Paralyzed Veterans Of America Applauds Passage Of VA MISSION Act
Paralyzed Veterans of America issued a press release about its support of the VA MISSION Act and the House Committee on Veterans Affairs’ passage of it.
Personally, I am deeply troubled about the use of clinical appeals as the end all be all of access to community care because of the lack of legal oversight of the process. There is no accountability, and bad VA leadership will surely abuse this system.
According to the press release:
Paralyzed Veterans of America (Paralyzed Veterans) released the following statement today from its Executive Director, Carl Blake, in response to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs passage of H.R. 5674, the VA MISSION Act of 2018.
“Paralyzed Veterans applauds the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs on the passage of H.R. 5674, the VA MISSION Act of 2018, to the House floor for consideration. This landmark legislation will reform VA’s ability to provide timely access to care and modernize its healthcare infrastructure. Of particular importance to Paralyzed Veterans’ members, the legislation would also make eligible those service-connected veterans injured before September 11, 2001, for the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers. Nearly 70,000 catastrophically injured veterans and their caregivers would be able to access financial, training, and mental health services.”
Blake added: “Caregivers of pre-9/11 veterans have sacrificed for this nation’s heroes, without acknowledgment, some for half a century. They have had to give up the futures they might otherwise have wanted in order to care for their loved one, injured in service. And in doing so, they have lost professional and educational opportunities, financial stability, and often their own physical wellbeing. Without this legislation, those caregivers are more likely to burnout, which could lead to their veteran being institutionalized. H.R. 5674 will correct this inequity once and for all.”
“We commend the Committee for their hard work to not only extend the caregiver benefit but also to reform VA’s community care programs and set in motion the realignment of VA’s healthcare infrastructure. We now call on the House of Representatives, to swiftly and affirmatively, advance this legislation,” said Blake.
I have to jump on this one as I am very familiar with the issues with the current Caregiver Support, Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC).
They have put us through hell, excluded my primary care team, the social workers made the medical determinations and performed my primary care providers clinical responsibilities, refused me a treatment plan, told my primary care team they have no role or responsibility to me while having a family caregiver, refused it allow my primary care team to assess my applicant (family member) and provide him training in what he needs to do for me, refuse for my primary care team to decide on the frequency of home visits and to collaborate with the clinicians performing the home visits.
To top it off, these social workers violated my HIPAA/Privacy rights and the VA Privacy Policy by accessing my medical records and psychotherapy notes (require written authorization from patient/veteran). Then 8 social workers which included their supervisor sat around the table to discuss my medical records and psychotherapy notes when my family caregiver submitted a reassessment of awarded caregiver hours request to the social worker assigned to provide him support thinking she was going to submit it to my primary care team – wrong. Those 8 social workers made the medical decision to disapprove it for unlawful clinical reasons which is how we discovered they were breaking numerous laws, committing fraud, waste and abuse, gross mismanagement, etc.
The social workers are responsible for eligible family caregivers of both caregiver support programs and according to law – only provide support.
The medical department and chief of staff at each VAMC is responsible for the clinical responsibilities to process the application from applicants (family members), assess the Veteran, provide Veteran a treatment plan, if applicable. Assess the applicant, discuss the Veteran’s treatment plan if applicable and provide any additional training. And to monitor the Veteran by collaborating with clinicians performing the home visits.
Not happening. Neither caregiver support programs are ‘clinical’ or ‘clinical intervention’ as both are for family caregivers (pre or post 9/11) and the law states that the Secretary shall only provide support to eligible caregivers of both caregiver support programs.
The Veterans primary care team continues to provide the medical and/or mental health treatment and works with the Veteran’s family caregiver to help improve the health of the Veteran with the hope to make them well to no longer need a family caregiver, if applicable, as some medical and/or mental health injuries are not treatable/curable/rehab.
The major issue costing this program millions in taxpayers dollars is the social worker department headed by Meg Kabat is hiring more social workers than allotted, reassigning social workers hired for other jobs into these positions, hiring clerks, hiring nurses and other clinicians.
See the Veterans doctors (primary care team) is responsible for all clinical responsibilities and however VA decides to establish medical clinicians to perform home visits.
The VA is to hire one social worker to provide support to eligible caregivers of both caregiver support programs. Some might need 2 depending on the demands the caregivers are placing on the social worker.
Think of the Caregiver Support, PCAFC, as the Family Support Group in the military at your unit which normally was managed by the commander’s or 1SGs spouse. The servicemember (veteran) had their chain of command/branch of service (VA) to care/provide for the servicemember (veteran). The family support group leader (caregiver support coordinator) provides support to the family members and provide them educational classes and material about the military, how to read a LES (pay statement), etc. BUT, the family support group leader (caregiver support coordinator) couldn’t tell a servicemember (veteran) or his/her chain of command/brand of service (VA) what to do or approve a servicemember (veteran) for any military benefit. Same concept for the Caregiver Support, PCAFC and the Program of General Caregiver Support Services (PGCSS) is the pre 9/11 and doesn’t require an application, clinical assessment, treatment plan or home monitoring.
