From: FRA NewsBytes [Newsbytes@fra.org]
Sent: Saturday, November 21, 2009 2:35 AM
To: fra@fra367.org
Subject: FRA NewsBytes -- 11-20-09
In this week's NewsBytes:
House Votes to Stop Medicare/TRICARE Cuts
DOD, VA Announce Disability Evaluation System Pilot Expansion
USMC Appoints Enlisted Military Fellows on Capitol Hill
Senate Approves Mil.Con/VA Spending Bill with Advanced Funding  
Stop Loss Payments Begin
Are you on Facebook?
FRA NHQ Closed for Thanksgiving


House Votes to Stop Medicare/TRICARE Cuts
The House passed "The Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act" (H.R. 3961) this week before leaving for the Thanksgiving Day recess. The measure seeks to halt a 21-percent cut in Medicare and TRICARE reimbursement rates scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2010. Unless this rate cut is eliminated or delayed, many doctors are expected to stop seeing Medicare and TRICARE patients.

The Association thanks the 1,891 Shipmates that used the FRA Action Center this week to contact their U.S. Representatives on this important issue.  The bill, which includes a 1.2-percent reimbursement increase, now goes to the Senate for further consideration.


DOD, VA Announce Disability Evaluation System Pilot Expansion
The Departments of Defense (DoD) and Veterans Affairs (VA) announced this week that beginning in January 2010, the Disability Evaluation System (DES) pilot program for wounded warriors will expand to six additional installations across the country.  The program is testing a new process aimed at eliminating the duplicative, time-consuming, and often confusing elements of the DoD and VA disability systems.  Key elements of the DES pilot program include one medical examination and a single-sourced disability rating. More than 5,431 service members have participated since the program's inception in November 2007.

The new locations will include: Fort Benning, Ga.; Fort Bragg, N.C.; Fort Hood, Texas; Fort Lewis, Wash.; Fort Riley, Kan.; and Portsmouth Naval Medical Center, Va. The six-site expansion is scheduled to be complete by March 31, 2010, and is expected to increase the number of beneficiaries participating in the pilot program by 20 percent. When complete, 27 military facilities will be using the pilot program, including the original three in the national capital region and 18 additional sites designated in October 2008.

This FRA-supported program was authorized by the National Defense Authorization Act of 2008 and stems from the recommendations made by the Task Force on Returning Global War on Terrorism Heroes, the Independent Review Group, the President's Commission on Care for America's Returning Wounded Warriors (the Dole/Shalala Commission), and the Veterans' Disability Benefits Commission (VDBC).  


USMC Appoints Enlisted Military Fellows on Capitol Hill
For the second consecutive year, the Marine Corps has selected two senior enlisted members to serve as Congressional Legislative Fellows, positions previously held exclusively by officers. Master Gunnery Sergeant Will Mahoney (assigned to the staff of Arkansas Rep. Vic Snyder, House Veterans Affairs and House Armed Services Committees) and Gunnery Sergeant Hector Soto-Rodriguez (not yet assigned) have been selected for the 2010 program.  They follow in the footsteps of last year's selectees, Master Sergeant William "Spanky" Gibson (a wounded warrior who served on the staff of Indiana Rep. Steve Buyer, Ranking Member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee) and Gunnery Sergeant Bradley Simmons (served on the staff of Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee). FRA applauds the appointment of senior enlisted personnel to the Fellows program and provides a briefing on the legislative process to the incoming fellows.

The Congressional Legislative Fellows program is well established on Capitol Hill and is utilized by all branches of the uniformed services. The year-long program is designed to provide select service members with a comprehensive understanding of the legislative process by serving as staff for a member of Congress and offering the benefit of their military experience.


Senate Approves Mil.Con/VA Spending Bill with Advanced Funding  
The Senate this week unanimously approved the FY2010 Military Construction -Veterans Affairs (MilCon/VA) spending bill (H.R.3082) that includes $48.2 billion for advanced funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care programs for FY 2011. Authorization of the two-year budget cycle was signed by President Obama in late October, but funding must be approved through separate legislation. FRA strongly supports this two-year appropriations policy, which will ensure the continuity of staffing and health care services delivered through the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).

The Senate-passed MilCon/VA appropriations bill designates $134 billion overall and the House version spends $132 billion - both of which exceed the Administration's request of $130 billion. A conference committee will resolve differences between the two measures and draft a conference report that must be approved by both the House and Senate before being sent to the White House for approval.    


Stop Loss Payments Begin
Last year Congress authorized $500 bonuses for each month (or portion thereof) that a service member is retained on active duty beyond their enlistment commitment or retirement date due to "Stop Loss" orders.  Those bonuses are now available retroactively to personnel who served on active duty between Sept. 11, 2001, and Sept. 30, 2009. Eligible personnel must submit applications and Stop Loss documentation to their respective service by Oct. 21, 2010. Family members of deceased personnel may also be eligible and should contact the appropriate military service for assistance. For more information, e-mail:

Navy:  NXAG_N132C@navy.mil
Marine Corps: stoploss@usmc or visit https://www.manpower.usmc.mil/stoploss.


Are you on Facebook?
FRA is shooting for 100 Facebook fans by the end of this week. Go to www.fra.org/fb and login to your Facebook account. Click "Become a fan" and show your Facebook friends your appreciation for FRA! It's a great way to post pictures, share links of interest, discuss important topics and keep in touch with friends. Please pass the shortcut link to everyone you know on Facebook!


FRA NHQ Closed for Thanksgiving
In observance of Thanksgiving, FRA National Headquarters will be closed Thursday, November 26, and Friday, November 27. The office will be open Monday, November 30, 2009, and the next issue of Newsbytes will be December 4, 2009.

____________________________________________________________________

To share your views on these and other important topics, visit www.fra.org/discuss and click on "News."

Follow FRA on Twitter (FRAHQ) and become a fan of FRA on Facebook. Use the shortcut of www.fra.org/fb

FRA is the oldest and largest association representing the interests of current and former Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard personnel. If you are not a member and are eligible, please join FRA at www.fra.org. The larger the membership base, the louder your voice is heard on Capitol Hill!

NewsBytes is FRA's weekly legislative update. If you received this through a forward and would like to subscribe, please e-mail newsbytes@fra.org with "Subscribe" in the subject line and your name and address in the body. If you are a member of FRA or LA FRA, please include your member number as well.

If you would like to hear a recorded version of NewsBytes, dial 1-800-FRA-1924 (ext. 112).