Latest news with #DepartmentofVeteransAffairs
The Intercept
4 hours ago
- Health
- The Intercept
Trump Prepares to Revoke Lifesaving Abortion Care for Veterans
President Donald Trump appears poised to institute an abortion ban for hospitals run by the Department of Veterans Affairs — escalating his war on reproductive health care by revoking veterans' access to abortion. The Office of Management and Budget concluded its review last week of a Veterans Affairs rule titled Reproductive Health Services, clearing the way to implement it at the VA. Experts believe the rule is a reversal of a Biden-era policy of the same name which ended the agency's ban on abortion counseling for veterans and allowed for VA providers to offer abortion services in limited circumstances, such as rape, incest, or endangerment of a pregnant person's life or health. If the policy is overturned, hundreds of thousands of veterans in states with abortion bans could lose access to abortion care and counseling. Sarah Baker, the digital director for the Center for Reproductive Rights, said the change appears to be 'the first nationwide abortion ban that Trump is supporting and putting in place.' The new rule has not yet been published, and until it is, experts can't be certain what exactly is in it. The VA did not respond to The Intercept's request for comment. But Rachel Fey, vice president of policy and strategic partnerships at the reproductive and sexual health advocacy organization Power to Decide, said that based on the Trump administration's posture and explicit calls in Project 2025 to reverse the Biden policy, she expects one of two outcomes. 'We think either they would roll back the exceptions to an extremely narrow set that mimics the Hyde Amendment,' Fey said, referring to a law that bars federal funds from being used for abortion care except in cases of rape, incest, or to save a person's life. (The Hyde Amendment does not allow exceptions to preserve a person's health in non-fatal circumstances, as the Biden rule does.) Or, Fey said, another possibility is 'just striking [the Biden rule] entirely and saying abortion is not allowed in any circumstances at the VA.' The Biden administration implemented the Reproductive Health Services rule for the VA in 2024, two years after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Though the rule only allows VA hospitals to provide abortions in extreme circumstances, it was designed to provide basic protections in states that moved quickly to institute abortion bans. Read Our Complete Coverage Over half of all women veterans of reproductive age in the U.S. live in states where abortion is banned or likely to be banned, according to analysis from the National Partnership for Women & Families. 'So that's 345,000 women veterans that live in states that have banned or are likely to ban abortion,' said Jaclyn Dean, director of congressional relations, reproductive health, at the National Partnership for Women & Families. 'For many of the women veterans living in any of those 12 states with total abortion bans, the VA is the only place that they can get abortion care. So you can expect those people to lose abortion care in cases of rape, incest, in the life and health of the pregnant person.' In that climate, Fey stressed, even narrowing the exceptions could be devastating. 'What we've seen in states like Texas and Idaho is women coming close to death, suffering the loss of future fertility sometimes, suffering long-term disability because they were not given the standard clinical care they needed when they needed it,' Fey said. 'That's what we're talking about when we get to a life exception versus a health exception.' Rep. Maxine Dexter, D-Ore., who co-authored a letter in April opposing the rule change along with 130 House Democrats, said reversing the Biden rule was a 'betrayal.' 'As a physician, I trained at the VA, where a sign at the entrance read: 'The price of freedom is visible here.' Our veterans sacrificed everything for this country, and in return, we promised them the best care possible,' Dexter wrote in a statement to The Intercept. 'For Trump to reinstate a complete ban on abortion care and counseling at the VA – even in cases of rape, incest, or to save the life or health of the mother — is an utter betrayal of that promise.' Veterans also face unique health risks related to pregnancy, said Baker with the Center for Reproductive Rights. 'Pregnancy is just riskier for veterans,' said Baker, 'because of the different health risks that they face, higher rates of sexual assault, higher rates of PTSD … and the higher [rates of] other chronic conditions.' And restricting or cutting off access to abortion would only compound the additional barriers to accessing quality health care that veterans already face, Fey noted. 'Serving in the U.S. military is often a way out of poverty for a lot of people in this country, and because of systemic racism, a disproportionate number of the people looking for that way out are Black and brown women when they serve in the military,' said Fey. 'When we talk about reproductive health care in this country, the harms don't fall equally.' The Trump administration has been steadily chipping away at policies put in place by President Joe Biden to protect access to reproductive health care. In June, Trump rescinded guidance from the Biden administration that directed hospitals under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act to provide stabilizing treatment to patients in medical emergencies — including abortion care. 'It's all part of this larger plan of extremists to ban abortion wherever they can and to interfere with people's personal medical decisions,' said Dean. 'They're weaponizing control over veterans' health care, instead of doing what's actually best for our country's veterans, which is giving them the health care that they need.'
