The president signed VFW-supported H.R. 7846, Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2022, into law. Certain VA benefits including disability compensation, clothing allowances, and dependency and indemnity compensation for survivors will receive the same cost-of-living adjustment as Social Security benefits. The announced increase is to be 8.7 percent, which is higher than in recent years to account for inflation. The adjustment will go into effect Dec. 1, 2022, and the first checks to reflect the new rate will be on Dec. 31, 2022.
TRICARE Network Pharmacy Changes Coming Soon
TRICARE has announced that on Oct. 24, 2022, thousands of community pharmacies will leave the network. Express Scripts is the TRICARE pharmacy contractor with oversight of home delivery, military pharmacy, and civilian contract facilities. Walmart and Sam’s Club pharmacies are among those impacted by this change. It is recommended that you contact your pharmacy to see if it will remain in network or find a participating pharmacy near you.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month
According to VA, one in ten men and one in four women encounter Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). Research shows veterans may be twice as likely to experience this than their civilian counterparts. VA recognizes that IPV and suicide share risk factors, and the occurrence of one increasingly impacts the other. VA’s Intimate Partner Violence Assistance Program offers a network of VA and community services to provide education, assessment, intervention, and resources.
Till next week, praying for all service members.
– Charles Castelluccio
