The Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae), eliminated on Sept. 1 the restriction on the size of mortgage loans backed by the Department of Veterans Affairs. That will allow veterans using the VA home loan guaranty program to get loans for more than $417,000. The plan could be a boost for service members and veterans who have been unable or unwilling to use the VA loan program because of the loan limits. Ginnie Mae officials said they will ontinue to require that at least 25 percent of the value of a home be covered by the combination of the VA's guaranty -- formerly $104,250 -- and the buyer's cash down payment. That means that any loan for more than $417,000 would have to include a down payment,

Mail Order Pharmacy Gets Simpler

Registering for TRICARE's mail order pharmacy service became easier with the launch of the new Member Choice Center (MCC). Now retirees can begin receiving their prescriptions by mail after a phone call or mouse click, said TRICARE officials. Not only will the beneficiary receive mail-order enrollment assistance, but the center's staff will contact physicians to get new prescriptions and forward them to the mail-order pharmacy for processing. Beneficiaries do not have to download forms or wait to have forms mailed; they can go to the 'My Benefit" portal on www.tricare.mil/ or to www.express-scripts.com/TRICARE to complete the registration. They also can call the MCC toll free at (877) 363-1433 to switch from the retail program to mail-order service. Beneficiaries may receive up to a 90-day supply of most medications for the same amount they would pay for a 30-day supply at a retail pharmacy.

VA Stocks Shingles Vaccine

A vaccine for shingles, which Department of Veterans Affairs researchers helped develop, is available to veterans who are patients at VA medical facilities nationwide. "Shingles can seriously degrade the quality of life for those who suffer from this disease," said VA secretary Jim Nicholson. "Offering this vaccine to our patients is further evidence of VA's commitment to provide world-class health care to America's veterans." VA physicians will offer the vaccine to patients with appropriate medical conditions, usually those who are 60 years of age or older and have healthy immune systems. A single dose of the vaccine offers protection against shingles, which is scientifically named Herpes Zoster. VA researchers and patients from across the country participated in studies which led to the vaccine's approval by the Food and Drug Administration. The vaccine is available immediately to those who are recommended for the treatment.

AFRC Garmisch Offers European Escapes

The Edelweiss Lodge and Resort Armed Forces Recreation Center (AFRC) in the Bavarian Alps is offering a special package to retirees and their guests. One European Escape package, running from Nov. 26 -- Dec. 6 is sold out, but another, from Dec. 6 -- Dec. 16, was still available at press time. The packages include airport transportation, a welcome reception, 10 nights stay with breakfast, special European Escapes tours and a farewell dinner and gift. The cost is $1,800 for single occupancy and $2,300 for double occupancy. Retirees may sponsor a maximum of three rooms. AFRC officials offer retiree packages year round and invite retirees to sign up for their e-mail newsletter through their homepage. For more information, visit http://www.edelweisslodgeandresort.com or call (011-49) 8821-9440 from the United States, (49) 8821-9440 from Europe, or 08821-9440 from Germany.

Senate Passes Military Construction-VA Appropriations Bill

On Thursday 6 September, the Senate passed their version of the FY2008 Military Construction-Veterans’ Affairs bill by a vote of 92-1. The bill would provide $109.3 billion in funding for military construction and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, which is $4.1 billion more than the President requested. However, the bill is one of the three out of twelve appropriations bills the President has not threatened to veto.

The Senate’s bill differs from the House-passed VA bill in one important aspect. Senator Norm Coleman (R-Minn) managed to add an amendment to the Senate VA bill that provides $100 million in emergency spending for security at the 2008 political conventions in St. Paul, Minn., and Denver, Colo.

Otherwise, the House and Senate bills are very similar and should be reconciled rather easily. The Senate bill provides $43 billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs, which is $3.6 billion more than the President asked for, while the House bill provides $43.2 billion.

The VA bill is also important because of its affect on other spending bills yet to be passed by Congress. According to Congressional Quarterly, on Tuesday “the White House Office of Management and Budget said if Congress exceeds Bush’s request for funding the Veterans Affairs Department without offsetting the increases with reductions in other spending bills, ‘the President will veto any of the other bills that exceed his request until Congress demonstrates a path to reach the President’s topline of $933 billion.’”

And since the VA bill did exceed the President’s request, we can expect to see major political battles over government spending between now and the end of this year.

Senator Warner Announces His Retirement

Virginia Senator John Warner announced last Friday that he will retire at the end of his current term, which expires in 2008. Warner, who has served in the Senate since 1978, is 80 years old. He served as Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee for several years during the time Republicans were in the majority and he was a key figure in passage of the TRICARE military health care program. Military retirees and all veterans owe a great deal to Senator Warner for his support of veterans’ issues and we wish him the very best as he completes his final term in office and as he enters into a new phase of his life.