From: FRA NewsBytes
[newsbytes@fra.org]
Sent: Saturday, November 07, 2009 4:22
AM
To: fra@fra367.org
Subject: FRA NewsBytes -- November 6,
2009
This week in NewsBytes
FRA
Participates in Meeting with House Speaker
TRICARE Makes H1N1 Immunizations
Easy for Beneficiaries
House Passes Reform of Spouses Residency
DoD will
not Appeal Widows Court Win in SBP/DIC Case
Important Dates
FRA Participates in Meeting with House Speaker
FRA's
National Executive Director (NED) Joe Barnes attended a roundtable meeting this
week of 30 military and veterans' organization leaders hosted by House Speaker
Nancy Pelosi (Calif.). Twenty-one key House lawmakers attended the
event including Rep. Ike Skelton, Chairman House Armed Services Committee
(HASC), Rep. Susan Davis Chairwoman House Military Personnel Subcommittee, Rep.
Bob Filner (Calif.) Chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, Rep. Chet
Edwards (Texas) Chairman House Military Construction, and Veterans Affairs
Appropriations Subcommittee, and John Spratt Chairman of the House Budget
Committee. The Speaker summarized significant health care and benefit
legislation including passage of FRA-supported legislation (HR 1016) to provide
advanced funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care
services that President Obama recently signed into law. The measure will put VA
health care on a two-year budget cycle and fund Department of Veterans' Affairs
(VA) medical accounts one year in advance. She also announced establishment of
the bipartisan Congressional Military Family Caucus, co-chaired by Rep. Sanford
Bishop (Ga.) and Rep. Cathy McMorris-Rodgers (Wash.). More than 70
Members of the House of Representatives have signed on to become members of the
Caucus, the purpose of which is to foster the interests of family members of the
uniformed services by educating Members of Congress and their staff on the
challenges that military families face on a daily basis
During the
meeting, Rep. Chet Edwards announced that the current Mil. Con/VA appropriations
legislation includes $2.8 billion above the Administration's request to
modernize DoD hospitals and to build new DoD hospitals. He also stated that more
than 8300 additional claims adjusters have been hired by the VA and that the VA
budget has been increased by more than $23 billion since
2007.
TRICARE Makes H1N1 Immunizations Easy for
Beneficiaries
TRICARE has announced that immunizations against the H1N1
virus will soon be available, and recommends beneficiaries take precautions.
TRICARE Prime, Standard and Extra beneficiaries can get their shots from network
and non-network providers without paying a deductible or making a co-payment. A
temporary waiver allows non-active duty TRICARE Prime enrollees to get the H1N1
immunization from non-network providers without a referral or authorization,
eliminating point-of-service charges. Prime enrollees will not be charged a
co-payment or cost share. Active duty service members should follow
the guidance of their respective services.
According to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the vaccine for the seasonal flu is not
expected to protect against H1N1 and the CDC recommends that vaccination is more
critical for certain groups including pregnant women; people who live with or
care for children younger than 6 months; healthcare and emergency medical
services personnel; everyone between the ages of 6 months and 24 years; people
ages 25 through 64 with chronic health disorders or reduced immune systems; and
older people with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, asthma or HIV.
For
more information visit the TRICARE Web site at http://tricare.mil/flu.
House Passes
Reform of Spouses Residency
The House this week passed "The Military
Spouses Residency Relief Act" that amends the Service Members Civil Relief Act
(SCRA) to prohibit, for purposes of voting and taxation, a person losing his/her
residency in a state because the person is accompanying his/her spouse who is
absent from the state in compliance with military orders. The FRA supported
legislation will allow spouses to have the same rights as active duty military
with regards to legal residency. The bill will now go to the
President to be signed into law.
DoD will not Appeal Widows Court Win
in SBP/DIC Case
The Department of Defense (DoD) recently issued a
Memorandum to Director of Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS)
regarding the status of Sharp v United States in which three military surviving
spouses sued to receive both Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) and Dependency and
Indemnity Compensation (DIC) payments without offset, based on their re-marriage
after age 57 and being otherwise entitled to payments under both
programs. The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled in
favor of the plaintiffs. The DoD Memorandum states that the Department will
comply with the court's decision without further appeal, and will treat all
similarly situated surviving spouses the same as the plaintiffs. This
court victory coupled with DoD refusal to appeal could be the first step in an
effort to eventually completely repeal the SBP/DIC offset.
Important
Dates
Marine Corps Birthday
Tuesday, November 10th, is the
234rd birthday of the United States Marine Corps. On that day in
1775, the Second Continental Congress resolved to raise two battalions of
Continental Marines. The formal commemoration of the date began in 1921 by order
of General John A. Lejeune, the 13th Commandant of the Marine Corps.
Veterans' Day
November 11th is Veterans' Day. In accordance
with a long-standing tradition, FRA's National Officers will participate in
Veterans' Day ceremonies around the country. National President Gary Blackburn
will attend ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery, representing the FRA at a
special wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns.
FRA urges
all veterans to express their patriotism and pride on this and other patriotic
holidays by displaying the medals they earned during their military service.
This is intended to remind the American people of the spirit of honor and
dignity in the hearts of those who have served. For more information on wearing
military decorations on civilian attire, go to
www1.va.gov/veteranspride.
FRA National Headquarters will be closed in
honor of Veterans' Day. The regularly scheduled Your Voice teleconference will
not be held in November.
FRA's 85th Birthday
Wednesday,
November 11th is the 85 th anniversary of the Association
being chartered in Philadelphia, Penn. On this occasion, please take time to
share your pride in FRA with friends, family and prospective members. To learn
more about FRA's proud history, please visit www.fra.org/frahistory
____________________________________________________________________
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