Montana Vet Centers
Billings Vet Center
1234 Ave. C
Billings, MT 59102
Phone: (406) 657-6071
Fax: (406) 657-6603
Missoula Vet Center
500 N. Higgins Avenue
Missoula, MT 59802
Phone: (406) 721-4918
Fax: (406) 329-3006
Visit Our Supporters
Where to find facilities:
VA Montana has primary care clinics in Anaconda, Billings, Bozeman, Miles City, Glendive, Glasgow, Great Falls, Missoula, Kalispell and Cut Bank, which opened Jan. 7 and a new facility will soon be opening in Havre.
These toll-free hotlines offer immediate help:
• VA National Suicide Prevention Hotline
800-273-TALK
• National Guard Military One Source
800-342-9647
• National VA Nurse Line (for health information)
866-369-8020. This number is answered 24/7.
To enroll in VA health care, call 406-447-7325 or toll-free 877-468-837 during week days to reach Fort Harrison in Helena. After hours, call 406-442-6410 and ask for the medical duty officer.
Senator Tester Answers Your Questions
800-871-7008
Veterans Upward Bound (VUB) is a free U.S. Department of Education program designed to help eligible U.S. military veterans refresh their academic skills so that they can successfully complete the postsecondary school of their choosing. Read more
Hello from the U.S. Senate,
As Montana’s only member of the Veterans Affairs Committee, I thought it would be helpful to Veterans’ Voice readers to begin a regular question-and-answer column. We all know there’s a lot of work to do to improve the quality of life and health care for all of America’s veterans. But working together, we’re getting good work done.
If you have any questions you’d like to see addressed in future columns, please email them to me at: senator@tester.senate.gov or send them to:
Q and A
The Office of Senator Jon Tester
222 N. 32nd St., Ste 102
Billings, MT 59101
I look forward to hearing from you! -Sen. Jon Tester
Q. Is there anything in the stimulus bill specifically for Montana veterans?
A. Yes. I opposed the Wall Street bailout because it did nothing for Montana. But I helped write, voted for and passed the separate stimulus bill—also called the Jobs Bill—because it will create jobs and get Montana’s economy moving again.
As a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, I wanted to make sure the legislation created jobs by making smart investments in Montanans—including the more than 100,000 veterans who live here. The Jobs Bill will help turn our economy around by investing nearly $650 million in Montana and by cutting taxes. Under the Jobs Bill, every disabled veteran in Montana will get an additional $250 check this year.
In March, the VA announced it is investing another $3.5 million to make improvements at Ft. Harrison, which will put even more people to work while at the same time improving health care for veterans. Specifically, the money is going to remove lead paint from buildings on the Ft. Harrison campus, to replace its outdated heating system, to repair sewer lines, brick walls, and rooftops, and to conserve energy.
Smart investments like this are exactly why I voted for the Jobs Bill.
Q. There was a lot of stink about the proposal to bill private insurance companies for treating veterans. What’s the status of that plan?
A. It was a bad plan from the start, and I raised a red flag about that issue too. I’m happy to report President Obama got the message and he threw that idea out. The VA has an obligation to provide health care for all veterans, not pass the buck.
Q. Are you working on any legislation for veterans right now?
A. Just last month, after hearing from and working with a lot of veterans in Montana, I introduced my Rural Veterans Health Care Improvement Act. It’s legislation that will expand benefits for thousands of Montanans and millions of other veterans who live in rural areas.
My Rural Veterans Health Care Improvement Act does several things, including:
· Locking in the current travel reimbursement rate for disabled veterans who travel for health care at 41.5 cents per mile.
· Authorizing the VA to award grants to the Disabled American Veterans and other service groups that transport veterans to their medical appointments.
Directing the VA to establish Indian Health Coordinators in areas with a high Native American veteran populations to improve the care given to Native veterans.
· Authorizing the VA to work with community mental health centers to provide mental health services to Iraq and Afghanistan veterans in areas where the VA is unable to provide mental health care.
Q. It seems like you’re off to a good start with the new VA Secretary, Eric Shinseki. Have you spoken to him recently about Montana?
A. I had the opportunity to meet with Secretary Shinseki again last month. I had the honor of introducing the Secretary to Montana’s Lieutenant Governor, John Bohlinger. John is a former Marine and he too is an outspoken advocate for Montana’s veterans. He and I have always put our party differences aside to do what’s right for Montana’s veterans.