The Caregiver Support’s two caregiver support programs (pre and post 9/11) ARE FOR FAMILY CAREGIVERS of Veterans. IT”S NOT A VETERANS PROGRAM!!!! For the PCAFC, the Veteran is assessed by their primary care team to determine if they have serious physical (medical) and mental health injuries requiring assistance from a family member/caregiver. If their primary care team makes the medical determination the Veteran is in need of a family member/caregiver then the primary care team will assess them to make a medical determination to approve/disapprove the family member’s application. Once approved, the family member/caregiver is now eligible to contact the CSC/social worker for assistance and support with navigating the VA system, filling out forms, providing them educational material, helping them locate the appropriate benefit department, locating community support programs/groups, etc.
The CSC/social worker IS FOR THE FAMILY MEMBERS/CAREGIVERS of both caregiver support programs. The law was enacted so Veterans family members/caregivers had a POC at the VA that was dedicated to them and to provide them support. They are not allowed to provide any clinical services to the family member/caregivers as the Veteran’s primary care team is responsible for providing training and a treatment plan, if applicable, to the family member/caregiver; and the family member/caregiver is entitled to enroll into CHAMPVA for healthcare if they do not have a healthcare plan.
The CSC/social worker is not involved or part of the Veteran’s primary care team as their job is NOT TO THE VETERAN, IT”S TO THE FAMILY MEMBER/CAREGIVER. The CSC/social worker doesn’t need to know or be involved with the Veteran and their treatment because this is already handled by the Veteran’s primary care team.
So, all the money the social worker department through Meg Kabat, Caregiver Support Director, committing fraud, waste and abuse in this program nationwide costing millions of taxpayers dollars could actually be used to already fund the pre 9/11 Veterans. She is intentionally excluding Veterans’ primary care team, authorizing her social workers to make medical determinations, perform 2 clinical eligibility assessments where the first one is solely done by the CSC/social worker and she/he will determine by making a medical determination if you are approved to go through the second clinical eligibility where she/he makes a medical determination of what evaluations and/or test you need but after these are completed she completes the supplemental form which is to make a medical determination to approve/disapprove and assign the tier level. Doctors nor the Veteran’s primary care team are involved and these CSC/social workers are telling Veteran’s primary care team they have no role or responsibilities. The CSC/social workers are violating Veteran’s HIPAA/Privacy rights and VA Privacy Policy by accessing and interrupting Veteran’s medical records and psychotherapy notes to make medical determinations and perform primary care provider clinical responsibilities. They are accessing Veteran’s psychotherapy notes without obtaining a written authorization from the Veteran as mandated by HIPAA/Privacy laws and VA Privacy Policy.
Go to caregiversupport.blog where I have explained the issues and provided by medical records and other documents to support my allegations.
My family caregiver/spouse and I attended another meeting with my VMAC’s Director, Chief of Staff, Patient Advocate and VISN CSC/social worker. No one would provide me an answer to why my primary care team was not involved, didn’t know of the program, wasn’t aware of their clinical responsibilities and still aren’t involved. They have all denied my multiple verbal and written request to allow my primary care team to perform their mandated clinical responsibilities required of them for the PCAFC. The Director, CoS and the VISN CSC/social worker told me they nor other VA employees need my written authorization to access my psychotherapy notes. They are still refusing to listen to our complaint and show them our supporting documents and allowing my primary care team to perform their mandated clinical responsibilities and the Caregiver Support is still telling them lies. I told the CoS it states in the Directive he is responsible for developing all processes and procedures as there are none as the CSC/social workers use verbal processes and procedures and he told me he was ok with how they are running it. He even told me the social workers can make medical determinations and performing medical and mental health clinical responsibilities.
The VISN Director refused our request (we made in Jan 2018) the end of April 2018 for a meeting with her. My VAMC Director refused to our request to meet with just him on both occasions and insisted the CSC/social worker would be present. He has refused both times to listen to our issues and show him anything or read anything out of the governing documents but tells us to do things that are unlawful and against the regulation but he still is refusing any involvement from my primary care team.
I told him we already have 2 confirmed HHS HIPAA/Privacy violations on his VAMC. He just looked at me and insisted we comply or he will remove my spouse from the program.
FRUSTRATED and NO ONE IS HELPING US. SPOKE TO CONGRESSMAN – NO HELP.
To everyone out there who has a “MOM”!
“Happy Mother’s Day!”
It’s an election year. We’ll see if it passes the house. Even if it does, it may not get funded. On the bright side a handful of our intrepid leaders will take credit for at least introducing a bill. And the other good news is, if you’re in Congress, that no one gets blamed if it doesn’t pass. Heck of a system. All the credit for action and no accountability for failure.
OFF TOPIC; To all the mothers out there, HAPPY MOTHERS DAY, I hope you have a wonderful day, your all amazin, and you deserve every good thing you receive today.
