By David Goldstein
McCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS
WASHINGTON—The Obama administration is considering making veterans use private insurance to pay for treatment of combat and service-related injuries. The plan would be an about-face on what veterans believe is a long-standing pledge to pay for health care costs that result from their military service.
But in a White House meeting Monday, veterans groups apparently failed to persuade President Obama to take the plan off the table.
“Veterans of all generations agree that this proposal is bad for the country and bad for veterans,” said Paul Rieckhoff, executive director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. “If the president and the OMB [Office of Management and Budget] want to cut costs, they can start at AIG, not the VA.”
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35 comments:
Would it surprise anyone? This is a person that doesn't support the military. It would be a shameful thing to do to our men and women that have given all to defend us.
"Pew found that 44 percent think that the president listens more to liberals than to moderates in his party, while 30 percent think he listens more to moderates. In January, 44 percent thought he listened more to moderates and 34 percent more to liberals."
Now theres a shocker ain't it
sure....let's give illegals healthcare and deny our vets. how long do think it will take for some vet to get fed up and take extreme action? what is BO thinking?
No link to the "plan"? Nothing but saying "he plans to make vets pay"? There is no story here until there are details here.
These guys and ladies have killed for us literally. I think we can afford to pay for their health care.
Anything short of the government paying the medical expenses for our vets is unacceptable, period. These men and women served us and paid a great price. We need to serve them.
So we can provide health care for illegal immigrants, we can fund abortions in foreign countries, we can pay for Nancy Pelosi to use military planes every weekend for personal pleasure , but we Obama will make wounded military vets pay for third party insurance? I would be ashamed to have voted for this FRAUD. One Big Ass MIstake America.
Is this for real? where are all the Veterans advocacy groups on this?
Sorry to be negative,but when this socilaist POS got elected I knew what was coming......
BTW,what about the soldiers who have no private health insurance?
We are a pathetic country when people who have never worked a day in their life have a "go to the doctor for free card" but we expect our soldiers,the very people putting their A*S out there on the line to protect those leeches and the rest of us,to pay for their own injuries?WtH?
He is making his play tor nationalized healthcare. Obam is ticking a lot of people off and rather quickly.
Well there is a cure for the Obamanation. Don't let your sons or daughters enlist. Let Obama and his bleeding heart left wingers protect the country from terrorism while the rest of us protect ourselves from them.
Yes, it's a good thing for those weekend warriors getting burned on the BBQ at the barracks or the guy who cut himself on a table saw building a backyard deck-two examples I know of personally. This is not a good thing for those harmed in combat and there's an easy way to check off if these are combat veterans receiving care and if the treatment is combat-related. ANYmouse
I think if you have fought in a frontal combat zone you should never have to pay income taxes again.
Interesting. During the campaign President Obama had a greater approval rating in helping out veterans then Senator McCain did. I'm sure that holds true even today
This "story" is at best misleading.
well whats next JOIN THE ARMY where you have to supply your own guns and humvee and now the soldiers have to pay for training
Sorry Joe, but this is misleading.
"I think we can afford to pay for their health care."
The thing is we can't. There are lots of vets who arent in the VA system.
As I understand it, the plan is to have private insurance (which vets have for non-service injuries etc) to help share the cost. Is it right? Probably not if you are the insurance company? If you are the vet, why should it matter who ultimately pays the bill when yo pay the preimum?
The gov't is NOT going to reduce care or benefits or anything like that. Quite the opposite. They want to increase it and bring half a million more vets into the system so they have coverage and care.
Bottom line is the VA needs more money. Where will it come from. This is merely a suggestion and so far I haven't heard any other practical ones yet.
Yet another reason why healthcare reform is needed in this country.
This issue has some complicated twists. It seems that the insurance companies have been taking both the government and the veterans for a ride. This is a way to get the insurance companies to actually provide some service for all that money they are getting. This would apply to veterans who already have health insurance.
Anyway, CNN has a good write-up on this...
As usual one sided media check out the daily briefing you would have gotten the trur information.
