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VA'S MILEAGE INCREASE FOR VETERANS A MEATLESS

BONE -- Veterans' Advocate Jim Strickland: VA's newest

temporary employee, Secretary James Peake, offends

all veterans with far too little, far too late.

This is NOT Jim Strickland's car.

Veterans' Advocate Jim Strickland provides regular columns for VA Watchdog dot Org.

If you would like to contact Jim about his columns, you can email him here...

The archive of Jim's articles is here...

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NOTE:  The VA press release mentioned in this story can be found here... http://www.vawatchdog.org/08/nf08/nfFEB08/nf020108-3.htm

by Jim Strickland

The headline trumpeted; VA Increases Travel Reimbursement for Eligible Veterans

The Department of Veterans Affairs politburo smiled benevolently at us as they said: “Over a million eligible veterans will see their mileage reimbursement more than double starting tomorrow, for travel to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities.”

The newest temporary employee of the DVA, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James B. Peake, smugly touted; “Increasing the mileage reimbursement is one more step by VA to help veterans access the health care they deserve.”

The propaganda ministry of the DVA continued in that same happy vein, cowtowing to their latest boss's ego; “After little more then a month on the job, Secretary Peake used his authority to establish the first increase in the mileage reimbursement in 30 years, fulfilling a pledge he made during his Senate confirmation hearing last month.”

Later they quietly mentioned that VA also equally increased the deductible amounts applied to certain mileage reimbursements. The new deductibles are $7.77 for a one way trip, $15.54 for a round trip.

Oh sure, these deductibles may be waived if there is “financial hardship to the veteran”. The savvy Veteran will soon see that there isn't any explanation of what “financial hardship” is or any instructions on how to apply.

I was at my VA hospital yesterday and asked about my hardship waiver at the paymaster's window. As you would expect, they had no idea what I was talking about and were visibly irritated that I asked. Apparently I should have been grateful that my mileage reimbursement had “more than doubled” and since I wasn't, I was an ingrate and didn't understand how good my life was because of my VA.

Did Secretary Peake “use his authority” to increase that rate? Of course not. This is hogwash of the purest kind. It's exactly what we expected from this glory seeker and was as predictable as the sunrise.

The legislation to increase the travel rate was introduced in the Congress a year ago. There were various bills floating around and flowery speeches by concerned Congressmen who are always on the alert to look out for the Veteran as long as it brings them votes.

My own Congressman, Representative John Barrow, introduced H.AMDT.70 to H.R.1538 on 3/28/2007. This amendment would have eliminated the deductible as well as changed the method of determining the mileage reimbursement rate.

That original legislation, H.R.1538, was introduced by Representative Ike Skelton of Missouri on 3/15/2007 and had 28 cosponsors in the House of Representatives.

The process of getting legislation through the House to the Senate to the desk of the President of the United States is circuitous at best. It's often said that nobody really wants to see how laws nor sausages are made.

As this all made its way to the Senate, it read like this:


S.1283

Wounded Warrior Assistance Act of 2007 (Introduced in Senate)

SEC. 303. VETERANS BENEFICIARY TRAVEL PROGRAM.

(a) Elimination of Deductible- Subsection (c) of section 111 of title 38, United States Code, is repealed.

(b) Determination of Mileage Reimbursement Rate-

(1) DETERMINATION- Paragraph (1) of subsection (g) of such section is amended to read as follows:

'(1) In determining the amount of allowances or reimbursement to be paid under this section, the Secretary shall use the mileage reimbursement rates for the use of privately owned vehicles by Government employees on official business, as prescribed by the Administrator of General Services under section 5707(b) of title 5, United States Code.'.

(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENT- Subsection (g) of such section is further amended by striking paragraphs (3) and (4).

(c) Source of Funds- Such section is further amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

`(i) Funds for payments made under this section shall be appropriated separately from other amounts appropriated for the Department.'.

500.

Effective Date- The amendments made by this Act shall apply with respect to travel expenses incurred after the expiration of the 90-day period that begins on the date of the enactment of this Act.


