Veterans Affairs rejects 94-year-old war hero's request for care

Sorry about that Rex my bad.

The deal between Norway and Canada is not moot. It now means Norwegian vets can move to Canada and be covered. And vice versa.

As for Bindhiem being the last Norwegian vet I have to question that one. Here in the Muskoka's the Norwegian Airforce trained and there is still vets in the area with their Canadian wives.

Not to mention if Bindhiem is the last vet why would VAC deny him if he's the only one left?

Teen, I think you misunderstood me. When I said "they", I meant the Province doesn't want those beds to sit empty, because they are losing money. And that would by why they will eventually start filling them with non Veterans. Also, an agreement with Norway is kind of a moot point, since they said that Petter Bindhiem was the last Norwegian Veteran living in Canada.

You sorta contradicted yourself Rex....Camp Hill is owned by the province so VAC doesn't care if they sit empty.

Trooper it always boils down to money. VAC downloaded longterm healthcare to the provinces and based the rates that VAC would pay on the average of the 'area/township' where the vet lives. This was done over the last 15-20 years as veteran hospitals were sold to private ownership or province.

In this situation the Nova Scotia health minister got ahead of this by laying the blame at VAC's feet instead of lowering the rate for the veteran. A win for the province because they got the asking rate. A loss for VAC because now they have opened a can of worms for the future.

Another winner in this....Norway. Now there is a deal between Canada and Norway for longterm healthcare.

Yes, but ultimately, it is VAC that decides how much they are willing to pay, and whether or not the Veteran is eligible for a Veterans priority bed, according to their rules, not the provinces. VAC isn't going to agree to pay for a Veterans bed, and be turned down because the province doesn't think the Veteran qualifies as a WWII or Korean war Vet. The province wants the money. They do not like seeing empty beds in a place like Camp Hill, because that means less revenue. Heck, they would probably let in a Veteran in his 20's if he required the specialized care that they offered, IF VAC agreed to pay for it. But if VAC keeps letting these beds sit empty, the province will eventually start filling them with non Veterans, while actual Veterans are relegated to community beds wherever they are available.

Think of it as in the way VIP used to operate. If a Veteran required lawn care or housekeeping, VAC would determine if they were eligible or not. But VAC isn't going to provide those services, so they look for service providers, (the provinces), who set their own rates, and VAC would decide how much of that bill they would pay or reimburse. The same goes for Camp Hill. It isn't free for those who live there. They still pay to live there, just that the costs are shared with VAC, and the money is deducted from the PA pensions.

This is the way I understand this whole ordeal regarding the admittance into Camp Hill.

From the beginning, Mr. Blindheim applied through VAC to be admitted to Camp Hill. His application was denied, Mr. Blindheim appealed this rejection from Vac. From the appeal and I suppose from the public criticism and looking further into his situation VAC changed it's stance somewhat and from his first denial which stated he was not an Allied Veteran, now said that he indeed was an Allied Veteran. Next they set up an assessment with a VAC nurse to see if Mr. Blindheim met the criteria in the form of long term care in determining if his current condition warranted the special care requirements set out for Camp Hill. This assessment resulted into another refusal into entry into Camp Hill where it was suggested he go into a provincial long term care facility which Ottawa agreed to pay for the daily cost, not approved again for Camp Hill. Here's the kicker of the actions of VAC, two important things to note from the way VAC handled this, 1. The waiting list for entry into a provincial long term care facility is over a year, this means that VAC would have at least a year before paying out any (FUNDS.) 2. The daily cost for Camp Hill is much more costly than the provincial care facility. So you can take those two points and decide for yourself where VAC stands in this whole shameful ordeal.

Fast forward to June 24, given all the public backlash surrounding this issue and more then likely ordered by the PM, VAC folded and allowed Mr. Blindheim to be admitted into Camp Hill.

Again I will leave it up to yourselves to decide for yourself who's the blame here.

Actually Rex the Province has a set dollar amount that is higher then what VAC pays for long term healthcare.

