VOL 44 No. 1 Jan 2017 GREATER CINCINNATI CHAPTER MILITARY OFFICERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA AN AFFILIATE OF THE MILITARY OFFICERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA WHERE: Renew your dues please see page 5! General Membership Meeting - Election/New Board Speaker: Rudy Jansen, Retired Federal Administrative Law Judge Manor House Restaurant 600 Maple Trace Dr., Springdale, OH (Gathering Room) WHEN: Friday, 13 Jan 2017 TIME: 11:30 AM Social Time 12:00 PM Lunch Program follows Luncheon Rudolf Jansen is a retired Federal Administrative Law Judge. He began his legal career in 1966 with the U.S. Treasury Department, Office of Chief Counsel, Internal Revenue Service where he served for 14 years. In that position, he handled primarily U.S. Tax Court cases in litigation. He also did review work for collection cases as well as reviewing criminal enforcement matters prior to referral to the Department of Justice for prosecution. In 1980 he accepted an appointment as an Administrative Law Judge with the U.S. Department of Labor. In that position, he handled cases involving approximately 90 different federal labor statutes as well as serving as a Mediator and Special Trial Judge for various cases involving laws administered by other federal agencies. Judge Jansen is a member of the State of Indiana Bar, and has also been admitted to practice in various U.S. District Courts, the 6 th Circuit Court of Appeals, and the U.S. Tax Court. Upon his retirement from the bench about 10 years ago, he engaged in a variety of endeavors including parish related activities and also began a 10 year association with numerous primarily WWII veterans to prepare their documents and oral histories for submission to the Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress. Files have also been submitted to the WWII Museum in New Orleans and the 8 th Air Force Museum in Savannah, Georgia. He earned his Bachelor degree from Marian University and a Juris Doctor from Indiana University, Indianapolis, School of Law. He married his college sweetheart, Barbara Franz, in 1964 and they have 5 children. LUNCH RESERVATION: Friday, 13 January 2017 Manor House Restaurant Springdale, OH. Name: Rank & Service: Spouse/Guests: (ARE YOU A NEW MEMBER, OR FIRST TIME OUT? ) Entrée choices: Lunch BUFFET $14.00 (Menu changes daily but always includes a selection of homemade soups, 3 salad selections, three entrees, two vegetable dishes and a side dish and includes Manor House bread pudding for dessert ) Total Reservations = Total $ Make Checks payable to GREATER CINCINNATI CHAPTER/MOAA and mail to LTC PAUL FELLINGER, 5493 Delhi Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45238-5139, (Phone (513) 451-9881) or email: pwf5493@aol.com. Please make reservations NLT than 11 January. No cancellations after that date.
2016 CHAPTER OFFICERS AND BOARD (phone # s are area code 513 unless noted) Executive Committee President LTC Al Brauer, USA 677-8320 Immed PP BG Tom O Brien, USA 421-0118 1st VP CAPT Steve Drefahl, USN 752-4097 2nd VP CAPT Mike Glaser, USN 675-0895 Secretary CAPT Alan Echt, PHS 573-0315 Treasurer LTC Paul Fellinger, USAR 451-9881 Chaplain Rev Joseph L Boone, USA 853-2051 Legislative Ofc BG Tom O Brien, USA 421-0118 Natl Bd RADM Larry Hereth, USCG 812 537-2968 Past Natl Bd MAJ Isaac Mincy, USAF 542-6145 Surviving Diane Lochocki, Surviving Sp. 560-0540 Spouse Liaison State Council Delegate CAPT Alan Echt, PHS 573-0315 Alt Delegate MAJ Ed Knox, USAF 674-7755 Committees Programs Vacant Membership CAPT Mike Glaser, USN 675-0895 R.O.T.C. LTC Al Brauer, USA 677-8320 Reserve/NG CAPT Steve Drefahl, USN 752-4097 Historian LCOL Dick Probst, USAF 703-0754 Sympathy/ Vacant Personal Affairs TOPS LtCol Brad Hamant, USAF 439-3140 VA Brick Liaison BM2 Ben Staubach, USN 919-3659 CinMoaaNews/ CWO3 Kym Mader, USN 759-0852 Public Affairs Service Representatives Army COL Robert Greene, USA 859 689-4321 Navy CAPT Rex Settlemoir, USN 598-9549 Coast Guard CAPT Rex Settlemoir, USN 598-9549 USPHS CAPT Alan Echt, PHS 573-0315 Air Force MAJ Ed Knox, USAF 674-7755 Marine Corps CAPT Rex Settlemoir, USN 598-9549 PURPOSES OF THE GREATER CINCINNATI MOAA CHAPTER The purposes of Military Officers Association of America as stated by national are printed on the outside of each Newsletter. The corresponding purposes of our Chapter as stated in our BYLAWS, Article II are: (a) To promote the purposes and objectives of the Military Officers Association of America (b) To foster fraternal relations among retired, active and former officers of the uniformed services. (c) To protect the rights and interests of personnel of the uniformed services and their dependents and survivors. (d) To provide useful services for members and their dependents and survivors. (e) To serve the community and the nation. Your officers and Board members welcome your comments and suggestions on steps that may be taken to strengthen our Chapter and its benefits to all members. LOCAL Chapter: CinMoaa News is published to arrive at your home 10 days before each meeting. Articles and corrections for the News must be in the hands of