Posted on Jun 16, 2016
Why does the GOP believe that giving veterans a 25% disability pay increase is too costly and too difficult?
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On June 15 spoke with Erik Phelps who works for Senator Rounds and posted a copy of his email reply to me. Erik basically said that it would be too expensive and too difficult to give veterans a 25% disability pay increase. He explained ( as if we didn't already know) that the VA spends $79 billion a year in disability pay and to give veterans a 25% disability pay increase would cost $19 billion to give a pay increase. He compared getting the bill passed to getting the zika virus bill passed. He also said that it would be too hard to get Quality Of Life payments and opening up the VA pension to service connected disability passed, because the cost. I will repost the email so you can read it for your self. But before I go any further here is my justification for asking for those things https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CHRG-110hhrg39461/html/CHRG-110hhrg39461.htm
Now looking at what Erik said it would be disheartening because of the cost. But notice he didn't mention that it would only be a $444.50 increase for the average disabled veteran monthly. Some would say that Veterans'disability pay isn't meant to be lived on. Well they would be wrong. A veteran who qualifies for 100% VA disability may qualify for any other type of disability benefits. Because the criteria are so different. In fact 56% of veterans who are 100% disabled service connected are denied social security benefits. Also the VA cannot consider SsDi when awarding disability benefits and SsDi can't consider VA benefits when awarding disability. VA disability benefits are awarded as sole source income and can only consider military benefits. When the VA disability benefit program started it was meant to replace lost potential earnings that was calculated based on the national median income. Today that is around $52,000.00 a year and VA disability for a veteran with a service connected disability rating of 100% is just under $35,000.00 a year.
Do you think that Veterans deserve a 25% disability pay increase regardless of the additional cost?
Do you think veterans who have a service connected disability rating of 100% or permanent and total and are not receiving any military retirement should be able to draw the maximum amount of VA pension?
Do you think Quality Of Life payments should be made to veterans who have a service connected disability rating of 60% or more?
Do you think the Senators should count the cost before talking about going to war?
How do you think the government should cover the increased cost if it were to give the pay raise?
How would the disability pay increase will effect you?
Now looking at what Erik said it would be disheartening because of the cost. But notice he didn't mention that it would only be a $444.50 increase for the average disabled veteran monthly. Some would say that Veterans'disability pay isn't meant to be lived on. Well they would be wrong. A veteran who qualifies for 100% VA disability may qualify for any other type of disability benefits. Because the criteria are so different. In fact 56% of veterans who are 100% disabled service connected are denied social security benefits. Also the VA cannot consider SsDi when awarding disability benefits and SsDi can't consider VA benefits when awarding disability. VA disability benefits are awarded as sole source income and can only consider military benefits. When the VA disability benefit program started it was meant to replace lost potential earnings that was calculated based on the national median income. Today that is around $52,000.00 a year and VA disability for a veteran with a service connected disability rating of 100% is just under $35,000.00 a year.
Do you think that Veterans deserve a 25% disability pay increase regardless of the additional cost?
Do you think veterans who have a service connected disability rating of 100% or permanent and total and are not receiving any military retirement should be able to draw the maximum amount of VA pension?
Do you think Quality Of Life payments should be made to veterans who have a service connected disability rating of 60% or more?
Do you think the Senators should count the cost before talking about going to war?
How do you think the government should cover the increased cost if it were to give the pay raise?
How would the disability pay increase will effect you?
Posted in these groups: 
Politics
Disabled Veterans
Politics Disabled Veterans
Posted 8 y ago
Responses: 31
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One thing that is left out here is that this is tax-free money. That substantially enhances the buying power of the benefit paid to disabled Veterans.
VA Comp is meant to replace a percentage of the earning power that a Veteran might miss out on due to their service-connected injury/illness, not become a sole source of income.
VA Pension is a needs based benefit usually awarded to elderly Veterans with very high medical expenses. Most of the recipients are in a nursing home or receive in-home care.
Paying both is prohibited by law. However, there are situations where a higher amount (sometimes much higher) in Special Monthly Compensation. This is for amputees, paralyzed, or blinded or deafened Veterans. Monthly Compensation for these individuals can approach or exceed $8k per month.
One of the better initiatives in VA is the education and employment assistance offered to Veterans receiving disability compensation. The idea is to help the Veterans find self-worth and fulfilment by training them and matching them with jobs they can do despite their disabilities. Ideally, a Veteran would supplement their income from Comp, and quite possibly prosper and thrive and not just live meagerly from the dole. This is an outstanding program that if I had a magic wand I would see funded even more robustly.