During our meeting with Secretary Shinseki, John Bohlinger and I discussed the need to establish a third Vets Center in Montana. We also discussed the need to establish another community-based outpatient VA clinic in northeastern Montana. And we talked about the ongoing need to modernize health records, to provide housing for homeless veterans, and the need to establish an inpatient mental health care unit at Ft. Harrison.
My meetings with Secretary Shinseki have always been helpful and he knows about my concern for Montana’s veterans. I look forward to bringing him to Big Sky Country soon.
U.S. Senator Jon Tester, a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, looks forward to answering questions from The Veterans’ Voice of Montana readers. If you have any questions you would like to see addressed in future columns, please email them to senator@tester.senate.gov or send them to:
Q. What are you doing to help veterans who are hurting in this awful economy?
A. Unfortunately, many Montanans, including veterans are hurting because of the national economic recession. I’ve
been working with colleagues in Congress, both Republicans and Democrats, to pass a Jobs Bill to put folks back to work now and rebuild our economy from the ground up for the
long haul. I’m pleased to report President Obama signed the Jobs Bill into law earlier this month. It includes a one-time payment of $250 for disabled veterans and veterans receiving
VA pensions. It also includes a tax credit of up to $2,400 for businesses that hire recent veterans. The Jobs Bill contains $1.2 billion nationally for VA medical facility improvements
that could help with priority projects at Ft. Harrison. Finally, the Jobs Bill contains $50 million to speed up electronic benefits processing and cut down on the casework backlog that too often leaves veterans in the lurch awaiting approval of benefits earned in service to our country.
Q. What are you doing to improve the access for Montana veterans to VA medical care?
A. As Montana’s only member of the VeteransAffairs
Committee, I have worked across party lines to expand VA facilities in Montana. Specifically, the VA has opened new Community- Based Outpatient Clinics in Cut Bank,
Lewistown and most recently in Havre. In addition, I have worked with VAofficials to expand clinics in Billings, Great Falls and Missoula. These accomplishments will make a
difference for Montana’s veterans, but we have more work to do. Specifically, I am working to:
* establish a new Community-
Based Outpatient
Clinic in northeast Montana;
* bring a third Veterans
Center to Montana;
* ensure Phase II of the
Billings clinic expansion
proceeds quickly;
* establish an in-patient
mental health facility at
Fort Harrison so Montana
veterans no longer have to
travel out-of-state for inpatient
mental health care.
Q. I receive benefits through the VA. The VA recently told me that I have been overpaid, and now they want to withhold part of my benefits. What can I do?
A. I understand that VA notices like this can be alarming, and I want to help Montana veterans facing this problem. This usually happens when the VA isn’t notified about a veteran’s financial status or when his or her participation in an educational program changes.
If the VA says you have an overpayment and you don’t understand why, I encourage you to call the VA Debt Management Center toll-free at (800) 827-0648. Explain to the operator that you would like an audit on your overpayment. The audit will also include your repayment options.
You can also request a waiver of your debt. To request a waiver, write the Debt Management Center and request a “waiver of collection” (use those exact words). I suggest you explain the reasons you feel you’re not liable for the debt. You should also explain the circumstances leading to the overpayment and the steps you took to prevent the overpayment from occurring.
The best way to avoid a VA overpayment is to stay in frequent contact with the VA if your financial or educational status changes. And of course, if you ever have any other questions, feel free to contact my State Veterans Liaison, Matthew McCombs, in Helena at (406) 449-5401.
Q. Congratulations on your appointment to the Senate Appropriations Committee, Jon. What does your new position mean for veterans?
A. The Senate Appropriations Committee is one of the most influential committees in Congress. It ultimately decides where the government spends taxpayer money, and how much it spends.
Serving on the Senate Appropriations Committee is a huge honor, but it’s also a huge responsibility. I’ll bring the Montana values of accountability and transparency to the table. And I’ll also make sure that Montana veterans have a voice when we make our decisions, so that we live up to the promises made to all veterans.
I still have the honor of serving on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee and, as always, I look forward to hearing from Montana veterans.
Q. I am an Iraq veteran. I’m registered at the VA but I’m not sure I am getting all the benefits that I am entitled to. Who can I contact at VA for help?
A. First, let me thank you for your service. As Montana’s only member of the Veterans Affairs Committee, I work every day to advocate for all of our state’s veterans, especially those returning from recent action.
The VA has a range of services available to new veterans returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan. Those services vary from educational and vocational training opportunities to health care and compensation benefits.
