tdiu Iu Issue From Senate Member-

[Guest Berta]

I just received this from one of our former members-

havent read it all-

the idea seems to sound absurd---

http://veterans.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseA...ear=2005&id=295

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CRAIG WANTS VA TO HELP UNEMPLOYED VETERANS FIND WORK

October 28, 2005

Contact: Jeff Schrade (202)224-9093

(Washington, DC) With a dramatic rise in the number of veterans deemed unemployable, the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs took a look Thursday at what is driving the increase, and what steps can be taken to help those that can still work get the help they need.

At the hearing the Government Accountability Office reported that from fiscal years 1999 to 2004, the number of veterans receiving unemployability benefits more than doubled, from 95,000 to 197,000. There are now over 221,000 veterans who have been deemed unemployable by the VA.

(See pictures from the hearing by clicking on: 2005 - October 27 - Employability hearing. To watch the hearing on-line, Click Here to View Hearing.)

"With today’s modern technologies, individuals with disabilities have more opportunities than ever before to become productive members of society," said Chairman Larry Craig. "While the unemployability benefit may certainly be appropriate for some, the presumption must be that every individual with disabilities can overcome barriers to employment. A positive, employment-oriented attitude towards veterans with disabilities must be VA’s focus, and the eligibility assessment for IU should reflect that attitude."

Individual Unemployability, or IU, is a benefit paid to veterans with disabilities rated between 60-90 percent disabling and is granted when the veteran's individual circumstances suggest that gainful employment is unlikely because of the disability.

"The IU benefit should be viewed as the benefit of last resort," Craig said. "I reject the notion, put forth by some at the hearing, that veterans with disabilities can’t work, that we shouldn’t waste resources even making the effort to try, and that looking for work is somehow demeaning. We should provide people with every opportunity for financial growth."

Cynthia Bascetta, Director of the GAO’s Education, Workforce, and Income Security Issues department told the committee that the VA could learn more from the private sector when dealing with people who have been deemed unemployable.

"Incorporating return-to-work practices could help VA modernize its disability program to enable veterans to realize their full productive potential without jeopardizing the availability of benefits for people who cannot work," Bascetta said.

That is just what the Chairman said he wants.

"I see a generation of people today, coming home, with substantial impairments, but with high hopes that they’re going to go back to productive lives. We ought to be doing everything we can to optimize those opportunities," Craig said.

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<<September 2005 October 2005

November 2005>>

28th - SENATE CONFIRMS THREE FORMER SENATE STAFFERS TO VA POSTS

28th - CRAIG WANTS VA TO HELP UNEMPLOYED VETERANS FIND WORK

25th - EXPLOSIVE GROWTH OF DISABLED VETERANS DEEMED UNEMPLOYABLE, TO BE EXAMINED THURSDAY

20th - VA OFFICIALS PLEDGE "INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY" REORGANIZATION TO THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS

19th - 16 YEAR OLD LIVING IN GERMANY GETS U.S. SENATE PAGE POSITION THROUGH CHAIRMAN LARRY CRAIG

18th - VA’S INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TO BE HEARING FOCUS THURSDAY

12th - NEW MOBILE MRI MACHINE WILL AID VETERANS AND SERVICE PERSONNEL IN SOUTHWEST IDAHO

5th - SENATE VOTES TO AWARD CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL TO THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN

3rd - SEN. CRAIG’S BILL SEEKS TO PRESERVE DIGNITY OF ARLINGTON AND OTHER NATIONAL CEMETERIES

3rd - U.S. SENATE HONORS VA EMPLOYEES FOR HURRICANE EFFORTS

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Edited November 7, 2005 by Berta

[Guest allanopie]

>Do you think they will try to take away from people over 65? Please post yours thoughts on this question.

I think if they are looking at taking away the benefits from disabled vets who's Dr's have already declared them unemployable & combat vets with PTSD, that "age" won't matter much. My guess they will try to renig on paying out military retirement, just like the corporations have done to their employees.

TDIU veterans are not unemployed. They ain't out of work people, they are" disabled". What the heck is wrong with the minds of these Republicans? Why do they "TARGET" those in our society, that need it the most?

This is what they come up with and call it,"cost saving"? More like a mugger robbing the blind if you ask me. We pay taxes in this country to make sure certain things are taken care of. Caring for the well being of our troops & our disabled veterans, is one of them. Maybe the Republican party should try excepting their responsibilities & do their job for a change, instead cheating our people out of it, by claiming the sick, the injured & the disabled are all cheating the government.