So in this case it was the Province stabbing VAC in the back so they would look good and still get the amount for the bed that they charge. They played it perfectly by shaming Hehr into folding.

IMO this is a good case that VAC has to rethink their dollar amounts for long term healthcare.

Well, this confirms that the admittance into Camp Hill is ultimately up to the Federal Government. Yes the Province will determine if there is space to admit someone into a Veterans priority bed, but will only do so if VAC says they will pay for it. So in the case of Petter Blindheim, it wasn't the province that was blocking his application, as implied by Hehr, it was VAC that was refusing to pay for the bed.

Don't you just get a warm fuzzy feeling that even the Province you live in will not pick up the tab for a veteran until the Federal ponies up the cash?

Gotta love downloading costs....thank you for caring VAC.

Liberals reject motion that would put onus for interim veterans’ care on N.S.

The Liberal majority on the veterans affairs committee in Nova Scotia has rejected a motion from the opposition to ask the province to take on the responsibility for some veterans’ care.

Progressive Conservative MLA Eddie Orrell suggested the committee send a letter to Premier Stephen McNeil and Health Minister Leo Glavine asking that Nova Scotia allow veterans temporary access to the Camp Hill hospital while requests for permanent care are being processed federally.


The motion was put forward after a Norwegian veteran from the Second World War was denied access to Camp Hill, even though he lives in Nova Scotia. Ninety-four year-old Petter Blindheim was ultimately allowed into the hospital after his story made international headlines.

Nova Scotia has the power to temporarily place patients at Camp Hill. Orrell said he wanted that clause to be used so veterans like Blindheim get appropriate care while they wait for formal approval to access special veterans’ care units. He says the province’s health plan already covers the care for veterans while they wait for Veterans Affairs approval.

“If we’re going to pay for that service in a nursing home, why not pay for it in Camp Hill where the veteran should be to get the services that veterans deserve?” Orrell said after the motion was defeated.

Liberal MLA Iain Rankin said the move would “let the federal government off the hook” of its responsibility to pay for veterans’ care.

In addition to Rankin, Halifax-area MLAs Joachim Stroink, Ben Jessome and Brendan Maguire voted against the motion.

The Nova Scotia Health Authority says a new agreement with Veterans Affairs Canada should lead to fewer cases like Blindheim’s.

The committee passed a second motion asking for a status update on the new agreement within three-months time.

http://globalnews.ca/news/2805271/liberals-reject-motion-that-would-put-onus-for-interim-veterans-care-on-n-s/

Petter Blindheim case the focus of veterans affairs committee.

MLAs say they're determined to make sure no more veterans get stuck in a bureaucratic mess.

Jul 05, 2016 5:07 PM AT

A group of Nova Scotia MLAs say they'll be keeping a close eye on new acceptance rules at Camp Hill, Halifax's long-term care facility for veterans.

At a veterans affairs committee meeting today, they pressed a representative from the Nova Scotia Health Authority on how to avoid another debate over the acceptance of a veteran into the facility.

Late June, Petter Blindheim, a Norwegian-Canadian war hero, was finally allowed to move into a bed after an eight-month battle with the federal government. His case led to changes in the rules to accept veterans into the facility, but the specifics to those changes are still unclear.

Acceptance at Camp Hill is granted solely by the federal government, said Lindsay Peach, vice-president of integrated health services at the health authority. Camp Hill is told when a veteran will be admitted, and the health authority has no say in determining eligibility.

Move in first, debate later

Some members of the committee, including Sydney River-Mira-Louisbourg MLA Alfie MacLeod, said an eight-month delay in receiving treatment is unacceptable. They suggested the province should move veterans into the facility, and then let the bureaucrats figure out who will foot the bill.

"At the end of the day, this is all about the veterans," MacLeod said. "It's not about anything else. It's not about bureaucrats. It's not about government."

The committee considered a motion to ask the provincial health minister and the premier to consider that option, but in the end they decided to hold off in part because of comments from Peach.

Details needed

"I think it's important to make sure that we have an opportunity – we're two weeks into that agreement with [Veterans Affairs Canada] – to have an opportunity to test out how that works in terms in providing that access to veterans," Peach said.

