Movement on new VA Secretary to add HBP to AO presumptives

[Berta]

John Plahovinsak: Disabled war veterans waiting for long overdue action | The Clermont Sun

 

In part:

"Over 150,000 Vietnam War veterans are waiting for a decision from Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Denis McDonough to obtain VA benefits they earned for their medical conditions. This decision would be to add hypertension to the list of medical conditions presumed to be caused by exposure to Agent Orange."

 

"During McDonough’s Senate Confirmation Hearing and first news briefing, he said he felt the urgency to act on the hypertension issue. He pledged to look at the scientific evidence, rather than the cost. “Inevitably people focus first on the cost. I want to focus first on the facts and the data and what we know,” stated the new VA Secretary."

I am contacting John Plahovinsak to get more info. I dont know where he got the 150,000 amount. 

If enough veterans get involved in this then many might see AO HBP SCed in their lifetime.

[Berta]

John Plahovinsak is a 32-year Army veteran. He serves as State Commander of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and as Adjutant of DAV Chapter #63 (Clermont County, Ohio.) He can be contacted at plahovinsak@msn.com.

John just called me and will get back to me with the questions I sent to him-I deleted my first post on this-because the pressure has to build to get this going.

I hope also I get some answers to my question earrlier  under AO HBP- to find out if anyone here has also filed for AO HBP with the NAS report.

 

 

 

[Berta]

In response to John's call to me, we both have realized long ago that many of the Blue Water Navy veterans , or their survivors are still unaware of the Blue Water Navy AO regulations.

Blue Water Navy veterans with AO Presumptives also fall under Nehmer and Footnote One.

NVLSP will review their decision , when they get a decision and contact NVLSP, to make sure their EED is correct.

 

So it is no secret that the 150,000 vets mentioned in his article might well be more than that and they had no statistics on survivors claims of AO vets, as to filing accrued for AO HBP.

Also I asked here if anyone here has filed for a AO HBP claim.....???

https://www.va.gov/vetapp20/files6/a20009598.txt

 

HBP due to AO granted.

https://www.va.gov/vetapp20/files10/20068096.txt

 

HBP due to AO granted.

 

https://www.va.gov/vetapp20/files10/20070577.txt

HBP due to AO granted.

 

This information from the CDC startled me:

 

I had no idea of how many deaths were listed as having HBP as the primary or contributing cause of death in the US.

 

It reveals to me how important it is to get a SC rating for HBP, because a survivor, with a death certificate that shows the primary or secondary cause of death, as HBP ,might have an easier time of obtaining SC death ( DIC) and, of course, if the Secretary decides to put HBP formally on the AO presumptive list, that too would ensure DIC, if no other AO disability caused or contributed to their death.

 

 

 

 

• "Having hypertension puts you at risk for heart disease and stroke, which are leading causes of death in the United States.2
• In 2018, nearly half a million deaths in the United States included hypertension as a primary or contributing cause.2
• Nearly half of adults in the United States (108 million, or 45%) have hypertension defined as a systolic blood pressure ≥ 130 mm Hg or a diastolic blood pressure ≥ 80 mm Hg or are taking medication for hypertension.3
• Only about 1 in 4 adults (24%) with hypertension have their condition under control.3"

 

https://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/facts.htm

PS :I had my first Covid vaccine and most of the other people, waiting for their vaccine ,at the pharmacy ,were unable  to use a  computer and it took them quite a bit of time to know where they could get an appointment.

I assume none of them were veterans because VAMCs are vaccinating their veterans who are in the VA health care system.

But vets who might have AO presumptives under the most recent regulations, or under the BWN AO regs, and even the eventual HBP (hopefully) AO HBP regulations-might never learn of these benefits they might be eligible for.... a well as their survivors.

Edited March 15, 2021 by Berta
added more

[GBArmy]

Great info share on A.O. by Berta, as usual.

[Berta]

Thanks GBA-the  Agent Orange issue had been the most important veteran's issue of my life.

I have written to every VA Secretary since 1991 and realized that at least 4 of them responded to me-on multiple issues.

I can make a strong case for AO HBP- if anyone else is interested in this issue you can write to 

Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis Richard McDonough

Department of Veterans Affairs 

810 Vermont Ave., NW 
Washington, DC 20420

( That is Denis , not Dennis)

And you should address the letter to:

Dear Honorable Secretary McDonough, 

I will be preparing my letter this week- Wilkie sent my last letter to my RO-

but former Secretary Shulkin took action on a letter I sent to him  and that is why we have a regulation that states a CUE can be filed at any time. They changed M21-1MR right away.

I have filed CUEs on decisions within the appeal period. Often the very next day.

Maybe I will get lucky with a strong letter to the new Secretary.

We already have commonality- we are both civilians.So was former Secretary David Shulkin.