Sunday, January 13, 2013
Friday, May 20, 2011
UVC 2011 Legislative Wrap-Up
The 2011 session of the 67th General Assembly ended Wednesday, May 11th. It was a productive session for veteran's issues, with several major victories.
Victories
The continuing budget challenge in Colorado limits many opportunities to fund veteran services as needed in the state. That said, the United Veterans Committee worked to protect the current levels of support for Colorado's veteran and military community. The State Veteran Nursing Home budget did not suffer significant cuts following adjustments from the sale of the Trinidad Nursing Home.
UVC opposed and helped to defeat HB 1038, a measure that would have prevented the sale of the Trinidad home. The Trinidad home was not a qualifying veterans home, yet suffered losses totaling nearly $5 million over ten years - losses subsidized by VA funding to the 505 fund that oversees all State Veteran Nursing Homes.
Also, UVC opposed several attempts to change the Medicaid reimbursement rates that apply to the SVNH residents, measures that could have raised rates paid by veterans on fixed incomes. SB 170 and HB 1285 were defeated, and SB 125 was amended to not harm the residents.
The Department of Military and Veterans Affairs also suffered cuts to their budget, but relative to other departments the impact was minimized. One of two new armories was funded and is now eligible for federal matching funds to complete. Funding for the second armory was postponed until 2012, when federal matching funds will need to be met or lost.
The UVC also supported the DMVA's measure to make processing applications for the disabled veteran property tax exemption more efficient, allowing for more timely responses. And the UVC helped defeat SB 033, a measure that would have required the flying of the Honor & Remember flag over state buildings on specific days.
Other Successes
Two measures designed to make voting easier for military members deployed overseas were passed, HB 1219 and SB 189. HB 1237 provides for a new billeting fund for the National Guard to improve training facilities and quarters. Two measures allowing military members in professions that require licensing to maintain their licenses more easily during and immediately following a deployment, HB 1013 and HB 1100. A Department of Defense child care pilot program was established ( HB 1027).
Lastly, UVC opposed a provision in SB 109 that would have given a new tax refund checkoff for education top-line priority on Colorado income tax forms. The bill was amended to drop that provision.
Losses
HB 1129 would have established a veteran preference in state contracting procedures, but was also linked to union and domestic vendor requirements that allowed for a 25% increase in contracting costs to the state. Under the current budget conditions those provisions were not supported by the majority of the House and the measure was defeated. Veteran preference may be revisited as a stand-alone measure next year as a result of this year's efforts. And lastly, HB 1321 was another voting measure to improve access to ballots by deployed military members. It was defeated in the Senate for reasons that are unclear, but seem to be unrelated to the bill itself.
Wrap Up
In short, UVC had a very successful legislative session. Thank you to everyone who took time to go to the Capitol to testify for bills or show support for veterans. Your work in your community is widely recognized by legislators. Veterans carry a loud voice when we choose to speak out on issues of public policy.
This summer we will continue to work on the veteran service budgetary needs and on issues initiated by the UVC Legislative Committee. While we avoided even deeper cuts to veteran services Colorado remains in the bottom of all states in monetary support for veterans. We must continue to reach out to legislators at the local level, in their communities during the summer and fall. Developing personal relationships as constituents is critical when it comes time to weigh in on issues that impact Colorado's veteran and military community. Your continued support and volunteer efforts on behalf of Colorado veterans makes the difference when legislators are making important decisions
The full spreadsheet of all legislation tracked and/or worked by UVC this session is attached.
Best regards,
Nate Gorman
UVC Legislative Liaison
Nate Gorman
The Gorman Group
PO Box 574
Kittredge, CO 80457
Phone: 303.221.2231
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Monday, March 21, 2011
Sunday, March 13, 2011
FW: CALL TO ACTION - VOTE NO ON SB 170
From: Ralph Bozella [mailto:
Sent: Saturday, March 12, 2011 2:38 PM
Subject: CALL TO ACTION - VOTE NO ON SB 170
Please call or email your state senator and ask that they vote no on SB 11-170.