editor 4 weeks before each meeting date. Mail to CinMoaa News, 8099 Pepper Pike, West Chester, OH 45069. Or E-mail chmader@fuse.net. For MOAA National information: Visit the MOAA Web Site - INTERNET ADDRESS HTTP://www.moaa.org TAPS If you know a member of MOAA who has past away, please let us know so we may pass it on. COL Barbara Rounds, USAR - 10/27/2016 Sue Heitbrink - Spouse of CAPT Wm Heitbrink - 12/15/2016 LTjg (Dr.) Henry Heimlich, USN - 12/17/2016 MEETINGS - Mark your Calendars NOW! Watch www.cincymoaa.org for updates. BOARD MEETINGS 2nd Friday of each month, 1200 - American Red Cross Building* 2111 Dana Ave., Cincinnati, OH Conference Call in is available. Contact a board member for more details. Spouses and guests are welcome at all meetings. (* Board meetings falling on the date of a member meeting is held after the member meeting) MEMBER MEETINGS 2017 Members Meetings Plan now to attend Jan 13, Apr 7, Jun 9, Sept 8, & Dec 8 2
Board Elections for 2017 It is time to elect our Board for the coming year. Below is the proposed list of candidates and positions. Come to the January meeting to support your board elections and welcome in your newly elected board. President Immed PP 1st VP 2nd VP Secretary Treasurer Chaplain Legislative Ofc Spouse/Surviving Spouse Liaison Natl Bd CAPT Steve Drefahl, USN LTC Al Brauer, USA CAPT Mike Glaser, USN LtCol Brad Hamant, USAF CAPT Alan Echt, PHS LTC Paul Fellinger, USAR Rev Joseph L Boone, USA BG Tom O Brien, USA Diane Lochocki RADM Larry Hereth, USCG There is still time for you to help make a difference and serve on a committee. One committee chair still needs to be filled. Consider serving your chapter by chairing the Programs Committee. Contact CAPT Steve Drefahl if you are interested at sdrefahl@fuse.net or call (513) 752-4097. Dining Out - A great time was had by all who attended Officers Great tradition, sharing, honoring and fellowship. Officers and Spouses MOAA Ohio Council of Chapters 2017 Convention Every two years the MOAA Ohio Council of Chapters has a state convention. The next convention is 22-24 September. Our host is The Mahoning-Shenango Valleys Chapter. The location will be at the Youngstown Air Reserve Station, Vienna, OH. The program is chocked full of good information and top notch speakers including USPHS Region V Administrator, RADM James Lando; USCG Ninth District Commander, RADM Jane Ryan; and LT Gen Dana T. Atkins, MOAA, President and CEO. A Saturday, September 23rd, C-130 Orientation Flight to Niagara Falls is being planned. Lodging will be on the base at the Eagle s Nest Inn and is reasonably price, $60 for a standard, $70 for a VIP room. The registration fee is yet to be determined but is expected to be very reasonable and will include all Saturday meals and Sunday breakfast. Please plan on attending. The Cincinnati MOAA Chapter will be hosting the 2019 Chapter Convention so we want to have a good showing from Cincinnati. We will keep you informed as more information becomes available including registration and the full agenda. For now please put the dates September 22-24 on your calendar. 3
SURVIVING SPOUSE CORNER VA Aid and Attendance Qualifications (By Patricia Bergquist, Surviving Spouse Advisory Committee member) One of the least understood benefits to wartime veterans and their surviving spouses is the VA s pension program and its additional payments for assisted-living or in-home care called aid and attendance (A&A) or housebound (HB) allowances. The pension program is a financial needs-based program that provides supplemental tax-free benefits to low-income veterans or surviving spouses. Most veterans or survivors exceed income eligibility requirements for a pension, but may qualify if medical and/or assisted care expenses significantly reduce income. To qualify for a VA pension, the veteran spouse must meet the following service requirements: 90 days of active military service on or before Sept. 7, 1980, with at least one day during a war time period, or 24 months (or full mobilization period) of active military service before Sept. 7, 1980, with At lease one day during a war time period. In addition to meeting minimum service requirements, a veteran must be: Age 65 or older, or totally and permanently disabled, or a patient in a nursing home receiving skilled nursing care, or receiving Social Security Disability Insurance, or receiving Supplemental Security Income. There is no age requirement, but a surviving spouse must have been married to the veteran for at least one year and have never married. A&A recipients require in-home assistance to perform activities of daily living such as personal hygiene, feeding, dressing, ambulation, or protection from in-home hazards. Additional qualifying conditions include being chronically bedridden, having significantly reduced visual acuity, or needing nursing home care for mental or physical incapacity. HB recipients are substantially confined to their homes because of permanent disability. A veteran or surviving spouse may not receive A&A and HB benefits at the same time. The VA also conducts an asset test assets easily converted to income