To find out exactly what you’re entitled to, I suggest talking to the folks working in the VA Montana OEF/OIF program based at Fort Harrison. Doug Wright, the Transition Patient Advocate at the OEF/OIF Program, was hired specifically to help Iraq and Afghanistan veterans with any issues that may arise as they move through the VA system. Doug can be reached at (406) 447-7850 or toll-free at (877) 468-8387.
And of course, you can always call Matthew McCombs, my State Veterans Liaison, at (406) 449-5401.
Q. What do you think about the general nominated to serve as our next Veterans’ Affairs Secretary?
A. I had an opportunity to meet with General Eric Shinseki in my office a few weeks ago. As a four-star general, he has an admirable record of hard work and dedication to our country. And as Chief of Staff of the Army, he was never afraid to stand up for his troops.
I asked General Shinseki to come out to Montana to see for himself the challenges veterans face in our rural state. He agreed to make a trip out to Big Sky Country if he’s confirmed for the job. I want to specifically show him the distances a lot of veterans in Montana have to travel to get the health care they deserve.
I look forward to working closely with General Shinseki in the future, to make sure Montana’s veterans have a voice at the national level. He has my full support.
Q. Jon, what are you going to focus on regarding veterans in the coming year?
A. There’s a long list of work that still needs to be done to live up to the promises made to America’s veterans. Here are just a few issues front-and-center on my agenda for the coming year:
· MANDATORY VA FUNDING: I will keep working on making funding for the Veterans’ Administration mandatory, so veterans don’t have to come to Congress every year to ask for the money they were promised. I’ve already cosponsored legislation to make VA funding mandatory, and I’ll keep working closely with my colleagues to push this issue through the Senate.
· DISABILITY RATING REFORM: I expect the Veterans Affairs Committee to work next year on legislation to change the disability rating system. It’s times to speed up the time it takes to process claims, update the system for veterans who suffer from traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder and simplify the process.
· NEW FACILITIES IN MONTANA: Working with Montana veterans, we secured two new community-based outpatient clinics (in Cut Bank and Lewistown). And the VA began efforts to open a third. Clinics in Billings and Great Falls were given the green light to expand. I’d like to see additional facilities in parts of Montana currently underserved by the VA.
Q. Why can't I use my local pharmacy for VA prescriptions?
A. It’s VA policy for veterans to get their primary health care from the VA. That policy ensures veterans get their prescription medication from the VA.
Veterans are allowed to get specialty care in the private sector as long as the primary care provider is a VA caregiver. When that happens, the caregiver is completely responsible for the medication. And a VA doctor must see the veteran in order to determine that the medication prescribed is appropriate.
Using your local pharmacy for VA prescriptions may cause other problems too, such as safety issues and licensing issues.
Q. I need medical care that cannot be provided at Fort Harrison. The VA wants to ship me to the VA in Salt Lake City. How come I can't just go to my local hospital?
A. If you are a veteran and the VA is obligated to pay for your health care (for a service-connected disability, for example), then you are entitled to receive priority care in VA facilities. The law is pretty clear about that.
If you need care not available at Fort Harrison, the VA may send you to another VA facility, where the health care is among the best in the world.
Only if your VA primary care physician says certain medical services are not available from a VA facility, you may qualify to get care from a non-VA facility.
A. On Veterans Day last month, hundreds of folks gathered to dedicate the new
Yellowstone County Veterans’ Cemetery near Laurel. It was a moving ceremony and an
incredible show of support for Montana’s veterans. At the end of the ceremony, I had
the great honor of playing Taps for those who will be laid to rest there.
On September 11, we dedicated the Western Montana State Veterans’ Cemetery in
Missoula.
You don’t have to be a Montanan to qualify for burial at either cemetery. But
you must::
* Be a combat veteran who has not received a dishonorable discharge, or * Be a
20-year retiree of the National Guard and Reserve.
* And you must not be convicted of a capital crime.
Spouses and legal dependents (under the age of 21) of anyone buried at the cemetery
also qualify to be laid to rest there.
Any veteran in Montana with questions about their qualifications for burial can
contact Matthew McCombs, my State Veterans’ Liaison, by calling (406) 449-5401 or
toll-free in Montana (866) 554-4403.
Outside of MT, contact a local VSO.
Q. Now that research has shown that Gulf War Syndrome is in fact a legitimate
medical condition, can I file a claim for benefits or receive a higher priority
classification in the medical system?
A. Although the recent news is very important, by itself, it does not change a
veteran’s ability to get claims resolved until the VA changes its regulations to
accommodate new health care enrollments and benefits claims.
