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Improving the Presumptive Disability Decision-Making Process for Veterans (2008)

Chapter: Appendix B: Committee on Evaluation of the Presumptive Disability Decision-Making Process for Veterans Open Session Meeting Agendas

« Previous: Appendix A: Statement of the Veterans' Disability Benefits Commission to the Institute of Medicine's Committee on the Presumptive Disability Decision-Making Process, May 31, 2006
Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Committee on Evaluation of the Presumptive Disability Decision-Making Process for Veterans Open Session Meeting Agendas." Institute of Medicine. 2008. Improving the Presumptive Disability Decision-Making Process for Veterans. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11908.
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Appendix B
Committee on Evaluation of the Presumptive Disability Decision-Making Process for Veterans Open Session Meeting Agendas

Committee Meeting #1

May 31, 2006

Keck Center of the National Academies

Washington, D.C.

AGENDA

Wednesday, May 31

Room 201

8:30 a.m.

Closed Session (Committee Members and IOM Staff Only)

10:30 a.m.

Open Session Begins

10:30 a.m.

Welcome and Introductory Remarks, Introduction of Committee Member and Attendees

Jonathan Samet, M.D., M.S., Committee Chair

10:40 a.m.

Expectations of the Study Sponsor

Commissioner John Grady (Member, Veterans’ Disability Benefits Commission)

11:00 a.m.

An Overview of the Disability Benefits Program and Presumptions Affecting Veterans’ Benefits

Thomas Pamperin, M.B.A. (Assistant Director for Policy, Compensation and Pension Service, Department of Veterans Affairs)

11:45 a.m.

Legislative and Regulatory History of Presumptions

David Barrans, J.D. (Deputy Assistant General Counsel, Office of General Counsel, Department of Veterans Affairs)

Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Committee on Evaluation of the Presumptive Disability Decision-Making Process for Veterans Open Session Meeting Agendas." Institute of Medicine. 2008. Improving the Presumptive Disability Decision-Making Process for Veterans. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11908.
×

12:15 p.m.

Lunch

1:15 p.m.

The Role of Science in Establishing VA Disability Compensation Policies

Mark Brown, Ph.D. (Director, VA’s Environmental Agents Service, Office of Public Health and Environmental Hazards, Department of Veterans Affairs)

1:45 p.m.

Presumptions in VA’s Disability Program—The Effect

Thomas Pamperin, M.B.A. (Assistant Director for Policy, Compensation and Pension Service, Department of Veterans Affairs)

2:05 p.m.

PANEL Q&A—VA Presenters and Committee Members

2:45 p.m.

Break

3:00 p.m.

An Examiner’s Use of the Clinician’s Guide and How Examiners Are Selected and Trained by VHA

Patrick Joyce, M.D., J.D., M.P.H. (Chief Physician, Compensation and Pension Program, VA Medical Center, Washington, D.C.)

3:45 p.m.

Making Decisions Based on Medical Evidence

Bradley Flohr (Chief of Advisory Review Staff, Compensation and Pension Service)

4:15 p.m.

Public Comments (Attendees will be given the opportunity to make brief remarks to the Committee Members)

5:15 p.m.

Open Session Ends

5:15 p.m.

Closed Session (Committee Members and IOM Staff Only)

6:15 p.m.

Adjourn

Committee Meeting #2

July 27, 2006

Keck Center of the National Academies

Washington, D.C.

AGENDA

Thursday, July 27

Room 101

8:30 a.m.

Closed Session (Committee Members and IOM Staff Only)

9:00 a.m.

Open Session Begins

9:00 a.m.

Welcome and Introductory Remarks, Introduction of Committee Members and Attendees

Jonathan Samet, M.D., M.S., Committee Chair

Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Committee on Evaluation of the Presumptive Disability Decision-Making Process for Veterans Open Session Meeting Agendas." Institute of Medicine. 2008. Improving the Presumptive Disability Decision-Making Process for Veterans. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11908.
×

9:10 a.m.

Summary of Recent IOM Studies Conducted for VA

Rose Marie Martinez, Sc.D. (Director, Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice, Institute of Medicine)

9:45 a.m.

VA Health Care Utilization Among Operation Iraqi Freedom/ Operation Enduring Freedom Veterans

Han K. Kang, Dr.P.H. (Director, Environmental Epidemiology Service, Department of Veterans Affairs)

10:15 a.m.

Overview of VA Registries

Han K. Kang, Dr.P.H. (Director, Environmental Epidemiology Service, Department of Veterans Affairs)

10:45 a.m.

Break

11:00 a.m.

Assessing Environmental and Occupational Exposures—VA Disability and Compensation Policies

Lawrence R. Deyton, M.S.P.H., M.D. (Chief Officer, Public Health and Environmental Hazards, Department of Veterans Affairs)

12:00 p.m.

Lunch

1:00 p.m.

Overview of DoD Deployment and Installation-Based Occupational and Environmental Health Programs

R. Craig Postlewaite, D.V.M., M.P.H. (Senior Analyst, Environmental Health Surveillance, DoD Deployment Health Support Directorate)

1:20 p.m.

Deployment Health Surveillance: Past, Current, and Future Operations

Jack M. Heller, Ph.D. (Director, Health Risk Management, U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine)

2:05 p.m.

DoD Occupational Health Exposure Assessment Processes

John Seibert, C.I.H., C.S.P. (Assistant for Safety, Health and Fire Protection, Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Installations and Environment)

2:50 p.m.

Break

3:00 p.m.

Panel Discussion with DoD Representatives

4:00 p.m.