disqualify the claimant until those assets have been reduced below the threshold. There currently is no hard and fast asset figure to provide readers. Unfortunately, the current standard often resides with the VA Pension Management Center that processes the individual claim. The VA has announced it will provide definite asset limits at a future date. A&A often goes unused because potential recipients are intimidated by the VA Claim process, including gathering the documentation and information necessary to complete the required claim forms and navigating the hard to find income limits to calculate whether you qualify for benefits. MOAA always recommends the use of a veterans service officer (VSO) to assist with understanding and assembling the requirements for a VA claim or appeal. The VSOs at national or local veterans organizations provide this service free of charge. Two basic forms are required for a survivor pension claim: VA Form 21-534EZ (Application Death Pension) and VA Form 21-2680 (Examination for HB Status or Permanent Need for Regular A&A). If the survivor resides in a nursing home, VA Form 21-0779 (Request for Nursing Home Information in Connection with Claim for A&A) also is required. Beware: A cottage industry of financial firms offer assistance to restructure veteran or survivor portfolios to meet the VA s asset test. They ll put your claim together free of charge, as required by law, then charge exorbitant commissions or fees on your asset restructure. For more information, visit the VA s website. Thank You to Spouses and Surviving Spouses Diane Lochocki, Spouse/Surviving Spouse Liaison The luncheon at the Manor House on December 13th was lovely and enjoyed by all. A special thanks to the Surviving Spouses for your prompt response to the questionnaire we sent you. WISHING EVERYONE A HAPPY AND JOYFUL NEW YEAR. Looking forward to 2017 and getting together when I return from Florida. 4
Defense Bill: Pay, SBP, TRICARE, and Housing Wins House and Senate leaders resolved hundreds of differences between their respective versions of the FY 2017 Defense Authorization Bill, and followed MOAA's and The Military Coalition's recommendations on most of them. Here's a summary of selected outcomes. Currently Serving Issues Pay raise: Approves a 2.1 percent 2017 military raise (matching the average American's), rather than the 1.6 percent proposed by DoD. Force levels: increases for all services significantly above the Pentagon proposals. Housing Allowance: Rejects a Senate-proposed plan that would have cut allowances by tens of thousands of dollars a year for dual-servicemember couples and other military members who share housing. Spouse Employment: Eliminates 2-year eligibility limitation (after PCS) for noncompetitive appointment of military spouses to federal civilian positions. Parental Leave: Authorizes up to 12 weeks of paid leave (including 6 weeks medical recuperation leave) for primary caregiver after childbirth; 21 days authorized for servicemember who is the secondary caregiver. Survivor Benefits Special Survivor Indemnity Allowance: Extends this allowance for SBP-DIC widows through May 2018 at the current $310 monthly rate (this will give us an opportunity to push Congress next year to increase and further extend the allowance, or eliminate the offset in its entirety). SBP for Reserve Components: Upgrades Survivor Benefit Plan formula for Reserve Component members who die while on inactive duty for training to equal SBP benefits for those who die on active duty. TRICARE Benefits and Fees There will be no changes to TFL. The bill rejects the Pentagon proposal to impose an annual TFL enrollment fee of up to 2 percent of military retired pay. Rejects a DoD proposal to roughly double TRICARE pharmacy copays over 10 years. Imposes significantly increased fees and copays only for those who will enter service on or after January 1, 2018. Grandfathers currently serving and currently retired members and families against most increases. EXCEPT current retirees and family members enrolled in TRICARE Standard (to be renamed TRICARE Select) will pay a new enrollment fee of $150/$300 (single/family) per year, starting in 2020 (NOTE: Chapter 61 (medical) retirees and survivors of members who died on active duty will be exempt from this enrollment fee). Establishes a new requirement for retired members and families (except TFL) to execute a formal annual enrollment in either TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Select, starting in 2017 (IMPORTANT: this means they will have to physically sign a piece of paper to enroll; enrollment will be required for TRICARE coverage). Eliminates a requirement to get pre-authorization for urgent care, and requires all military medical facilities to maintain urgent care hours until 11 p.m. Authorizes DoD to provide hearing aids to family members of retirees at DoD cost. Authorizes a pilot program of offering commercial insurance coverage to Reserve component members and families on the same basis as federal civilians. Requires implementation of standard appointment system at all military facilities no later than Jan. 1, 2018, including issuance of appointment on first call and 24/7 online service availability. Authorizes retired members and families to participate in federal civilian dental and vision plan (the current retiree dental program will go away). Restores provider payments for treatment of autism to higher rates that were in effect before April 2016. (continued on other side) 5