I am now working with my colleagues on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee to
make sure that the VA makes these changes as quickly as possible. Veterans
suffering from Gulf War Syndrome have waited nearly 18 years for the VA to take
their claims seriously. The VA must work quickly to provide these and all deserving
veterans with the benefits they have earned.
Q. I see that the VA’s reimbursement rate is going up again. Is the deductible ever
going to go back down?
A. Yes. Congress has passed my law that will lower the deductible back down to $6
per trip beginning January 9, 2009.
Montana veterans have been talking to me about the mileage reimbursement issue
since I took office, when the rate was just 11 cents. That doesn’t even pay for the
tires. So with input from Montana veterans, I got the VA to boost the rate last
year for the first time since 1977.
A few months ago, Congress agreed to increase the reimbursement rate again, from
28.5 cents to 41.5 cents per. The Secretary of the VA made the new reimbursement
rate official just last month.
This second increase is the result of good bipartisan work and I’m proud to have
played a big role in that process. It’s the right thing to do for Montana veterans
and all veterans in rural areas.
Q. Who do you think President-Elect Obama will pick to lead the VA?
A. As of press time, I don’t know who President-Elect Obama has in mind to serve as
the next Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs.
It’s an important position. President-Elect Obama and I served on the Senate
Veterans’ Affairs Committee together, and we’ve spoken often about veterans’ issues.
President-Elect Obama knows I’m looking for someone who’s got the energy and experience to improve veterans’ health care, who understands the unique needs of rural veterans, and someone who already knows the VA, because we don’t have time for on-the-job education.
U.S. Senator Jon Tester, a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, looks forward to answering questions from The Veterans’ Voice of Montana readers. If you
have any questions you would like to see addressed in future columns, please email them to senator@tester.senate.gov or send them to:
Q. I normally use the VA Healthcare system but I don’t live near Fort Harrison. Will the VA pay my medical bill if I have to go to the emergency room?
A. The VA will reimburse health care providers for all medical services necessary to stabilize your condition up to the point you can be transferred to an approved VA health care facility. The VA will also assist with transportation arrangements and in most instances pay for transportation.
This benefit is a safety net for enrolled veterans who have no other means of paying the bill at a private hospital. To qualify you must meet all of the following criteria:
· You were provided care in a hospital emergency department or similar facility providing emergency care.
· You are enrolled in the VA health care system.
· You have been provided care by a VA health care provider within the last 24 months.
· You are financially liable to the provider of the emergency treatment for that treatment.
· You have no other form of health care insurance.
· You do not have coverage under Medicare, Medicaid, or a state program.
· You do not have coverage under any other VA programs.
· You have no other contractual or legal recourse against a third party that will pay all or part of the bill.
· A VA facility, or other federal facilities, were not available at time of the emergency.
You do not need to contact the VA prior to your emergency room visit if you are an eligible veteran. If a VA facility is not available, and you believe your health or life is in immediate danger, report directly to the closest emergency room. You, your representative, or the treating facility should then contact the nearest VA as soon as possible (within 48 hours) to arrange a transfer to VA care, if hospitalization is required.
Thanks to a new law just enacted by Congress in October, the VA is required to pay private hospitals that provide emergency care to veterans.
Any eligible Montana veteran who is having trouble getting reimbursed for past emergency care is free to contact my Veterans’ Liaison, Matthew McCombs, by calling toll-free (866) 554-4403.
Q. What do you think should be done about the recent scandal involving VA regional centers shredding veterans’ claims?
A. Simple answer. If folks are shredding documents relating to pending veterans’ claims, they need to be fired. Too many veterans have had to struggle against the bureaucracy to have their claims addressed. We’ve made some progress this year in getting the VA to hire more folks to review and process claims. But now these folks need to be trained so that veterans’ disability claims aren’t just handled quickly, but accurately too.
Q. How do I know if I’m eligible for the VA’s clothing allowance?
A. To be eligible for the VA’s annual clothing allowance, a veteran must meet all of these criteria:
Has a service-connected disability;
Has a missing hand or foot, or lost use of a hand or foot; and
Use a prosthetic or orthopedic device (including a wheelchair).
Veterans who have certain service-connected skin conditions may also be eligible for the clothing allowance.
All applications must be accompanied by paperwork from a VA or hospital exam showing that these conditions are met.
Q. With high gas prices and all the inflation today, what are you doing for disabled veterans? The COLA is usually only 2 or 3 percent. That’s not enough for those of us on a fixed income.
