InsideWhat’s

President’sReport

3

GovernmentRelations Report

4

Service OfficersReport

5

Sports & Recreation

6

New England VA News

8

PVA News9

VA News12

The NewsleTTer of The New eNglaNd ChapTer paralyzed VeTeraNs of ameriCaMarch 2011 Vol. LXI, #3

a member ChapTer of The paralyzed VeTeraNs of ameriCa – CharTered by The CoNgress of The uNiTed sTaTes

CORD WORDCORD WORD

continued on page �

By Mike Guilbault

From January 10-14th, the 14th Annual

WSC was held at Mount Sunapee, NH.

This was the largest turnout ever, and

I’m happy to report we had great weather with

a blizzard bringing us fresh powder. Also, the

entire event went off injury free. One great line

mentioned during the week was, “I went to bed

in New Hampshire, woke up in Colorado.”

(OK, now that’s funny stuff.) We squeezed in a

record 58 veterans plus their family members;

138 volunteers registered for the event, and it

took 4,688 hours of their time to pull this event

off. That’s more than two people working full

time for a whole year, but when everyone shares

the load, it makes the load light and good things

happen! There was kayaking, sled hockey, snow-

mobiling, basketball, karaoke, cross country

(Nordic) skiing, air rifle shooting, a fantastic

dinner hosted by Colby Sawyer College, plenty

of fantastic downhill

(Alpine) skiing and a

closing banquet with

awards and a great

slideshow of the week’s

action. Many thanks

to NEHSA and all the

wonderful volunteers

who make this event

possible from the time

we get there until the

time we leave. Co-

Founders Tony Santilli

and Ralph Marche can

be very proud of the

fantastic week they

organize for the veterans annually.

This was my 14th time attending the Winter

Sports Clinic. I’m proud to say I’ve been taught

plenty through the years progressing from a bi-

ski to independently skiing a mono-ski. When

applications come out for next year, be sure and

return yours promptly. We unfortunately had to

turn some people away this year since there is a

limit to how many this event can host. If you’ve

never been I do recommend you give it a try.

Never say you can’t do something until you’ve

given it a try. I was happy to see many first time

attendees and I’m betting they’ll be returning

again. In addition to all the sporting activities,

the greatest joy of the week comes from bond-

ing with our fellow veterans and the great vol-

unteers. The camaraderie makes us all one big

2011 Winter Sports Clinic

L to R monoskiers: John Devine, Ed Dusick, Bill Sturgis and Mike Guilbault

with volunteers. (Photographs courtesy of Dawn Norris.)

Cord Word March 2011

www.nepva.org

PARALYZED VETERANS of AMERICA

NEW ENGLAND CHAPTERNEPVA ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE

1600 PROVIDENCE HIGHWAY-SUITE 143WALPOLE, MA 02081

TEL: (508) 660-1181, 1-(800) 660-1181FAX: (508) 668-9412; e-mail: info@nepva.org

web: www.nepva.orgOffice Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00am-4:30pm

NEPVA OFFICERSPresident, Craig CascellaVice President, Debra FreedSecretary, Debra FreedTreasurer, Charles SchenaNational Director, Craig Cascella

EXECUTIVE BOARD John BrakoBrad CarlsonWalter FarringtonPeter Moore Wayne RossDustin SorokaJim WallackNeal Williams

NATIONAL SERVICE OFFICEPARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA

BOSTON VA REGIONAL OFFICEJ.F.K. FEDERAL BUILDING - Room - 1575 C

BOSTON, MA 02203TEL: (617) 303-1395 & 1-800-795-3607

Fax: (617) 723-7467

Sr. Benefits Advocate, Joseph E. BadzmierowskiSenior Secretary, Ann Marie Wallace

Cord Word is published twelve times a year by the New England Chapter Paralyzed Veterans of America, 1600 Providence Hwy., Suite 143, Walpole, MA 02081 in the interest of Chapter members. Membership in NEPVA entitles you to a free subscription to Cord Word. Articles published in Cord Word do not necessarily reflect the views of the Paralyzed Veterans of America, New England Chapter. NEPVA neither endorses nor guarantees any of the products or services advertised herein. Postmaster: send changes of address to NEPVA, 1600 Providence Hwy., Suite 143, Walpole, MA 02081

Monthly meetings are held every first Wednesday of the month at the NEPVA office in Walpole, Ma. The executive board meets at 10:30 a.m. Followed by the regular membership meeting at 1:00 p.m.