"My hope is that it does provide access to a category of veterans that we would have been challenged to provide that support to and that this will provide some of that solution."

The committee agreed to give the federal government time – but not too much. They voted to have an update on Camp Hill admissions in three months.

"We have to give it a chance and find out how it works," MacLeod said.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/petter-blindheim-veterans-affairs-committee-1.3665743

Veterans Affairs Standing Committee pushing to reduce wait times for N.S. vets.

July 5, 2016 6:47PM ADT

After months of fighting with Veterans Affairs, Second World War sailor Petter Blindheim is finally staying where he and his family wanted – at Camp Hill Veterans Memorial Hospital in Halifax.
Now the Standing Committee of Veteran Affairs, a group made up of Nova Scotia MLAs, doesn't want to see a veteran have to wait that long again.
“The Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs wanted an update on Camp Hill specifically,” said Lindsay Peach of the Nova Scotia Health Authority.

Peach briefed the members on a new agreement, made on June 24 with Veterans Affairs, that would loosen restrictions on veterans seeking long-term care at the facility.
“With the agreement that's in place, Veterans Affairs now has the ability to allow a bigger variety of veterans going into Camp Hill, and I guess that's what we were looking for,” said Nova Scotia PC MLA Alfie MacLeod.
But what isn't clear is which restrictions were lifted. Camp Hill is operated by the province, but Veterans Affairs Canada determines which veterans are eligible to stay in a Camp Hill bed.
“We do have an agreement in place with Veterans Affairs Canada that allows us to use any vacant capacity in our contract beds again on a temporary basis,” said Peach. “It wouldn't be a location that we could permanently locate an individual or provide care to them.”
There are 175 beds in Camp Hill. One hundred and fifty of those are taken by veterans, with 13 beds occupied by patients from the Dartmouth General Hospital who are staying temporarily. Twelve beds remain empty.
The Standing Committee voted to meet again in three months’ time to get another update on the new Camp Hill agreement.

http://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/veterans-affairs-standing-committee-pushing-to-reduce-wait-times-for-n-s-vets-1.2974343

Very good quote Blackass.

Should be a mantra for some of us approaching VAC let alone GoC.
Damn the torpedoes come hell or high water.

Wise move DVA ..... Winston Churchill said:

Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.
If you're going through hell, keep going.
You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life.

http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/nova-scotia/norwegian-veteran-petter-blindheim-admitted-camp-hill-1.3650822

Good news!

Ottawa rejects decorated Halifax veteran's application for community care.

Tuesday, June 14, 2016 4:47 pm

HALIFAX - The son of a decorated 94-year-old war veteran says he's shocked after receiving word that Petter Blindheim has been rejected once again in his bid to stay in one of 13 beds available at the federally funded Camp Hill Veteran's Memorial hospital in Halifax.
Peter Blendheim, whose first and last names are spelled differently from his father's, said Monday's decision leaves him wondering how to provide safe care for the frail veteran of the Norwegian Royal Navy, who is set to receive Norway's Commemorative Medal in a ceremony on Thursday.

"The sad end to this might be that he does break his hip. ... It's ridiculous," he said.
The family has conducted a lengthy public battle to gain entry to the hospital for the former merchant mariner, who has recently sustained a series of falls and has a broken arm.
Family members say Blindheim was initially rejected because Ottawa said it didn't admit people who served in "resistance" forces, but Veterans Affairs officials later retreated from that position and told the son that the Norwegian veterans qualified as full allied veterans.
The son says he was then informed Blindheim had to show he required specialized care that couldn't be provided by a provincially operated nursing home. Blendheim says he was told Monday his father failed to meet that standard.
Instead, the family is being told to apply to enter a provincial long term care facility, with Ottawa reimbursing the province for the daily costs.
A spokesman for the Nova Scotia Health Authority said the current median wait for a nursing home bed in the Halifax area is 285 days.
A spokesman for the provincial Health Department said Nova Scotia wants Ottawa to reconsider.
"Mr. Blindheim wants to be in Camp Hill with other veterans. We understand there are about a dozen vacancies at Camp Hill and encourage Veterans Affairs Canada to take another look at Mr. Blindheim's situation," said the emailed statement from spokesman Tony Kiritsis.
Blendheim worries now that his father may fall or hurt himself at night as he's waiting for approval for a bed and begins an appeal process to enter Camp Hill that could TAKE months.