A. Given the higher cost of everything from gasoline to milk, this year’s cost-of-living increase (COLA)—which will take effect on December 1—will be a 5.8 percent increase over the current disability payments. Congress enacted the COLA in September, and I was proud to be a cosponsor of that important legislation. Survivors of veterans who receive DIC payments and those veterans who receive a special low-income pension will also see the 5.8 increase.
U.S. Senator Jon Tester, a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, looks forward to answering questions from The Veterans’ Voice of Montana readers. If you have any questions you would like to see addressed in future columns, please email them to senator@tester.senate.gov or send them to:
Q and A
The Office of Senator Jon Tester
222 N. 32nd St., Suite 102
Billings, MT 59101
Q: Our congressional delegation has no power to tell the VA to do anything. Why and when should you call your Senator/Congressman if you have an issue with the VA? What can you expect?
A: True, members of Congress are part of the legislative branch of our government. And the VA is the executive branch. Some folks think I can simply tell the VA what to do. That’s not the case. No U.S. Senator has the power to fix every problem. That’s not the way our government was set up. But my staff and I go out of our way to build good relationships with folks at all levels of the VA. My staff is pretty successful when it comes to working with the VA to address specific issues. I also have a “Montanans first” policy in my office, so when someone calls my staff goes to work right away. I serve as a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, and the committee has oversight of the VA. I encourage any Montana veteran who has a concern, idea or problem with the VA to call Matthew McCombs, my Montana Veterans’ Liaison, toll-free at 1-866-554-4403.
My office can help veterans:
* Find resources through federal, state and local governments.
* Find medical and military records.
* Contact specific VA personnel and health care providers.
* Check the status of their benefit claims and appeals.
* Understand their rights and benefits.
Finally, I rely on your feedback to change the system. For example, I heard last year from folks all over the state about the VA’s 11-cents-per-mile reimbursement rate for disabled veterans. So I worked with my colleagues in the Senate on a bipartisan effort to pass legislation to raise it. The new rate is now 28.5-cents per mile, and we’re working on upping it even more—to 50.5-cents per mile.
Q: Why do I still have a copay from the VA hospital at Ft. Harrison when I qualify for VA health care and have Medicare?
A: While many veterans automatically qualify for cost-free health care due to service-connected injuries, most veterans have to complete an annual financial assessment—or “Means Test”—to see whether they qualify. Veterans who earn a certain amount of money every year—and those who don’t complete the Means Test—have to pay a copay to qualify for VA health care services. It is generally to your advantage to complete the Means Test. The VA will calculate your benefits based on the information you give them. If you don’t fill out the Means Test, you will automatically have to pay a copay for the VA care you receive.
Q: Why can’t I receive both my military retirement pay and my veteran benefits check?
A: For years military retirees who receive compensation for service-connected disabilities could not receive those benefits in addition to their military retirement pay. But that started changing in 2004, when a new law allowed qualified disabled military retirees to be paid both their full military retirement pay and their VA disability compensation. This is called Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay (CRDP). CRDP is automatic. If you qualify you will automatically see an increase in your monthly retirement check. The only catch to the new law is that it phases in CRDP over a nine-year period. I believe that veterans should not have to wait until 2014 to receive all of the benefits they earned, and I support efforts to eliminate that phase-in.
Q: I am a disabled veteran and I haven’t applied for a stimulus rebate yet. Can I still get my rebate?
A: According to the IRS, more than 17,500 eligible Montanans have not yet applied for their $600 rebate checks from the government. But it’s not too late. Even if your VA disability payment is your only source of income, you can still receive a stimulus rebate check. But I wouldn’t wait, because folks have until October 15 to apply.
All you have to do is file a federal income tax return for 2007—even if you don’t normally file a tax return. The easiest way to get more info is by going to www.irs.gov on the Internet. But if you need help, please call Matthew McCombs, my State Veterans Affairs Liaison. You can reach Matthew by calling (406) 449-5401 in Helena or toll-free in Montana at (866) 554-4403.
Q: With expensive gas prices and inflation, what is Congress doing to help disabled veterans on a fixed income?
A: There’s no doubt that the recent spike in gas prices and inflation hits folks on fixed incomes the hardest. The good news is that the Senate has recently passed a bill to provide disabled veterans and their survivors with a cost-of-living increase.
If the U.S. House agrees to the increase, it will go into effect on December 1. The exact amount of the increase won’t be determined until late October, but it should be between 2.5 percent and three percent. With gas at about $4 per gallon, I know it’s still not enough for many folks. But it’s an important start for the 17,000 Montana veterans and survivors who depend on these payments.
