Obama: make veterans pay for treatment of service-related injuries

[AMDScooter]

Senators slam plan for wounded vets to use private insurance

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki confirmed Tuesday that the Obama administration is considering a controversial plan to make veterans pay for treatment of service-related injuries with private insurance.

But the proposal would be "dead on arrival" if it's sent to Congress, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, said.

Murray used that blunt terminology when she told Shinseki that the idea would not be acceptable and would be rejected if formally proposed. Her remarks came during a hearing before the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs about the 2010 budget.

No official proposal to create such a program has been announced publicly, but veterans groups wrote a pre-emptive letter last week to President Obama voicing their opposition to the idea after hearing the plan was under consideration.

The groups also cited an increase in "third-party collections" estimated in the 2010 budget proposal -- something they said could be achieved only if the Veterans Administration started billing for service-related injuries.

Asked about the proposal, Shinseki said it was under "consideration."

"A final decision hasn't been made yet," he said.

Currently, veterans' private insurance is charged only when they receive health care from the VA for medical issues that are not related to service injuries, like getting the flu.

Charging for service-related injuries would violate "a sacred trust," Veterans of Foreign Wars spokesman Joe Davis said. Davis said the move would risk private health care for veterans and their families by potentially maxing out benefits paying for costly war injury treatments.

A second senator, North Carolina Republican Richard Burr, said he agreed that the idea should not go forward.

"I think you will give that up" as a revenue stream if it is included in this April's budget, Burr said.

Murray said she'd already discussed her concerns with the secretary the previous week.

"I believe that veterans with service-connected injuries have already paid by putting their lives on the line," Murray said in her remarks. "I don't think we should nickel and dime them for their care."

Eleven of the most prominent veterans organizations have been lobbying Congress to oppose the idea. In the letter sent last week to the president, the groups warned that the idea "is wholly unacceptable and a total abrogation of our government's moral and legal responsibility to the men and women who have sacrificed so much."

The groups included The American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.

At the time, a White House spokesman would neither confirm nor deny the option was being considered.

[jimzinsocal]

Are they nuts?
Force?

I can understand some plan that would give a card entitling him/her to any treatment available should fed treatment be not sufficient.
But this?

[/\/\adGamer]

We all better start the change we can all believe in process. When it comes to this Administration I can almost believe anything everyone better get used to slogan and philosophy there is people with rights and people with responsibilities. Anyone too lazy to get off the couch will have rights and those who actually have the ambition to get off the lazy A$$ couch to do something productive will have responsibilities. This is just the beginning seems Obama is telling our volunteer armed forces if you play you will pay.

[AAdjuster]

What a piece of $hit president we have.
I bet he wouldn't do this to illegal aliens, he would give them all free health care.

[old82]

he already does... and leaves the door open for them!

[AeroSim]

You know- soldiers like farmers are some of the most economically marginalized people. They are both necessary, but...

There was/is no way many can afford treatment for wounds and injuries received during service. They may soon skrew more with VEAP and other things in the GI bill.

Sorry, but I get pissed about how some try to short kids who put it on the line- and mostly mofos who think they are so "smart" for staying out. They should think about the next time they need a cop....

[kbohip]

Huh? But wait...I thought black Jesus was going to make health insurance free for everyone?

[old82]

would jesus promote himself?

[no2guncntrl]

If he were to try and pull this off, he'd best invest in a private
helicopter and airplane to scoot him around. Doubt if the Troop
would let him on or off once airborne less it were at least Angles
2.

[old82]

i thought he was supposed to be nationalizing healthcare.

[tucker]

I guess the Magic Man isn’t satisfied with gutting the military so he’ll gut the VA as well. I can see it now payroll tax on VA Disability Compensation is next on the list. He can't help himself it’s just a reflection of his far left anti-military upbringing.

Slime dog…

[Fluff n Stuff]

Here we go, make it more palatable... instead of focusing on the Military, the Obama Administration has decided to shift the focus... and tax all Medical Benefits.

Help me understand this. My employer provides me with a Healthcare benefit. They pay for most of it, about 3/5 or so, I pay the rest, 2/5 and co-pays. Boss gets a tax exemption, I get a tax free benefit. This was the idea of Employer provided health care when the big Unions helped create it decades ago. Win/win.

Now the Gov wants to tax my Health benefit? Well guess what. My employer loses his tax exemption, I lose my healthcare benefit. Instead of paying 3/5 of the cost, he'll pass along a raise of 1/5 or so, and I'll get to write off my healtcare expenses at the end of the year... anything over two grand or so I think. Might even come out a wash for me, as long as I have access to a group policy, which my employer can negotiate for us at no cost.

