In this issue:
Update on COVID-19 Measures
VA Proposed Regulations to Improve Caregivers Program
FRA Supports Improved Hazard Duty Pay for Reservists
Membership Survey


Update on COVID-19 Measures
President Donald Trump declared a national emergency over the coronavirus outbreak. The president asked Americans to stop eating inside restaurants, bars and food courts and to avoid groups of 10 or more people for the next 15 days to help stop the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus. Hospitals in the U.S. are adding more beds, limiting visitors and canceling elective surgery in preparation for an influx of coronavirus cases. President Trump urged Americans to work at home, if possible, to disrupt chains of transmission. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is the leading federal public health agency responding to COVID-19, and is working with the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs and other government agencies.  

For TRCARE beneficiaries, the Military Health System has established a microsite to be the primary information resource for Military Health System beneficiaries.  

The administration has authorized the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to broaden access to telehealth for Medicare so that beneficiaries can receive a wider range of services from their doctors without having to travel to a health care facility. For more information on Medicare telehealth, go online. 

Regarding how COVID-19 travel restrictions will impact military members and families, a FAQ can be found online.

Regarding the VA response, FRA members are urged to reference last week’s NewsBytes (03-13-20). the Veterans Health Administration is heavily encouraging veterans to call their local medical center before they visit the facility and consider using VA telehealth. The VA’s telehealth providers can evaluate patient’s symptoms to make a diagnosis and provide comprehensive care from a telephone. For more information on VA telehealth, go online. 

Currently, all Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration cemeteries continue to remain open for public burials and visitations.  To schedule a burial, please call 800-535-1117, and choose option 1. In light of concerns regarding the community spreading of COVID-19, the NCA is strongly urging that all committal services adhere to the CDC guidelines to avoid groups of more than 10 people. Additionally, volunteer and military honor guard availability may be limited, based on local conditions.  

In related news, the FRA National Board of Directors’ April meeting, storming the Hill, and the Capitol Hill Pinnacle Award reception have been postponed until the last week of June. The Navy Recruiter of the Year (ROY), and the Navy’s Sailor of the Year (SOY) activities have also been postponed.  

Some of the staff at the FRA National Headquarters will be on a “work from home” basis. There will be a limited number of staff available at NHQ during regular business hours. Response to member inquiries may be delayed.  The FRA urges Shipmates to stay healthy and safe during this national pandemic. 


VA Proposed regulations to improve the Caregivers Program
The Department of Veterans Affairs met with several Veteran Service Organizations, including the FRA, to discuss the recent roll out of a draft regulation to completely overhaul the VA Caregiver Program to match the expansion required by  the FRA-supported Mission Act, that was enacted into law in 2018. This expansion was part of FRA’s 2018 Legislative Agenda. The program will provide a monthly stipend, and health care benefits for a caregiver. The new law will provide training for caregivers, and up to 30 days of respite care. The regulations will expand eligibility for the caregiver program for eligible veterans from all eras, beginning with those who incurred or aggravated a serious injury in the line of duty on or before May 7, 1975. Two years after the first phase of program expansion, the program will include eligible veterans who were seriously injured in the line of duty between May 7, 1975 and Sept. 11, 2001. Prior to expanding, the VA must fully implement an information technology system required by the Mission Act.

The regulation calls for the development of clear eligibility tools will promote objective consistency within the program. Part of the improvements consists of standardized eligibility by expanding the definition of “serious injury.” It also proposes inclusion of illnesses are Diabetes, ALS, MSM, Dementia and Cancer. As proposed, staffing will increase from approximately 200 to nearly 700 to cater for the demands of the program and more will be added as the program expands.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the VA invited feedback on draft regulation. The VA will consult the VSOs before finalizing the policies and regulation to avoid essential complaints from the participants of the program

To learn more about support services available for disabled veterans go online or call the Caregiver Support Line at 1-855-260-3274.


FRA Supports Improved Hazard Duty Pay for Reserve Component
The FRA supports the Guard and Reserve Hazard Pay Equity Act (S.3308 and H.R.5887) that would provide the Reserve Component with same hazard-duty incentive pay (HDIP) as active duty members receive.  As part of their service, qualified active duty, National Guard, and Reserve servicemembers are entitled to HDIP while performing hazardous duties such as flying duty, parachute jumping, and demolition of explosives. However, Reserve component are only awarded 1/30th of HDIP compared to their active duty counterparts, while still being required to perform the same requirements and being subject to the same risk. This legislation would allow Reserve Component members to be awarded HDIP at the same rate as their active duty counterparts in hazard duty fields.

Members can go to the Action Center and weigh in on this issue.


FRA Membership Survey
The FRA is asking all members to complete the 2020 Fleet Reserve Association's Membership Survey. This short 18 question survey will help the FRA with future planning. For more information about the survey, see the March issue of FRAtoday. Please type or click the following link www.fra.org/survey We welcome your feedback and you may email additional questions and comment to christinah@fra.org.  

NewsBytes is FRA's weekly legislative update. If you received this through a forward and would like to subscribe, please e-mail us  and include your name and contact information in the body of e-mail. If you are a member of FRA or LA FRA, please include your member number.

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