2011 winter sports clinic what’s · peter moore wayne ross dustin soroka jim wallack neal...
TRANSCRIPT
InsideWhat’s
President’sReport
3
GovernmentRelations Report
4
Service OfficersReport
5
Sports & Recreation
6
New England VA News
8
PVA News9
VA News12
The NewsleTTer of The New eNglaNd ChapTer paralyzed VeTeraNs of ameriCaMarch 2011 Vol. LXI, #3
a member ChapTer of The paralyzed VeTeraNs of ameriCa – CharTered by The CoNgress of The uNiTed sTaTes
CORD WORDCORD WORD
continued on page �
By Mike Guilbault
From January 10-14th, the 14th Annual
WSC was held at Mount Sunapee, NH.
This was the largest turnout ever, and
I’m happy to report we had great weather with
a blizzard bringing us fresh powder. Also, the
entire event went off injury free. One great line
mentioned during the week was, “I went to bed
in New Hampshire, woke up in Colorado.”
(OK, now that’s funny stuff.) We squeezed in a
record 58 veterans plus their family members;
138 volunteers registered for the event, and it
took 4,688 hours of their time to pull this event
off. That’s more than two people working full
time for a whole year, but when everyone shares
the load, it makes the load light and good things
happen! There was kayaking, sled hockey, snow-
mobiling, basketball, karaoke, cross country
(Nordic) skiing, air rifle shooting, a fantastic
dinner hosted by Colby Sawyer College, plenty
of fantastic downhill
(Alpine) skiing and a
closing banquet with
awards and a great
slideshow of the week’s
action. Many thanks
to NEHSA and all the
wonderful volunteers
who make this event
possible from the time
we get there until the
time we leave. Co-
Founders Tony Santilli
and Ralph Marche can
be very proud of the
fantastic week they
organize for the veterans annually.
This was my 14th time attending the Winter
Sports Clinic. I’m proud to say I’ve been taught
plenty through the years progressing from a bi-
ski to independently skiing a mono-ski. When
applications come out for next year, be sure and
return yours promptly. We unfortunately had to
turn some people away this year since there is a
limit to how many this event can host. If you’ve
never been I do recommend you give it a try.
Never say you can’t do something until you’ve
given it a try. I was happy to see many first time
attendees and I’m betting they’ll be returning
again. In addition to all the sporting activities,
the greatest joy of the week comes from bond-
ing with our fellow veterans and the great vol-
unteers. The camaraderie makes us all one big
2011 Winter Sports Clinic
L to R monoskiers: John Devine, Ed Dusick, Bill Sturgis and Mike Guilbault
with volunteers. (Photographs courtesy of Dawn Norris.)
Cord Word March 2011
www.nepva.org
PARALYZED VETERANS of AMERICA
NEW ENGLAND CHAPTERNEPVA ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE
1600 PROVIDENCE HIGHWAY-SUITE 143WALPOLE, MA 02081
TEL: (508) 660-1181, 1-(800) 660-1181FAX: (508) 668-9412; e-mail: [email protected]
web: www.nepva.orgOffice Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00am-4:30pm
NEPVA OFFICERSPresident, Craig CascellaVice President, Debra FreedSecretary, Debra FreedTreasurer, Charles SchenaNational Director, Craig Cascella
EXECUTIVE BOARD John BrakoBrad CarlsonWalter FarringtonPeter Moore Wayne RossDustin SorokaJim WallackNeal Williams
NATIONAL SERVICE OFFICEPARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA
BOSTON VA REGIONAL OFFICEJ.F.K. FEDERAL BUILDING - Room - 1575 C
BOSTON, MA 02203TEL: (617) 303-1395 & 1-800-795-3607
Fax: (617) 723-7467
Sr. Benefits Advocate, Joseph E. BadzmierowskiSenior Secretary, Ann Marie Wallace
Cord Word is published twelve times a year by the New England Chapter Paralyzed Veterans of America, 1600 Providence Hwy., Suite 143, Walpole, MA 02081 in the interest of Chapter members. Membership in NEPVA entitles you to a free subscription to Cord Word. Articles published in Cord Word do not necessarily reflect the views of the Paralyzed Veterans of America, New England Chapter. NEPVA neither endorses nor guarantees any of the products or services advertised herein. Postmaster: send changes of address to NEPVA, 1600 Providence Hwy., Suite 143, Walpole, MA 02081
Monthly meetings are held every first Wednesday of the month at the NEPVA office in Walpole, Ma. The executive board meets at 10:30 a.m. Followed by the regular membership meeting at 1:00 p.m.