Fox News
7 days ago
- Business
- Fox News
Lovell Government Services CEO reacts to hearing over VA's incentive payments
Chris Lovell, CEO of veteran-owned Lovell Government Services, spoke about the Tuesday hearing that discussed incentive payments given by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) with minimal oversight.
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump signs order creating new federal worker classification for at-will, political appointees
Trump signed an executive order on Thursday creating a new classification of federal employees who would be subject to hiring and firing by the president, Schedule G, for employees working on policy, in the latest action by his administration to reshape the federal workforce. The non-career classified employees will be expected to leave in changing presidential administrations, with the order claiming it will 'improve operations, particularly in agencies like the Department of Veterans Affairs, by streamlining appointments for key policy roles'. The order did not cite how many employees would fall under the new classification. 'President Trump is delivering on his promise to dismantle the deep state and reclaim our government from Washington corruption,' the White House said in a fact sheet on the order. Related: 'Devastating': US public broadcasters condemn Trump cuts to key programs The classification appears similar to Schedule C, which refers to temporary federal employees working on policy issues. 'We already have Schedule F (turning career civil servants into at-will employees). Now Trump is announcing Schedule G: Opens space at top ranks of govt for Trump loyalists as policymakers, with no limit on hires. Continues pattern of politicization,' wrote Don Moynihan, a public policy professor at the University of Michigan, on social media in response to the executive order. Schedule F, which Trump tried to implement near the end of his first term in office, was revived earlier this year. It strips civil service protections afforded to other federal employee classifications, making it easier to fire these employees at-will. Since Trump took office, his administration has sought to strip civil service protections for large swaths of federal employees, eliminate collective bargaining rights, and make it easier for the administration to fire federal employees at-will and without cause. Culling the civil service is a key plank of Project 2025, the conservative manifesto that outlined plans for a second Trump administration. In each agency chapter, the project suggests ways to make more positions political appointments instead of nonpartisan career roles, forming a federal government more beholden to its executive and less likely to push back. Max Stier, the president and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service, said the new classification is 'another misguided attempt by the administration to further politicize the federal workforce'. The new classification will make the civil service system more confusing, he said, adding that the president can already make hundreds of political appointments through Schedule C and other existing authorities. 'At the end of the day, the main mission of our government is to serve and protect the public,' Stier said. 'Our nonpartisan civil service is critical to keeping the services we rely on running continuously, even when political administrations change. Adding even more political appointees – who will only be in government for a few years – means that effective, stable service delivery will suffer. It's the American people who will pay the ultimate price.'
Time of India
22-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Veterans set for double VA payments in August, here's the 2025 disability pay schedule
Veterans who rely on monthly disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs can expect a small boost in 2025, and a pleasant surprise in August. Thanks to this year's 2.5% increase in VA benefits, monthly payouts are a little higher. But even more helpful for veterans on a fixed income: August will bring two separate payments. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Data Science Cybersecurity Leadership CXO Data Science MCA Healthcare Degree Artificial Intelligence Project Management PGDM Data Analytics Product Management Digital Marketing Operations Management MBA Public Policy healthcare Management Design Thinking Finance others Others Technology Skills you'll gain: Data Analysis & Interpretation Programming Proficiency Problem-Solving Skills Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence Duration: 24 Months Vellore Institute of Technology VIT MSc in Data Science Starts on Aug 14, 2024 Get Details Skills you'll gain: Strategic Data-Analysis, including Data Mining & Preparation Predictive Modeling & Advanced Clustering Techniques Machine Learning Concepts & Regression Analysis Cutting-edge applications of AI, like NLP & Generative AI Duration: 8 Months IIM Kozhikode Professional Certificate in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Starts on Jun 26, 2024 Get Details Why? It all comes down to how the VA schedules its checks. Benefits are usually paid on the first business day of the following month. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play this game for 1 minute and see why everyone is addicted. Undo However, when that date falls on a weekend or holiday, the VA issues payments on the prior business day which is most near. This means veterans will receive checks on both August 1 and August 29, giving two payments in a month. Here's the 2025 VA disability payment calendar to help you keep track: Month payment date day of week January January 31 Friday FebruaryFebruary 28 Friday March April 1 Tuesday April May 1 Thursday May May 30 Friday June July 1 Tuesday July August 1 Friday AugustAugust 1, 29 Friday & Friday SeptemberOctober 1 Wednesday OctoberOctober 31 Friday NovemberDecember 1 Monday DecemberDecember 31 Wednesday A quick guide to VA monthly payments Live Events VA Disability Compensation A tax-free payment is provided every month to veterans who have a service-connected disability and who were not discharged dishonorably or for misbehaviour. depending on the severity of the disability, monthly payments range between $165 and $3,600, in 2025. Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) The Dependency and Indemnity Compensation benefit gives support to spouses and veteran's family members, who must have died on active duty or later from a service-related condition, would be considered eligible. The VA, if counted, for disabling a veteran or being rated permanently, such compensation would be given survivors of the veteran. Veterans and Survivors Pension Veterans and Survivors Pensions are designed for veterans who have low-income or support to their survivors to give them financial stability. Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) If a veteran suffered a serious injury/injuries (loss of limbs, or loss of vital functions). during service, he/she would be eligible for the Special Monthly Compensation. This benefit is extra, with also disability benefits. Aid and Attendance / Housebound Benefits Veterans, who are mostly situated at home, and require assistance with daily needs can qualify additional support through these programs. Stay Updated on Your Benefits The military and veterans' benefits rules are bound to change on an annual basis. By subscribing to trusted veterans' resources, you should not be able to miss updates in health charges, etc.