PROGRAM DIRECTORSDevelopment Director, Craig CascellaMembership Officer, Craig CascellaMS Liaison, John BrakoCommunity Outreach, Mike GuilbaultNEPVA Peer Mentor Rep., Mike GuilbaultScholarship Chairman, Craig CascellaSports Director, Brad CarlsonAssistant Sports Director, Mike GuilbaultBass Trail Liaison, Jim WallackWeb Master, Thomas DoddWomen Veterans’ Liaison, Debra FreedVolunteer Chairman, Judy Goldstein

Hospital Liaisons Brockton, MA VAMC, Craig CascellaWest Roxbury, MA VAMC, Craig CascellaNorthampton, MA VAMC, Tim KellyProvidence, RI VAMC, Craig CascellaManchester, NH VAMC, Walter Farrington West Haven, CT VAMC, Richard FranoWhite River Jct, VT VAMC, Al FentonTogus, ME VAMC, Neal Williams

STAFFCord Word Editor, Judy GoldsteinGovernment Relations Director, Debra FreedAdministrative Assistant, Judy GoldsteinBookkeeper, Jeri FarinellaCord Word Design, Harley Freedman

2

OUR

POPULAR

NINE MONTH

DRAWING

WILL BE HELD FROM

APRIL

TO

DECEMBER 2011

PVA NATIONAL SERVICE OFFICETOGUS, VARO, 1 VA CENTER

BLDG 248, ROOM 112AUGUSTA, ME 04330

Serving maine, new HampSHire and vermont

TEL:(207) 621-7394, FAX: (207) 621-4829TOLL FREE: 866-795-1911

National Service Officer II, John StansburySecretary, Wendy Glidden

IN REMEMBRANCE

We deeply regret the passing of our Chapter Members:

and extend our heartfelt sympathyto family and friends.

Lawrence H. Fogerty

Michael J. Lambert

Sigmund Ostrowski

Donald T. Richard

Cord Word

www.nepva.org

March 2011

3

by Craig C. Cascella

NEPVA PresidentPresident’s Report

One question: Is it spring or

summer yet? Quite hon-

estly, I know I am not alone

in mentioning that this winter has

indeed been much more difficult than

the previous few have been. While a

lifelong New Englander, I have never

really enjoyed the snow very much, even

before my disability. Well, maybe the

exception would be when I was a youth

and it happened to cancel school for the

day or even maybe days at a time. Well,

those days are gone and left behind in

fond memories, photos, and stories with

family members and friends. The winter

weather has closed the Chapter office at

times, cancelled and rescheduled many

VA appointments, and aggravated many

people along the way; from the Missis-

sippi River and Eastward. Hopefully,

the winter thaw will be here sooner

than later and the warmer weather will

arrive and decide to stay for a while.

PVA National will be sponsoring the

Summit 2011 + EXPO: Delivering

Excellence, Achieving State-of-the-

Art Health Care, which is intended

to provide world-class professional

education and networking opportuni-

ties for SCI related professionals. The

Academy will be in Orlando, FL, from

September 16-18, 2011. The first 300

clinicians who register at www.pva.org/

Summit2011 and attend will receive

the following package: Up to 3 of the

4 night’s minimum accommodation at

the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld,

reimbursement of airfare of up to $250,

and onsite breakfast and lunch over the

Summit dates. The registration fee is

only $50. Forms are available at the

above mentioned web site or by con-

tacting PVA National in Washington

DC. I have also forwarded information

regarding the Academy meeting to vari-

ous contacts at the VAMCs and SCI

Clinics in our region.

Government Relations Director Debra

Freed has been working on and will be

getting appointments set up, as mem-

bers of our organization will be visiting

Washington D.C. in March. It is that

time again where NEPVA representa-

tives and other PVA Chapter members

from around the country visit with

our respective Congressional leaders

and/or their aides. Discussion topics

include items important to veterans, the

disabled community, local issues, and

of course items related to the SCI com-

munity. Debra and I will be staying in

the D.C. area a few days longer after the

GRD Seminar is complete, as PVA has

combined both the GRD Seminar with

the Annual PVA Mid-Winter BOD

Meeting. I will have a report regarding

the Mid-Winter BOD Meeting in our

newsletter following completion of the

meeting.

NEPVA is looking into the possibility

of setting up a booth at a Boston Red

Sox game this season, for informational

& promotional purposes. The Red Sox

have continually sold out every home

game over the past years (roughly

34,000 + fans attending), but this

particular game is versus the Chicago

Cubs, which will no doubt be of a his-

toric nature. We have spoken with rep-

resentatives of The

Red Sox Founda-

tion regarding

this potential

opportunity and

will continue to do

so regarding the

parameters of the

event.

NEPVA continues to periodically

receive donations through a vehicle

donation program the Chapter has set

up with Action Donation Services (866-

2-GIVING). In FY (fiscal year) 2010,

the Chapter received roughly $30K

from the joint-program. We are hopeful

to have similar or even better results via

the program to assist the Chapter with

our programs and services offered to

our membership.

Our Chapter financial statements

have been completed on time for the

tax season and also for submission to

the PVA National office. While our

finances are in order and the Chapter

is doing well financially, especially con-

sidering these challenging economic

times, we must be frugal and ensure

our monies are being utilized efficiently,

while still offering program activities

and assistance to our membership.

As always, feel free to visit NEPVA’s

web site (www.nepva.org), PVA’s web

site (www.pva.org), and the VA’s web

site (www.va.gov) for up to date and

recent news. If you have any questions,

comments, or concerns please contact

our office or your local NSO.

