News Blog

Forward Observer — President Trump signs S. 544, The Veterans Choice Program Extension and Improvement Act

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LVMAC Poster Art 2005Yesterday, the President signed Senate Bill 544 into law.  It extended and amended the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014.  Otherwise, the controversial Veterans Choice (Card) Program would have expired in August, although $1 billion of the original $10 billion remained in the account and the number of veterans enrolled in the VA healthcare system using  private care, under VA direction, had risen from approximately 10 to 33 percent.   Essentially, the bill was a no-brain’er, as no doubt the good senator from Montana, Jon Tester (D), would himself admit.  It was not a remarkable feat on the part of the Congress or the President — or the VA. (more…)

By LVMAC, ago

Forward Observer — VA finally establishes presumptive condition rules for exposure to contaminants in water supply at Camp Lejeune and other Marine Corps locations

VA to provide disability benefits for related diseases

LVMAC Poster Art 2005On 14 March 2017, the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) proposed regulations to establish presumptions for the service connection for eight diseases associated with exposure to contaminants in the water supply at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina became effective.  On September 9, 2016, VA had published in the Federal Register (81 FR 62419) a notice of a proposal to amend 38 CFR 3.307 and 3.309.  The Congress did not intervene. (more…)

By LVMAC, ago

LVMAC News — Lehigh Valley Community Foundation Steps Forth to Assist Our Veterans

lehigh-valley-community-foundationAt the 18 January Council Meeting, Vice President Michael Vath announced the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation had recently awarded our organization a Community Partnership Grant of $5,000 towards its efforts to assist in eliminating homelessness among our Lehigh Valley veterans.  The Foundation, an important and respected part of the warp and woof of this community’s fabric,  whose origin lies 1967 with Bethlehem’s 225th anniversary celebration and the donations of school children and steelworkers among others, promotes philanthropy in order to improve the quality of life in our region, encourage collaboration among area philanthropists, and to serve as a source of information and expertise regarding charitable giving.LVMAC Logo (Best Small PNG)

The funds will be used by the Lehigh Valley Homeless Veterans Action Committee (LVHVAC), an LVMAC coalition whose membership consists of the leading organizations which address the plight of homeless veterans in Lehigh and Northampton counties and are willing to combine their efforts with those of the local Allentown VA Outpatient Clinic’s homeless team, whether or not they are VA contractors.  The committee was formed out of the belief that in order to be successful, outreach, assistance and recovery efforts required more integration and the use of a continuum of care approach in the Lehigh Valley.  There was also a need for a forum where these organizations could sometimes problem-solve together with the local VA. (more…)

By LVMAC, ago