PROGRAM DIRECTORSDevelopment Director, Craig CascellaMembership Officer, Craig CascellaMS Liaison, John BrakoCommunity Outreach, Mike GuilbaultNEPVA Peer Mentor Rep., Mike GuilbaultScholarship Chairman, Craig CascellaSports Director, Brad CarlsonAssistant Sports Director, Mike GuilbaultBass Trail Liaison, Jim WallackWeb Master, Thomas DoddWomen Veterans’ Liaison, Debra FreedVolunteer Chairman, Judy Goldstein
Hospital Liaisons Brockton, MA VAMC, Craig CascellaWest Roxbury, MA VAMC, Craig CascellaNorthampton, MA VAMC, Tim KellyProvidence, RI VAMC, Craig CascellaManchester, NH VAMC, Walter Farrington West Haven, CT VAMC, Richard FranoWhite River Jct, VT VAMC, Al FentonTogus, ME VAMC, Neal Williams
STAFFCord Word Editor, Judy GoldsteinGovernment Relations Director, Debra FreedAdministrative Assistant, Judy GoldsteinBookkeeper, Jeri FarinellaCord Word Design, Harley Freedman
2
OUR
POPULAR
NINE MONTH
DRAWING
WILL BE HELD FROM
APRIL
TO
DECEMBER 2011
PVA NATIONAL SERVICE OFFICETOGUS, VARO, 1 VA CENTER
BLDG 248, ROOM 112AUGUSTA, ME 04330
Serving maine, new HampSHire and vermont
TEL:(207) 621-7394, FAX: (207) 621-4829TOLL FREE: 866-795-1911
National Service Officer II, John StansburySecretary, Wendy Glidden
IN REMEMBRANCE
We deeply regret the passing of our Chapter Members:
and extend our heartfelt sympathyto family and friends.
Lawrence H. Fogerty
Michael J. Lambert
Sigmund Ostrowski
Donald T. Richard
Cord Word
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March 2011
3
by Craig C. Cascella
NEPVA PresidentPresident’s Report
One question: Is it spring or
summer yet? Quite hon-
estly, I know I am not alone
in mentioning that this winter has
indeed been much more difficult than
the previous few have been. While a
lifelong New Englander, I have never
really enjoyed the snow very much, even
before my disability. Well, maybe the
exception would be when I was a youth
and it happened to cancel school for the
day or even maybe days at a time. Well,
those days are gone and left behind in
fond memories, photos, and stories with
family members and friends. The winter
weather has closed the Chapter office at
times, cancelled and rescheduled many
VA appointments, and aggravated many
people along the way; from the Missis-
sippi River and Eastward. Hopefully,
the winter thaw will be here sooner
than later and the warmer weather will
arrive and decide to stay for a while.
PVA National will be sponsoring the
Summit 2011 + EXPO: Delivering
Excellence, Achieving State-of-the-
Art Health Care, which is intended
to provide world-class professional
education and networking opportuni-
ties for SCI related professionals. The
Academy will be in Orlando, FL, from
September 16-18, 2011. The first 300
clinicians who register at www.pva.org/
Summit2011 and attend will receive
the following package: Up to 3 of the
4 night’s minimum accommodation at
the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld,
reimbursement of airfare of up to $250,
and onsite breakfast and lunch over the
Summit dates. The registration fee is
only $50. Forms are available at the
above mentioned web site or by con-
tacting PVA National in Washington
DC. I have also forwarded information
regarding the Academy meeting to vari-
ous contacts at the VAMCs and SCI
Clinics in our region.
Government Relations Director Debra
Freed has been working on and will be
getting appointments set up, as mem-
bers of our organization will be visiting
Washington D.C. in March. It is that
time again where NEPVA representa-
tives and other PVA Chapter members
from around the country visit with
our respective Congressional leaders
and/or their aides. Discussion topics
include items important to veterans, the
disabled community, local issues, and
of course items related to the SCI com-
munity. Debra and I will be staying in
the D.C. area a few days longer after the
GRD Seminar is complete, as PVA has
combined both the GRD Seminar with
the Annual PVA Mid-Winter BOD
Meeting. I will have a report regarding
the Mid-Winter BOD Meeting in our
newsletter following completion of the
meeting.
NEPVA is looking into the possibility
of setting up a booth at a Boston Red
Sox game this season, for informational
& promotional purposes. The Red Sox
have continually sold out every home
game over the past years (roughly
34,000 + fans attending), but this
particular game is versus the Chicago
Cubs, which will no doubt be of a his-
toric nature. We have spoken with rep-
resentatives of The
Red Sox Founda-
tion regarding
this potential
opportunity and
will continue to do
so regarding the
parameters of the
event.
NEPVA continues to periodically
receive donations through a vehicle
donation program the Chapter has set
up with Action Donation Services (866-
2-GIVING). In FY (fiscal year) 2010,
the Chapter received roughly $30K
from the joint-program. We are hopeful
to have similar or even better results via
the program to assist the Chapter with
our programs and services offered to
our membership.
Our Chapter financial statements
have been completed on time for the
tax season and also for submission to
the PVA National office. While our
finances are in order and the Chapter
is doing well financially, especially con-
sidering these challenging economic
times, we must be frugal and ensure
our monies are being utilized efficiently,
while still offering program activities
and assistance to our membership.