This bill will hurt all nursing homes in the state including state veteran nursing homes by increasing the cost that the homes pay for Medicaid without going through the legislative process. When bills are introduced through legislative committees we have the opportunity to explain how they can help or hurt veterans. SB 170 will take budget setting authority for the General Fund portion of the nursing home Medicaid per diem away from the legislative process and give it to the Medical Service Board. This board can vote for General Fund increase or decreases for Medicaid without hearing testimony, and have an impact on what homes pay for Medicaid. Attached is more information provided by Colorado Health Care Association. As stated in the information:
* THIS
* THIS
* THIS
* THIS
* INSTEAD THIS
Please contact your state senator and ask that they vote no on SB 11-170. Thanks, Ralph
Ralph Bozella, Legislative Chair
American Legion Department of
303-589-3170
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Friday, March 11, 2011
Invitation to Veterans NOT Currently Receiving Care at a VHA Facility
-From: Urdiales, Anita (V19) [mailto:Anita.Urdiales@va.gov]
Sent: Wednesday, March 09, 2011 2:03 PM
To:
Subject: Invitation to Veterans NOT Currently Receiving Care at a VHA Facility
Steve, please distribute this invitation to your UVC membership. Thank you!
In order to honor Veterans like yourself, the VA is defining a “comprehensive set of health-care services that Veterans Health Administration (VHA) will provide to all enrolled veterans in a more patient-centered way, without respect to location, facility, or provider”. In other words, the VA wants to hear from you as a Veteran not currently using VHA for your health care services.
VHA has partnered with Planetree to conduct Voice of the Veteran Focus Groups (VOVFG) in your geographical area to collect opinions, suggestions, recommendations, and anecdotal stories, all of which will contribute toward enhancing the Veteran’s healthcare experience.
To help us meet your health care needs and enhance our services in a way that would be beneficial to you, we are pleased to offer you the opportunity to participate in this important focus group. This group is designed to hear about your concerns or reasons for not using VHA facilities for your healthcare, and to gather your ideas for improving care for Veterans like yourself in the future. Consultants from the Planetree organization will lead the group. Planetree is a non-profit group, founded by a patient, working nationally with the VHA to create an even more Patient-centered environment.
As a Veteran, your opinion is very important to us. We are excited to hear from you so that we can provide a healthcare experience for you that effectively meets your needs. The meeting will be held the afternoon of April 8, 2011 and will be about an hour and a half in length. If you are interested in participating, please RSVP to Anita Urdiales at 303-639-6992 or e-mail Anita.Urdiales@va.gov or Jordan Schupbach at 303-393-5205 or e-mail Jordan.Schupbach@va.gov. We will be happy to confirm your participation and provide more details.
Sincerely,
& nbsp; Anita Urdiales
Health System Specialist
& nbsp; VA Rocky Mountain Network 19
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Thursday, March 3, 2011
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Last Surviving WWI Veteran Passed
Photo by Charlie Riedel
(In a May 26, 2008 file photo Frank Buckles receives an American flag during Memorial Day activities at the National World War I Museum in Kansas City, Mo.)
The passing of Mr. Frank Buckles marks the final departure of the last surviving link to the more than 2 million American men and women who served during World War I. Sadly, this generation of heroes has surrendered to time and the day has come when they no longer walk among us.
World War I unleashed an unrestrained, methodical and mechanized destruction of human life leaving more than 8 million dead and 21 million wounded. Our late entry into the war in 1917 helped stop the slaughter in Europe, but at a heavy price to the nation; 126,000 deaths and more than 200,000 wounded by the end of the war in 1918. Despite the extremes of the war; fear, courage, cruelty and compassion, America made a conscious decision to fight for the ideal of freedom.
The full scope and stark reality of that war was beyond all of us, with the exception of one man who represented an entire generation assigned to history. Frank Buckles’ service and that of his now-absent comrades was borne from neither bravery nor bravado. It came from within; a sense of selflessness…doing something good for others, despite the danger. They faced fear and accepted it, challenged it, fought it, and then acted with honor. That is their legacy to us.
And that’s why we must ensure the memory of their courage and sacrifice won’t fade or disappear into anonymity. That would be an irretrievable loss to the nation, one that we cannot afford to pay.