Cord Word March 2011

www.nepva.org4

by Debra Freed

Government Relations Director

continued on page 8

Government Relations

Eight

As a member Chapter of the

Paralyzed Veterans of America

(PVA), the New England

Chapter is mandated to provide the fol-

lowing programs: Membership, Chapter

Administration, Service, Liaison, Fund-

raising, Communication, Advocacy,

and last but by no means least Sports

and Recreation. This list and how it is

laid out is directly verbatim from the

October 2010 Chapter Manual pro-

vided from PVA. I need to stipulate that

because there are many individuals who

believe I am anti-sports. I have stated

that I know first-hand how sports can

help and be therapeutic to one’s physical

and mental status.

There has been a lot of chatter concern-

ing the Secretary of Veterans Affairs

(VA), Eric Shinseki’s announcement

to provide $7.5 million to the United

States Olympic Committee’s (USOC)

Paralympic Program to enhance sports

for new and long term injured veterans.

From what has been printed, it would

be free to the participant. Please note I

did not say military veteran. I hope you

read on to understand why this issue of

the term free to participants as well as

the word participant is so important.

Say a VA facility applies for a grant.

Well, the money came from the VA,

but it can’t go to the same government

entity so they designate the USOC to

dole out the grants. Because it is Federal

money, it still cannot go back to a VA

(makes no sense to me but. . . .) The

USOC can then give grants to both

for-profit and non-profit entities to assist

in recruiting, training, and purchasing

equipment necessary to move a sporting

project forward.

There are at least 14 sporting events

the Paralympics has for individuals to

participate in. So, for instance, let’s take

hand-cycling. The grant may have been

written for equipment. In order to get

equipment, there are stipulations on

how it will be used. The idea is to get

as many people involved as possible.

The USOC says you will need to recruit

between 50 and 60 participants. Please

note this term – participant. It does not

say military veteran. It says participant.

Even though the VA gave money to the

USOC, it does not mean if the grant

went to a VA or even a veteran’s service

organization, it can discriminate. Any

and all individuals must be permitted to

participate. So, now you have recruited

50 participants, of those 50, only ten

actually have their own hand-cycle. The

grant specifically states how much can

be spent on hand-cycles. Just like a two-

wheel racing bike they can range from

$2300 to over $10,000.

So, the grant may say something like

now that you have recruited 50 partici-

pants, you must provide equipment,

training, lodging if necessary, food,

and at least water as well as time trials

and then actual award events. There is

one other stipulation concerning the

grant. It only allows four percent (4%)

to be used for administrative costs. 4%!

Wow! Where is the rest of the money

coming from if only 4% can be used

for administrative

costs? Fundrais-

ing! Okay, well you

need people to do

that. But how do

you fundraise? Say

NEPVA applied for

and accepted the grant. What avenues

does it use to raise money? NEPVA has

an Annual Golf Tournament. Funds

raised from this event are designated

for Spinal Cord Research, so that’s out.

What about the Chapter’s BASS Trail.

They raise their own money by going

to Fish and Game trade shows and

other events, so that’s out too. What

about bowling? Not all programs have

a specific fundraising mechanism to

them such as the GRD program or even

Administration.

As stated above, Sports and Recreation

may have been listed last but it is first

when it comes to how much money is

designated to the program. For the 2011

Fiscal Year, the NEPVA Sports budget

is the equivalent of the GRD, Research,

Liaison, Membership, Communica-

tion and Service budgets combined.

Yes, combined! That doesn’t necessarily

sound very equitable.

As stated above, if NEPVA applied

and received a USOC grant, it would

need to provide for what the grant does

not cover. How does NEPVA cover

the expenses of the current programs

and services it provides? As a public

charity, NEPVA relies on just that, the

Cord Word

www.nepva.org

March 2011

5

Service Officer’s Report By John V. Mullally, Senior Benefits Advocate

Service-Disabled Veterans Insurance (RH)

Question: I am a 100% service connected spinal cord injured

veteran and was advised by VA that I did not qualify for

Service –Disabled Veterans Insurance as I did not submit

my application within the 2 year period. Is this correct? Can

someone explain this to me?

Answer: Service-Disabled Veterans Insurance is life insur-

ance for veterans with service connected-related disabilities or

diseases. The basic program, which is called “RH Insurance”

insures eligible veterans up to $10,000. Also there is a supple-

mental policy; “Supplemental RH Insurance” gives certain

disabled veterans extra coverage up to $20,000.

Who is Eligible?You are eligible for RH INSURANCE if:

• You left service after April 24, 1951 AND

• VA has notified you that you have a service connected

disability AND

• You are healthy EXCEPT for your service connected

disability AND

• You apply within 2 years of being notified of your dis-

ability

Note: If you are outside the 2 year window as described in the

question above, there is another option for eligibility. Do you

have another service connected disability that has not been

rated? As with spinal cord injury, it is known that 20% of the

SCI population experiences depression associated with their

service connected condition. If you have been diagnosed with

depression or any other condition that may be associated with

your service connected condition, you should submit a claim

to VA. Once a favorable claim is decided you will have a new

2 year period to apply for the RH Insurance.

You are eligible for Supplemental RH Insurance if:

• You have RH insurance AND

• VA has notified you that you don’t have to pay your

insurance premium (which is called a waiver) AND

• You apply within 1 year of being notified of the waiver

AND

• You are under 65 years of age.

