Recently, a disabled veteran contacted me concerning a situation he was experiencing with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in Dayton. His situation may be unique, but it could be similar to other veterans throughout the United States.
This particular veteran has a 100% disability rating and has already survived an organ transplant. He was, and is, actively supporting veterans in his various leadership positions in other veteran organizations.
As a result of his military service, he has developed arthritis in his joints, which makes exercising extremely painful. If the Dayton VAMC had a pool, he would receive aqua therapy for his joint issues.
Since the Dayton VAMC lacks an exercise pool, he applied for funds for a pool membership in a nearby facility. This membership would be expressly used for engaging in aqua therapy.
This disabled veteran’s request was denied, by the VA, on the basis that the VA is not authorized to purchase pool memberships for disabled veterans.
He was informed that Congress must pass legislation authorizing the VA to allow this before aqua therapy, in outside VA facilities, would be considered and approved.
In order for the disabled veteran to obtain relief from his joint pain, he has purchased a one-year YMCA membership, for $500, so that he can engage in aqua therapy.
My Opinion: I believe that it is not practical or feasible for every VAMC Hospital to have an exercise pool used expressly for aqua therapy for disabled veterans. I also believe that aqua therapy is a definite useful alternative to addiction with pain-killing drugs.
I understand that there is a breakdown in the process that will allow the disabled veteran to receive the aqua therapy that the VA recommends, but cannot furnish.
This breakdown in the process is that the VA needs authorization from Congress before it can fund a third-party organization for a pool membership for aqua therapy that it does not supervise.
Of course, providing VA funds for a pool membership without authorization can lead to significant financial scrutiny by the VA’s Inspector General (IG).
It can also lead to veterans taking advantage of the system, without using the pool for aqua therapy.
Right now, the most realistic solution for all disabled veterans, in this same situation, would be for Congress to pass legislation to provide funds to allow aqua therapy in non-VA facilities.
I explained to the disabled veteran that there are many veteran-related bills that are awaiting action by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Many of these proposed legislative bills, such as the GUARD Bill and the Major Richard Star Bill, have a significant number of co-sponsors – but unless they are voted upon by the House – they will be discarded with the start of the 119th Congressional Session in January of 2025.
I informed the disabled veteran that I would work with him to draft legislation for the 119th Congressional Session and hopefully, it will be enacted into law, in the near future.
BioSketch: John Plahovinsak is a retired 32-year Army veteran who served from 1967 to 1999. He is on the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Department of Ohio’s Legislative Committee and Adjutant of DAV Chapter #63 (Clermont County). He can be reached at: plahovinsak@msn.com.