Choosing first topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Choosing first topic - Essay Example 295). Forest lands, adjacent to small scale farming fields, fall victim to deforestation, during the course of expansion of agriculture. As such, deforestation has principally been the outcome of small scale agricultural activity that had been undertaken along the edges of the forest. Moreover, infrastructure development, such as the construction of roads, has resulted in the widespread felling of trees, in the areas abutting forest land . At present, a few of the smaller countries of Southeast Asia, like Malaysia, have been left with negligible forest area. This dismal state of affairs is on account of the unabated deforestation conducted in these countries (Carr, 2004, p. 296). In addition to the expansion of small scale agriculture, infrastructure development, like the construction of roads and other activities, leads to deforestation. The 1990s were witness to the unprecedented clearing of forests in Asia. This was occasioned by enhanced demand for timber and the continual migrat ion of rice farmers, into what had previously been remote regions. These regions became accessible, due to the increased felling of trees .Latin America, with its abundance of closed tropical forests, has been host to most of the research that has been conducted on tropical deforestation. ... Furthermore, deforestation is also the outcome of economic considerations, like low domestic costs, increase in the price of products and the influence on ecology by industrial and urban centers in remote locations. The latter has been seen to be the cause behind deforestation, in a third of the cases (Geist & Lambin, 2002, p. 146). Hence, Market forces have a tangible effect on furthering deforestation. Moreover, deforestation is the outcome of a necessity to generate foreign exchange earnings at the national level, and this has been seen to be prevalent in 25% of the cases. On the whole, there is scant variation in the elements that pertain to economic development in a burgeoning cash economy. As a consequence, these features promote deforestation, in a very powerful manner (Geist & Lambin, 2002, p. 146). As such, economic reasons also contribute to deforestation in tropical regions. Consequently, expansion of agriculture has been deemed to be the most important cause of deforestat ion, and this has been estimated at 96% of the instances. Some of the facets of such expansion are the conversion of forests, on a permanent basis, to land on which cattle graze, shifting cultivation is practiced and agriculture is colonized. In addition, the tropical rainforests of Asia are subjected to considerable commercial wood extraction (Geist & Lambin, 2002, p. 145). In Asia, commercial wood extraction has also been identified as a major element, in bringing about deforestation. The World Bank’s 1989 World Development Report disclosed that deforestation was rampant in fourteen developing countries of South America, Africa, and South-East Asia. This report also revealed that more than 250,000 hectares of tropical forests were being destroyed annually, in these

Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Claims Backlog Research Proposal

Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Claims Backlog - Research Proposal Example The paper also highlights the possible solutions to what can strengthen the process of claims and reduce the claims backlogs experienced in the Department of Veterans Affairs (Dawns, 2013). This is because of the claims backlogs the veterans experience due to an inefficient claims process. In the study, it is proposed that a new working VA system should be installed to curb the claims backlog and speed up the claims process. It is recommended that new personnel to be hired and trained to use the systems that will be installed. Statement of the Problem In approving the claims, strong evidence is required for veterans to validate their claims and be compensated. The VA is supposed to assist the veterans in the process of validating their claims for them to be compensated. The VA does this by identifying and ascertaining two important things, which include; whether a veteran has been harmed and whether the veteran was injured in line of service. One of the prime reasons for backlog is t he problem of the complexity of tracking the records that would be used to prove the relationship between the harm a veteran has endured and if he/she was in line duty (Write, 2012). This study aims at establishing at how to intensify and strengthen the claims process and help the veterans be genuinely be compensated for genuine damages they may have underwent in line of their service. a. Nature of the Problem The process of claims has been weakened to extent that veterans with genuine claims are sometimes not compensated because the claims process fails to establish the connection between the injury the veteran incurred and whether the injury was incurred in line of service. In a report provided in the United States, there are a large number of veterans still waiting for their medical claims. The veterans wait for more than a year for them to be compensated their medical benefits using the VA systems. Pointed out by the United States Sen. Schumer Charles, the veterans have to wait for over a year, or more for their claims to be processed and they are compensated. This is because the federal computer systems are compatible and hence making the claims procedure to be long and inefficient. This process of claims affected the Central New York where more than 2000 veterans to wait for a considerable period for the long claims process to end (North, 2012). This claims backlog is basically because of the incompatibility of the Defense Department computer system with that of the Department of Veterans Affairs. b. Duration of the Problem A long claims process has been of disservice to the veterans who dedicate their life for the nation to stand. This problem has been in existence for quite a considerable time, and the veterans have endured the pain of the long waiting periods for compensation. On average, a veteran with genuine compensation claims should not wait for over a period of 30days for the claims process to be completed and his claims approved for compensatio n (Herring, 2013). c. Estimated Cost to Fix the Problem The estimated cost for an average veteran was $1,100 each. The backlogs have led to the loss of over $31,000 to be compensated to a veteran. The estimated cost of installing the system is 500 billion dollars (Downs, 2013). Solution to the Problem a. Proposed Solution In a bid to solve the increased backlog of claims, U.S Sen. Schumer, saw the need to organize and pilot the push of new legislation aimed at addressing the slow claims