REPORT OF BVA 61ST NATIONAL CONVENTION BYLAWS AND RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE

Resolutions 1-06 through 4-06
Resolutions 5-06 through 8-06
Resolutions 9-06 through 11-06
Resolutions 12-06 through 17-06
Resolutions 18-06 through 23-06
Resolutions 24-06 through 27-06
Resolutions 28-06 through 32-06
Resolutions 33-06 through 36-06
Resolutions 37-06 through 41-06
Resolutions 42-06 through 44-06
Resolutions 45-06 through 47-06

RESOLUTION 9-06

WHEREAS, the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration has been forced to operate with decremental budgets for years, AND

WHEREAS, the administration proposed in its 1998 thru 2006 fiscal year budget for VA, that Veterans Health Administration appropriations for health care be substituted for by allowing VA to retain collections from third party payers through their Medical Care Cost Recovery program, AND

WHEREAS, this action sends a clear message to VA and veterans that VA must rely more heavily on revenue sources other than appropriations for funding veterans health care, AND

WHEREAS, the VA has proposed a demonstration project that would allow VA to be reimbursed for medical care provided to certain veterans who have dual eligibility for VA and Medicare, AND

WHEREAS, the design of the demonstration project is a win-win for both veterans and the Medicare Trust Fund; veterans would have increased choices for receiving health care; and the Medicare Trust Fund would save money because the VA has agreed to provide care at a discounted rate to Medicare recipients, AND

WHEREAS, the Department of Health and Human Services has agreed to a similar opportunity for the Department of Defense to be reimbursed by Medicare, NOW THEREFORE BE IT

RESOLVED, that the Blinded Veterans Association, in convention assembled in Buffalo, NY on this 19th day of August, 2006, strongly urges VA and Committees on Veterans Affairs in both the Senate and the House to aggressively pursue separate legislation, providing VA with the authority to establish a demonstration project for Medicare Subvention.

RESOLUTION 10-06

WHEREAS, blinded veterans referred to one of the ten VA Regional Blind Rehabilitation Centers (BRCs) for comprehensive residential blind rehab services must travel long distances to receive these rehabilitative services, AND

WHEREAS, certain blinded veterans, because of their income level, are not eligible for Beneficiary Travel Benefits, AND

WHEREAS, these same blinded veterans are required to pay the Social Security co-payment and daily per diem rates to receive VA residential blind rehabilitation, AND

WHEREAS, these veterans are required to pay their own travel to receive essential rehabilitative services, AND

WHEREAS, the expense of air transportation can be very high and serve as a strong disincentive for the veteran to take advantage of the VA BRC training, AND

WHEREAS, the Network hosting the BRC is reimbursed at the high or complex rate for these blinded veterans, THEREFORE BE IT

RESOLVED, that the Blinded Veterans Association, in convention assembled in Buffalo, NY on this 19th day of August, 2006, urges the U.S. Congress to amend Title 38 USC section on Beneficiary Travel requiring VA to pay travel for all veterans accepted for care in one of the VA Special Disabilities Programs.

RESOLUTION 11-06

WHEREAS, new technological improvement in products in the field of Blindness Rehabilitation appear almost daily, AND

WHEREAS, currently, there is no standardized method for BREWS to systematically evaluate, test and review emerging technology, AND

WHEREAS, it is likely that some of these technological innovations will offer benefit to some portion of the blinded veteran population, THEREFORE BE IT

RESOLVED, that the Blinded Veterans Association in Convention Assembled in Buffalo, NY on this 19th day of August, 2006 strongly urge the Veterans Health Administration and Congress to do the following:

Instruct BRS to formulate and implement an organized method of researching and testing new technological innovations in the field of Blindness Rehabilitation using actual blinded veterans as part of the test for the viability of training and issuance of the new devices to blinded veterans.  The testing procedure should include review of usage of new technology by agencies and organizations dealing with sight loss outside the Department of Veterans Affairs, AND FURTHER BE IT

RESOLVED, that the Veterans Health Administration explore Partnering with the American Foundation For The Blind (AFB) Technology Center in Huntington West Virginia to achieve the goals outlined in this resolution. 

Resolutions 12-06 through 17-06 >