Fuzzy Math of the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program
By Wayne Rohde
When does $ 0.75 equal $ 0.56? The equation actually exists and only in the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (NVICP). Specifically, the Vaccine Injury Trust Fund is where you will find the equation and the reason why.
We all have been led to believe that for every vaccine sold in the United States, a levy of $ 0.75 was placed into the Trust Fund to be later awarded as damages to a vaccine-related petition or attorney fees and costs. Read any article that talks about the NVICP and chances are, there will be a reference to the tax or levy.
What you will not read about is that this $ 0.75 does not exist! The Federal Government loves trust funds of all sorts. So much so, that they charge a 25% administration fee. The $0.75 tax that is deposited into the trust fund is actually $ 0.56. The difference, the 25%, goes straight into the US General Fund, so our elected officials can fight a war, send man to into space, build interstate highways, or to purchase vaccines for the poor, the disabled, our veterans, and those in our military.
Currently, the Trust Fund has a balance of $ 3.4 billion dollars plus some change. And every year, the balance continues to grow. So why should we care or inquire on the reasoning for this large hand in the kitty? First off, the Trust Fund was established by Congress to pay for compensable damages and attorney fees, plus reimburse agencies for the administration costs of running the Program. No other expenses can be appropriated. Yet a quick glance at the income statements and balance sheets that are published monthly on the US Treasury website (here), there seems to be an increase of appropriations each year up and beyond damage awards and attorney fees.
The Department of Justice receives appropriations from the Trust Fund for their expenses such as DOJ attorney salaries that represent the Respondent. The Federal Court of Claims receives appropriations from the Trust Fund for their expenses such as salaries and expenses for Special Masters, clerks, rents, and other expenses. HRSA also receives appropriations from the Trust Fund. They cut the checks to those petitioners who actually prevail, an increasing rare event these days. Also attorney and medical expert costs, which by the way, is a slow reimbursement process, especially the second half of each fiscal year. HRSA also receives reimbursements as they are the direct administrator of the Program.
But wait, the Federal Government already took their percentage at the beginning of this money process. And now, they are taking more at the back end of this. If you thought the mafia had it good, maybe Uncle Sam just copied the technique from them.
The Federal Government pushes vaccines unto the American Public trying to convince them it is candy. They received a lot of money for doing so. But here is a kicker. They are the largest purchaser of vaccines. Approximately 52-54% of all vaccines purchased each year are from the Medicaid/Medicare, Dept of Defense, the VA, and other government agencies.
I have written extensively about this raiding of the Trust Fund in my upcoming book due out in September, but we need to be asking our elected officials now to audit the Trust Fund. Congress last looked into the revenue and spending of Trust Fund when the GAO issued their report in March 2000. And the report lacked the real inspection of the fund, revenues, and expenses.
We do not know how many vaccines are actually purchased each year. It is extremely difficult if not impossible to reconcile how much money is received by each agency and how was it spent. Several, including this author, suspect that money is being diverted out of the Trust Fund through government agencies to pay for certain IOM vaccine studies such as the one published in 2011 and several before. Also, could it be possible that these agencies are using appropriations to complement their stagnant budgets or to help them through the federal sequester or other activities?
An argument can be made that our federal tax dollars are funding a large segment of the Trust Fund via federal purchase programs, and Uncle Sam is a major financial benefactor of any immunization program. The American people deserve to know how much money is being received, how much is being spent and where.
Wayne Rohde is father to twin boys, one with autism. He is also the author of upcoming book to be released in September 2014, The Vaccine Court: The Dark Truth of America’s Vaccine Injury Compensation Program – Skyhorse Publishing
No doubt a big portion of this money has covered everything from Super Bowl tickets to strippers to Poul Thorsen's golf clubs. Who needs to "win a lottery"? Just steal the money from disabled kids.
Posted by: Steve | June 02, 2014 at 08:50 PM
In Australia our equation is easy- Administration Fees $0.00 and our Vaccine Injury Compensation Programme-ZERO.
A (VICP) does not exist in Australia, there were discussion about introducing a programme, (the discussions are printed in the January 2006, Australian Health Law Bulletin).
http://www.slatergordon.com.au/files/editor_upload/file/medicalnegligence/healthlawbulletin/hlb-14.4-billmadden.pdf
I think they (those who think they are in authority) are still discussing the matter!
Elizabeth Gillespie
Posted by: AussieMum | May 27, 2014 at 09:38 PM
Canada and Russia do not have ANY compensation program like 18 of the G20 contries do please sign my Petition to our Canadian Govt and read ramgbs.wordpress.com Petition at rqmgbs62123 or
Posted by: Bob Martin | May 27, 2014 at 06:32 PM
@ Barry: "Anything that isn't safe for everybody, isn't safe for anybody"
@ nhokkanen: "Galling that this self-perpetuating racket thrives, with Department of "Justice" lawyers swilling away at the public tax trough."
