Lancaster County Website
Lancaster County Website
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VA LAUNCHES FOUR HEPATITIS C CENTERS VA funded four new centers to evaluate and improve hepatitis C screening, testing, clinical care and education. They will spearhead efforts to improve care, educate veterans and health care professionals, and evaluate current programs. Ultimately, these efforts will benefit all Americans affected by Hepatitis C. Each of the centers will receive annual funding of up to $500,000 for five years, plus start-up costs. The centers are located at Minneapolis, San Francisco, West Haven, CT., and Seattle, in conjunction with the Portland, OR. VA Medical Center. ATTENTION EX-POWs: Some 42,000 former prisoners of war are still living; yet only 35% are receiving VA benefits. For instance, VA provides disability compensation for more than 20 health conditions tied to wartime captivity. But many ex-POWs are unaware of these presumptive medical maladies. If you were a POW in any war, and need special assistance, contact: Fred L. Campbell, National Service Officer, American Ex-Prisoners of War, 3312 Chatterton Drive, San Angelo, TX 76904. Tel: (915) 944-4002. JANUARY 21, 2003 VA'S 2003 ENROLLMENT DECISION The VA is no longer accepting new higher income veterans for enrollment. A veteran who applies for enrollment on or after January 17, 2003, and is assigned to Priority Group 8, will not be accepted for enrollment. Under the decision, Priority Group 8 veterans already enrolled in VA's health care system can continue to receive care. No veteran already enrolled will be affected. WHICH VETERANS MAKE UP THE PRIORITY GROUP 8? Veterans in Priority Group 8 have no compensable service-connected disability or other status making them eligible for a higher priority category and have annual incomes above both national and georgraphic means tests. Veterans in this Priority Group have incomes that exceed $24,644 in 2003 for a single veteran and $29,576 for a veteran with a single dependent and that also exceed a geographically based income threshold set by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for public housing benefits. Information about the HUD threshold is available at http://www.hud.gov/renting/phprog.cfm. Veterans in the Lancaster County area may contact this office or call the VA Medical Center, Lebanon, (800) 409-8771. Based on a recent report from the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine, released on January 23rd this year, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) has determined that a positive association exists between exposure to herbicides and the subsequent development of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia(CLL). Those Vietnam War veterans who were on the ground in South Vietnam and are suffering the effects of CLL, may be entitled to health care and other benefits from the VA. A draft regulation has been prepared which will amend 38 C.F.R. 3.309(e), adding CLL as a presumptive disease associated with exposure to herbicides. For further information contact this office or call the VA Regional Office in Philadelphia, PA at (800) 827-1000 for details.
Note: The Director of Veterans' Affairs is appointed by the Lancaster County Board of Commissioners.
Content Last Modified on 1/11/2010 12:19:48 PM |
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