Legislation Proposed To Help Vets Wrongly Denied Benefits
Two Minnesota lawmakers are pushing a bill to help veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder who may have been discharged from the military after being diagnosed inaccurately. Meanwhile, veterans groups oppose efforts to change disability payments in connection with debt reduction talks.
MPR News: Walz, Klobchar Back Legislation On Mental Health Aid For Misdiagnosed Vets
Two Minnesota lawmakers are pushing legislation they say will help thousands of military veterans who were wrongly denied VA benefits. They say thousands of veterans who may have had post-traumatic stress disorder were wrongly diagnosed. A national study by Yale University found that more than 31,000 veterans were wrongly discharged from the military after being inaccurately diagnosed with either personality or adjustment disorder (Mador, 4/1).
The Associated Press: Veterans Fight Changes To Disability Payments
Veterans groups are rallying to fight any proposal to change disability payments as the federal government attempts to address its long-term debt problem. They say they’ve sacrificed already. Government benefits are adjusted according to inflation, and President Barack Obama has endorsed using a slightly different measure of inflation to calculate Social Security benefits. Benefits would still grow but at a slower rate (Freking, 4/2).