Q: Will the VA funding bill get caught up in political games this year?
A: In an election year, you can count on a lot of Washington politicians to use just about anything for political purposes. Funding for the VA should not be one of them. That is why I am a cosponsor of legislation to make funding for the VA mandatory.
Until we get mandatory funding, we have to get the funding bill done by October 1 every year. This year’s bill is particularly good for rural veterans. Working with my colleagues, I helped add a provision to the legislation boosting the VA’s mileage reimbursement rate from 28.5 to 52.5 cents per mile—the same rate federal employees get. Again, that increase is not final. But it’s a sign that folks in Congress are realizing what we have to do to live up to the promises made to America’s veterans.
There’s also $250 million in this year’s bill to help the VA start up a number of test programs to figure out the best ways to serve rural veterans. That’s a long overdue sign of respect for rural veterans.
Q: I think I am eligible for the new G.I. Bill. When can I start receiving benefits?
A: The 21st G.I. Bill we passed a few months ago is a new benefit providing significant higher education benefits to folks who have served at least 90 days on active duty on or after September 11, 2001.
According to the most recent information from the VA, benefits under the new G.I. Bill will be available to veterans beginning August 1, 2009. If veterans have any questions about the new G.I. Bill, I encourage them to call Matthew McCombs in my office. Again, he’s at (406) 449-5401 in Helena or toll-free in Montana at (866) 554-4403.
Q: I know the VA’s mileage reimbursement rate went up to 28.5-cents per mile this year. When is it going to go up enough to really make a difference?
A: After working closely with Montana’s veterans last year, I got the VA to increase its mileage reimbursement rate for disabled vets from 11-cents to 28.5-cents per mile. That was the first increase in 30 years. But we all know the new rate still won’t cut it—especially with gas prices going up.
My original legislation would have made the VA’s mileage reimbursement rate the same rate federal employees receive when they travel. That rate is currently 50.5-cents per mile. Unfortunately, some folks on the VA Committee didn’t want to budge on that rate, so we settled for the lower rate.
The Senate Appropriations Committee recently set aside money for the next fiscal year to increase the VA’s mileage reimbursement rate to 50.5-cents per mile. We’ve got a ways to go before this new rate is final, but I’m glad to see that we have the Committee’s attention. And I’ll keep working closely with all my Senate colleagues to make sure they know how important this reimbursement rate is in a rural state like Montana.
Q: When will Priority 8 veterans be allowed back into the VA system?
A: President Bush imposed his ban on Priority 8 veterans (any veteran with a non-service-connected disability who makes more than $28,000 per year) back in 2003. I believe that was a bad idea. It hurts too many veterans here in Big Sky Country. When folks sign up to serve in our military our government doesn’t tell them, “Your VA benefits won’t count if you make a certain salary.”
We have an obligation to make sure all veterans get the health care they earned and were promised—regardless of their income level as private citizens. The Senate is working on legislation to allow Priority 8 veterans back into the system, and it will have my full support.
Q: Why does the DAV have to always fight for money to keep its vans running?
A: The DAV (Disabled American Veterans) is a service organization that does amazing work. The DAV is unique because it relies solely on dedicated volunteer drivers to get fellow veterans wherever they need to go across our large state. I don’t know where we’d be without folks like DAV volunteers.
Of course, the DAV still needs to pay for maintenance, gas and volunteer training. In the VA Committee, we are currently working on legislation to provide THE DAV with more grant money to upgrade their vans, improve service and train more drivers.
Q: Why does benefit processing take so long?
A: That’s a good question, and it’s something I’ve been working on since taking office. It takes an average of 182 days for a claim to get processed. That’s unacceptable—especially when we’re talking about someone’s health.
Although it’s getting better, red tape and government bureaucracy has been a holdup at the VA for a long time. In Montana we expect common sense. And we expect our government to work efficiently. I have regular meetings with folks high up in the VA to get to the bottom of these issues, and I work very closely with service organizations to see what we can do to better live up to the promises we’ve made to all veterans.
In the meantime, if you have any questions about your claim or the claims process, please contact Matthew McCombs, my State Veterans Affairs Liaison. You can reach Matthew by calling (406) 449-5401 in Helena or toll-free in Montana at (866) 554-4403.
Sen. Jon Tester playing Taps.
This photo was taken at the dedication of the Yellowstone County Veterans Cemetery in Laurel on Memorial Day, May 26, by Laurel Outlook photographer Larry Tanglen
