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Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Obama Breaks Trust With Wounded Veterans

While your attention was focused on the AIG bonuses, Obama is quietly trying to change the law to make wounded veterans pay for their service related problems out of private insurance.

From CBS News:
An Obama administration proposal to bill veterans' private insurance companies for treatment of combat-related injuries has prompted veterans groups to condemn the idea as unethical and powerful lawmakers on Capitol Hill to promise their opposition.

Nevertheless, the White House confirmed yesterday that the idea remains under consideration, and Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and leaders of veterans groups are scheduled to meet tomorrow to discuss it further.

The proposal -- intended to save the Department of Veterans Affairs $530 million a year -- would authorize VA to bill private insurance companies for the treatment of injuries and medical conditions related to military service, such as amputations, post-traumatic stress disorder and other battle wounds. VA already pursues such third-party billing for conditions that are not service-related.
This is outrageous!! Obama and his cronies are violating a a sacred trust with our military. I don't care whether you supported the war or if you didn't. That's not the issue. We are obligated to care for our wounded and disabled veterans.

It will not save that much money. If they can get a job with that hanging over their head, few insurance companies will want to cover a pre-existing condition such as war wounds. If they do, they will raise premniums dramatically which will either cause an employer to cut back on the amount of coverage or be forced to pass along the extra charge to the other employees. Either way, the disabled or wounded vet loses. They will become untouchable.

How are veteran's groups liking this proposal?
"It became apparent during our discussion today that the President intends to move forward with this unreasonable plan," said Commander David K. Rehbein of The American Legion. "He says he is looking to generate $540-million by this method, but refused to hear arguments about the moral and government-avowed obligations that would be compromised by it."

The Commander, clearly angered as he emerged from the session said, "This reimbursement plan would be inconsistent with the mandate ' to care for him who shall have borne the battle' given that the United States government sent members of the armed forces into harm's way, and not private insurance companies. I say again that The American Legion does not and will not support any plan that seeks to bill a veteran for treatment of a service connected disability at the very agency that was created to treat the unique need of America's veterans!"

I hope Congress doesn't allow this to happen. I'm hoping even most Democrats will sink this obviously idiotic suggestion from the now Commander-in-Cheap!

Veterans - this should be your call to action to start now to rid the White House that is obviously anti-military.

Hope and Change - I sure HOPE we can Change Presidents in 2012! The one we have now is an abysmal failure.

VW

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Kudos to Patty Murry once again for leading the charge against this attack on veterans.