Military Health Care Reform Other Matters Places all military hospitals and clinics under the authority of the Defense Health Agency for purposes of budgeting, health care policy, and health care administration. Requires pilot program of value-based care, which would reimburse providers at higher rate for providing topquality care and reduce or eliminate copays for high-value medications and medical services. Requires new TRICARE contracts to improve beneficiary access, improve medical outcomes, improve quality of care, enhance beneficiary experiences, and reduce DoD health care costs. By mid-2017, incorporate into annual performance review of all military and civilian health care leaders' measures of accountability for patient access to care, quality of care, improvement in health care outcomes, and patient safety. By January 2018, implement productivity standards (e.g., patients seen per day) for all providers in military treatment facilities (this is intended to improve patient access to timely care). Includes a provision aimed at ensuring fair treatment for California Guardsmen who have been targeted for recoupment of incentive bonuses paid to them 10 years ago. Rejected the Senate's proposal mandating female Selective Service registration, and instead included a requirement to review the continuing need for Selective Service System registration and the potential for a national service program. Requires a DoD report on travel costs incurred by Reserve Component members. House lawmakers approved the bill 375 to 34, and the Senate followed suit in a 92-7 vote. Congress Passes Vet Bill before Leaving for the Holidays December 16, 2016 This week, Congress sent a package of important veterans bills to the president. Although Congress failed to act on major VA reform bills introduced earlier in the year, it did manage to pass a bill with a variety of other needed measures. For one thing, the Jeff Miller and Richard Blumenthal Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2016 (H.R. 6416) contained a provision MOAA has pushed for many years - veteran status for all retired Guard and Reserve members, including those not called to federal service during their careers. Current law limits the veteran designation to those who have performed federal active duty. The change, which doesn't authorize any additional pay or benefits for the group, simply acknowledges the contributions of the Guard and Reserve retirees to our country. Selected other provisions of the bill include: Survivor Benefits - Streamlines the delivery of survivor benefits from the VA, making it unnecessary for a survivor to apply separately to DoD and the VA. Veterans Court Judges - Extends the temporary increase in the number of judges on the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. Absent this extension, the Court would have only seven judges to hear veterans' appeals. The extension adds two more judges for another four years to handle the appeal workload, which already has an extreme backlog. GySgt Fry Scholarship - Expands the eligibility for Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarships to include members of the military who died beginning on Sept. 11, 2001. The previous eligibility date was for deaths that occurred on or after Jan. 1, 2006. Immunizations - Aligns the VA's definition of preventive health services with the current adult immunization schedule used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The VA would be required to establish quality measures and metrics to ensure veterans receiving medical care in the VA are notified on a regular schedule for immunizations should they choose to use the preventive service. Mental Health Counselors - Expands the qualification requirements for individuals the VA hires as licensed professional mental health counselors to include providers with doctoral degrees in mental health counseling. Physician Work Hours - Allows greater work hour flexibility by allowing physicians to work more or less than 80 hours in a biweekly period as is currently done in the private sector. VA leaders say this is essential to attract new hires. Graduate Medical Education - Increases the number of graduate medical education residency positions at VA medical facilities to 1,500 over the next 10 years. Toxic Exposure Research - Requires the VA to conduct an assessment on scientific research related to descendants of veterans with toxic exposure and recommend to Congress the feasibility of conducting further research regarding health conditions of descendants of exposed veterans. If further research is deemed feasible, the VA would establish an advisory board to help the Secretary of VA in carrying out further research going forward. The bill is now on its way to the president, who is expected to sign it into law. MOAA will continue to advocate in the next Congress for improvements not included in this bill - appeals reform, the VA's Choice program, and the consolidation of community care programs, to name a few. 6