Public Comments from Veterans Service Organizations

 

The American Legion

Cathy Wiblemo, M.H.A. (Deputy Director, Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation Division)

AMVETS

Jim Doran (National Service Director)

United Spinal Association

Leonard Selfon, Esq. (National Service Director)

Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Committee on Evaluation of the Presumptive Disability Decision-Making Process for Veterans Open Session Meeting Agendas." Institute of Medicine. 2008. Improving the Presumptive Disability Decision-Making Process for Veterans. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11908.
×

 

Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States

Quentin Kinderman (Deputy Director, National Legislative Service)

Vietnam Veterans of America

Rick Weidman (Executive Director for Policy and Government Affairs)

4:30 p.m.

Public Comments from Attendees

(Attendees will also be given the opportunity to make brief remarks to the Committee Members)

5:00 p.m.

Open Session Ends

5:15 p.m.

Closed Session (Committee Members and IOM Staff Only)

6:00 p.m.

Adjourn

Committee Meeting #3

October 4, 2006

Emily Morgan Hotel

705 East Houston Street

San Antonio, Texas

AGENDA

Wednesday, October 4

Emily Morgan Hotel (Room 2)

7:30 a.m.

Closed Session (Committee Members and IOM Staff Only)

8:00 a.m.

Open Session Begins

8:00 a.m.

Welcome and Introductory Remarks, Introduction of Committee Members and Attendees

Jonathan M. Samet, M.D., M.S., (Chair, Committee on Evaluation of the Presumptive Disability Decision-Making Process for Veterans)

8:10 a.m.

Presentations from Past Congressional Staffers

Laura Petrou

Patrick Ryan, J.D.

Edward Scott, J.D.

Chris Yoder

9:10 a.m.

Panel Q&A—Panel Presenters and Committee Members

9:50 a.m.

Break

10:00 a.m.

DoD and Veterans Affairs: Health Information Sharing

Nhan Do, M.D., M.S., F.A.C.P. (Information Manager, Medical Informatics, TricareManagement Activity)

Cliff Freeman, M.A., M.S. (Director, VA/DoD Health IT Sharing Program)

Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Committee on Evaluation of the Presumptive Disability Decision-Making Process for Veterans Open Session Meeting Agendas." Institute of Medicine. 2008. Improving the Presumptive Disability Decision-Making Process for Veterans. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11908.
×

10:30 a.m.

Panel Q&A—Health IT Presenters and Committee Members

11:00 a.m.

Public Comments from Veterans Service Organizations

Public Comments from Attendees

(Attendees will also be given the opportunity to make brief remarks to the Committee Members)

Comments from LTG James Terry Scott, U.S. Army (Ret.) (Chairman, Veterans Disability Benefits Commission)

Closing Comments from Jonathan M. Samet, M.D., M.S. (Chair, Committee on Evaluation of the Presumptive Disability Decision-Making Process for Veterans)

12:00 p.m.

Open Session Ends

1:00 p.m.

Closed Session (Committee Members and IOM Staff Only)

6:00 p.m.

Adjourn

Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Committee on Evaluation of the Presumptive Disability Decision-Making Process for Veterans Open Session Meeting Agendas." Institute of Medicine. 2008. Improving the Presumptive Disability Decision-Making Process for Veterans. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11908.
×
Page 344
Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Committee on Evaluation of the Presumptive Disability Decision-Making Process for Veterans Open Session Meeting Agendas." Institute of Medicine. 2008. Improving the Presumptive Disability Decision-Making Process for Veterans. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11908.
×
Page 345
Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Committee on Evaluation of the Presumptive Disability Decision-Making Process for Veterans Open Session Meeting Agendas." Institute of Medicine. 2008. Improving the Presumptive Disability Decision-Making Process for Veterans. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11908.
×
Page 346
Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Committee on Evaluation of the Presumptive Disability Decision-Making Process for Veterans Open Session Meeting Agendas." Institute of Medicine. 2008. Improving the Presumptive Disability Decision-Making Process for Veterans. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11908.
×
Page 347
Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Committee on Evaluation of the Presumptive Disability Decision-Making Process for Veterans Open Session Meeting Agendas." Institute of Medicine. 2008. Improving the Presumptive Disability Decision-Making Process for Veterans. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11908.
×
Page 348
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The United States has long recognized and honored the service and sacrifices of its military and veterans. Veterans who have been injured by their service (whether their injury appears during service or afterwards) are owed appropriate health care and disability compensation. For some medical conditions that develop after military service, the scientific information needed to connect the health conditions to the circumstances of service may be incomplete. When information is incomplete, Congress or the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) may need to make a "presumption" of service connection so that a group of veterans can be appropriately compensated.

The missing information may be about the specific exposures of the veterans, or there may be incomplete scientific evidence as to whether an exposure during service causes the health condition of concern. For example, when the exposures of military personnel in Vietnam to Agent Orange could not be clearly documented, a presumption was established that all those who set foot on Vietnam soil were exposed to Agent Orange. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) Committee was charged with reviewing and describing how presumptions have been made in the past and, if needed, to make recommendations for an improved scientific framework that could be used in the future for determining if a presumption should be made. The Committee was asked to consider and describe the processes of all participants in the current presumptive disability decision-making process for veterans. The Committee was not asked to offer an opinion about past presumptive decisions or to suggest specific future presumptions.

The Committee heard from a range of groups that figure into this decision-making process, including past and present staffers from Congress, the VA, the IOM, veterans service organizations, and individual veterans. The Department of Defense (DoD) briefed the Committee about its current activities and plans to better track the exposures and health conditions of military personnel. The Committee further documented the current process by developing case studies around exposures and health conditions for which presumptions had been made. Improving the Presumptive Disability Decision-Making Process for Veterans explains recommendations made by the committee general methods by which scientists, as well as government and other organizations, evaluate scientific evidence in order to determine if a specific exposure causes a health condition.

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