REMINDER: Waiver of RH premiums- if you’re in receipt

of compensation at the 100% rate or greater you are eligible

for the waiver. Also, you might be eligible if you become too

disabled to work before your 65th birthday and stay that way

for at least six months. Also, the premiums for the Supple-

mental RH Insurance can’t be waived.

How Much Does It Cost? The cost varies depending upon your age, type of plan you

select (term or one of several permanent plans), and the

amount of coverage.

How Can I Apply?You may use the following forms: VA Form 29-4364-to apply

for basic RH Insurance, VA Form 29-0188 for the Supple-

mental Insurance and VA Form 29-357 to apply for the

waiver. The best way to apply is to call your local PVA repre-

sentative who will assist you in applying for this and answer

any other benefit related questions you may have.

Cord Word March 2011

www.nepva.org6

Sports & Recreation by Brad Carlson Sports Director

continued on page 12

Attention NEPVA Life MembersNEPVA Policy

Regarding Funding for Sports Events

Limited funds are available for partial sponsorship

of life members when they attend certain sports

events. You must notify NEPVA of your desire to

attend an event before the event. Reimbursement

may be given for only half of your hotel room cost

after you attend the event. When you return from

the event, your receipts must be presented to the

NEPVA office within 30 days from the last day of

the event- no exceptions. *Original or faxed copies

of receipts are acceptable.

The following events may be funded (upon

approval by NEPVA):

• New England Winter Sports

Clinic at Mt. Sunapee

• New England Summer Sports

Clinic at Mt. Sunapee

• National Veterans Wheelchair

Games

• Winter Sports Clinic in Snowmass,

Colorado

• Bowling tournaments - one

regional and one national only

You may be eligible to receive funding for either

the National Veterans Wheelchair Games or the

Winter Sports Clinic in Colorado, not both.

The above may be a slight alteration from past

NEPVA policy, but it affords the possibility of

maximum participation.

*This policy may be changed by NEPVA at any

time without prior notice.

Spring is right around the corner,

but for all of our skiers, what a

year! I really do not know where

to start on this article but I am going to

wing it this month.

For starters, I am very happy to see that

the VA Boston Healthcare System and

The National Rifle Association will be

holding The Owen “ Mickey” Emery

Wheelchair Air Rifle Championship

competition which will be held at the

Brockton Campus, VA Boston Health-

care System, Bldg. 23 (Gymnasium),

940 Belmont St. (Rte. 123), Brockton,

MA 02301 on Saturday, March 5, 2010

- Precision 3-P Match, and Sunday,

March 6, 2011 - International Match.

Registration for both days opens at 8:00

a.m. For registrations information con-

tact: Richard Leeman at 744-826-1957

or Kelly Cossaboom at 774-826-1955.

Next up on our list is Saturday, April

9, 2011. An Adapted Basketball Clinic

will be held at Sargent Activities Center

(SAC), 1 University Rd., Boston, MA

02215 from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. To regis-

ter call Thomas Dodd at 401-523-9864.

This event is free. There is also free

parking located to the right of the Sar-

gent Activities Center when facing the

building entrance.

Here’s one we haven’t had for a while,

District Attorney Sam Sutter’s Free

Wheel Chair Tennis Clinic on Sunday,

April 17, 2011 from 12:00 to 6:00 p.m.

The event will be held at the Dart-

mouth Indoor Tennis Club, 757 State

Road, North Dartmouth, MA. This

event is open to all ages and skill levels.

Registration

forms are available

at Dartmouth

Indoor Tennis

Club, 757 State

Rd., Dartmouth;

Brown/Bil-

lone Club, 153

Chestnut St., North Easton; or Bristol

County District Attorney’s Offices, 888

Purchase St., New Bedford. For more

information, please contact the District

Attorney’s Office @ 508-961-1972.

On-Line registration forms are avail-

able at: http://www.bristolda.com/DA/

Events.htm.

Please keep in mind that the U.S.

National Billiard Tournament will be

held on the same weekend as the Tennis

Clinic. The 2nd Annual PVA Boston

Billiards 9-Ball Classic will be held

from April 15 - 17 at Boston Billiards

in Nashua, NH. For more information,

please contact Brad Carlson at 508-353-

2081. Any and all volunteers and players

are much needed for this exciting event.

The National Veterans Wheelchair

Games will be held in Pittsburgh, PA

from August 1 - 6, 2011. THE DEAD-

LINE FOR YOUR REGISTRATION

PACKET TO BE RETURNED TO

THE NEPVA OFFICE IS MARCH

17TH BY 5:00 P.M. ABSOLUTELY

NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE MADE.

Please provide your shirt size along with

your application; shirts will be ordered

for our opening ceremonies. I know this

is repetitive, but there is a lot of work

Cord Word

www.nepva.org

March 2011

7

continued from page 1Winter Sports

fun-loving family. I feel the informal

peer mentoring is extremely valuable. As

much as I know it means to me, I am

sure it is even more valuable to our first

timers and new injuries. Each year I

make new friends who I look forward to

seeing again. I don’t usually have to wait

until the following January to see them

again either. There are so many oppor-

tunities year round that the VA Boston

Healthcare System offers and once a

person gets a taste of the fun we all

have, they do come back for more. This

is real proof of the concept of “Reha-

bilitation through Recreation” that is

very well supported by our VISN 1

VA. I believe it was Ralph who said our

adaptive sports are a “prosthetic for the

soul.” I find this so very true and I hope

you’ll join us sometime and find it does

the same for you. Many of us continue

skiing all winter thanks to NEHSA.