VA Comp is meant to replace a percentage of the earning power that a Veteran might miss out on due to their service-connected injury/illness, not become a sole source of income.
VA Pension is a needs based benefit usually awarded to elderly Veterans with very high medical expenses. Most of the recipients are in a nursing home or receive in-home care.
Paying both is prohibited by law. However, there are situations where a higher amount (sometimes much higher) in Special Monthly Compensation. This is for amputees, paralyzed, or blinded or deafened Veterans. Monthly Compensation for these individuals can approach or exceed $8k per month.
One of the better initiatives in VA is the education and employment assistance offered to Veterans receiving disability compensation. The idea is to help the Veterans find self-worth and fulfilment by training them and matching them with jobs they can do despite their disabilities. Ideally, a Veteran would supplement their income from Comp, and quite possibly prosper and thrive and not just live meagerly from the dole. This is an outstanding program that if I had a magic wand I would see funded even more robustly.
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SPC Terence Q Burns
Quite correct. Too bad many program's that was in place is no longer available because now out government officials are enjoying all of the programs that was available for every SC Veteran including our healthcare!
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It would interfere with giving themselves pay raises and spending more government taxes
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SPC Terence Q Burns
And think about when President Obama was in office. @GOP cut out our services to the tune of $19 Billion dollars to make him look bad. It backfired right back into their faces!
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I would love it- but since the VA can't seem to control it's construction overruns, get rid of dead wood and lousy people- they would just screw it up, and we would suffer a reduction in services.
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SPC Terence Q Burns
Look at all of the current construction project's that are completed and sitting there empty. No one to fill them!
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As someone who works with homeless disabled vets who are trying to live off of their Service Connected Disability, the rising costs of living are not being caught up with. Hell, even myself as a lowly social worker my own SCD claim is needed just to pay my bills. A 25% increase is a drop in the bucket compared to the offset in cost with access to additional resources, less stress which can reduce drug and alcohol dependency not to mention the obvious increase in mood.
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Not going to go into the funding issues or the politics behind them. Way above my pay grade.
What I know, at least when I retired in 2014, is that DoD enlisted the help of Dept of Labor to deliver transition training to military personnel leaving, regardless of retirement or separation under honorable conditions. Required training was a week, and included a fairly extensive session on how to apply for VA disability. Contractors advised us on how to best work the VA. Apnea was brought up, I certainly had a problem with that. I have it, but not as a result of my Marine Corps service so didn't claim it. I used to scratch $1 tickets with a GySgt (Ret infantry Vietnam) who still has shrapnel in his leg. He refuses disability funding to make sure those who need it get what they need to be better. He is a good man, and changed my outlook
What I know, at least when I retired in 2014, is that DoD enlisted the help of Dept of Labor to deliver transition training to military personnel leaving, regardless of retirement or separation under honorable conditions. Required training was a week, and included a fairly extensive session on how to apply for VA disability. Contractors advised us on how to best work the VA. Apnea was brought up, I certainly had a problem with that. I have it, but not as a result of my Marine Corps service so didn't claim it. I used to scratch $1 tickets with a GySgt (Ret infantry Vietnam) who still has shrapnel in his leg. He refuses disability funding to make sure those who need it get what they need to be better. He is a good man, and changed my outlook
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Because most of the GOP are college graduates and their only concept of Military Training is Gomer Pyle and he was a good Acting Marine. What should be asked is "what was your experience while going through the MEBD process".
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You must understand they only provide lip service. Their concerns are with their wealthy donors not the folks who protect and serve this country. You can tell when they are telling a lie just watch when their lips are moving then you know they lying.
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Most mental health sufferers won't be honest about their condition. That explains why they talk about how they garmed the system. Who wants to announce to the world that they have metal health condition. I guarantee you people around you will slowly and surely start to avoid you. How many of you have a best friend that is dealing with severe mental health . Let me answer it for you "none" . So they are afraid of rejection . Let the proffesionals deal with diagnosis
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Rather than a pay raise, how about revamping the notorious "VA math"? Even altering it slightly by rounding up instead of down would equate to hundreds of more dollars to Disabled Veterans. In addition, politicians can technically say that they did not bless off on a pay raise. Both parties win...
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