As always, feel free to visit NEPVA’s
web site (www.nepva.org), PVA’s web
site (www.pva.org), and the VA’s web
site (www.va.gov) for up to date and
recent news. If you have any questions,
comments, or concerns please contact
our office or your local NSO.
Cord Word March 2011
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by Debra Freed
Government Relations Director
continued on page 8
Government Relations
Eight
As a member Chapter of the
Paralyzed Veterans of America
(PVA), the New England
Chapter is mandated to provide the fol-
lowing programs: Membership, Chapter
Administration, Service, Liaison, Fund-
raising, Communication, Advocacy,
and last but by no means least Sports
and Recreation. This list and how it is
laid out is directly verbatim from the
October 2010 Chapter Manual pro-
vided from PVA. I need to stipulate that
because there are many individuals who
believe I am anti-sports. I have stated
that I know first-hand how sports can
help and be therapeutic to one’s physical
and mental status.
There has been a lot of chatter concern-
ing the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
(VA), Eric Shinseki’s announcement
to provide $7.5 million to the United
States Olympic Committee’s (USOC)
Paralympic Program to enhance sports
for new and long term injured veterans.
From what has been printed, it would
be free to the participant. Please note I
did not say military veteran. I hope you
read on to understand why this issue of
the term free to participants as well as
the word participant is so important.
Say a VA facility applies for a grant.
Well, the money came from the VA,
but it can’t go to the same government
entity so they designate the USOC to
dole out the grants. Because it is Federal
money, it still cannot go back to a VA
(makes no sense to me but. . . .) The
USOC can then give grants to both
for-profit and non-profit entities to assist
in recruiting, training, and purchasing
equipment necessary to move a sporting
project forward.
There are at least 14 sporting events
the Paralympics has for individuals to
participate in. So, for instance, let’s take
hand-cycling. The grant may have been
written for equipment. In order to get
equipment, there are stipulations on
how it will be used. The idea is to get
as many people involved as possible.
The USOC says you will need to recruit
between 50 and 60 participants. Please
note this term – participant. It does not
say military veteran. It says participant.
Even though the VA gave money to the
USOC, it does not mean if the grant
went to a VA or even a veteran’s service
organization, it can discriminate. Any
and all individuals must be permitted to
participate. So, now you have recruited
50 participants, of those 50, only ten
actually have their own hand-cycle. The
grant specifically states how much can
be spent on hand-cycles. Just like a two-
wheel racing bike they can range from
$2300 to over $10,000.
So, the grant may say something like
now that you have recruited 50 partici-
pants, you must provide equipment,
training, lodging if necessary, food,
and at least water as well as time trials
and then actual award events. There is
one other stipulation concerning the
grant. It only allows four percent (4%)
to be used for administrative costs. 4%!
Wow! Where is the rest of the money
coming from if only 4% can be used
for administrative
costs? Fundrais-
ing! Okay, well you
need people to do
that. But how do
you fundraise? Say
NEPVA applied for
and accepted the grant. What avenues
does it use to raise money? NEPVA has
an Annual Golf Tournament. Funds
raised from this event are designated
for Spinal Cord Research, so that’s out.
What about the Chapter’s BASS Trail.
They raise their own money by going
to Fish and Game trade shows and
other events, so that’s out too. What
about bowling? Not all programs have
a specific fundraising mechanism to
them such as the GRD program or even
Administration.
As stated above, Sports and Recreation
may have been listed last but it is first
when it comes to how much money is
designated to the program. For the 2011
Fiscal Year, the NEPVA Sports budget
is the equivalent of the GRD, Research,
Liaison, Membership, Communica-
tion and Service budgets combined.
Yes, combined! That doesn’t necessarily
sound very equitable.
As stated above, if NEPVA applied
and received a USOC grant, it would
need to provide for what the grant does
not cover. How does NEPVA cover
the expenses of the current programs
and services it provides? As a public
charity, NEPVA relies on just that, the
Cord Word
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March 2011
5
Service Officer’s Report By John V. Mullally, Senior Benefits Advocate
Service-Disabled Veterans Insurance (RH)
Question: I am a 100% service connected spinal cord injured
veteran and was advised by VA that I did not qualify for
Service –Disabled Veterans Insurance as I did not submit
my application within the 2 year period. Is this correct? Can
someone explain this to me?
Answer: Service-Disabled Veterans Insurance is life insur-
ance for veterans with service connected-related disabilities or
diseases. The basic program, which is called “RH Insurance”
insures eligible veterans up to $10,000. Also there is a supple-
mental policy; “Supplemental RH Insurance” gives certain
disabled veterans extra coverage up to $20,000.
Who is Eligible?You are eligible for RH INSURANCE if:
• You left service after April 24, 1951 AND
• VA has notified you that you have a service connected
disability AND
• You are healthy EXCEPT for your service connected
disability AND
• You apply within 2 years of being notified of your dis-
ability
Note: If you are outside the 2 year window as described in the
question above, there is another option for eligibility. Do you
have another service connected disability that has not been
rated? As with spinal cord injury, it is known that 20% of the
SCI population experiences depression associated with their
service connected condition. If you have been diagnosed with
depression or any other condition that may be associated with
your service connected condition, you should submit a claim
to VA. Once a favorable claim is decided you will have a new
2 year period to apply for the RH Insurance.
