(This issue is not NH-specific, but it's a big, important one, and Jack is particularly well-suited to examining it as both veteran and person versed in Obama's campaign platform/policies. - promoted by Dean Barker)
This story has peaked my interest and I am relatively in the dark. There has been much flailing of arms and gnashing of teeth. My jury is out, but I tend to err with the VSOs. Sorry, Mr.President.
To set this up, I've provided a Rachel Maddow segment that covers the matter:
(h/t IAVA)
Eleven prominent Veteran Service Organizations wrote to the President:
Dear President Obama:
On behalf of the millions of veterans represented by the veterans and military service organizations that have joined our effort, we write to express our serious concerns about a policy proposal that has been discussed this week in conjunction with the release of your first budget. We have been told that your Administration may be considering a proposal that would allow the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system to bill a veteran's insurance for the care and treatment of a disability or injury that was determined to have been incurred in or the result of the veteran's honorable military service to our country. Such a consideration 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 for our freedoms.
-snip
We understand and accept that the VA bills third-party insurers of veterans who are treated for non-service connected conditions. However, we cannot and would not agree to any proposal that would expand this concept any further. There is simply no logical explanation for billing a veteran's personal insurance for care that the VA has a responsibility to provide. While we understand the fiscal difficulties this country faces right now, placing the burden of those fiscal problems on the men and women who have already sacrificed a great deal for this country is unconscionable. If in fact your Administration is considering this proposal, we would like to meet with you, as well as VA Secretary Eric Shinseki and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Peter Orzag, to discuss this further.
The stuff was really hitting the fan, so folks on The Hill were quick on the draw:
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI), Chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, issued the following statement today in opposition to a proposal to shift the responsibility to pay for care for service-connected injuries from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to the private insurers of wounded veterans:
"VA's sacred duty is to care for veterans injured in honorable service to our nation, and the department should not turn to wounded warriors' private insurance to pay for combat injures. Under my Chairmanship, the Veterans' Affairs Committee will not advance any such legislation," said Akaka.
-snip
On Monday March 20th, President Obama did convene a meeting and plans to continue meetings until the matter is resolved.
"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 40-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!"
-snip
"I got the distinct impression that the only hope of this plan not being enacted," said Commander Rehbein, "is for an alternative plan to be developed that would generate the desired $540-million in revenue. The American Legion has long advocated for Medicare reimbursement to VA for the treatment of veterans. This, we believe, would more easily meet the President's financial goal. We will present that idea in an anticipated conference call with White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel in the near future.
"I only hope the administration will really listen to us then. This matter has far more serious ramifications than the President is imagining," concluded the Commander.
Well, we have a dust up, or Obama has "hit the third rail" as IAVA 's Paul Rieckhoff puts it. So cue the GOoPer parrot machine. It has one purpose only-
All statements from Barack Obama come with an expiration date - even the ones that you thought he would never dare let expire.
...
So, when is Shinseki going to do the right thing and resign, as I rather doubt that this is in the best interest of our vets!
The GOoPer populist twist, Version #2: And Obama is willing to use MY tax money to pay for the healthcare for illegal aliens and wants to charge our veterans for the same?
I wrote this diary to inform myself, but also to show how the bandwagon was getting crowded. Most of the players cited have good intentions, but the conservative pundits should be filtered through your most cynical lens, imho.
- Increases funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs by $25 billion above baseline over the
next five years.
- Dramatically increases funding for veterans health care.
- Expands eligibility for veterans health care to over 500,000 veterans by 2013.
- Enhances outreach and services related to mental health care and cognitive injuries, including post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury, with a focus on access for veterans in rural areas.
- Invests in better technology to deliver services and benefits to veterans with the quality and efficiency they deserve.
- Provides greater benefits to veterans who are medically retired from service.
- Combats homelessness by safeguarding vulnerable veterans.
- Facilitates timely implementation of the comprehensive education benefits that veterans earn through their dedicated military service.
