Veteran's widow denied benefits after he dies of COVID-19

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ANDWE WILL CARRY IT LIVE AS WELL ONOUR SISTER STATIONKDF...ST..ARTING AT NOON.{***ANIMATION**}WE KNOW COVID-19 HAS KILDLEHUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OFAMERICANS AND THAT CLINUDESTHOUSANDS OF VETERS.ANSO WHAT HAPPENS WHEN TSHIDEADLY DISEASE NOT ONLY TAKESTHE LIFE OF A HERO BUT DELAYSOREVEN DENIES BENEFITS OF ASURVIVING SPOUSE?

THAT’STONIGHT’S VETERANS IN FOCUS.{***PKG**}{***NATSFULL**}"Here’s one of him."PICTURES{***NAFUTSLL**}"He’s downtown.".ALL WANDA ARNOLD HAS LEFTOF HER HUSBANDRAY{***NATSFULL**}"Here he is with hisun g"IN VIETNAM.{***NATSFULL**}"See these are fading."FADING LIKE HER HUSBAND’S LIFEDURING HIS LAST FEW DS AYWANDA ARNOLD-SURVIVING SPOUSE{***SOT FULL**}Wanda Arnold"He went in ethhospital on Thursday.

Theytested him for Covid.

He didn ’have it."WHAT HE HAD WAS CHEST PAIN.

HERECEIVED OPEN HEART SURGERY.SUCCESSFUL AT FIRST{***SOT FULL**}Wanda Arnold:"He came into thewaiting room and told us howgood Ray did it’s all gonna beso super now "THEN A TURN{***SOT FULL**}Wanda Arnold:"He never woke upagnaiHe never opened his eyes again."FOR THE WORSE.{***SOT FULL**}"And their fst thing they saidhe had Covid"AT FIRST WANDA WAS TOLD BYNURSES HER HUSBAND DIED FROM ASTRO.KE{***SOT FULL**}Wanda Arnold:They said his heartstoppedT WEBUEKS LATER{***NATSFULL**}Here’s the death certificateTHE OFFICIAL CAUSE OF DEATHCOVID-19.AND WHEN IT CAME TO COLLECTINGSURVIVOR’S BENEFITS SHE WASDENIED.{***SOT FULL**}Wanda Arnold:"And the VA saiNo.

He had Covid.

We can’t doanything for you.

Covid is notcovered."THIS LETTER FROM THE TEXASVETERANS COMMISSION DATEDOCTOBER 12IT ASKS IF SHE CAN GET OTHERCONTRIBUTI FNGACTORS OF DEATHINCLUDED ON HIS DEATHCERTIFICATE TO POSSIBLLYQUALIFY FOR SUVIVORS BENEFITS.LEAVING THIS HOMEBOUND WIDOW OFA VETERAN ON HER OWN TO FIGHTFOR HER BENEFI.TS{***SOT FULL*}Pat:" and you’ve been runningaround doing this and doors havebeen shut over and over and overagain?"Wand"Everybody we’d go to, they saidgo to this one.

Go to that one.The last one I think was thecoroner’s office here.

Nobyodknows how to get one amended."I TOOK WANDA ARNOLD’S CASE TOTHE TEXAS VETERANS CMIOMSSION.{***NATSFULL***"So I mailed you a letr"teCLAIMS SUPERVISOR RED RRBAATOLD ME EVERY CASE IS UNIQ.UEAND WHILE SHE COULDN’T LKTASPECIFICALLY ABOUT ARNOLD’SCASE, SHE SAID ASKING FORCONTRIBUTING FACTORS OF DEHATTHAT CAN BE SERVICE RELATEDOFFER A BETTER CHANCE FOR THESURVIVOR TO RECEIVE VA BENEFITS.{***SOT FULL**}Red Barrera-ClaimsSupervisor-"We send inhe tevidence to the VA and the VAdoes further research what fitsthat particular ca."seBUT HOW DOES SOMEONEIKE LWANDAARNOLD GET HER VETERAN HUSBAND’SDEATH CERTIFICATE AMENDED TORECEIVE HER SURVIVOR’S BENEFITS?{***NATSFULL**}Something must have been missedsomewhereSENIOR HOSPICE SPECIALIST MATHEWCARR FOUND OUT THAT I WASWORKING ON THIS STORY, SO HESTEPPED IN TO HELP.{***SOT FULL**}Mathew Carr: I think it mighthave been something out ofconvenience.It was the shiniest object inthe room.

I believe this sprobably how this happens youknow there’s loofadocumentation that goes intodoctor’s putting diagnosis intoa death certificateHE CONTACTED MS. ARNOLD{***NATS FULL***Matthew, it’s nice to meet you.Nice to meet you too.

I’m tnogoing to be a stranger.AND IS NOW IN THE PROCESS OFFINDING A SOLUTION FOR HER TOEVENTUALLY GET HER DESERVEDBENEFITS.{***SOT FULL**}Matthew:So if there’s anythingthat I can do to pull thisinformation and request theesrecords and bring that back tothe primary care physician,can fix this.A GRIEVING SPOUSE NOW SEEING ABRIGHTER PICTURE FOR TOMORROW.SO WHAT’S BEING DONE TO FIXTHIS PROBLEM THAT’S DELAYING ORDENYING VETERAN’S SURVIVORBENEFITS?CONGRESS WAS ACTING ON IT AS OFTHREE MONTHS AGO.WE WILL HAVE AN UPDATE ON THATACTION HERE ON KRIS 6 NEWST A10.{***FULLSCREEN**}WHEN IT COMES TO VA BENETSFIAND PENSIONS IT’S A VERYTECHNICAL ISSUE.

WE HAVE ANUMBER OF LINKS TO ROURCESESTHAT WILL HELP CLEAR UP YANQUESTI