You are eligible for Supplemental RH Insurance if:
• You have RH insurance AND
• VA has notified you that you don’t have to pay your
insurance premium (which is called a waiver) AND
• You apply within 1 year of being notified of the waiver
AND
• You are under 65 years of age.
REMINDER: Waiver of RH premiums- if you’re in receipt
of compensation at the 100% rate or greater you are eligible
for the waiver. Also, you might be eligible if you become too
disabled to work before your 65th birthday and stay that way
for at least six months. Also, the premiums for the Supple-
mental RH Insurance can’t be waived.
How Much Does It Cost? The cost varies depending upon your age, type of plan you
select (term or one of several permanent plans), and the
amount of coverage.
How Can I Apply?You may use the following forms: VA Form 29-4364-to apply
for basic RH Insurance, VA Form 29-0188 for the Supple-
mental Insurance and VA Form 29-357 to apply for the
waiver. The best way to apply is to call your local PVA repre-
sentative who will assist you in applying for this and answer
any other benefit related questions you may have.
Cord Word March 2011
www.nepva.org6
Sports & Recreation by Brad Carlson Sports Director
continued on page 12
Attention NEPVA Life MembersNEPVA Policy
Regarding Funding for Sports Events
Limited funds are available for partial sponsorship
of life members when they attend certain sports
events. You must notify NEPVA of your desire to
attend an event before the event. Reimbursement
may be given for only half of your hotel room cost
after you attend the event. When you return from
the event, your receipts must be presented to the
NEPVA office within 30 days from the last day of
the event- no exceptions. *Original or faxed copies
of receipts are acceptable.
The following events may be funded (upon
approval by NEPVA):
• New England Winter Sports
Clinic at Mt. Sunapee
• New England Summer Sports
Clinic at Mt. Sunapee
• National Veterans Wheelchair
Games
• Winter Sports Clinic in Snowmass,
Colorado
• Bowling tournaments - one
regional and one national only
You may be eligible to receive funding for either
the National Veterans Wheelchair Games or the
Winter Sports Clinic in Colorado, not both.
The above may be a slight alteration from past
NEPVA policy, but it affords the possibility of
maximum participation.
*This policy may be changed by NEPVA at any
time without prior notice.
Spring is right around the corner,
but for all of our skiers, what a
year! I really do not know where
to start on this article but I am going to
wing it this month.
For starters, I am very happy to see that
the VA Boston Healthcare System and
The National Rifle Association will be
holding The Owen “ Mickey” Emery
Wheelchair Air Rifle Championship
competition which will be held at the
Brockton Campus, VA Boston Health-
care System, Bldg. 23 (Gymnasium),
940 Belmont St. (Rte. 123), Brockton,
MA 02301 on Saturday, March 5, 2010
- Precision 3-P Match, and Sunday,
March 6, 2011 - International Match.
Registration for both days opens at 8:00
a.m. For registrations information con-
tact: Richard Leeman at 744-826-1957
or Kelly Cossaboom at 774-826-1955.
Next up on our list is Saturday, April
9, 2011. An Adapted Basketball Clinic
will be held at Sargent Activities Center
(SAC), 1 University Rd., Boston, MA
02215 from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. To regis-
ter call Thomas Dodd at 401-523-9864.
This event is free. There is also free
parking located to the right of the Sar-
gent Activities Center when facing the
building entrance.
Here’s one we haven’t had for a while,
District Attorney Sam Sutter’s Free
Wheel Chair Tennis Clinic on Sunday,
April 17, 2011 from 12:00 to 6:00 p.m.
The event will be held at the Dart-
mouth Indoor Tennis Club, 757 State
Road, North Dartmouth, MA. This
event is open to all ages and skill levels.
Registration
forms are available
at Dartmouth
Indoor Tennis
Club, 757 State
Rd., Dartmouth;
Brown/Bil-
lone Club, 153
Chestnut St., North Easton; or Bristol
County District Attorney’s Offices, 888
Purchase St., New Bedford. For more
information, please contact the District
Attorney’s Office @ 508-961-1972.
On-Line registration forms are avail-
able at: http://www.bristolda.com/DA/
Events.htm.
Please keep in mind that the U.S.
National Billiard Tournament will be
held on the same weekend as the Tennis
Clinic. The 2nd Annual PVA Boston
Billiards 9-Ball Classic will be held
from April 15 - 17 at Boston Billiards
in Nashua, NH. For more information,
please contact Brad Carlson at 508-353-
2081. Any and all volunteers and players
are much needed for this exciting event.
The National Veterans Wheelchair
Games will be held in Pittsburgh, PA
from August 1 - 6, 2011. THE DEAD-
LINE FOR YOUR REGISTRATION
PACKET TO BE RETURNED TO
THE NEPVA OFFICE IS MARCH
17TH BY 5:00 P.M. ABSOLUTELY
NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE MADE.