He also says the family believes the allied veterans deserve the same quality of care as the disabled Canadian veterans who can gain admission to Camp Hill, especially as their overall numbers dwindle rapidly.
The Nova Scotia Health Authority says the beds at the highly regarded Camp Hill hospital are subsidized to a level of about $400 per day, while the average provincial bed costs $250 daily.
"Let's look after the last allied veterans. We've made awful restrictions for them to get in. We've made it almost impossible ... but let's ease it up because now there's room. Now we don't have hundreds of Canadian veterans going there," said Blendheim.
"The regulation has not adapted to our current situation."
Meanwhile, the NDP went after the Liberal government during question period in the House of Commons on Tuesday, asking why Blindheim was being refused entry to the hospital based on a technicality.
Thomas Mulcair accused Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of breaking his government's election promises to treat veterans more fairly, citing the Halifax case.
Trudeau said the Liberals will respect a "solemn obligation" to help veterans when they face difficulties.
"That is what we are working on very hard. Our minister of Veteran Affairs is collaborating with veterans groups to make sure we deliver the services they deserve," he said.
Veteran Affairs minister Kent Hehr said in a telephone interview that he can't comment on the Blindheim case.
Asked if he could provide a rationale on why allied veterans had to overcome the added requirements of showing a need for care not available in provincial facilities, he said the policy has worked well in the past.
"This policy has existed for decades and in the vast majority of cases has worked very well for veterans and their families who are getting access to more care in more cases across Canada," he said.
"We can't always accommodate a veteran's specific request but we do pay for any level of care they need in a provincially run and mandated facility."

Hehr also said in a statement that as a cabinet minister, he has to deliver programs within the legal authorities granted by Parliament.
"In the case of Long Term Care, I have no ministerial authority to work outside of those parameters," says the statement.
Blendheim says he feels his father should have access to the same higher-quality care that other veterans receive at Camp Hill. The Nova Scotia Health Authority says that it receives $400 per day from Ottawa for care at Camp Hill, while provincial long term care bills paid by Ottawa would be an average of $250 per day.
Petter Blindheim was commended by the Royal Norwegian Navy for his courage when a torpedo sank a vessel he was serving on in November 1942.
After torpedoes struck the Montbretia, Blindheim ran to the deck and removed a primer from the depth charges he oversaw to help ensure they wouldn't go off and kill sailors in the water as the ship sank.
After the war, he emigrated to Canada.

http://www.chroniclejournal.com/news/national/ottawa-rejects-decorated-halifax-veteran-s-application-for-community-care/article_0a218a07-8d1a-5420-b923-fdc0e28dadae.html

Ottawa rejects decorated Halifax veteran's application for community care.

THE CANADIAN PRESS
Published Tuesday, June 14, 2016 7:25AM ADT
HALIFAX -- A family's bid to gain entry to a veterans' hospital for a 94-year-old man decorated for his service in the Second World War has been rejected.
The son of Petter Blindheim said in an email statement Monday night that his father's application to receive nursing home care in one of 13 empty beds at the federally funded Camp Hill Veterans' Memorial hospital in Halifax has been turned down.
Veterans Affairs initially refused to admit Blindheim because his service was as a member of the Royal Norwegian Navy, saying veterans of that force were "resistance" fighters rather than veterans of Allied forces.

His son Peter Blendheim says Ottawa has since stated that Blindheim could only be admitted to Camp Hill if he required specialized care that can't be provided in a provincial long-term care facility.
Blendheim says the family is shocked by the decision, but their fight does not stop here.
He says an appeal is in the works, but the process could take months.

http://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/ottawa-rejects-decorated-halifax-veteran-s-application-for-community-care-1.2944629