GI Bill now
allows for $36,000

Question: I heard that the GI Bill education benefit is increasing soon. Is this accurate?

Answer: Full-time students with GI Bill benefits can receive $1,000 per month to cover the cost of their education under changes that went into effect on Friday. This increase could allow for as much as $36,000 in educational costs. Also, the GI Bill provides up to 36 months of college, business, technical or vocational courses; distance learning, including correspondence courses; certification tests; apprenticeship/job training; and flight training. Exact rates can be found at www.gibill.va.gov. Further information can be obtained by calling the VA at 433-1000.

Q: What is the VA doing about ensuring that their doctors do not perform wrong-site surgeries?

A: The VA has a five-step process to ensure surgeries are performed on the correct site and the correct patient. Incorrect surgeries can range from performing the surgery on the wrong patient, to performing the wrong surgery, to performing the right surgery on the wrong site on the body.

The five-step VA directive calls for the surgical team to get patient consent, mark the correct surgical site, have the patient state their name and site of the procedure, confirm all information right before surgery, and confirm the surgical site with imaging data. More information is available online at www.patientsafety.gov/CorrectSurg.html, or you can contact the VA Medical Center at 433-0600.