Please provide your shirt size along with
your application; shirts will be ordered
for our opening ceremonies. I know this
is repetitive, but there is a lot of work
Cord Word
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March 2011
7
continued from page 1Winter Sports
fun-loving family. I feel the informal
peer mentoring is extremely valuable. As
much as I know it means to me, I am
sure it is even more valuable to our first
timers and new injuries. Each year I
make new friends who I look forward to
seeing again. I don’t usually have to wait
until the following January to see them
again either. There are so many oppor-
tunities year round that the VA Boston
Healthcare System offers and once a
person gets a taste of the fun we all
have, they do come back for more. This
is real proof of the concept of “Reha-
bilitation through Recreation” that is
very well supported by our VISN 1
VA. I believe it was Ralph who said our
adaptive sports are a “prosthetic for the
soul.” I find this so very true and I hope
you’ll join us sometime and find it does
the same for you. Many of us continue
skiing all winter thanks to NEHSA.
Here is a list of awards given out at the
final awards banquet. Alan Johnson was
our Top Gun; Brent Cote is our Rookie
of the Year; Mark Sanders was the Most
Improved coming back on the slopes
and showing great form on the slopes
and on the basketball court; Lynne
Beernaert would be honored as our Best
Instructor with two grateful students,
award winners Brent and Mark; Larry
Mangini would “OH NOOOOO”
his way to the Human Snowplow. The
Support Award would be a genuine
split decision so we figured Nick Reyn-
olds and Karl Paine could go toe-to-
toe “Fighter” style like Mickey Ward.
Mark Kline would leave no doubt as to
whom the Most Dangerous man on the
mountain could be. Newcomer Dawn
Macomber would earn the Blood, Sweat
and Tears award (Ralph personally wit-
nessed two out of three.) The Jim Koss
- Give Me a Chance and I’ll Make Ya
Proud went to Team Dallas (Andrew
and Michelle). The Egg Beaters would
capture the prized Team award. We
lost a great friend in Mickey Emery this
year and a new award was unveiled and
will be presented to his wife Liz.
The Ken Medeiros Phoenix Award
went to Louis Stamatelos Jr. since he
has shown tremendous leadership and
caring for his fellow veterans serving
them as an instructor, a peer, a mentor
and an example. The Tony Santilli
Founders Award would go to Ellen
Costigan who quietly behind the scenes
gets all the forms done, accounts for the
volunteer forms, puts together the ban-
quet slide show, meal tickets, and post-
ers mostly in her home all year round
supporting the clinic, and giving Ralph
the proper “nag” prompts, as she calls
them, to get stuff done on time.
Upcoming open events for skiing hosted
by NEHSA and VA Boston Healthcare
System are Welcome Home Ski Day on
3/17/11, and Women Veteran Ski Day
on 3/8/11. The contact for VA Boston
Adapted Sports programs is Kelly Coss-
aboom at 774-826-1955. For the joy of
skiing, as well as other programs vet-
erans are always welcome at, NEHSA
is a partner organization: contact Tom
Kersey, NEHSA Director at 603-763-
9158 or www.nehsa.org.
phot
ogra
phs c
ourt
esy
of D
awn
Nor
ris
Photos, counter clockwise from top left: First timers Dawn Macomber and Mike Wetherby trying out the sled hockey. Mark Sanders shows some fast break speed at basketball. BOD member Neal Williams carves a turn on his dual ski. Above: First timer David Pelkey shows his great form on race day smoking the course.
Cord Word March 2011
www.nepva.org8
continued from page 4Gov. Relations
New England VAMC News
Caregiver-Veteran Support GroupMarch 17th, 2011 MVAMC SCI-D Luncheon:
Come join us as we explore the challenging and
stressful aspects of the caregiver role. The results
of our recent survey on caregiving showed that you
prefer a group discussion among veterans and their caregiv-
ers. We will be offering a caregivers support group every
fourth month of our Spinal Cord Injury monthly meeting.
Caregiving offers a chance to give back to someone impor-
tant in your life. Caregivers benefit by sharing their con-
cerns, information and solutions with others. Caregivers
can accomplish more and feel less alone when they connect
with others who face the same challenges. Any issues about
caregiving can be presented to the group for discussion, and
members can explore solutions with others in the group. If
time allows, information on avoiding caregiver burnout will
also be discussed.
PLEASE CALL to REGISTER by MONDAY March 14th
603-624-4366 Ext 6054
Early registration & a return call
if you need to cancel appreciated!
