AFP/AAC Newsletter #20 Spring 2015

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VETERANS
HELPING
VETERANS
Privatization of Benefits
The recent privatization of Veterans’
medical insurance treatment authoriza-
tion is sparking worry among many Vet-
erans and supporters. Some worry that
benefits will be denied, cut back, or sim-
ply too impractical to obtain, for aging,
and often dis-
abled, Veter-
ans.
Ve t e r a n s
Affairs Canada
(VAC) issued a
statement re-
garding these
concerns, and
concerns over
the 44 VAC po-
sitions that
were elimi-
nated. The re-
sponse by VAC
was positive,
stating that
these changes
will benefit
Veterans – and
they wouldn’t
have made
them, other-
wise.
Al though
private insur-
ance compa-
nies provide
Veterans’ medical benefits, there was a
VAC department, serving as a middle-
ground in communications between
healthcare providers and insurance com-
panies. These 44 employees have been
internally transferred, and will work in
frontline services that directly impact the
lives of Canadian Veterans.
This Treatment Authorization Cen-
tre (TAC) closed, and the authorization
process is privatized, but the VAC is still
in control of Veteran’s medical benefits.
In their statement, the VAC assured Vet-
erans that “Medavie Blue Cross per-
forms these duties on behalf of Veterans
Affairs Canada
and adheres to
VAC policies,
guidelines, and
regulations.”
Their response
also says, “Vet-
erans and their
families will
continue to re-
ceive services
related to dis-
ability benefit
decisions, as-
s e s s m e n t s ,
support, com-
pensation, and
case manage-
ment fromVet-
erans Affairs
Canada em-
ployees and/or
health care
professionals,
as they do
today.”
While the
TAC privatiza-
tion seemed a cause for serious concern,
the statement provided by Veterans Af-
fairs is reassuring. To see their full state-
ment, you can visit the VAC website, at
-responds/letters-to-the-editor.
If you have concerns or questions,
contact your local Legion branch, or the
nearest Veterans Affairs district office.
January 9th marked the first an-
niversary of the volunteer-run hot-
line for active and retired military
personnel. The hotline is a peer-to-
peer crisis line for Canadian Veter-
ans suffering from PTSD.
If you are in a PTSD crisis,
reach out to one of your brothers-
and-sisters-in-arms, by calling:
1-855-373-8387
Your call is completely anony-
mous and confidential, and you’ll
be speaking to a fellow Veteran –
someone who understands.
AFP/AAC
P.O. Box 370, 3-247 Barr Street
Renfrew, Ontario K7V 4A6
Phone: 613-432-9491
Email:
Website:
2 ARMED FORCES PENSIONERS ’ /ANNUITANTS’ ASSOCIATION OF CANADA