C-123 Agent Orange Exposure Benefits: NO WORD YET

VA Hospitals & C-123 Veterans

One month ago, Secretary McDonald responded to Senator Brown's question with assurances that VA was to announce its program for treating C-123 veterans' Agent Orange-related illnesses within a week
.

Since then, from the Secretary down to his public affairs staff, different reasons have been floated to explain why VA still hasn't announced its program. And the most recent input from VA to the media is that the C-123 program's announcement has been postponed with no date suggested.

This is a bad, bad deal for us.

Colorado C-123 vets lose this year's Colorado disabled veteran property tax exemption, paying about $1,000 on taxes because VA hasn't finished their claims. Other states' veterans are in much the same situation...state benefits withheld until the VA decides what to do about Agent Orange illnesses.

All states' C-123 veterans are still locked out of VA hospitals, unless they're otherwise eligible for care. We're all senior citizens now, a time in life when diseases ravage us so unrelentingly. Rather than treat our Agent Orange illnesses, VA has us standing outside their hospitals with our fingers stuck to the door bell...not allowed in until their C-123 program is announced and our disability claims can be processed.