Thanks for your succint .. common sense .. observations.
@ Wayne .. I am eagerly looking forward to reading your .. hopefully soon .. to be released book .. as this is a topic that desperately requires a bright light shine upon it.
Let the sunshine in where only darkness has reigned!
Posted by: Bob Moffitt | May 27, 2014 at 02:56 PM
So, the 25% administration fee at 95% vaccine compliance with 4,000,000 births/year, approx. 27 vaccines in first two years adds up to more than $19 million revenue per year?
Is that chump change or high enough that the federal government should be seen as acting with a COI promoting vaccination right there?
Then there are circumstances, such as with Gardasil, where government shares vaccine patent and revenue...
Then, I'm learning that, on the state and more local levels at least, many governments have investment funds not included in official budgets which I guess likely makes them major shareholders or at least more invested than publicly visible, and therefore possibly more invested in pharmaceuticals and other corporate product line performance levels than in protecting the children in their jurisdictions from iatrogenic injury, particularly the types of injuries that increase uptake of other product lines. That's the only way some things that happen in my state seem to make sense to me, anyway, and if this is the case on the federal level then how much COI is there in all this?
Posted by: Jeannette Bishop | May 27, 2014 at 11:28 AM
Awesome article. And thank you Wayne, for exposing yet another seedy layer of this egregious crime.
But am I really surprised that monsters capable of inflicting suffering on children, are also capable of stealing money from disabled children? Nope, not surprised at all.
These people are monsters. And to be honest, what surprises me more is their ability to convince parents to abandon their good judgement, in favour of lies that are weak at best.
I mean come on, give your child something that's " … unavoidably unsafe".. ???? And while you're at it, pay a $.75 'levy ' on each of those poisons, to fund a Vaccine Injury Compensation Program ??? A program that 'might ' be used to assist 'some' of the children who 'will' be disabled by these medications????
Anything that can be described as unavoidable unsafe, is better described as unconscionably dangerous. And a better rule of thumb for any parent considering vaccines for their child, is:
" Anything that isn't safe for everybody, isn't safe for anybody"
I sure wish someone had given that advice to me.
Posted by: Barry | May 27, 2014 at 07:33 AM
Government dipping into the VICP compensation fund is as unethical as if some nursing home managers decided to steal protected assets from aging, ailing residents.
Staff might try to rationalize their misuse and abuse by pointing to expenses for other health care projects. But VICP fund misappropriation takes money from people to whom it's legally entitled -- with the added victimization of denying justice to children and adults suffering a lifetime of misery due to vaccine adverse reactions.
Galling that this self-perpetuating racket thrives, with Department of "Justice" lawyers swilling away at the public tax trough.
Posted by: nhokkanen | May 26, 2014 at 11:31 PM
I'm so frustrated over the compensation fund. My son, who had convulsions and other problems after vaccines received when he was 4 months, 6 months, 12 months and 15 months will never receive a dime. No pediatrician during these immunizations ever seemed to be concerned about the problems my son experienced. Certainly no one was diagnosing his regression as autism. We were always reassured that our son was fine. It wasn't til after the reporting time (statue of limitations) that we had a got the diagnosis.
I'm angry...feel betrayed...and down right furious when I hear about the vaccine compensation program.
Posted by: Warrior Mom | May 26, 2014 at 08:43 PM
Hi Lou,
Surely it is only the delicate feelings of pharmaceutical companies and their government cronies that matter any more?
John
Posted by: John Stone | May 26, 2014 at 05:37 PM
This triggers a number of interesting questions, but I will only ask one today:
Since consumers pay for the program, shouldn't consumers be treated with fundamental human decency when they file a petition?
Posted by: Louis Conte | May 26, 2014 at 04:06 PM
Government does behave toward vaccine industry petitioners, it seems to me anyway, like the money that they've "set aside" for compensation is not really there for the stated purpose.
Posted by: Jeannette Bishop | May 26, 2014 at 12:28 PM
These are very good questions! 25% taken for admin expenses at the outset, and then additional amounts taken out for admin expenses? What do they spend this on? And meanwhile families of the vaccine injured struggle to come up with $ for necessary treatments.
Posted by: Twyla | May 26, 2014 at 12:13 PM
Asking for another GAO audit? Haven't we seen this past week how well that works?
Posted by: Linda | May 26, 2014 at 10:06 AM
As if it isn't criminal enough that the government has been quietly conceding and compensating claims of vaccine injury resulting in autism (while simultaneously proclaiming to the public that vaccines do NOT cause autism).
Why should we be surprised that they are also stealing taxpayer's money that was intended to pay for the care of those individuals who are permanently disabled by vaccines?
Posted by: PJ Carroll | May 26, 2014 at 09:32 AM