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As anyone who follows the news knows, the Department of Veterans Affairs has faced numerous challenges over the years.  Reports of sexual assault in the military go unexamined. Disabled veterans are subjected to unnecessary medical tests. And claims processing for VA disability benefits is backlogged. In recent months, there has…

In July 2018, Camilla Hudson ran to her local CVS in Chicago late at night to replace a defective item.  She tried to use a manufacturer’s coupon to purchase the product. Although she did not have any trouble trying to use it with the first employee she talked to, another…

The Veterans Administration’s internal policies on whether to recognize a disease as related to exposure to Agent Orange are based on biennial reports from the National Academy of Medicine.  The Academy’s 2016 report found that evidence for a link between esophageal cancer and Agent Orange is “insufficient.” Although the VA…

When Congress passed a $1.3 trillion spending bill at the end of March, they included a funding increase for the Social Security Administration.  The increase is an attempt to reduce the backlog of disability claims that stretch past 1 million claims. The appropriations bill increases funding to the SSA by…

Lavern’s Law, a bill named after a woman who died of cancer in 2013 after doctors missed a diagnosis of lung cancer, was recently signed by Governor Andrew Cuomo.  The bill changes the beginning date for the statute of limitations in New York State for certain types of medical malpractice…

Medicaid is a health insurance program that is funded by federal and state governments to provide benefits for senior citizens, low-income and needy people, pregnant women, children, and people who are disabled. President Trump has proposed reducing spending on Medicaid by $800 billion over the next ten years.  His advisors…

The United States is investigating lenders who are allegedly pressuring veterans into mortgage refinances they don’t need. Ginnie May, a government-owned corporation that exists to make mortgages more affordable, is conducting the probe.  Ginnie Mae guarantees repayment on $2 trillion in mortgage bonds, even if borrowers default on their loans….

If you are expecting a child it is important to understand the risk factors during pregnancy and at birth.  The most common injuries that occur during pregnancy are brain development injuries due to lack of oxygen or infection and fetal alcohol syndrome.  The most common causes for these are maternal…

Large trucks cause more damage in accidents than smaller passenger cars, and, sadly, drug and alcohol use is responsible for many truck crashes each year. The number of intoxicated truck drivers involved in fatal accidents increased between 2014 and 2015, according to the Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts report…

Steve and his wife, Peggy, have been struggling to keep up with their $40,000 in unsecured debt.  They have wiped out their savings, but they have been able to keep current on their house and car payments.  Every day the couple deals with calls from collectors, but they are hesitant…