Meeting Date: Thursday, March 17th from 12noon - 1:30pm
Location: Manchester VAMC, basement level Solarium
Submitted by Paul Redmond, SCI SW Coordinator
NEPVA Now Accepts Vehicle Donations
Please Donate that Auto, Boat, or RV that’s No
Longer Needed to New England PVA. NEPVA is
currently accepting vehicle donations from Mas-
sachusetts, Connecticut, and New Hampshire. For further
information, call Toll Free: (866) 2-GIVING or (866) 244-
8464, or visit the NEPVA website: www.nepva.org
public and private sector. We can also write grants that apply
to what we do. For instance, a grant was written to obtain
a vehicle and that grant required the organization to have
between 20 and 50% (depending on the type of grant) in
order to get the difference in grant money. There are several
ways the Chapter currently raises money. As stated above,
the Annual Golf Tournament is used to raise money for the
Spinal Cord Research and Education program. We have
various sports programs which help raise money for that
respective sport. Take for instance a Billiards tournament or
the BASS Trail. The volunteers spend the days at Fish and
Game Trade Shows and solicit donations to allow veterans to
participate for free. However, the BASS Trail only provides
a place to fish, free food, and gear (such as t-shirts). It does
not provide transportation nor does it provide lodging (with
the exception being for the New Hampshire Chapter Tourna-
ment).
As a necessary evil, the Chapter uses a professional telemar-
keter. It is referred to as a necessary evil because many people
do not like telemarketing, including the IRS, the Better Busi-
ness Bureau, and of course those who get the phone calls.
However, it remains a very good source of income to be uti-
lized for programs and services offered to our membership.
Just type in telemarketing and lawsuits and you’d be amazed
as to what comes up, as there are a number of states that
have already banned telemarketing, even for non-profits. If
this were to happen for the Chapter, there goes an important
primary fundraiser which will be detrimental to the Chapter,
so other avenues of fundraising must be explored and imple-
mented.
What I want people to understand is
that no matter how often sports are
touted as good medicine, there remains
the other important seven programs.
As a member Chapter of PVA, we have
no choice but to operate at minimum
the eight mandated programs. Think
about it, Sports and Recreation cannot
Cord Word
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March 2011
9
Washington, D.C. – Para-
lyzed Veterans of America
(Paralyzed Veterans) has
joined a federal class action lawsuit to
prevent the government from illegally
denying Medicare health care coverage
to patients with stabilized chronic dis-
abilities (Jimmo, et al vs. Sebelius, 5:11-
CV-17, (D. VT., January 18, 2011)).
The lawsuit, filed against the Secretary
of Health and Human Services in U.S.
District Court in Burlington, Vermont,
seeks to end the application of the
Medicare “Improvement Standard,” a
policy and practice that is actually con-
trary to Medicare law and regulations.
“It is long past time to put an end to
Medicare’s illegal use of an Improve-
ment Standard to deny critical health
care coverage to thousands of eligible
patients with chronic disabilities,” said
Paralyzed Veterans national president
Bill Lawson. “The Improvement Stan-
dard unfairly targets paralyzed individ-
uals, including veterans, as well as those
with other chronic conditions that are
incapable of improving.”
Medicare law provides coverage for
health care and services that are reason-
able and necessary for the diagnosis or
treatment of illness or injury. However,
Medicare claims decision makers con-
tinue to use a fictional “Improvement
Standard” to terminate, reduce or deny
health care coverage on the grounds
that the patient’s condition is stable,
chronic, not improving, or that the
services required are for maintenance
only. However, under the Medicare Act
and related regulations, improvement
potential is not necessary in order to
receive Medicare coverage. Medicare
recognizes that a patient may need
skilled services, including maintenance
programs, to prevent further deteriora-
tion or to preserve current capabilities.
Paralyzed Veterans and the other plain-
tiffs are requesting the court to declare
that the Improvement Standard is an
unlawful barrier to legally authorized
health care coverage, as well as for
injunctive relief to prevent Medicare
from using the Improvement Standard
in the future.
A favorable court decision would
end the unlawful denial of Medicare
coverage to deserving individuals. In
addition, since Medicare standards
regularly serve as a model for private
health insurance policies, this lawsuit
could also positively affect people with
chronic conditions who are enrolled in
other health insurance plans.
Joining Paralyzed Veterans in the law-
suit are four individuals who have been
denied Medicare coverage under the
Improvement Standard and four addi-
tional national organizational plaintiffs:
the National Committee to Preserve
Social Security and Medicare, the
National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the
Parkinson’s Action Network and the
American Academy of Physical Medi-
cine and Rehabilitation. Paralyzed Vet-
erans is proceeding in this lawsuit with
the generous assistance of the attorneys
for The Center for Medicare Advocacy.
Paralyzed Veterans of America Files Federal Lawsuit to Stop Illegal Denials of Medicare Coverage to Patients with Chronic Illnesses
PVA News
stand alone, let alone as the most important program that many members think
or believe it is or should. Without Administration, none of the programs can be
operated. Without Advocacy and Legislation, the ability to even get from one’s
home to a sporting event may be difficult because laws were not created to allow
accessibility to be commonplace. Communication is a must, because how do you
get the word out that this program or that program is even available? Liaison is
extremely important, especially for new injuries, because they need to know they
are not alone and although their situation may seem impossible to live with, live
they will and perhaps very well. 99% of any of the above is accomplished by vol-
unteers and donors, but even they need a little incentive to keep doing what they
do.
