A Win For Those With Als

[ZenArcher]

It's Official!!!

VA to Grant Benefits to All Veterans with ALS

We did it! Tomorrow, September 23, the Veterans Administration will publish regulations officially establishing ALS as a service connected disease! Effective immediately, all veterans with ALS will now have access to the highest level of VA benefits without having to prove that their disease was caused by service in the military.

This is a tremendous victory for all veterans and is the culmination of years of work by The Association, our VA Issue Team and veterans across the country. It is clear that our outreach - testifying before Congress, partnering with the VA, advancing research to identify the connections between ALS and military service and educating the public about this issue - have paid off. The Association has championed legislation (H.R. 5454) that would have established ALS as a service connected disease. However, thanks to our efforts at Advocacy Day and throughout the year, this legislation no longer is needed!

ALL Veterans with ALS Eligible for Benefits

This new policy means that ALL veterans with ALS will receive the benefits they need, deserve and have earned. Importantly, it is broad in scope and applies to all veterans diagnosed with ALS regardless of when or where they served and regardless of when they were diagnosed with the disease following service in the military. A summary of the regulation can be found here. The text of the regulation is available here.

Tomorrow and in the coming days, The ALS Association will post additional information about the regulation, including answers to frequently asked questions, an overview of benefits available to veterans with ALS, as well as guidance veterans can use to obtain service connected veterans benefits.

The ALS Association would like to thank VA Secretary James Peake, Congressman Henry Brown (R-SC) and Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) for their efforts to work with us and the ALS community in support of veterans across the country. We also would like to thank all veterans with ALS whose outreach to Congress has helped make this important benefit possible.

Additional information will be available on our website on September 23. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Advocacy Department at advocacy@alsa-national.org.

[ZenArcher]

The interim final rule is published in the Federal Register and available at: http://frwebgate1.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/P...action=retrieve

[Berta]

WONDERFUL JEFF!!!!!!!

I was very alarmed when the Secretary (Peake) told an ALS vet some time ago at a VAMC to pray that his ALS will become service connectable.

I certainly am a prayer and Believer myself- but God doesn't control the regs-

and the regs CAN be changed when many get involved in writing to their COngressmen/women, and doing active advocacy to change them-

your statement:

"If you think you're too small to make a difference try going to bed with a mosquito"

I am living proof of that-and so are you!

It takes plenty of time, even personal money, lots of dedication and relentless and WE can change the regs.

One of my idols is Nehmer (Beverly Nehmer) a widow -who with NVLSPs help CHANGED the AO regs forever -

Nehmer Court Order and Stipulation-

There are many vets here who are actively involved in changing various regulations- in 38 CFR--

and some spouses and widows like me---

I commend you so much for helping these ALS vets and I know how difficult and frustrating this endeavor can be-until Victory is at hand!

Great Work!

[Berta]

PS ALL- http://www.stardustent.com/ SVR show Wednesday Night- 5:3- CT, 6:30 EST

Jerrel's guest Charles Kelley is one of those advocates trying the change the reps-

and the SVR membership list has other vets who have been on the shows and are doing notable advocacy- such as Denice Nichols, Guilf War vet, Kurt Priessman , AO Thailand aproved vet,John Rossie Blue Water Navy, and many many more-

to trying to change the regulations in 38 CFR that are too limiting to many of you-

[ZenArcher]

What is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis?

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), sometimes called Lou Gehrig's disease, is a rapidly progressive, invariably fatal neurological disease that attacks the nerve cells (neurons) responsible for controlling voluntary muscles. The disease belongs to a group of disorders known as motor neuron diseases, which are characterized by the gradual degeneration and death of motor neurons.

Motor neurons are nerve cells located in the brain, brainstem, and spinal cord that serve as controlling units and vital communication links between the nervous system and the voluntary muscles of the body. Messages from motor neurons in the brain (called upper motor neurons) are transmitted to motor neurons in the spinal cord (called lower motor neurons) and from them to particular muscles. In ALS, both the upper motor neurons and the lower motor neurons degenerate or die, ceasing to send messages to muscles. Unable to function, the muscles gradually weaken, waste away (atrophy), and twitch (fasciculations) . Eventually, the ability of the brain to start and control voluntary movement is lost.

ALS causes weakness with a wide range of disabilities (see section titled "What are the symptoms?"). Eventually, all muscles under voluntary control are affected, and patients lose their strength and the ability to move their arms, legs, and body. When muscles in the diaphragm and chest wall fail, patients lose the ability to breathe without ventilatory support. Most people with ALS die from respiratory failure, usually within 3 to 5 years from the onset of symptoms. However, about 10 percent of ALS patients survive for 10 or more years.

Although the disease usually does not impair a person's mind or intelligence, several recent studies suggest that some ALS patients may have alterations in cognitive functions such as depression and problems with decision-making and memory.

ALS does not affect a person's ability to see, smell, taste, hear, or recognize touch. Patients usually maintain control of eye muscles and bladder and bowel functions, although in the late stages of the disease most patients will need help getting to and from the bathroom.