Here is a list of awards given out at the

final awards banquet. Alan Johnson was

our Top Gun; Brent Cote is our Rookie

of the Year; Mark Sanders was the Most

Improved coming back on the slopes

and showing great form on the slopes

and on the basketball court; Lynne

Beernaert would be honored as our Best

Instructor with two grateful students,

award winners Brent and Mark; Larry

Mangini would “OH NOOOOO”

his way to the Human Snowplow. The

Support Award would be a genuine

split decision so we figured Nick Reyn-

olds and Karl Paine could go toe-to-

toe “Fighter” style like Mickey Ward.

Mark Kline would leave no doubt as to

whom the Most Dangerous man on the

mountain could be. Newcomer Dawn

Macomber would earn the Blood, Sweat

and Tears award (Ralph personally wit-

nessed two out of three.) The Jim Koss

- Give Me a Chance and I’ll Make Ya

Proud went to Team Dallas (Andrew

and Michelle). The Egg Beaters would

capture the prized Team award. We

lost a great friend in Mickey Emery this

year and a new award was unveiled and

will be presented to his wife Liz.

The Ken Medeiros Phoenix Award

went to Louis Stamatelos Jr. since he

has shown tremendous leadership and

caring for his fellow veterans serving

them as an instructor, a peer, a mentor

and an example. The Tony Santilli

Founders Award would go to Ellen

Costigan who quietly behind the scenes

gets all the forms done, accounts for the

volunteer forms, puts together the ban-

quet slide show, meal tickets, and post-

ers mostly in her home all year round

supporting the clinic, and giving Ralph

the proper “nag” prompts, as she calls

them, to get stuff done on time.

Upcoming open events for skiing hosted

by NEHSA and VA Boston Healthcare

System are Welcome Home Ski Day on

3/17/11, and Women Veteran Ski Day

on 3/8/11. The contact for VA Boston

Adapted Sports programs is Kelly Coss-

aboom at 774-826-1955. For the joy of

skiing, as well as other programs vet-

erans are always welcome at, NEHSA

is a partner organization: contact Tom

Kersey, NEHSA Director at 603-763-

9158 or www.nehsa.org.

phot

ogra

phs c

ourt

esy

of D

awn

Nor

ris

Photos, counter clockwise from top left: First timers Dawn Macomber and Mike Wetherby trying out the sled hockey. Mark Sanders shows some fast break speed at basketball. BOD member Neal Williams carves a turn on his dual ski. Above: First timer David Pelkey shows his great form on race day smoking the course.

Cord Word March 2011

www.nepva.org8

continued from page 4Gov. Relations

New England VAMC News

Caregiver-Veteran Support GroupMarch 17th, 2011 MVAMC SCI-D Luncheon:

Come join us as we explore the challenging and

stressful aspects of the caregiver role. The results

of our recent survey on caregiving showed that you

prefer a group discussion among veterans and their caregiv-

ers. We will be offering a caregivers support group every

fourth month of our Spinal Cord Injury monthly meeting.

Caregiving offers a chance to give back to someone impor-

tant in your life. Caregivers benefit by sharing their con-

cerns, information and solutions with others. Caregivers

can accomplish more and feel less alone when they connect

with others who face the same challenges. Any issues about

caregiving can be presented to the group for discussion, and

members can explore solutions with others in the group. If

time allows, information on avoiding caregiver burnout will

also be discussed.

PLEASE CALL to REGISTER by MONDAY March 14th

603-624-4366 Ext 6054

Early registration & a return call

if you need to cancel appreciated!

Meeting Date: Thursday, March 17th from 12noon - 1:30pm

Location: Manchester VAMC, basement level Solarium

Submitted by Paul Redmond, SCI SW Coordinator

NEPVA Now Accepts Vehicle Donations

Please Donate that Auto, Boat, or RV that’s No

Longer Needed to New England PVA. NEPVA is

currently accepting vehicle donations from Mas-

sachusetts, Connecticut, and New Hampshire. For further

information, call Toll Free: (866) 2-GIVING or (866) 244-

8464, or visit the NEPVA website: www.nepva.org

public and private sector. We can also write grants that apply

to what we do. For instance, a grant was written to obtain

a vehicle and that grant required the organization to have

between 20 and 50% (depending on the type of grant) in

order to get the difference in grant money. There are several

ways the Chapter currently raises money. As stated above,

the Annual Golf Tournament is used to raise money for the

Spinal Cord Research and Education program. We have

various sports programs which help raise money for that

respective sport. Take for instance a Billiards tournament or

the BASS Trail. The volunteers spend the days at Fish and

Game Trade Shows and solicit donations to allow veterans to

participate for free. However, the BASS Trail only provides

a place to fish, free food, and gear (such as t-shirts). It does

not provide transportation nor does it provide lodging (with

the exception being for the New Hampshire Chapter Tourna-

ment).