2017 CHAPTER DUES ARE DUE! Please pay now- IF you haven't done so. To determine whether your dues are paid, please check your address sticker on the other side of this form. The year is shown for the latest year for which your dues are paid. (Life members show LIFE). If your number is (2016) or lower, please return this form (with your name sticker on reverse) along with a check for your dues to bring you up to current year. Please mark your selection of dues (one year, multi-year or life). If you are moving out of state and don t want to continue your chapter membership or have any other status change, please let us know. Also please indicate on your check the year(s) your dues are for. NEW - You can now renew your membership online. Go to http://www.moaa.org/content/chapters-and- Councils/Chapters-and-Councils.aspx#Chapter-Dues. Chapter Membership Renewal Name: Rank: Your email address please: Member $28 for three years $19 for two years $10.00 for one year Surviving Spouse (surviving spouse of a deceased officer) No Cost Please renew as a LIFE member. (Please circle amount in fee schedule.) Make check payable to: Greater Cincinnati Chapter / MOAA Mail Renewal form and check to: LTC Paul Fellinger, 5493 Delhi Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45238-5139 There is no membership dues for Surviving Spouses. -------------------------- cut here --- --------- Dues Form ---------------------cut here---------------------------- WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST MEMBERS CAPT David Pollauf, USA, Ret LT Dale Lindle, USN 1LT Dan Nurre, USA LIFE MEMBERSHIP FEES (Fee is based on your age, nearest birthday) Member Age up to 55 $161.25 Age 56 to 70 $127.50 Age 71 to 89 $ 93.75 Age 90 and over Waive TRICARE Reminds Beneficiaries: Protect Your Personal Information Don t wait for fraud against TRICARE beneficiaries to be in the news. Always protect your personal information! Whether you re active duty or retired, don t share your uniformed service identification card, or personal or family information with someone you don t know. Protecting your personal information is vital to your privacy, and prevents abuse of taxpayer dollars. Fraudsters often target TRICARE beneficiaries. For example, they conduct fake surveys to collect personal information. They call saying they know you have TRICARE and want to let you know you qualify for a free or low cost knee brace or walker. They then bill TRICARE for services or supplies you don t need and never get. No One from TRICARE will ever recommend a particular product or medicine. If someone does, don t share any personal information. If you think you re the victim of TRICARE-relate fraud, report it to the Defense Health Agency. Also, report when you think a provider or company is trying to defraud TRICARE. For example, if your TRICARE explanation of benefits (EOB) shows a charge for services you didn t get, tell your TRICARE regional contractor. TRICARE won t just call or email you asking for personal identifying information, such as your uniformed service ID number, social security number or Department of Defense benefits number. Only give that kind of information to a trusted person or office, like your doctor, a TRICARE claims processor or regional contractor. Be wary of an unknown person offering a gift or reward in exchange for a health service. They may be trying to commit fraud. For more information about fraud, visit www.health.mil/fraud. Remember To Update Us On Your Address and Email When you move or change your email address, please let us know so we can continue to let you know what is going on with your local chapter, within the state and nationally. We would hate for you to miss out. 7
Greater Cincinnati Chapter MILITARY OFFICERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA 8099 Pepper Pike West Chester, OH 45069-2842 NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID CINCINNATI, OH PERMIT NO 6122 Postmaster: Dated material, Please Expedite ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED PURPOSES OF MILITARY OFFICERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA TO inculcate and stimulate love of country and flag; TO defend the honor, integrity, and supremacy of our National Government and the Constitution of the United States; TO advocate military forces adequate to the defense of our country; TO foster fraternal relations between all branches of the various services from which our members are drawn; TO further the education of children of service personnel; TO aid active and retired personnel of the various services from which our members are drawn and their dependents and survivors, in every proper and legitimate manner; TO present their rights and interests when service matters are under consideration; and TO foster the integrity and prestige of uniformed service. from the Preamble to the Association s Bylaws