Gator Posted March 13, 2009 Report Share Posted March 13, 2009 (edited) What the ?????? How insensitive, and disrespectful to even THINK of doing something like this! This was taken straight from 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. Lawmakers say they'd reject a proposal to make veterans pay for treatment of war wounds 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 Edited March 13, 2009 by Gator Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gzilla45 Posted March 13, 2009 Report Share Posted March 13, 2009 This is just incredibly wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted March 13, 2009 Report Share Posted March 13, 2009 I just don't see any way that any members of congress could let that go forward. Pretty disgusting that anyone would even propose such garbage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevebeilgard Posted March 14, 2009 Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 I just don't see any way that any members of congress could let that go forward. Pretty disgusting that anyone would even propose such garbage. don't bet on it! the libs control congress, and all of washington. expect one attack after another on our military. remember, they are the ones who hate the military. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKYhunter Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 I only know three vets. Two are Viet Nam survivors, and the other is my uncle who was a POW in North Korea for 18 months. From the conversations I've had with all three, they've been getting screwed in relation to medical benefits for years now, no matter who's in charge. All the vets here where I live have been pretty upset lately because all they have are foreign doctors. In my opinion, if you've served your country, especially if you hve issues related to a combat injury, you shouldn't have to pay a dime for health care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adjam5 Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 remember they are the ones who hate the military. Yet they live under the very freedom our military provides. How sad and misinformed so many in congress are. Horrible what they are looking to do to OUR vets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texan_Til_I_Die Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 ...From the conversations I've had with all three, they've been getting screwed in relation to medical benefits for years now, no matter who's in charge. All the vets here where I live have been pretty upset lately because all they have are foreign doctors...That is the exact situation we will all face if our healthcare system is ever nationalized (or reformed, as some like to call it). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cinch314 Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 This is just wrong! Hey thanks for serving and fighting for our country but ya gotta pay for what happened to ya in the line of duty. Geez come on now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gator Posted March 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 I only know three vets. Two are Viet Nam survivors, and the other is my uncle who was a POW in North Korea for 18 months. From the conversations I've had with all three, they've been getting screwed in relation to medical benefits for years now, no matter who's in charge. All the vets here where I live have been pretty upset lately because all they have are foreign doctors. In my opinion, if you've served your country, especially if you hve issues related to a combat injury, you shouldn't have to pay a dime for health care. I know what you are talking about. I am SO THANKFUL that I don't have to go through the VA to get healthcare. If I did, I don't know what I would do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rookieee Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 i know what you are talking about. I am so thankful that i don't have to go through the va to get healthcare. If i did, i don't know what i would do. ditto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevebeilgard Posted March 22, 2009 Report Share Posted March 22, 2009 I know what you are talking about. I am SO THANKFUL that I don't have to go through the VA to get healthcare. If I did, I don't know what I would do. i have free care available, and choose to go elsewhere. i used the va for an after service flight physical once, many years ago. things that are free, are generally worth it;). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hungry hunter Posted March 28, 2009 Report Share Posted March 28, 2009 As a DISABLED and RETIRED vet, I still fell the VA's as what we used to call stock yards, move em up and stick a needle in them. To their positive credit they do try to improve is some areas. My wife is a LPN at the VA and (10 years) and could tell ya more. Senators and Congress would like to get us to pay our own way this way they could bounce more checks and have them covered since 90% of them do not have a clue on what it is like to serve or have family's serve. They do support us around reelection time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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