SUNUNU BRIEFS NEW HAMPSHIRE VETERANS ON NEW VA HEALTH SERVICES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                                         CONTACT: BARBARA RILEY

8/6/08                                                                                  202-224-2841

                                                                                            LIZ CHAMBERLAIN

                                                                                            603-430-9560

SUNUNU BRIEFS NEW HAMPSHIRE VETERANS ON NEW VA HEALTH SERVICES

Senator, VA representative meet with Veterans Service Officers in Nashua

NASHUA, NH – United States Senator John Sununu (R-NH) today (8/6) met with Veteran Service Officers in Nashua for an informational discussion on plans by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide in-state radiation therapy for New Hampshire veterans.  The meeting at VFW Post 483 included a briefing by Debra Krinsky, acting Public Affairs Officer for the Manchester Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC).

“It is great news that the VA is increasing in-state health care services for our veterans,” said Sununu.  “Now that the VA has agreed to offer radiation therapy at non-VA facilities in New Hampshire, cancer-stricken veterans will no longer have to travel to Boston to receive life-saving treatment.  The VA’s fee-basis program has already begun covering the cost of radiation treatment for all service-connected veterans, and other enrolled veterans will be covered by the end of February 2009.  Granite State veterans had told me that the lack of local radiation treatment was one of their top concerns, and I am pleased that VA Secretary James Peake has agreed to make this treatment available in New Hampshire.”

In a July 23 letter to Sununu, Secretary Peake wrote that the VA had determined that several hospitals in southern New Hampshire are capable of providing radiation therapy, and that he had directed the VAMC to begin a competitive bidding process for contract services at one or more in-state facilities.  Earlier, Sununu had stressed the need for in-state radiation services during a June meeting with Peake at the VAMC.

At today’s meeting, the VAMC representative explained to the group that:

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      • Enrolled service-connected veterans are now eligible to receive radiation therapy at non-VA facilities in New Hampshire through the VA fee-basis program.
      • Radiation services will be become available to non-service-connected veterans enrolled at the VAMC by the end of 2008.
      • Veterans in need of radiation treatment should contact the VAMC at (800) 892-8384, extension 6491.

BACKGROUND: Sununu efforts to improve and expand services for veterans include:

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      • Supported legislation in the U.S. Senate which would modify and update the education incentives in the GI Bill and increase the monthly benefit for college costs.

       

      • Supported concurrent receipt legislation to permanently end the dollar-for-dollar reduction of retirement pay by disability benefit payments received by military retirees.
      • Took steps to evaluate and enhance the services currently offered at the Manchester Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC), including the need for radiation treatment.
      • Worked to open the VA Veterans Center in Berlin to provide counseling and outreach services in the North Country.
      • Wrote and guided to passage an amendment to the “Veterans’ Housing Opportunity and Benefits Improvement Act” to update eligibility criteria for housing assistance grants for younger disabled veterans, and also cosponsored an amendment to increase the grants’ value.
      • Supported legislation to create and fund a comprehensive outreach program to assist members of the National Guard with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as they return from combat. 
      • Urged the VA to designate Greenfield, New Hampshire's Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation Center as a satellite to the Veterans Administration polytrauma-level care centers for war-related injuries.
      • Secured funding for the New Hampshire Veterans Home in Tilton and Buckingham Place, a veterans’ transitional housing development in Nashua.  Fought for funding for Liberty House veterans’ homeless shelter in Manchester.
      • Announced new Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Grants to provide rental vouchers for homeless veterans with disabilities in New Hampshire.

ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND ON VAMC: In addition to radiation services, the attached includes some of the major improvements in services at the VAMC from 2000 through 2008.

• 2000 - Opened newly renovated Audiology Clinic, new Eye Clinic, and established state-of-the-art Same-Day Surgical Suite and Ophthalmology Surgery Program.
• 2001 - Opened Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) in Conway and Wolfeboro.
• 2003 - Opened Women’s Clinic in the VAMC and moved the Portsmouth CBOC into new and improved clinic.
• 2004 - Expanded local inpatient care contract, which increased the number of Acute Care patients being admitted locally, and established a Tele-health program.
• 2005 - Reduced the number of veterans transported to Boston for outpatient care services from over 1800 in 2003, to less than 1250 in 2005, opened the Somersworth CBOC, and established Outpatient Orthopedic Surgical Services.
• 2006 - Established Primary Mental Health Clinic.
• 2007 – Established MRI Services onsite and VAMC staff is enhanced to include Recovery Coordinator, Suicide Prevention Coordinator, and OIF/OEF Returning Combat Veteran Coordinator.
• 2008 – Opened Berlin Vets Center.