Gulf Today
21-07-2025
- Health
- Gulf Today
A million veterans gave DNA to aid health research
One of the world's biggest genetic databases comprises DNA data donated over the years by more than a million retired military service members. It's part of a project run by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The initiative, dubbed the Million Veteran Program, is a 'crown jewel of the country,' said David Shulkin, a physician who served as VA secretary during the first Trump administration. Data from the project has contributed to research on the genetics of anxiety and peripheral artery disease, for instance, and has resulted in hundreds of published papers. Researchers say the repository has the potential to help answer health questions not only specific to veterans — like who is most vulnerable to post-service mental health issues, or why they seem more prone to cancer — but also relevant to the nation as a whole. 'When the VA does research, it helps veterans, but it helps all Americans,' Shulkin said in an interview. Researchers now say they fear the program is in limbo, jeopardising the years of work it took to gather the veterans' genetic data and other information, like surveys and blood samples. 'There's sort of this cone of silence,' said Amy Justice, a Yale epidemiologist with a VA appointment as a staff physician. 'We've got to make sure this survives.' Genetic data is enormously complex, and analyzing it requires vast computing power that VA doesn't possess. Instead, it has relied on a partnership with the Energy Department, which provides its supercomputers for research purposes. In late April, VA Secretary Doug Collins disclosed to Sen. Richard Blumenthal, the top Democrat on the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, that agreements authorising use of the computers for the genomics project remained unsigned, with some expiring in September, according to materials shared with KFF Health News by congressional Democrats. Spokespeople for the two agencies did not reply to multiple requests for comment. Other current and former employees within the agencies — who asked not to be identified, for fear of reprisal from the Trump administration — said they don't know whether the critical agreements will be renewed. One researcher called computing 'a key ingredient' to major advances in health research, such as the discovery of new drugs. The agreement with the Energy Department 'should be extended for the next 10 years,' the researcher said. The uncertainty has caused 'incremental' damage, Justice said, pointing to some Million Veteran Program grants that have lapsed. As the year progresses, she predicted, 'people are going to be feeling it a lot.' Because of their military experience, maintaining veterans' health poses different challenges compared with caring for civilians. The program's examinations of genetic and clinical data allow researchers to investigate questions that have bedeviled veterans for years. As examples, Shulkin cited 'how we might be able to better diagnose earlier and start thinking about effective treatments for these toxic exposures' — such as to burn pits used to dispose of trash at military outposts overseas — as well as predispositions to post-traumatic stress disorder. 'The rest of the research community isn't likely to focus specifically' on veterans, he said. The VA community, however, has delivered discoveries of importance to the world: Three VA researchers have won Nobel Prizes, and the agency created the first pacemaker. Its efforts also helped ignite the boom in GLP-1 weight loss drugs. Yet turbulence has been felt throughout VA's research enterprise. Like other government scientific agencies, it's been buffeted by layoffs, contract cuts, and canceled research. 'There are planned trials that have not started, there are ongoing trials that have been stopped, and there are trials that have fallen apart due to staff layoffs — yes or no?' said Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), pressing Collins in a May hearing of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee. The agency, which has a budget of roughly $1 billion for its research arm this fiscal year, has slashed infrastructure that supports scientific inquiry, according to documents shared with KFF Health News by Senate Democrats on the Veterans' Affairs Committee. It has canceled at least 37 research-related contracts, including for genomic sequencing and for library and biostatistics services. The department has separately canceled four contracts for cancer registries for veterans, creating potential gaps in the nation's statistics. Job worries also consume many scientists at the VA. According to agency estimates in May, about 4,000 of its workers are on term limits, with contracts that expire after certain periods. Many of these individuals worked not only for the VA's research groups but also with clinical teams or local medical centers. When the new leaders first entered the agency, they instituted a hiring freeze, current and former VA researchers told KFF Health News. That prevented the agency's research offices from renewing contracts for their scientists and support staff, which in previous years had frequently been a pro forma step.
