fabulous!
thanks for all you do on behalf of PALS.
Amy
---- Original message ----
>Date: Thu, 2 Oct 2008 12:52:02 -0700 (PDT)
>From: Alisa Brownlee <xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxx>
>Subject: [Assistive Technology] FYI for the list
>To: ALSA Listserv <xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>
> This is from last week...
>
>
>
> It's Official!!!
> VA to Grant Benefits to All Veterans with ALS
> We did it! Tomorrow, September 23, the Veterans
> Administration will publish regulations officially
> establishing ALS as a service connected disease!
> Effective immediately, all veterans with ALS will
> now have access to the highest level of VA benefits
> without having to prove that their disease was
> caused by service in the military.
>
> This is a tremendous victory for all veterans and is
> the culmination of years of work by The Association,
> our VA Issue Team and veterans across the country.
> It is clear that our outreach - testifying before
> Congress, partnering with the VA, advancing research
> to identify the connections between ALS and military
> service and educating the public about this issue -
> have paid off. The Association has
> championed legislation (H.R. 5454) that would have
> established ALS as a service connected disease.
> However, thanks to our efforts at Advocacy Day and
> throughout the year, this legislation no longer is
> needed!
>
> ALL Veterans with ALS Eligible for Benefits
>
> This new policy means that ALL veterans with ALS
> will receive the benefits they need, deserve and
> have earned. Importantly, it is broad in scope and
> applies to all veterans diagnosed with ALS
> regardless of when or where they served and
> regardless of when they were diagnosed with the
> disease following service in the military. A summary
> of the regulation can be found here. The text of the
> regulation is available here.
> Tomorrow and in the coming days, The ALS Association
> will post additional information about the
> regulation, including answers to frequently asked
> questions, an overview of benefits available to
> veterans with ALS, as well as guidance veterans can
> use to obtain service connected veterans benefits.
>
> The ALS Association would like to thank VA Secretary
> James Peake, Congressman Henry Brown (R-SC) and
> Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) for their efforts to
> work with us and the ALS community in support of
> veterans across the country. We also would like to
> thank all veterans with ALS whose outreach to
> Congress has helped make this important benefit
> possible.
>
> Additional information will be available on our
> website on September 23. If you have any questions,
> please do not hesitate to contact the Advocacy
> Department at xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> Alisa Brownlee, ATP
> Assistive Technology Specialist
> ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease) Association, Greater
> Philadelphia Chapter
>
> Assistive Technology Consultant, ALS Association,
> National Office
> Direct Phone Number: 215-631-1877
Amy S. Goldman, Associate Director
Institute on Disabilities
Temple University
CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF PA'S ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY LENDING LIBRARY!
http://disabilities.temple.edu
215-204-3862 voice direct
215-204-9371 fax
toll free (in state) 800-204-PIAT (7428)(voice)
toll free (in state) 866-268-0579 (TTY)
University Services Building Suite 610
1601 North Broad Street
Philadelphia, PA 19122
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