As a necessary evil, the Chapter uses a professional telemar-

keter. It is referred to as a necessary evil because many people

do not like telemarketing, including the IRS, the Better Busi-

ness Bureau, and of course those who get the phone calls.

However, it remains a very good source of income to be uti-

lized for programs and services offered to our membership.

Just type in telemarketing and lawsuits and you’d be amazed

as to what comes up, as there are a number of states that

have already banned telemarketing, even for non-profits. If

this were to happen for the Chapter, there goes an important

primary fundraiser which will be detrimental to the Chapter,

so other avenues of fundraising must be explored and imple-

mented.

What I want people to understand is

that no matter how often sports are

touted as good medicine, there remains

the other important seven programs.

As a member Chapter of PVA, we have

no choice but to operate at minimum

the eight mandated programs. Think

about it, Sports and Recreation cannot

Cord Word

www.nepva.org

March 2011

9

Washington, D.C. – Para-

lyzed Veterans of America

(Paralyzed Veterans) has

joined a federal class action lawsuit to

prevent the government from illegally

denying Medicare health care coverage

to patients with stabilized chronic dis-

abilities (Jimmo, et al vs. Sebelius, 5:11-

CV-17, (D. VT., January 18, 2011)).

The lawsuit, filed against the Secretary

of Health and Human Services in U.S.

District Court in Burlington, Vermont,

seeks to end the application of the

Medicare “Improvement Standard,” a

policy and practice that is actually con-

trary to Medicare law and regulations.

“It is long past time to put an end to

Medicare’s illegal use of an Improve-

ment Standard to deny critical health

care coverage to thousands of eligible

patients with chronic disabilities,” said

Paralyzed Veterans national president

Bill Lawson. “The Improvement Stan-

dard unfairly targets paralyzed individ-

uals, including veterans, as well as those

with other chronic conditions that are

incapable of improving.”

Medicare law provides coverage for

health care and services that are reason-

able and necessary for the diagnosis or

treatment of illness or injury. However,

Medicare claims decision makers con-

tinue to use a fictional “Improvement

Standard” to terminate, reduce or deny

health care coverage on the grounds

that the patient’s condition is stable,

chronic, not improving, or that the

services required are for maintenance

only. However, under the Medicare Act

and related regulations, improvement

potential is not necessary in order to

receive Medicare coverage. Medicare

recognizes that a patient may need

skilled services, including maintenance

programs, to prevent further deteriora-

tion or to preserve current capabilities.

Paralyzed Veterans and the other plain-

tiffs are requesting the court to declare

that the Improvement Standard is an

unlawful barrier to legally authorized

health care coverage, as well as for

injunctive relief to prevent Medicare

from using the Improvement Standard

in the future.

A favorable court decision would

end the unlawful denial of Medicare

coverage to deserving individuals. In

addition, since Medicare standards

regularly serve as a model for private

health insurance policies, this lawsuit

could also positively affect people with

chronic conditions who are enrolled in

other health insurance plans.

Joining Paralyzed Veterans in the law-

suit are four individuals who have been

denied Medicare coverage under the

Improvement Standard and four addi-

tional national organizational plaintiffs:

the National Committee to Preserve

Social Security and Medicare, the

National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the

Parkinson’s Action Network and the

American Academy of Physical Medi-

cine and Rehabilitation. Paralyzed Vet-

erans is proceeding in this lawsuit with

the generous assistance of the attorneys

for The Center for Medicare Advocacy.

Paralyzed Veterans of America Files Federal Lawsuit to Stop Illegal Denials of Medicare Coverage to Patients with Chronic Illnesses

PVA News

stand alone, let alone as the most important program that many members think

or believe it is or should. Without Administration, none of the programs can be

operated. Without Advocacy and Legislation, the ability to even get from one’s

home to a sporting event may be difficult because laws were not created to allow

accessibility to be commonplace. Communication is a must, because how do you

get the word out that this program or that program is even available? Liaison is

extremely important, especially for new injuries, because they need to know they

are not alone and although their situation may seem impossible to live with, live

they will and perhaps very well. 99% of any of the above is accomplished by vol-

unteers and donors, but even they need a little incentive to keep doing what they

do.

It remains extremely important to remember that although there are little or no

costs to an athletic participant, the money to provide equipment, time, place,

food, lodging, etc. must come from more than just a grant; it will be “expected”

from the Chapter.

continued from page 8Gov. Relations

Cord Word March 2011

www.nepva.org10

continued on next page

It’s no wonder why Ride-Away customers remain so loyal —Ride-Away — America’s #1 provider of modified vehicles for people with disabilities.

• VetsMobileOps Program• VA assistance support• All vehicle trade-ins accepted• 24/7 Roadside assistance• QAP Certified factory trained technicians

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is increas-

ing its support to caregivers with a new, toll-free

telephone line for

the caregivers of Veterans of

all eras.