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❤•.¸✿¸.•❤•.❀ ԋαρρყ ɱσƚԋҽɾ´ʂ ԃαყ! ❀.•❤•.¸✿¸.•❤
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Later Gators -!ii!-
Thank you.
My opinion only: The reason they will tie this President up in constant investigations, is to keep this administration from investigating them, to do so would look like retaliation.
This last administration has plenty to hide, and they DO NOT want anyone finding out, what they have done. I hope the Iranians RAT THESE TREASONOUS BASTARDS OUT.
BRING BACK PUBLIC EXECUTIONS!!!!!
Being bribed by the Iranians, to make this awful deal, where they get paid 150 BILLION IN CASH?, to then turn around and fund terrorists, to KILL OUR OWN TROOPS?
BRING BACK PUBLIC EXECUTIONS!!!!
I wonder if Bowman will “abuse” this in his new job? My opinion is a resounding “YES!”
Because, we all know “crooks don’t change!” The only try another way to scam others!
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Off topic yet important information!
From “BPR” (“Biz PAC Review”)
Titled:
“Iran threatens to expose Western officials who took bribes to make nuke deal happen”
Dated: “May 13, 2018 | “Vivek Saxena”
“Shortly after President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the Iran nuclear deal last Tuesday, an adviser to a top Iranian official retaliated by dropping a bombshell threat.”
“The threat concerned the president’s plan to reimpose sanctions on Iran:”
“An adviser to H.J.Ansari Zarif, the deputy for parliamentary and Iranian affairs within Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, specifically threatened to expose every corrupt official who accepted bribes to make the Iran deal happen three years ago.” (My note: Maybe this is WHY Kerry is violating the “Logan Act” and wanting the United States to keep the Iran Deal?)
“If Europeans stop trading with Iran and don’t put pressure on US then we will reveal which western politicians and how much money they had received during nuclear negotiations to make #IranDeal happen,” he either said or wrote, according to Hassan Ghashghavi.”
“A Middle East analyst for The Jerusalem Post, Ghashghavi posted the adviser’s threat on his Twitter profile Tuesday afternoon, only about an hour or so after Trump’s announcement.”
“The adviser’s tweet appears to suggest that some Western officials partook in “pay-to-play” schemes by accepting money to support and ultimately sign the deal. The accusation makes perfect sense given that there was no legitimate reason whatsoever to support the horrible one-sided deal pieced together in 2015 by then-President Barack Hussein Obama.”
(My note: The Iran Deal WAS one sided. Because, the real person running Iran was/is “Khomeini”. Plus, NO ONE in Iran “signed the contract!”)
“As noted by Fox News panelist Charles Krauthammer at the time, “The most astonishing thing [about the deal] is that in return, they [Iran] are not closing a single nuclear facility. Their entire nuclear infrastructure is intact.”
“They are going to have the entire infrastructure in place either for a breakout after the agreement expires or when they have enough sanctions relief and they want to cheat and to breakout on their own,” he added.”
“The world got absolutely nothing in return for signing the deal, yet numerous officials across the Western world signed it anyway. Why?”
(My note: “The world may NOT have gotten anything out of this deal!” But, it looks like a small few may have been rewarded financially!)
“Some argue that the whole deal was in effect just a giant bribe, except in reverse — Obama essentially bribed Iran to stop pursuing nuclear weapons. He accomplished this by lifting sanctions and throwing the terror-supporting regime an economic lifeline.”
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From the author of “BizPacReview”
“We know first-hand that censorship against conservative news is real. Please share stories and encourage your friends to sign up for our daily email blast so they are not getting shut out of seeing conservative news.”
(My note: This last paragraph IS definitely in standing for what’s occurring in our Republic! This article needs to be put on the Internet. To show Americans exactly what a few in our Republic have been trying to do!)
Additional information on my previous comment;
“Kowardly John Kerry” was photographed at “L’AVENUE”, in Paris, France, yesterday 12 May 2018, having a “Secret Meeting with three Iranian Diplomats”! According to a witness, he was overheard berating President Trump and discussing the Iran Nuclear Deal!”
(In complete violation of the Logan Act!”)
This is NOT his first meeting with the Iranian Diplomats.
(Side note: To show “Kowardly Kerry’s” continuous disdain for America:
During the Vietnam War, while he was still on “active duty and while in uniform”, he spoke at length of “America’s many violations of the Geneva Convention by our military members!”, at the “Paris Peace Talks”! The “incidents” he discussed were later disputed!)
To Veterans who reads this like the Mission Act?
How is this didderrentfrom myriad laws passed and promptly ignored, corrupted or only given lip service by the VA establishment and management?
Nothing will happen till these piggies are fired, arrested, prosecuted and they money they stold is returned to it’s rightful owner, The Vets who offered to and did give up their lives in defence of their country. RICO EM OUT OF BUSINESS DMMIT ! ! !
Same old spin on more ways to duck U.S. Veterans out of their promised care.
Wow, auto corrected profanity….duck
‘Stupid’ ‘smart phone’