However, the tax income expected from this plan will be zilch. What possible benefit are they thinking of? Or do they really believe that charging a new tax will not change people's compensation package? Seriously, does the Serial Tax Cheat in charge of Treasury really believe that people won't try to avoid paying this tax?!?

...and watch... they'll apply this one to the Military, too. Sneaky back-door way to get this idea through. It's the only real reason I can see for this plan 'nStuff.

Oh, and yeah, I know: McCain planned to tax HealthCare benefits, too. Ideas like this are the reason that he had so little support from Conservatives...

[jimzinsocal]

http://hotair.com/archives/2009/03/1...meeting-obama/

and here

http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/2009031..._for_treatment

[AMDScooter]

Imagine that.. a far left radical putting the screws to our vets. But don't evar infer he does not support our troops.

I bet ACORN is gonna get a darn sight more than $540-million from the porkulus bill. Glad to see our amateur-n-chief has his priorities straight.

http://hotair.com/archives/2009/03/1...meeting-obama/

and here

http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/2009031..._for_treatment

[AMDScooter]

^^^ Yup... we'll send $900 Million to the Palestinian terrorist generating machine.. but our own vets gotta pay...

Please Sir, You Must RESIGN, RIGHT NOW!

When retired General Erik K. Shinseki was announced as the new head of the Department of Veterans Affairs, I applauded the President’s choice. That in itself is very unusual for me.

I didn’t do that because Gen. Shinseki and I have always agreed, we have not; but I know Gen. Shinseki personally and have always thought of him as a thoughtful, brilliant officer that put the affairs of soldiers at the top of his priorities. Especially me.

When then MG Shinseki first took command of 1st Cavalry Division I was a brand new Captain (and light fighter struggling in a heavy Armor Division). Shinseki was a very welcomed arrival in the division because nothing could be worse than the previous commander, MG Wes Clark.

The difference was day and night. Within weeks morale had swung 180 degrees!

Then something amazing happened to me. I was offered command of an Infantry company. The problem was I had not yet attended the required Infantry Officer Advance Course at Fort Benning and Infantry Branch said NO WAY.

Shinseki got involved and after a long discussing with me and my commander, he called whoever division commanders call and I took command within two weeks. He pulled the same rabbit out of his hat 16 months later and ultimately I did go to the advance course but I had 30 months of company command under my belt when I arrived.

Years later I found myself in the Pentagon when General Shinseki showed up as the new Army Chief of Staff. I was very happy for him and told everyone who would listen that he was a soldier’s General.

Then came his directive that all soldiers would be issued a black beret!

As a former member of the 75th Ranger Regiment along with Jonn, I vehemently disagreed with his decision and told him so.

But my faith in him as a soldier and officer of impeccable integrity made me accept the order. I am an old soldier and when a General gives an order that is not illegal, unethical or immoral, I salute and move out whether I personally like it or not.

This new approach to screwing veterans however is beyond my parameters. Based on implied contract rules of law where there is not a veteran alive today that ever thought he would be liable for his own care after a combat related injury; I am not at all certain that this change is remotely LAWFUL.

Even if some pony-tailed Chicago lawyer finds a loophole to make this legal, no one with an IQ above that of a pencil sharpener can argue that it is ETHICAL.

But most important is the MORAL part. Anyone who thinks this idea is remotely moral is either retarded or just plain un-American. Where is the morality in a country sending a person to war and then refusing to pay for his care after being maimed in the war?

This is beyond immoral, it is un-American! And I will debate this issue with any dumbass veteran who voted for this amateur. If you’re not a veteran don’t contact me. If you want to defend this as a veteran (and you know we will check), I will do so in any forum you like as often as you like and I will ask nor offer quarter.

To all you trolls out there, consider this before taking my challenge:

President Obama wants to charge combat wounded veterans for care to save $500 million while simultaneously GRANTING $900 million to terrorist in Palestine to recover from the beat down that they sorely deserved.

I know whose side I am on, do you?

To General Shinseki I say RESIGN NOW. This is the only possible way to preserve your integrity as a soldier’s soldier. To do anything less is to slap the face of every wounded warrior and leave yourself as nothing more than a liar and pathetic political hack.

I don’t call for you resignation because of any malfeasance that you did but as a principled position against this atrocity and solidarity with the soldiers that you once commanded.

Please Sir, You Must RESIGN, RIGHT NOW!