VA Central California Health Care System

President Ronald Reagan once said that it’s amazing how much we can accomplish if we don’t worry about whom gets the credit. More than 30 years later, the Compensation and Pension (C&P) team at the Fresno VA Medical Center is living proof of the truth in that comment.

Dr. Jeremy D’Morias says he is fortunate to have an excellent, dedicated staff that focuses on ensuring Veterans get the services they need when they need them. He can tick off multiple examples of exceptional teamwork and collaboration that resulted in performance above and beyond the norm:

A bed-bound Veteran, possibly suffering from Parkinson’s disease, could not make it to the medical center. D’Morias drove to the Veteran’s home 30 miles away to perform an examination. In a week, with help from the Oakland Regional Office of the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), the Veteran received a 100-percent service-connected rating as well as Aid and Attendance benefits.

A Veteran who had been exposed to Agent Orange submitted a claim for benefits based on his lung cancer while receiving care from a private provider in his community. Although he had to cancel a scheduled examination due to illness, the Veteran’s brother brought him to the medical center without an appointment. The staff squeezed in an examination and worked with the Oakland VBA Office, and within a week the Veteran had a 100-percent service-connected rating for his condition. When told of his rating, he said “Thank you. Now I can die in peace.”

While hospitalized after undergoing heart surgery, a Veteran lost his apartment. In less than an hour, the staff at Fresno and the Lincoln VBA Office were able to secure a 100-percent service-connected rating and help from the VA’s program for homeless Veterans.

A Korean War Veteran receiving palliative care at the VA nursing home in Fresno had been trying for years to obtain a service-connected rating. The C&P team arranged for a staff psychologist to examine him at the nursing home, which led to 100-percent service connection within days.

In addition to D’Morias, the C&P team in Fresno includes Dr. William Banner, Dr. Martin Lauber, Dr. Vicente Santiago, Betsy Keeler (chief of clinical support), Kimberly Earnest (medical support assistant) and patient service assistants Sonja Devere, Tammie Ellison and Lori Recek. VBA colleagues D’Morias commends include Howard Quinlan, Sabrina Nuno, Susan Gram, Erika Mather and Jay Kraude.

“It’s certainly not just me who does these things,” said D’Morias. “We have an excellent staff here that will take exceptional measures when circumstances require them. We also have a great relationship with VBA regional offices; we know each other and when we need to collaborate we simply send an instant message—and they respond immediately.”