Tracy Keil, the spouse and caregiver of a wounded veteran, described her personal experience with fertility treatment through the VA: “We shouldn’t have to struggle with how we are going to pay for costly fertility treatments when they are a direct result of a combat injury. We already have so many adjustments to make to all of our hopes and dreams and plans. We should never have to contemplate whether or not to even have children because of how expensive fertility treatments can be.” She continued, “The VA, Congress, and the American People have said countless times that they want to do everything they can to support my husband or make him feel whole again and this is your chance. Having a family is exactly what we needed to feel whole again. Please help us make these changes so that other families can share in this experience...What happened to them is by no fault of their own. Wartime changes a family; it shouldn’t take away the ability to have one.”
In opening his testimony, Dr. Mark Edney, veteran and member of the American Urological Association, described various common medical conditions affecting fertility in veterans. He then addressed the legislation itself, saying, “There is a desperate need, not only within the Department of Veterans Affairs, but including the Departments of Defense and Health and Human Services, to fund a longitudinal, prospective database of soldiers with genitourinary [GU] injury to better study the continuum of care from prevention, to initial management in theater, to reconstruction at higher levels of care to fertility treatment and outcomes. S. 3313 takes a critical step in calling for the Department of Defense and NIH [National Institutes of Health] to conduct collaborative research to address long-term reproductive health care needs of veterans with service-connected GU/reproductive injuries.” He continued with a discussion of current fertility treatment capabilities: “There is a wealth of expertise and the infrastructure is in place within the Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense to provide soldiers with fertility-impairing injuries comprehensive management so that they may have their own children. S. 3313 unlocks that capability for soldiers in the VA system to protect them from the $20-30,000 per cycle fees in the private sector where they now by necessity seek treatment. This is a wrong that S. 3313 rights.”
Speaking on behalf of VetsFirst, Heather Ansley, vice president of Veterans Policy, said, “The Women Veterans and Other Health Care Improvements Act takes important steps toward assisting veterans, their spouses, and surrogates in holistically addressing infertility. VetsFirst supports the addition of fertility counseling and treatment including treatment using assisted reproductive technology to the definition of medical services. We are also pleased that this legislation not only expands the definition of medical services to include these treatments, but also provides them to veterans’ spouses or surrogates. We are disappointed, however, that these services are not required for veterans who are not service connected.” She then discussed the non-fertility related significance of S. 3313 for women: “Women make up an increasing percentage of the veteran population. Consequently, VA must improve efforts to address the unique needs and concerns of women veterans. Otherwise, women may be hesitant to take advantage of their benefits.”
Joy Ilem, deputy national legislative director for Disabled American Veterans (DAV), expressed support for the measure, saying, “We thank the Chairman for her continued efforts on improving VA’s women veterans’ health programs and services and are pleased to support this draft measure. DAV has heard positive feedback related to the pilot program of counseling women veterans newly separated from active duty in retreat settings and the child care pilots established in Public Law 111-163 [Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010]. We supported the original provisions for these program pilots and are pleased to support the proposal to expand them. Likewise, we are supportive of the provisions in section 5 of the bill that require VA to enhance the capabilities of the Department’s women veterans call center related to assistance with accessing health care and benefits and referrals to community resources to obtain assistance with services not furnished by VA.”
Ms. Ilem also spoke about S. 1391, a bill addressing mental health care for veterans, including those who have suffered from military sexual trauma: “S. 1391 would change the standard of proof required to establish service connection for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) resulting from military service, and for veterans suffering from certain mental health conditions, including PTSD, resulting from military sexual trauma that occurred in service...S. 1391 would also allow VA to award entitlement to service connection for certain mental health conditions, including PTSD, anxiety and depression, which a veteran claims was incurred or aggravated by military sexual trauma experienced in service, even in the absence of any official record of the claimed trauma.” She continued with an explanation of DAV’s support of the measure: “DAV supports S. 1391, which is consistent with DAV Resolutions 59 and 171. DAV Resolution 171 states that, ‘establishing a causal relationship between injury and later disability can be daunting due to lack of records or certain human factors that obscure or prevent documentation of even basic investigation of such incidents after they occur...’ and that, ‘... an absence of documentation of military sexual trauma in the personnel or military unit records of injured individuals prevents or obstructs adjudication of claims for disabilities for this deserving group of veterans injured during their service, and may prevent their care by VA once they become veterans ...’ Further, DAV Resolution 59 states that, ‘proof of a causal relationship may often be difficult or impossible ...’ and that, ‘current law equitably alleviates the onerous burden of establishing performance of duty or other causal connection as a prerequisite for service connection.’ Enactment of S. 1391 would provide a commonsense standard of proof for veterans who have experienced serious mental and physical traumas in environments that make it difficult to establish exact causal connections.”
Madhulika Agarwal, deputy under secretary for Health Policy and Services in the Department of Veterans Affairs, and Thomas Murphy, director for compensation service at the Veterans Benefit Administration, also testified.
From Women's Policy, Inc.
Photo: US Army Maj. Gen. Galen Jackman briefs Senator Patty Murray, D-Washington, on specifics involved in the Army's Future Combat Systems Manned Ground Vehicle program during a Army birthday celebration on Capitol Hill in Washington DC. US Army Photo
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