State and Federal passes to parks for the disabled

The Federal Golden Access Pass 


The Golden Access Passport is  free, lifetime pass - available to U.S. citizens or permanent residents of
the United States that have been medically determined to have a permanent disability.

The Access Pass is free, and it is valid for the lifetime of the pass owner.

The pass may be issued to U.S. citizens or permanent residents that have been medically determined to have a permanent disability that severely limits one or more major life activities. A permanent disability is a permanent physical, mental, or sensory impairment.

To qualify for the Pass the disability must be permanent and limit one or more major life activities.


How do I prove I’m permanently disabled?


Some examples of acceptable documentation include:

1. Statement by a licensed physician;
2. Document issued by Federal agency such as the Veteran’s Administration, Social Security Disability Income, or Supplemental Security Income;
3. Document issued by a State agency such as a vocational rehabilitation agency.

An Access Pass can be obtained in person from a participating Federal
recreation site or office.

1. Bureau of Land Management    http://www.blm.gov  
2. Bureau of Reclamation     http://www.usbr.gov  
3. Fish & Wildlife Service   http://www.fws.gov  
4. USDA Forest Service    http://www.fs.fed.us  
5. National Park Service     http://www.nps.gov  

Golden Access Passports may be exchanged free of charge for the new Access Passports with proof of identification, e.g., driver’s license, birth certificate, or similar document.

The Access Pass admits pass owner/s and passengers in a noncommercial vehicle at per-vehicle fee areas and pass owner + 3 adults,

How to obtain an Access Passport

An Access Pass can be obtained in person from a participating Federal
recreation site or office.

o Bureau of Land Management    http://www.blm.gov
o Bureau of Reclamation     http://www.usbr.gov
o Fish & Wildlife Service     http://www.fws.gov
o USDA Forest Service    http://www.fs.fed.us
o National Park Service     http://www.nps.gov
Veteran's Assistance may also be able to issue you a pass.

Golden Access Passports are valid for a lifetime . The Access Pass admits pass owner/s and passengers in a noncommercial vehicle at per-vehicle fee areas and pass owner + 3 adults.

State Park Passes for the armed services and public safety disabled

Each state has its own unique rules. Rightardia will address the rules in Florida. You will need a copy of your military ID, DD Form 214 and proof you are disabled. Specific FL requirements are as follows:  

• Personal identification (i.e.: driver license) and
• Current official documentation from the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Veterans Affairs or an appropriate branch of one of those agencies, naming the bearer as having sustained a service-related disability, and
• Most recent DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, showing the named individual's Character of Service as Honorable, or
• Other current official documentation from the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Veterans Affairs or an appropriate branch of one of those agencies, naming the bearer as veteran, or retired military.

Annual Passes can be purchased at all park ranger stations and museums. The easiest way to get this pass for a disabled person may be to fill out the hyperlinked form below and send it with one dollar to:

Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park
4156 South Suncoast Blvd.
Homosassa Springs, FL 34446
(352) 628-1243

http://www.floridastateparks.org/thingstoknow/doc/annualpass/annual_pass_mail_order_form.pdf

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Social Security Disability claim process is more efficient than the VA's

by The Major

At the request of both the Board of Veteran Appeals  and local VARO representatives, The Major applied for Social security Disability. The Major discovered  that  the Social Security Administration (SSA) has a more automated system.

First of all the SSA claim starts with a web based application for part 1 of the disability claim. After part one is completed, the claimant then meets with a local Social Security representative.

There is no need for a third party representatives such as the DAV or American legion. After part 1 of the application is completed, the SSA sends the claimant a letter that indicates the other SSA forms that need to be completed.

The claimant then turns in the additional paper work to the Social Security (SS) representative during the first scheduled meeting. All of the additional forms are Acrobat .pdf's that can be downloaded and completed with a word processor.

After The Major completed the application, he received two letters from SSA asking for additional information. He had to respond to the SSA on a form with a large bar code with his claim number on the first page.

The Major  was able to fax his responses directly to the SSA. He suspects the SSA fax machines imaged his fax and automatically put into my responses into a claim database that was indexed to The Major's  claim. The letters from the SSA made it clear that the unique bar code has to be on the first page of the fax.

Almost all of the correspondence sent to the Veterans Administration (VA) must be done by mail and if The Major has  to sent important information by certified mail with a return receipt. 