It seemed that by now our elected representatives agreed that the proposal to eliminate the deductible would be repealed. There's no explanation for that but still, the language that says, “the Secretary shall use the mileage reimbursement rates for the use of privately owned vehicles by Government employees on official business” sounds pretty good.

The mileage rate for the use of a private vehicle is mandated by law to increase every year. There's no necessity for new legislation and ongoing debate, the Congress has done a great job of protecting their staff and themselves. Each year, a raise is automatic and is usually hefty.

On the U.S. General Services Administration web site you'll find an “Important notice regarding 2008 rates”.

This important notice to federal employees...this would include Dr. Peake and his staff...gives them a hopeful notice that;

“GSA is currently in the process of evaluating data for consideration of new mileage reimbursement rates to which federal employees would receive when using their privately owned vehicles for official government business.

By Law, GSA is responsible for reviewing the privately owned vehicle mileage reimbursement mileage rate on a yearly basis. However, by law, GSA may not exceed the standard mileage reimbursement rate for a privately owned automobile (POA) established by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).”

No rate has been set for 2008. That's not too bad for Dr. Peake and his staff because the 2007 rate is $0.485 per mile if no government owned vehicle is available for their use.

If a government owned vehicle is available and his assistant chooses to use his own vehicle anyhow, that rate drops to $0.285 per mile. if the federal employee decides the weather is good and rides his motorcycle rather than using a government sedan, the rate is calculated at $0.305 per mile.

Jumping into the Wayback Machine we see the steady progression of mileage rates for the staff of your Department of Veterans Affairs. January 1, 2004 was $0.375 per mile. January 21, 2002 brought $0.365 per mile. January 14, 2000 would net the VA employee $0.325 per mile. Back in 1995 the VA Secretary was himself getting $0.30 per mile. Read it for yourself at www.gsa.gov/mileage .

While enjoying your reading, it's worth noting the VA Secretary doesn't have any deductible applied.

In January of 2008, if a Veteran made a 200 mile round trip to receive earned and necessary treatment at a VA hospital, he would have been given .11 x 200 = $22.00 minus a $6.00 deductible for a net of $16.00.

Today, that same trip will calculate to $57.00 minus $15.54 to equal $41.46.

If Dr. Peake decides that he isn't going to use his government issued vehicle but rather drive the family Mercedes today, his 200 mile round trip will earn him a flat reimbursement of $97.00.

That $97.00 will increase soon, probably by the traditional 3% or so. Dr. Peake will be handed a crisp, new $100.00 bill and some change for his troubles. It'll rise another 3% or more for him in 2009, 2010, 2011 and so on. Yours, if you're very fortunate, will see a raise in 2038.

If you drive a Ford F-150, a working man's vehicle, and see 14 miles per gallon, your cost per mile is $0.21. That's assuming gas costs you $2.96 per gallon.

http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/b
usiness/20060510_LEONHARDT/cost_per_mile.html

That 200 mile round trip cost you $42.00 in gas alone, not factoring in wear and tear on your truck. You just lost on the deal with your mileage reimbursement being $41.46. If gas prices go up, you lose more.

Dr. Peake, snuggled comfortably into his newer model Mercedes-Benz S-Class is paying about $0.16 per mile. His 200 mile round trip set him back some $32.00 in gas costs. His reimbursement was $97.00 so he pockets about $65.00 to spend on that vehicle's wear and tear.

The arrogance, the overbearing pride, the sheer hubris shown by Dr. Peake in announcing that, "This increase helps veterans -- especially those living in rural areas -- offset some of the gasoline costs as they travel to VA’s world-class health care." boggles the mind.

Once again, we are assumed by our DVA to be world class buffoons. We're supposed to jump for joy that we dogs of war have been tossed a dry, meatless bone to gnaw at for another 3 decades.

I, for one, remain deeply offended. This is far too little, far too late. You, the American warrior, that proud Veteran, has been slapped down again by a system that holds you in deep disdain.

If war is hell, coming home to this may be worse.

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posted by Larry Scott
Founder and Editor
VA Watchdog dot Org

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