William Booker Welcomed Into the VA System - A Success Story

William Booker Arrives
At Seattle VA Hospital

Today the staff at the Seattle VA Hospital welcomed Mr. William Booker, one of the last of our Tuskegee Airmen, as he went with his family through the process of getting the VA Photo ID needed to access its resources.
Until earlier this month, Mr. Booker was having difficulty gaining access to the VA system. As blogged earlier, when making inquiries as to his eligibility, his wife Dolores had been told that their income exceeded the statutory cut-off. This didn't seem right but what could they do? Rules are rules.
As it turned out, when the Booker family tried again with the help of volunteers from Veterans and Friends of Puget Sound (yes, we are boasting ;-)   we discovered that Mr. Booker's medical expenses should have been subtracted from his pension income in determining whether he met the qualifications. With this small correction, he easily qualified. A couple of weeks ago, the Booker family, our volunteers and the VA Hospital eligibility staff worked together to get the appropriate forms filled out correctly and into the system, all right and tight.
Today (February 27, 2013) Mr. Booker arrived at the Seattle VA Hospital to get his photo ID. The parking lot was very busy, but the valet service made it possible for him to disembark in his wheelchair and enter the facility, while the valets took care of the family van. He, his family and a couple of volunteers went to the eligibility determination station on the first floor, where it didn't take long to get his picture taken.
Next, our little party took the elevator by the entrance to go to the 2nd floor to make an appointment for his initial medical checkup. As you exit the elevator, you pick a number from the machine to establish your place in line; there are four categories of visit so make sure you pick the correct category and push the correct button, so you get the right number.

I 'm not mentioning any staff members' names in this blog post, because I didn't ask them. Yes, the 1st amendment and all that means that I could list what I saw on their nametags, but isn't it best to ask first? especially since they were all being so darn helpful. They know who they are and their efforts were greatly appreciated!

We waited about 10 minutes in the 2nd floor lobby, which didn't seem bad considering that we were category "B" - unscheduled visit. The interview was in an office with a door that closed for patient privacy, and the staff member gave us all the time we needed to answer questions - and you can believe that we had multiple questions! Due to the high volume of demand, there was about a five week delay for the initial checkup, but the staffer explained that if something came up in the meantime, he could go directly to the VA Hospital's ER for help.
Afterwards, our party went to the 1st floor to meet a Patient Advocate, because it can be helpful for family members who may be advocating for the veteran to know who they're talking to, and vice versa. While the family was discussing Mr. Booker's situation with one of the advocates, an Assistant Director stopped on the way by and welcomed them.
On the way out, the guards at the front desk suggested Mr. Booker wait inside the building, where it was warmer, while the valet went to get the van. They, along with everyone else we met today, were quite welcoming and seemed pleased to have met Mr. Booker.
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One lesson to take from this story: when in doubt, apply for benefits. If you or your family member might qualify, get the form and fill it out.  It's o.k. to use a screening checklist to give you ideas as to what to apply for, but do not try to figure out yourself if you qualify; do not let someone else try to figure out if you qualify; let the system figure whether you qualify. Remember that the Bookers could have gotten successfully enrolled into the system, and gotten the help that they had earned, much earlier if only they had known. It looks like they will be taken care of from this point, but there must be other veterans in similar situation who don't know they qualify for VA help that they earned through their service.

Quick Screening Guide

It has been estimated that half of all American veterans are not collecting the benefits that they earned, simply because they have not applied or their application is not completed. Here's a quick "screen" that can help you pick out some benefits for which you or a family member might qualify; remember that the only way to know for sure is to apply; this page is for general guidance only.

I. General Screen for Veteran Eligibility

• Are you a veteran or the dependent spouse, child, adult dependent child, or dependent parent of a veteran?
• If yes, does the veteran receive any cash benefits or health care from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)?
• If yes, advise the veteran to contact VA to inquire if additional benefits may be available.
• If no, does the veteran believe that the veteran has a disability that was incurred or aggravated by active military service?
• If yes, refer the veteran to apply for service-connected compensation and VA health care.

II. Screen for Pension Eligibility

• Do you have a discharge under conditions other than dishonorable?
• Did you serve during a period of war, such as World War II, Korea, Vietnam, or after August 2, 1990?
• Not counting your home, normal personal effects such as furnishings, and motor vehicles used for normal transportation, do you have resources less than $80,000 ?
• Is your income less than (a certain amount, which changes; check with the VA) after subtracting out-of-pocket medical expenses (be sure to count up these expenses since they make a big difference)?
• Are you (either one or both):
• 65 or older
• AND/OR permanently and totally disabled?
• If yes to all of these questions, contact the VA for possible pension eligibility.

III. Screen for Surviving Spouse Eligibility

• Are you the surviving spouse of a veteran?
• If yes, were you married at the time of veteran’s death?
• If no, stop. No VA benefits are payable.
• If yes, have you remarried since the veteran’s death?
• If no, screen for the veteran’s wartime service, character of discharge, and resources as outlined above and substitute current death pension income amounts for the family’s size. Note that the surviving spouse may be eligible for a death pension even if not aged or disabled.
• Refer a survivor who appears to meet the criteria to VA to apply for a death pension.

IV. Screen for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation Eligibility

• Did the veteran die of a service-connected disability or a disability that VA recognizes as presumptively serviceconnected due to service during the Vietnam or Gulf war or due to prisoner-of-war status?
• Is the survivor currently remarried?
• If no, refer the survivor to VA to apply for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC).
• If yes, were you remarried after December 31, 2003, and after you were at least 57?
• If yes, refer the survivor to VA to apply for DIC benefits.
• If no, DIC benefits are not available while the survivor is married.

The above is from "What Difference Does It Make if  the Client Is a Veteran? None if You  Don’t Ask About Veteran Status".
When screening, don't stop with the above; always check for eligibility with state and local programs as well. A little bit of time can have a huge impact.

Bus Stop At VA Hospital Lacks Rain Shelter

Bus Stop At Seattle VA Hospital
Lacks Any Rain Shelter

The bus stop at Seattle's VA Hospital has no shelter. Let's hope it doesn't rain much up on that hill. Some of those patients are not in the best of health; it is, after all, a hospital!

Who's in charge of bus shelters anyway?

You'll notice that there is a shelter nearby; it's for the valet service, which is an important feature of the place. Disabled veterans who can drive to the place can drop off their cars at the front door and the valet will park for them. This is IMPORTANT because the parking lot is very big and often full; it would be crazy to require veterans with limited mobility to get from the outer edges to the building on their own ... possibly missing ... feet.

If you're going to have a valet service, you need a shelter for the valets. That's just logic; it's rainy here in Seattle, and workers need to be treated well. 

But a shelter for veterans waiting for the bus is important too. Who do we see about that?