John Plahovinsak.

My Opinion: On August 1, 2017, the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), at their Annual Convention, in New Orleans, passed a Legislative Resolution. This Resolution was to support legislation for a realistic Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) for disabled veterans, their dependents, and survivors.

Last week, over 108,000 disabled veterans within the State of Ohio started to receive an 8.7 percent increase in their Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability compensation and pension payments. This is the largest increase disabled veterans have had in the last forty (40) years.

This is the same COLA increase in benefits received by all Social Security Administration (SSA) recipients for 2023.

The Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2022 (PL 117-191) was signed and enacted into law on October 8, 2022. The new COLA 8.7% adjusted rate for 2023 went into effect on December 1, 2022.

For 2022, the COLA was previously increased to 5.9%, which was the largest increase since 1983. However, from 2009 to 2020, the average COLA provided to military retired and disabled veterans was only 1.38%.

In an Opinion Article published in the July 6, 2022 issue of the Clermont Sun, I had requested readers to support both Senate Bill 4223 and House Resolution 7846, which formed the basis for Public Law 117-191 that went into effect on December 1, 2022.

The 8.7% calculations made by the SSA for 2023 are based upon a complex formula linked to the Consumer Price Index (CPI). This is prescribed by law when calculating any COLA increase.

To my limited legislative history, the DAV has been fighting with our Senators and Representatives in Congress for realistic COLAs for our disabled veterans and military retirees since 2012.

The complex formula that the SSA to determine COLA is directly linked to the United States economy on a very broad basis. The existing economic activity does not automatically mean that the disabled veterans’ cost of living is low.

Inflation and low interest rates have stirred the economic activity that we witnessed in 2021, when data from the CPI was available.

It is really unfair that increases in veterans’ compensation must rely on a complex CPI formula based upon a select group of services and products that has actually little to do with the costs the disabled veterans must bear.

However, it is a proven fact that as disabled veterans age and suffer from associated illnesses of aging, the disabled veterans’ costs increase.

It is also a given fact that disabled veterans’ disability compensation has not kept pace with the rest of our economy. This has not occurred, even in years when there were minimal or no COLA increases.

Many disabled veterans, their spouses and survivors are on fixed incomes and rely on COLAs to keep pace with their current living expenses. The 8.7% COLA increase is certainly of some benefit and welcome relief for them.

According to United States Census statistics, there are 2,479 disabled veterans residing in Clermont County receiving disability compensation payments and 10,388 veterans with no current disability rating.

In Brown County, there are 743 veterans receiving disability compensation payments and 2,430 veterans with no current disability rating.

The passage of the Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2022 will increase the amount payable to disabled veterans for: (1) Wartime Disability Compensation: (2) Dependent’s Compensation; (3) Clothing Allowance for some Disabled Veterans; and (4) Dependency and Indemnity Compensation.

BioSketch: John Plahovinsak is a 32-year retired Army Veteran, who served from 1967 to 1999. He previously served as the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Department of Ohio Legislation Chairman from 2018 to 2022 and now serving as the current DAV Department of Ohio Hospital Chairman. He can be contacted at: plahovinsak@msn.com.