DEPRTMENT OF VETERANS SERVICES
1 Oct 13
Services to Veterans not impacted by potential lapse in appropriations
Operational National Phone Numbers for Veterans
* VA National Call Center: 1-800-827-1000
* All VA Medical Facilities & Services: (411 or http://www2.va.gov/directory/
* Coaching into Care Call Center for Family Members of Veterans: 1-888-823-7458
* Debt Management Center: (Collection of Non- Medical Debts): 1-800-827-0648
* Homeless Prevention Line: 1-877-4AID VET (877-424-3838)
* Home Loans: 1-888-244-6711
* Insurance: 1-800-669-8477
* Mammography Helpline: 1-888-492-7844
* Meds by Mail: 1-888-385-0235 (or) 1-866-229-7389
* National Caregiver Support Line: 1-855-260-3274
* NCA's Scheduling Office: 1-800-535-1117
* Veterans Crisis Line: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
* Women Veterans Call Center: 1-855-VA-WOMEN (1-855-829-6636)
* Federal Service for the Deaf: 711
* Vet Center Combat Call Center: 1-877-WAR-VETS
* Discrimination: 1-888-737-3361
* Denver Acquisition and Logistics Center: 1-303-273-6200
* Health Benefits Customer Service: 1-877-222-VETS(8387).
* CHAMPVA: 1-800-733-8387
* Children of Women Vietnam Veterans; Foreign Medical Program; Spina Bifida Health Care Program:
1-877-345-8179 (or) 1-888-820-1756
All VA medical facilities and clinics will remain fully operational, including:
1. Inpatient Care
2. Outpatient Care
3. Prescriptions
4. Surgeries
5. Dental Treatment
6. Extended Care
7. Mental Health Care
8. Nursing Home Care
9. Special Health Care Services
for Women Veterans
10. Vet Centers
VEww.va.gov IMPACTED VETERAN SERVICES
Updated Sept. 30, 2013
* Claims processing and payments in the compensation, pension, education, and vocational rehabilitation programs are anticipated to continue through late October. However, in the event of a prolonged shutdown, claims processing and payments in these programs would be suspended when available funding is exhausted
* VBA Regional Offices public contact services will not be available
* No decisions on claims appeals or motions will be issued by the Board of Veterans Appeals
* Freedom of Information Act queries will not be processed
* Privacy Act requests will not be processed
* VA's homepage (www.va.gov) will be updated intermittently
* VA's main and hospital Social Media Web sites will be updated intermittently (Facebook, Twitter,Blog, etc.)
* Recruiting and hiring of Veteran job applicants will cease with the exception of the Veterans Health Administration
* Presidential Memorial certificates will not be processed
* Interments at National Cemeteries will be conducted on a reduced schedule
* Overseas Military coordinator operations will be suspended
* VA Secretary correspondence with Veterans and VSOs suspended
* Outreach and Public Awareness Activities
* VetSuccess on Campus suspended
* Vocational Rehabilitation and Education Counseling will be limited
* VBA will not be able to continue overtime for claims processors
* Claims processing and payments in the compensation, pension, education, and vocational rehabilitation programs are anticipated to continue through late October. However, in the event of a prolonged shutdown, claims processing and payments in these programs would be suspended when available funding is exhausted
Suspended National Phone Numbers
* Billing Issues: 1-866-842-4357
* Education Benefits: 1-888-442-4551
* Consumer Affairs: 202-461-7402
* Income Verification and Means Testing: 1-800-929-8387
* Inspector General Hotline: 1-800-488-8244
* Special Issues: Gulf War/Agent Orange/Project SHAD/Mustard Agents and Lewisite/Ionizing Radiation 1-800-749-8387
* Status of Headstones and Markers: 1-800-697-6947
* Whistle Blower Reprisal: 1-800-872-9855
Services to Veterans impacted by potential lapse in appropriations
VETERANFIELD GUIDE TO GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
VA call centers and hotlines will cease to function, including:
1. VBA Education Call Center 1-888-442-4551
2. Inspector General Hotline suspended 1-800-488-8244
3. Consumer Affairs (consumeraffairs@va.gov; VA's home page "Contact Us" function and 202-461-7402 will be suspended)
4. Congressional Liaison Veterans queries suspended
For or Additional Info www.va.gov
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October 1, 2013
As of 12:01 this morning a government shutdown has gone into effect. Yesterday the House passed several continuing resolutions (CRs) for government funding which included different policy riders to delay or otherwise inhibit the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA); each one was tabled in succession by the Senate. Early this morning the House voted to establish a bicameral conference committee to negotiate the differences between the two chambers, and that too was tabled by the Senate shortly after it convened, leaving the path forward unclear.
As painful as a shutdown may be for government employees, in some respects the impacts are worse for federal contractors. While those federal contracts with funding from fiscal year 2013 will continue, federal contracts funded by fiscal year 2014 dollars face the discontinuation of federal payments until Congress passes a spending bill. (For specific information on federal contracts that impact your business, we recommend you seek the advice of your company's contract experts and the relevant federal contract officials for the most accurate assessment of your company's situation.) Unlike federal employees, during previous shutdowns contractors have not been retroactively reimbursed for lost work. While some companies may make their employees whole, they must do so without the retroactive support of the federal government.
The Office of Management and Budget provided guidance to departments and agencies in mid September about how to address contracts and grants during a shutdown. We believe this information will help you and your staff as you consider the impact this shutdown has on your company. The document is available here <http://www.mmsend64.com/link.
Although it is not clear when the government will be funded again, another critical date is likely to force some resolution before the month is out. On October 17, the United States will exhaust its statutory authority on federal borrowing <http://www.mmsend64.com/link.
In the meantime, in case it may be of use to you, the Office of Personnel Management has posted its furlough guidance here <http://www.mmsend64.com/link.
Both the House and Senate are presently in session and their leaders are presumably discussing the way forward. We continue to hope Congress will resolve these fiscal challenges quickly and in the least disruptive way possible.
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