The plan is to kill private insurance, blame the private companies for not giving free health care to the vets. The present administration should be ashamed, but I am not sure many people will understand what they are doing. I have military in my family, and while they cannot say it publically, many are not in favor of Obama at all. And I cannot stand his ignorance and stupidity in where he is taking this country.
How appropriate are DONT TREAD ON ME signs for the upcoming Tea Party now???
Is this foreal?!?!?! I heard he gave the State of California 2billion dollars for tattoo removal... seriously folks what have you put in office? Glad that everyone who voted for him because he was black showed up to vote even if they never had before, good job to all do you feel stupid yet?
Anon 3:51 is right. Y'all are just a bit too anxious to jump on the lynch Obama bandwagon in this blog. He is actually increasing Military and Veterans benefits by a significant amount. The issue is weather to allow Veterans to go outside the VA for care, like to their own doctors and how much the government will reimburse (currently nothing). As usual this blog is mired in Faux News misinformation. Nice job Joe.
Anon 4:00pm
Please educate yourself just a little so that you can get your facts correct.
Obviously, our present government does not work for us, care what we think or give a crap about the generations to come. Power has blinded them. Pathetic! people must stand up, stand up or lie down and get stomped by our own stupid government.
3:49 two sentz
Why are you making excuses for the Obama Adminstration on this? What you don't think our wounded soldiers deserve to be cared for FULLY! It was their governement that sent them to war, and it's their government's DUTY to fully care for them.
I don't care what you and the rest of your Obama appologetics say about this, it's a gross slap in the face to our veterans.
blutojthetotmom,
Here is another link to the story:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20090316/pl_usnw/the_american_legion_strongly_opposed_to_president_s_plan_to_charge_wounded_heroes_for_treatment
I can't believe this jerk is our president. Disgusting.
3:37 - YOU are an idiot. It's more than a story. Educate yourself. Go to Drudge. There is a complete write up from the American Legion.
Just keep eating what you're being fed. Morron. Think for yourself.
Actually, Two Sentz, the bottom line is that Obama is trying to save a few million and is choosing to do so in VA healthcare. What a sad excuse for a president seeing how he's throwing money everywhere for this lame "bailout."
rec: good posts...but I can beat your tattoos...........
How can Obama try and save money after he just spent more money than all admins put together??????????????
Anon 5:07pm
Sorry why don't you look up the real facts. President Obama's rating on the rights of benefits for veterans is higher than Senator McCain's. No need to call me an idiot look it up for yourself.
As far as Drudge, isn't he the guy who outed where and who that prince was serving with is the military.
Hey let's kill a few extra people for a "story" huh?
4:11 -- The FACT is Obama DID give California $200,000 for tatoo removal. 2 billion is a bit of a stretch. But, $200,000 is a FACT. Both sound absoltely ridiculous to me.
I just hope this is not true. How dare he make the very people who fought for our freedom pay for insurance! They fought for this great country!
Not sure about Obama's...
Still not sure where he came from.
Hey Idiot 4:41, you said:
"What you don't think our wounded soldiers deserve to be cared for FULLY! It was their governement that sent them to war, and it's their government's DUTY to fully care for them."
I certainly do. The fact is they aren't FULLY covered and never, ever have been FULLY covered!
Why don't you start blaming Bush, and Clinton, and Bush, and Reagan, and Carter, and Ford, and Nixon, and Johnson, and Kennedy and on and on. Veterans have NEVER had the complete care they deserve. NEVER!
You also said:
"I don't care what you and the rest of your Obama appologetics say about this, it's a gross slap in the face to our veterans."
Well I don't care what idiots like you have to say because I bet you won't say that about Bush or Reagan even though by your logic, it would be true.
The fact is Obama wants to expand and improve the VA System so the reality you and I both hope for, FULL care and coverage, will be a step closer. If you don't think improvements and expansions of care and coverage are necessary, tell that to a vet.
Two Sentz - Well said. Thanks you.
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