Completely lie to to the people over why we're at war in the first place, than stick it to those risking their lives? Think it won't effect your political career? Think again!

[timetowinarace]

First, I agree that this is aimed at the younger vets. They are not going to spend the time and money to make older vets "employable". It is self defeating. Not only that, I'm quite sure that they realize that the older age group will fight very hard to keep what they have had to fight so hard for in the first place.

Next, while incentives sound good and fair on the surface, anyone that has had to go through the process of recieving these beniffits is not likely to risk them on the promise of the government. If the fight to RECIEVE benifitts is this bad, why would I voluntarily set myself up for a fight to keep them? I no longer believe there is a government agency out there to help me. For 14 years I basically have been called a liar. What if I tried a program and made that $1000 a month for a year, and it did not work out? Am I to be called a liar for another 14 years? It's not a matter of comfort. It is a matter of risk management. And the government IS NOT a good risk.

Time

[Jay Johnson]

First, I agree that this is aimed at the younger vets. They are not going to spend the time and money to make older vets "employable". It is self defeating. Not only that, I'm quite sure that they realize that the older age group will fight very hard to keep what they have had to fight so hard for in the first place.

Next, while incentives sound good and fair on the surface, anyone that has had to go through the process of recieving these beniffits is not likely to risk them on the promise of the government. If the fight to RECIEVE benifitts is this bad, why would I voluntarily set myself up for a fight to keep them? I no longer believe there is a government agency out there to help me. For 14 years I basically have been called a liar. What if I tried a program and made that $1000 a month for a year, and it did not work out? Am I to be called a liar for another 14 years? It's not a matter of comfort. It is a matter of risk management. And the government IS NOT a good risk.

Time

Couple of points (since this is my idea:-):

1) You would be locked into your current rating...be it TDIU or 100% scheduler, so your future benefits will NOT be in question. Without this absolute and concrete guarantee, the plan will not work.

2) You would not HAVE to work, nor would you have to continue working once you started, which leads me to point 3....

3) If you made 1k/mnth in 2005 and the VA reduces your 2006 benefits by said amount, but you were no longer able to work in 2006, there could be a couple steps taken: A) Have an emergency program available to which the veteran could prove work was terminated and the prior years income would be waved. ;) A veteran could elect to have any money recieved from working put into a VA account so that the following year's reduction will be compensated by your own earnings C) If you lose your job you can elect to spread your prior year's income over a longer period (say 5 yrs), so the reduction is less noticeable.

No doubt there would have to be many kinks worked out, but my wife's civilian psychiatrist (during a hospital visit) made a really good point...the psych said that, "The patient has an incentive NOT to improve her quality of life, which makes treatment and prognosis difficult". Though I honestly believe that 99.9% of severaly disabled PTSD vets will not be able to maintain gainful employment, I do believe that having the freedom to seek said employment and the safety that comes with a locked rating would help increase the vet's quality of life, if nothing else. I'm sure you PTSD vets will back me up when I say that you struggle every day with an overwhelming desire to contribute to society and that one of the biggest causes of your depression is the feeling of being a drain on your family, friends and country (justified or not). I also feel that the fear of the VA taking your money away contributes to some of these issues and your lack of willingness to try new things (even if it's something simple like going to the movies or spending a day with family at the beach)....a locked rating would all but erase these fears and give you PTSD folks a sense that you CAN if you want, but you don't have to (essentailly removing that overwhelming sense of fear I know you have).

[john999]

If I could seek employment I would, but I would never trust the government not to go after my benefits. Once you show that you can hold a job you would be painting a big target on yourself. There is no incentive to get better, but by the time you get IU you are in pretty bad shape anyway. How many citizens get fixed pensions anymore ? $2400 a month is not that much but it arrives every month on time and the company (USA) is not likely to go bankrupt and shed its pension obligations like major US corporations are doing.

I see where you are coming from, however, Jay. It would be a good thing if you could trust the government not to screw those who participated. I don't trust them as far as I can throw them.

[wallyg]

John999,

If you think that the USA won't go bankrupt anytime soon, then you haven't been reading the economic news. Anytime that China wants to, it can send the USA into bankruptcy.

[Guest phubai70]

Govt bankruptcy may in fact be possible. But, alas we'll just print new bucks.