It remains extremely important to remember that although there are little or no
costs to an athletic participant, the money to provide equipment, time, place,
food, lodging, etc. must come from more than just a grant; it will be “expected”
from the Chapter.
continued from page 8Gov. Relations
Cord Word March 2011
www.nepva.org10
continued on next page
It’s no wonder why Ride-Away customers remain so loyal —Ride-Away — America’s #1 provider of modified vehicles for people with disabilities.
• VetsMobileOps Program• VA assistance support• All vehicle trade-ins accepted• 24/7 Roadside assistance• QAP Certified factory trained technicians
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is increas-
ing its support to caregivers with a new, toll-free
telephone line for
the caregivers of Veterans of
all eras.
“The families and loved ones
who care for severely injured
Veterans deserve the highest
level of support,” said Secre-
tary of Veterans Affairs Eric
K. Shinseki. “At VA, we con-
sider them important part-
ners in our efforts to care for
and rehabilitate our nation’s
heroes.”
The National Caregiver
Support Line -- 1-855-260-3274 -- will serve as the primary
resource and referral center to assist caregivers, Veterans and
others seeking caregiver information.
The line unofficially started Feb. 1, and in its first week
logged nearly 600 calls, including 134 referrals to local VA
caregiver support coordinators
and 233 calls from caregivers
themselves.
“VA has been providing support
for the caregivers of Veterans for
more than seven decades,” Shin-
seki added. “We already have
more than two dozen successful
programs, policies and services
that support the caregivers of
Veterans of all ages.”
The support line will provide
information regarding new care-
giver benefits, referrals to local
caregiver support coordinators as well as emotional support
to those concerned with their ability to provide care to loved
ones who are Veterans.
New VA Support Line Provides Important Assistance to Caregivers Benefits and Support Information a Phone Call Away
”Eric K. ShinsekiSecretary of Veterans Affairs
“ The families and loved ones
who care for severely injured
Veterans deserve the high-
est level of support. At VA,
we consider them important
partners in our efforts to
care for and rehabilitate our
nation’s heroes.
Cord Word
www.nepva.org
March 2011
11
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Frank Webb’s Bath CentersPageStop 4 “Freedom”Showroom: Methuen ShowroomPublication: Paralyzed Veterans of America NewsletterSize: Half Page Horiz (7.5” x 4.125”)Created: 11/7/08 Jim McCoy | 508-478-5322 | [email protected]
freedom.freedom.
continued from page 10
The National Caregiver Support Line will be open Monday
through Friday. 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., Eastern time; and Satur-
day, 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Eastern time. Licensed VA social
workers and health technicians will staff the support line.
Local caregiver support coordinators are available to assist
Veterans and their caregivers to understand and apply for
VA’s many caregiver benefits. VA also features a Web page,
www.caregiver.va.gov, with general information on other
caregiver support programs available through VA and the
community.
Access to the National Caregiver Support Line was also
identified as a significant need in a November 2010 study on
caregivers of Veterans published by the National Alliance for
Caregiving.
For an opportunity to get to know a few of today’s remark-
able caregivers of Veterans, go to http://www.youtube.com/
user/veteranshealthadmin#p/u/0/XRmAwZHYRFE.
Caregivers Benefits and Support
Cord Word March 2011
www.nepva.org12
continued from page 6Sports
VA News
FREE TO MEMBER
Scalamobilewheelchair that can
climb a full flight of stairsbarely used
Available in Norwood, MACall the NEPVA office:
508-660-1181
VA Offers Help for Chronic PainJohn D. Otis, Ph.D.
Clinical Psychologist
Research Service
VA Boston Healthcare System
150 South Huntington Avenue (151C)
Boston, MA 02130-4893
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and
Psychology, Boston University
As part of the VA Boston’s
continuing efforts to provide
comprehensive assessment and
treatment of chronic pain for Veterans,
John D. Otis, PhD, a clinical psycholo-
gist, recently joined the Spinal Cord
Injury (SCI) treatment program at
the West Roxbury VA Medical Center
where he will be providing both indi-
vidual and group treatment programs
for Veterans with SCI and chronic pain.
Dr. Otis directs both the psychological
pain research and clinical pain pro-
grams at the VA Boston Healthcare
System, and he is an Associate Profes-
sor of Psychiatry and Psychology at
Boston University School of Medicine.
Dr. Otis’ primary approach to treat-
ment is called Cognitive Behavioral
Therapy (CBT). CBT for pain is an
evidence-based treatment approach that
teaches veterans skills for identifying
negative thoughts and feelings related
to pain (e.g., I can’t deal with this pain)
and helps veterans modify maladap-
tive behaviors that tend to promote
disability (e.g., excessive rest, watching
too much television). Dr. Otis teaches
clients skills for adapting healthier ways
of coping with pain. The primary goal
of treatment is to improve veterans’
overall quality of life while reducing
patients’ psychological distress. Cogni-
tive behavioral approaches have been
shown to be highly effective in treating
a range of conditions, from depres-
sion and other mood disorders to pain
disorders in adults and in children. Dr.