“The families and loved ones

who care for severely injured

Veterans deserve the highest

level of support,” said Secre-

tary of Veterans Affairs Eric

K. Shinseki. “At VA, we con-

sider them important part-

ners in our efforts to care for

and rehabilitate our nation’s

heroes.”

The National Caregiver

Support Line -- 1-855-260-3274 -- will serve as the primary

resource and referral center to assist caregivers, Veterans and

others seeking caregiver information.

The line unofficially started Feb. 1, and in its first week

logged nearly 600 calls, including 134 referrals to local VA

caregiver support coordinators

and 233 calls from caregivers

themselves.

“VA has been providing support

for the caregivers of Veterans for

more than seven decades,” Shin-

seki added. “We already have

more than two dozen successful

programs, policies and services

that support the caregivers of

Veterans of all ages.”

The support line will provide

information regarding new care-

giver benefits, referrals to local

caregiver support coordinators as well as emotional support

to those concerned with their ability to provide care to loved

ones who are Veterans.

New VA Support Line Provides Important Assistance to Caregivers Benefits and Support Information a Phone Call Away

”Eric K. ShinsekiSecretary of Veterans Affairs

“ The families and loved ones

who care for severely injured

Veterans deserve the high-

est level of support. At VA,

we consider them important

partners in our efforts to

care for and rehabilitate our

nation’s heroes.

Cord Word

www.nepva.org

March 2011

11

With dozens of fabulous high-quality brands, Frank Webb’s Bath Centers are the showrooms

of the F.W. Webb Company, the largest plumbing supplier in the Northeast. This means more products,

expertise and value in bath and kitchen plumbing fi xtures and lighting.

Home to dozens of quality brands including...

Accessible living & style are not mutually exclusive. A bathroom must be accessible, secure and supportive in order for us or our loved

ones to live comfortably. Our new Methuen showroom includes 2,000 square feet of accessible living and aging-in-place bath design ideas, proving that accessibility doesn’t mean giving up style! Roll-in showers, walk-in tubs, comfort-height toilets, hand-held showers, grab bars and more. Our array of products and expertise create

a bath that supports privacy, comfort and dignity – all without sacrifi cing style.

Stop by today and declare your independence.

Visit our Accessible Living Idea Center in Methuen!

It’sabout

Methuen, MA 98 Lindbergh Avenue 781-325-7140Exit 47 off Route 93, right onto Mystic Street.

Visit frankwebb.com for all locations & directions.

Frank Webb’s Bath CentersPageStop 4 “Freedom”Showroom: Methuen ShowroomPublication: Paralyzed Veterans of America NewsletterSize: Half Page Horiz (7.5” x 4.125”)Created: 11/7/08 Jim McCoy | 508-478-5322 | mccoygroup@comcast.net

freedom.freedom.

continued from page 10

The National Caregiver Support Line will be open Monday

through Friday. 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., Eastern time; and Satur-

day, 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Eastern time. Licensed VA social

workers and health technicians will staff the support line.

Local caregiver support coordinators are available to assist

Veterans and their caregivers to understand and apply for

VA’s many caregiver benefits. VA also features a Web page,

www.caregiver.va.gov, with general information on other

caregiver support programs available through VA and the

community.

Access to the National Caregiver Support Line was also

identified as a significant need in a November 2010 study on

caregivers of Veterans published by the National Alliance for

Caregiving.

For an opportunity to get to know a few of today’s remark-

able caregivers of Veterans, go to http://www.youtube.com/

user/veteranshealthadmin#p/u/0/XRmAwZHYRFE.

Caregivers Benefits and Support

Cord Word March 2011

www.nepva.org12

continued from page 6Sports

VA News

FREE TO MEMBER

Scalamobilewheelchair that can

climb a full flight of stairsbarely used

Available in Norwood, MACall the NEPVA office:

508-660-1181

VA Offers Help for Chronic PainJohn D. Otis, Ph.D.

Clinical Psychologist

Research Service

VA Boston Healthcare System

150 South Huntington Avenue (151C)

Boston, MA 02130-4893

Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and

Psychology, Boston University

As part of the VA Boston’s

continuing efforts to provide

comprehensive assessment and

treatment of chronic pain for Veterans,

John D. Otis, PhD, a clinical psycholo-

gist, recently joined the Spinal Cord

Injury (SCI) treatment program at

the West Roxbury VA Medical Center

where he will be providing both indi-

vidual and group treatment programs

for Veterans with SCI and chronic pain.

Dr. Otis directs both the psychological

pain research and clinical pain pro-

grams at the VA Boston Healthcare

System, and he is an Associate Profes-

sor of Psychiatry and Psychology at

Boston University School of Medicine.

Dr. Otis’ primary approach to treat-

ment is called Cognitive Behavioral

Therapy (CBT). CBT for pain is an

evidence-based treatment approach that

teaches veterans skills for identifying

negative thoughts and feelings related

to pain (e.g., I can’t deal with this pain)

and helps veterans modify maladap-

tive behaviors that tend to promote

disability (e.g., excessive rest, watching

too much television). Dr. Otis teaches

clients skills for adapting healthier ways

of coping with pain. The primary goal

of treatment is to improve veterans’

overall quality of life while reducing

patients’ psychological distress. Cogni-

tive behavioral approaches have been

shown to be highly effective in treating

a range of conditions, from depres-

sion and other mood disorders to pain

disorders in adults and in children. Dr.