Neither the VA or DAV uses any web based application, Internet communication system or email. Veterans are not provided fax numbers either to expedite their claims. Americans now live in an electronic age and it is a shame that the VA is not more automated.

SSA also provides a confirmation number and web address so claimants can check on the status of the claim on the Internet. The VA does not offer this capability.

I have found the SSA disability claim process to be automated and more direct than the VA which has the claims process fragmented between the Appeals Management Center (AMC), the VA Regional Offices (VARO's), the VA Medical Centers (VAMC), third party organizations like the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and other state VA offices. There seems to be a lot of redundancy in the VA claims system.

Rather than "reinventing the wheel,' the VBA might wants to look closely at the SSA disability claims process. My first impression is that is a lot more efficient and streamlined than the archaic system the VBA uses. 

Perhaps a larger question: Does both the SSA and VA need separate government disability claims systems? Could the SSA be made the executive agency for all disability claims. 

The SSA could be made the executive agency for all government disability claims 

If so, the government would be able to eliminate the VA Compensation and Pension offices, a lot of VARO staff, and the contracts with local third party agencies like the DAV and the American legion representatives. 

Some of these VA staff would have to be transferred to the SSA because the VA gives disability ratings between 0 and 100 per cent and the SSA give disability rating of either  0 or 100 per cent.

The SSA's private physicians  should do a better job than the VA's C&P physicans. Rightardia will explain why in the next article what a veterans can do to protect themselves from any VA physical exam that is poorly performed.

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POTUS proposes $250 payments to seniors, vets and the disabled

By POLITICO STAFF

President Obama wants $250 payments to seniors, veterans and the disabled since there will be to make up for the lack of a Social Security cost of living allowance (COLA) this year.

President Obama's made this comment on the proposed Economic Recovery Payment:

"Even as we seek to bring about recovery, we must act on behalf of those hardest hit by this recession. That is why I am announcing my support for an additional $250 in emergency recovery assistance to seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities to help them make it through these difficult times. These payments will provide aid to more than 50 million people in the coming year . . .

I want to compliment all the members of Congress who have been working to address these challenges, especially Senators Reid, Baucus, Sanders, and Lincoln, Speaker Pelosi, and Representatives Rangel, McCarthy, and DeFazio."

source: http://www.politico.com/politico44/perm/1009/250_payments_4c01a09f-74f6-458d-ba43-a39d167a2575.html

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Russian invents Orthopedic “armor” to help disabled walk

11 July, 2009, 10:31

Editor's Note: If Obama is able to get the Jackson-Vanik amendment rescinded, this is one item that our paralysed soldiers from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and and disabled citizens may be able to benefit from. Trade with Russia will greatly improve relations. The Russians are also very interested in US IT technology.



There is new hope for people who have been paralyzed with the invention of a so-called orthopedic “armor”, which is defying doctors’ prognoses by allowing patients to both stand and walk.

This piece of sculpture is designed to fit its customer perfectly. Made of a plastic-like material and placed around a steel skeleton, the simple device is called “armor for the disabled”.

Read more

Just one small step contradicts everything the doctors have been telling Aleksey Filatov ever since he was paralyzed in a car accident.

He still can’t feel his feet, but with his armor he can walk on them.
“Unlike similar devices this device is very light and it doesn’t take a lot of time to put it on. It helps to get into the car and use the wheelchair much less. It can also be worn under trousers,” Aleksey says.

“Armor” production begins with making a plaster cast

The invention is the brainchild of another disabled man, also called Aleksey. Eight years of being confined to bed left him determined to prove the doctors wrong.

“The armor is not going to help you jump or play football. But they can allow you to do some things which were previously inaccessible. To allow people to stand up is very important. It helps to solve the psychological problems of the disabled,” says Aleksey Nalogin, inventor of the armor for the disabled.

Now his armor is available to anyone who needs it. Aleksey's invention is already helping children, and the doctors say the armor has shown impressive results.

“The beauty of Aleksey’s invention is that each piece of armor is handmade to fit the patient perfectly. After production the armor is adjusted on the patient several times to guarantee the best medical effect. That’s something similar devices made on the production line cannot do,” says sports doctor Dmitry Kiselev.

Aleksey says being disabled in Russia is difficult. Public transport and streets are not fully equipped for those who are physically impaired, but the inventor says this armor is a step towards making Russia disabled-friendly.

source: http://www.russiatoday.com/Top_News/2009-07-11/Orthopedic__armor__invention_helps_Russia_s_disabled.html#

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