BVA Testifies Before Veterans Affairs Committee
The House Committee held a special hearing on July 22. The purpose
of the hearing was the release of a report from the Government
Accounting Office (GAO) on current Blind Rehabilitation Service
wait times. The report dealt specifically with the time required
for a blind or visually impaired veteran to access one of the
ten VA Blind Rehabilitation Centers (BRCs).
My testimony, on behalf of BVA, expressed our concurrence with
all of the recommendations made by GAO. Chairman Christopher Smith
(R-NJ-4) promised BVA that he would hold another oversight hearing
before the end of the year to monitor VA’s implementation
of GAO’s recommendations. I was encouraged that the VA lead
witness, Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Health Dr. Michael
Kussman, also concurred fully with the GAO recommendations.
Acting Under Secretary Announces Actions
VA Acting Under Secretary for Health Dr. Jonathan Perlin has
signed off on two extremely important policy initiatives that
will benefit America’s visually impaired and blinded veterans.
Scheduled as the keynote speaker at the BVA 59th National Convention,
Dr. Perlin was unfortunately forced to cancel his trip at the
last minute per instructions from Secretary Principi. Dr. Lucille
Beck, Chief Consultant for the Rehabilitation Strategic Healthcare
Group, was asked to read Dr. Perlin’s speech. The speech
stated that Dr. Perlin would very soon sign off on Clinical Practice
Recommendations for computers for the blind and Script-Talk, the
audible prescription reading device. Both of the actions are a
response to resolutions adopted at previous BVA national conventions.
BVA has also learned that Secretary Principi has approved changes
in the Veterans Equitable Resource Allocation (VERA) model, which
will enhance VA’s ability to expand its capacity to provide
outpatient blind rehabilitation services. The changes illustrate
VA’s responsiveness to resolutions adopted by BVA. They also
highlight the effectiveness of efforts by the BVA Legislative
Committee, which has met several times with both the Under Secretary
for Health and the Chief Financial Officer.
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