VA Preparing To Re-Examine Gulf War Vets' Disability Claims. In a story appearing in at least 32 news publications, the AP (2/26, Hefling) reports, "The Veterans Affairs Department says it's preparing to re-examine the disability claims of what could be thousands of Gulf War veterans suffering from ailments they blame on their war service." VA Secretary Eric Shinseki "tells The Associated Press that the decision is part of a 'fresh, bold look' the agency is taking to help veterans who have what's commonly called Gulf War illness and have long felt the government did little to help them. The VA says it also plans to improve training for medical staff to make sure they do not simply tell Gulf War vets that their symptoms are imaginary - as has happened to many over the years." An updated version of the AP (2/26) story notes that during an interview, Shinseki said he is "hoping" that Gulf War vets will be "enthused by the fact that this...challenges all the assumptions that have been there for 20 years."
     Similar coverage appears as the lone item in "Nation And World Briefs" for the Denver Post (2/26), the second item in "Briefing" for the St. Paul (MN) Pioneer-Press (2/26), as the second item in "Nation Briefs" for the Sarasota (FL) Herald Tribune (2/26), and as the third item in "Nation/World Briefs" for the Detroit Newss (2/26) and KCOY-TV Santa Barbara, CA (2/25) also aired reports on this story.
Impact: Gulf War Veterans, disability claims workload

Low-Cost, Quality Health Care Possible. In an op-ed on the CNN (2/26) website, Dr. Jason Hwang, "executive director of Innosight Institute, a think tank for social innovation, and co-author of 'The Innovator's Prescription: A Disruptive Solution for Health Care,'" writes about the current debate over health care reform, arguing that the "path forward" in the debate "starts with understanding that waiting for the government to lead an uncertain reform effort isn't necessary" because prepaid "integrated health systems like Kaiser Permanente, Geisinger Health System, Group Health Cooperative and HealthPartners are succeeding and innovative." Hwang goes on to say there is a "high-performing, state-sponsored health institution" that "already operates in the United States -- the Veterans Health Administration."
 Impact: VHA reputation