Otis is the author of Managing Chronic
Pain: A Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Approach published in the Treatments
That Work series by Oxford University
Press. The therapist manual and accom-
panying patient workbook are widely
used across the country and in the VA
to help teach CBT coping skills to indi-
viduals with chronic pain.
Dr. Otis has been engaged in the
study of pain for the past 19 years. His
research interests include the devel-
opment of effective and innovative
treatments for Veterans with a variety
chronic pain conditions. He has specific
expertise in treatment development and
in conducting randomized controlled
trials to test the effectiveness of pain
treatments. Most recently, Dr. Otis has
been the Principal Investigator on a
number of VA funded studies investi-
gating the development of an integrated
treatment for Veterans with comorbid
chronic pain and posttraumatic stress
disorder (PTSD).
If you, or a Spinal Cord Injured Veteran
you know, is interested in learning more
about ways of taking greater control
over your pain please feel free to con-
tact Dr. Otis through the SCI Clinic at
857-203-6455 in order to schedule an
appointment.
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that goes into making the games suc-
cessful.
As you know, we have the 50th Annual
AWBA National Bowling Tournament
at Westgate Lanes in Brockton. This
event will be held from June 20 - 25,
2011. This will be discussed in more
detail in next month’s article.
The PVA National Bass Trail will be
held September 16 - 18, 2011 on Lake
Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire.
This will also be discussed in more
detail in upcoming issues.
Lots more coming -- horseback riding,
lacrosse, golf, etc.......... Get out there --
have fun -- support your chapter.
Cord Word
www.nepva.org
March 2011
13
The OIG conducted an audit
to determine whether Veter-
ans Benefits Administration
(VBA) correctly assigned 100 percent
disability evaluations as either per-
manent or temporary and effectively
monitored and adjusted temporary 100
percent disability evaluations. It was
determined that the staff at the VA
Regional Offices (VARO) are not cor-
rectly evaluating and monitoring 100
percent disability evaluations. Approxi-
mately 239,000 veterans were identified
who had at least one service-connected
condition rated 100 percent disabling
as of SEP 09. Approximately 58,000
veterans were eliminated from the
review with conditions that indicated
no likelihood of improvement, such as
double amputees. It is projected that of
the remaining 181,000 veterans, VARO
staff did not correctly process evalua-
tions for about 27,500 (15 percent). It
is further projected that since January
1993, VBA paid veterans a net amount
of about $943 million without adequate
medical evidence. If VBA does not take
timely corrective action, it will overpay
veterans a projected $1.1 billion over
the next 5 years.
It was recommended the Acting Under
Secretary for Benefits increase over-
sight by ensuring future exam dates
are included in the electronic records
and providing VARO staff the neces-
sary training. VBA also needs to ensure
claims folders with temporary evalua-
tions are kept at the VARO and each
temporary evaluation has a future exam
date entered in the electronic record.
The Acting Under Secretary for Bene-
fits did not agree with the findings, par-
ticularly as they relate to the projected
overpayment amounts, but agreed to
implement the recommendations and
provided responsive implementation
plans. OIG maintains that the primary
message in their report is VBA paid
veterans without adequate medical
evidence and that their projection is a
reasonable and conservative estimate of
overpayments based upon our review
of compensation records available. To
review the report, go to http://www.
utvet.com/VAoigAudit.pdf
(Source: Belinda J. Finn, Assistant
Inspector General for Audits and
Evaluations 24 Jan 2011)
VA Disability Evaluation System Update
Cord Word March 2011
www.nepva.org14
Cord Word
www.nepva.org
March 2011
15
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Leominster, MA
Permit No. 17
New England PVA1600 Providence Highway, Suite 143Walpole, MA 02081
tel: 508 660-1181 800 660-1181fax: 508 668-9412
Email: [email protected]
Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00am-4:30pm
2011 NEPVA Bass Trail Schedule
April 23 Congamond Lake, Southwick, Ma.
May 21 Point Sebago Resort, Sebago Lake, Maine
June 11 Charles River Boston, MA.
July 23 Slatersville Res @ the Island Club, Smithfield, RI.
August 20 Lake St. Catherine, Wells, Vermont
Sept. 10 & 11 Lake Winnipesaukee, Camp Robindel Moultonborough, NH & TOC Sept. 16–18 National PVA Bass Tournament Lake Winnipesaukee, Camp Robindel Moultonborough, NH
Any questions may be directed to:
Tiny LaFontaine(H) 781-935-2480 (C) 978-479-8147
Jim Marino (H) 978-365-3112 (C) 508-523-5668
Call Jim for Reservations if staying @ Point Sebago Resort…
Bob Soupy Campbell (H) 781-935-2266
See www.nepva.org for other bass trail info or to sign up.