Otis is the author of Managing Chronic

Pain: A Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Approach published in the Treatments

That Work series by Oxford University

Press. The therapist manual and accom-

panying patient workbook are widely

used across the country and in the VA

to help teach CBT coping skills to indi-

viduals with chronic pain.

Dr. Otis has been engaged in the

study of pain for the past 19 years. His

research interests include the devel-

opment of effective and innovative

treatments for Veterans with a variety

chronic pain conditions. He has specific

expertise in treatment development and

in conducting randomized controlled

trials to test the effectiveness of pain

treatments. Most recently, Dr. Otis has

been the Principal Investigator on a

number of VA funded studies investi-

gating the development of an integrated

treatment for Veterans with comorbid

chronic pain and posttraumatic stress

disorder (PTSD).

If you, or a Spinal Cord Injured Veteran

you know, is interested in learning more

about ways of taking greater control

over your pain please feel free to con-

tact Dr. Otis through the SCI Clinic at

857-203-6455 in order to schedule an

appointment.

Freedom lift by Equalizer,

great condition,

used for only 5 months,

asking $1200 or best offer

Contact Greg Mead: 781-698-5479

FOR SALE

that goes into making the games suc-

cessful.

As you know, we have the 50th Annual

AWBA National Bowling Tournament

at Westgate Lanes in Brockton. This

event will be held from June 20 - 25,

2011. This will be discussed in more

detail in next month’s article.

The PVA National Bass Trail will be

held September 16 - 18, 2011 on Lake

Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire.

This will also be discussed in more

detail in upcoming issues.

Lots more coming -- horseback riding,

lacrosse, golf, etc.......... Get out there --

have fun -- support your chapter.

Cord Word

www.nepva.org

March 2011

13

The OIG conducted an audit

to determine whether Veter-

ans Benefits Administration

(VBA) correctly assigned 100 percent

disability evaluations as either per-

manent or temporary and effectively

monitored and adjusted temporary 100

percent disability evaluations. It was

determined that the staff at the VA

Regional Offices (VARO) are not cor-

rectly evaluating and monitoring 100

percent disability evaluations. Approxi-

mately 239,000 veterans were identified

who had at least one service-connected

condition rated 100 percent disabling

as of SEP 09. Approximately 58,000

veterans were eliminated from the

review with conditions that indicated

no likelihood of improvement, such as

double amputees. It is projected that of

the remaining 181,000 veterans, VARO

staff did not correctly process evalua-

tions for about 27,500 (15 percent). It

is further projected that since January

1993, VBA paid veterans a net amount

of about $943 million without adequate

medical evidence. If VBA does not take

timely corrective action, it will overpay

veterans a projected $1.1 billion over

the next 5 years.

It was recommended the Acting Under

Secretary for Benefits increase over-

sight by ensuring future exam dates

are included in the electronic records

and providing VARO staff the neces-

sary training. VBA also needs to ensure

claims folders with temporary evalua-

tions are kept at the VARO and each

temporary evaluation has a future exam

date entered in the electronic record.

The Acting Under Secretary for Bene-

fits did not agree with the findings, par-

ticularly as they relate to the projected

overpayment amounts, but agreed to

implement the recommendations and

provided responsive implementation

plans. OIG maintains that the primary

message in their report is VBA paid

veterans without adequate medical

evidence and that their projection is a

reasonable and conservative estimate of

overpayments based upon our review

of compensation records available. To

review the report, go to http://www.

utvet.com/VAoigAudit.pdf

(Source: Belinda J. Finn, Assistant

Inspector General for Audits and

Evaluations 24 Jan 2011)

VA Disability Evaluation System Update

Cord Word March 2011

www.nepva.org14

Cord Word

www.nepva.org

March 2011

15

Non-Profit Org.

U.S. Postage

PAID

Leominster, MA

Permit No. 17

New England PVA1600 Providence Highway, Suite 143Walpole, MA 02081

tel: 508 660-1181 800 660-1181fax: 508 668-9412

Email: info@nepva.org

Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00am-4:30pm

2011 NEPVA Bass Trail Schedule

April 23 Congamond Lake, Southwick, Ma.

May 21 Point Sebago Resort, Sebago Lake, Maine

June 11 Charles River Boston, MA.

July 23 Slatersville Res @ the Island Club, Smithfield, RI.

August 20 Lake St. Catherine, Wells, Vermont

Sept. 10 & 11 Lake Winnipesaukee, Camp Robindel Moultonborough, NH & TOC Sept. 16–18 National PVA Bass Tournament Lake Winnipesaukee, Camp Robindel Moultonborough, NH

Any questions may be directed to:

Tiny LaFontaine(H) 781-935-2480 (C) 978-479-8147

Jim Marino (H) 978-365-3112 (C) 508-523-5668

Call Jim for Reservations if staying @ Point Sebago Resort…

Bob Soupy Campbell (H) 781-935-2266

See www.nepva.org for other bass trail info or to sign up.