Trial balloons are a mainstay of Washington. Tell a reporter, hear the public reaction, then kill it or move forward. What idiot in Obama’s circle thought this would get anything but derision and anger? Can you imagine how enlistments will decline if this is done? Our injured vets deserve our country’s best. Period. On the other hand, gotta pay for those AIG bonuses somehow…
Democrats in Congress are organizing to squash a White House proposal that would require veterans to use private insurance to pay for treatment of their combat and service-related injuries.
In a letter being sent to the White House, a group of House Democrats, led by Rep. Glenn Nye (D-VA), warned that such a proposal “could harm our veterans and their families in unintended, yet very serious ways, jeopardizing their families’ health care and even negatively affecting veterans’ employment opportunities.”
“While we strongly support your plans to increase funding for the VA by $25 billion over the next five years,” the letter reads, “it is with equal conviction that we oppose the proposal to bill veterans’ private health insurance plans for care and treatment of service-connected injuries or disabilities.”
[...]
Veterans groups say they’re concerned that the Obama proposal could ultimately lead to the privatization of health care for returning soldiers, and note that third-party billing for war-related injuries could result in ballooning insurance costs.
Where are the Republicans, those defenders of all things military, in complaining about this?
Nonsense is self-evident. Insurance plans do not pay for “prior existing conditions.” To do so would be like taking out fire insurance on your house AFTER it has burned to the ground.
Likewise, how is the “uninsured” veteran expected to pay?
This sounds more like BushtheRetards plan to do the same thing that was thrown in the trash and instead of getting burned it was re-leaked to the press.
Still garbage though.
What private insurance?? If they are active duty military they have insurance and health care through the military. Maybe they are thinking the spouse have private insurance and that it will pay for it. Hardly, as the spouses are covered by the military health coverage as well.
As for prior existing conditions not being that covered that is not true. That MAY be the case in some instances but I have changed jobs several times and my prior existing conditions have always been covered.
Yes, garbage no matter which dumbass administration floats it.
No one in the administration even brought this up.This was invented to make them look bad.This is how our”press” works.When you don’t investigate anything you make it up.We are so screwed.
So many broken promises to veterans. What do you expect from a man who never spent a day in service of his country. McCain lived in a prison camp in Viet Nam and would never come up an idea of screwing the veterans for to save a few bucks, while bailing out AIG so they can pay for executive bonuses.
#3 billabong
Bullshit. The head of the American Legion was at the White House when the administration announced it in the last few days.
@Benjamin
Don’t put any politician on a pedestal … they have feet and hearts of clay. As to the issue at hand, I don’t know why anyone volunteers for service considering our governments track record on screwing over vets.
#2–Diesel==just for general info==the standard insurance policy does not cover prior existing conditions. Most GROUP POLICIES, those provided by qualifying larger business groups, provide for an exception to this, but even this exception has further exceptions.
The business of healthcare in America is to sell the policy, collect the premium, and then provide as little care as possible.
Some think this is the best system in the world.
#7 bobbo
Yep, that’s the case about prior conditions.
Illegal aliens who come here by breaking our laws get free health care and those who put their lives on the line defending our laws and country have to pay for their own health care? Obama is a jerk!
He wants nationalized health care where our government pays for everyone’s health care except for the one protecting our country.
Wait one minute. Don’t these guys and gals have access to weapons? Do you think that our military is beyond fraging assholes?
This will never fly.
“Some think this is the best system in the world.”
The really scary thing is, IT IS.
Go out and contrast and compare, its an ugly tres socialist health care world out there where its best that you never, ever, need ANY medical help because you it will be rationed out to you…and cut off from you if you’re older and have cancer. How Darwinistically cost-efficient.
Did any one actually read the article? No one is suggesting shutting down the VA in favor of private health insurance.
It doesn’t mean the actual proposal is a good idea, but lets try not to be reactionary.
Sinn
As opposed to our system where health care bankrupts you, especially if you’re old or have cancer. Its best to never get sick under our system too.
What’s the problem? I thought this is what all you Americans wanted. A fully private non-socialized healthcare system. Honestly, make up your minds.
#5, Mr. Diesel,
The head of the American Legion was at the White House when the administration announced it in the last few days.
I missed the announcement. Could you provide a link to when and where the WH made said “announcement”.
I read about the other day from the Head of the Am Leg.
I laughed SO hard. Obama is an idiot.
Uncle Dave, Republicans are defenders of all *things* military — not people. That would be socialist.
READ CLOSELY! Their private insurance will only be required to pay if they _have_ private insurance. What this is targeted at is the gazillion retired military working as civilians in typically very high paying military industrial complex jobs that include medical coverage. I know a large number of them. The private insurance would simply be required to pay for medical treatments before the taxpayer. Sounds OK to me!
And, BTW, this is yet another example of how easy it is for corporate interests to manipulate a typically uniformed public. “But this hurts our disabled vets!” NO, it does NOT. It leaves more medical funds where they belong, with the people who need them most.
#18 & 19, Winston,
sshhh, your destroying the right wing nut fantasy.