BLINKEN LAUNCHES
THREE-PRONGED ATTACK ON
CRISIS FACING IDAHO VETERANS

Senate candidate calls for private healthcare providers to help Idaho Veterans, for support for "concurrent receipt" measure, and for a guaranteed level of Veterans funding

(BOISE) - U.S. Senate candidate Ambassador Alan Blinken today released his proposal to address the crisis facing Idaho's Veterans. The proposal:
1) calls on private local hospitals and physicians to help with the unacceptable backlog of Veterans awaiting care through the Veteran's Administration;
2) supports current legislation addressing disability disbursements to retired Veterans; and
3) supports legislation that guarantees the level of funding the Veterans Health Department receives.

"Some Idaho Veterans report wait times of two years in some instances to get an appointment with the VA. And there is a chance that some Veterans with low priority classification may never get an appointment," Blinken said. "That's not just a bad system, that's a crime."

"In Idaho, Veterans agencies have reported about an 82 percent occupancy rate for state facilities while nationwide, our private rural hospitals are 60 percent empty and our private urban hospitals are 40 percent empty ," said Blinken. "Locally, we see our hospitals advertising their services and physicians opening new practices actively seeking new patients. I recognize that this situation is very complex, but I firmly believe that with the innovative help of private healthcare providers and a focused U.S. Senator, we can find a way to immediately get our Veterans the care they deserve until a long-term solution is found."

"Our Veterans signed a contract with our government. They fulfilled their end of the agreement and we, as a nation, are honor-bound to live up to our end," said Blinken. "A couple of months ago in Post Falls I met Bob Griffith. Bob is a World War II Veteran who told me a story that, unfortunately, is all too common in Idaho. Bob wasn't feeling well so he went to his local doctor. The doctor determined that Bob suffers from diabetes. Bob's doctor prescribed some medication, but when Bob went to have it filled he found out that he really couldn't afford it. Not to worry, his physician said, you're a vet, just call the VA and they can get you the medication for a lot less. So Bob calls the VA and they say, 'No problem, we just have to have you checked out by one of our physicians and we can get you taken care of.' Bob then asks when he can get an appointment and the VA says, '18 months.' Bob Griffith won't make it 18 months. We need to re-write the rules to allow the VA to accept Bob's local doctor's diagnosis and streamline the process so the Veterans of our state can get the attention they need and the care they've earned."

Blinken also announced his support for measures such as S. 170 and S. 2051, congressional legislation that would allow Veterans to receive both their retired pay and disability pay. Under the current law regarding Concurrent Receipt retired military personnel are required to forfeit an equal part of their retirement pay in order to receive disability compensation from the VA.

"Approximately 3,000 Veterans in Idaho alone suffer under the current situation. I've talked to some who are even forced to take second or third jobs to cover their medical expenses," said Blinken. "It is shameful that this country is playing games with the very people who have made the freedom we enjoy today possible. We must immediately pass the Concurrent Receipt measure and do right by our Veterans."

And Blinken announced he would support S. 2903, the "Veterans Health Care Funding Guarantee Act of 2002," a bill that makes available to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2004 120 percent of the amount obligated during FY 2002. After FY 2004 the budget is adjusted based on the number of enrolled Veterans, the number of others eligible for and provided care, as well as the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index.

"It's crazy that our Veterans have to go begging each year back to the Appropriations Committee," said Blinken. "They know how many Veterans they're serving as well as how many are eligible. It makes a lot of sense to me to support legislation that will help stabilize the Veterans' budget and therefore the overall system."

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A THREE-PRONGED ATTACK ON THE
CRISIS FACING IDAHO'S VETERANS

This proposal addresses the immediate crisis facing Veteran health care in Idaho. There are three levels of action required:

Utilizing Private Healthcare Providers
The Veterans' administration has an enormous backlog, but there is a nationwide surplus of private hospital beds and services. We must work with these private providers to get our Veterans the services they've earned and the attention they deserve.

· Voluntary program where private hospitals would temporarily accept Veterans at VA reimbursement levels
· Idaho Veterans face wait times that could run to two years in extreme cases, while local healthcare providers have availability
· Idaho Veterans' facilities are running at about an 82 percent occupancy rate
· Nationwide, occupancy rates for private rural hospitals run about 40 percent, and 60 percent for private urban hospitals

Support of "Concurrent Receipt" Measure
The fact that thousands of retired and disabled Veterans in Idaho do not receive both the full amounts of their retirement and disability benefits puts even a greater strain on both the Veterans and the VA. This could be remedied by legislative action. Examples of bills that would remedy the situation are S. 170, the "Retired Pay Restoration Act of 2001" (Concurrent Receipt) measure presented last year, and S. 2051, presented this year. Alan Blinken not only supports measures such as these but he will fight for their passage.

· Current law requires those who retire from military service to forfeit an equal part of their retired pay to receive disability compensation from the VA.
· Legislation pending before Congress allows for dual compensation of Veteran's disability benefits and military retirement benefits without reduction.
· One-third of the 10,700 retired Veterans in Idaho are disabled and often forced to take second jobs to supplement military retirement pay .

Support for Guaranteed Funding of Veterans Health Services
The case can be made, both anecdotally and empirically that the current Veterans health system is in chaos.

One way to help stabilize the department and the system is to ensure passage of legislation such as S. 2903, the "Veterans Health Care Funding Guarantee Act of 2002."

The Act Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to :
· Make available to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for programs, functions, and activities of the Veterans Health Administration for FY 2004 120 percent of the amount obligated during FY 2002.
· Adjust the amount provided after FY 2004 based on the number of enrolled Veterans and the number of others eligible for and provided care and the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index.