer are automatically granted compensation and health care because of their exposure to radiation. But if these veterans suffer from other types of cancer or illnesses, they are denied proper care and compensation. Some of these veterans have waited years for the VA to decided their claim. For more information, contact Adrian Atizado, 202-314-5226. PART-TIME VA DOCTORS The VA employs part-time doctors at many VA medical centers. Some are being accused of billing VA for hundreds of hours of work they never worked. Is the reason a lack of patients, or fraud? Is the health of veterans, who now must wait months for a medical appointment, threatened by what's happening? For more information, contact Joe Violante, 202-314-5227. DAV TRANSPORTATION NETWORK The DAV last week donated 211 vans to the Department of Veterans Affairs to be used to take sick and disabled veterans to their VA medical center appointments and safely return them home. The donation was worth $5 million. Since 1987, when federal budget cuts eliminated travel reimbursements for veterans going to VA physician appointments, the DAV has donated almost 1,400 vans to the VA worth nearly $30 million. For information, contact Ed Hartman at 202-314-5218. The million-member Disabled American Veterans, a non-profit organization founded in 1920 and chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1932, represents this nation's disabled veterans. It is dedicated to a single purpose: building better lives for our nation's disabled veterans and their families. For more information, visit the organization's Web site http://www.dav.org. |