Big O intends to screw Veterans; American Legion CO is extremely pi**ed at him

[Louis of PA]

This new gang of thugs at the controls of power have little to no respect for those whose sacrifices made it possible for them to be elected in a free country.

I'm confident that we Vets who also have some benefits - in my case, reduced drug costs, hearing aid, eye glasses - will soon see these folks either jack up our costs or eliminate our benefits altogether. If they'll screw Vets with service connected stuff, you can imagine what they'll do to the rest of us.

I hope it all catches up to them, sooner rather than later.
Regards, and also pi**ed,
Louis of PA

from hotair.com

American Legion commander “angered” after meeting Obama

March 16, 2009 by Ed Morrissey

Apparently, the Obama administration hasn’t backed away from its plans to start offloading costs for wounded veterans to third-party insurance, which will make acquiring such insurance nearly impossible. The commander of the American Legion emerged from a meeting with President Obama “angered” at Obama’s insistence on generating revenue from those who sacrificed for American security:


The leader of the nation’s largest veterans organization says he is “deeply disappointed and concerned” after a meeting with President Obama today to discuss a proposal to force private insurance companies to pay for the treatment of military veterans who have suffered service-connected disabilities and injuries. The Obama administration recently revealed a plan to require private insurance carriers to reimburse the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in such cases.


“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!”

Commander Rehbein was among a group of senior officials from veterans service organizations joining the President, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki and Steven Kosiak, the overseer of defense spending at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

The group’s early afternoon conversation at The White House was precipitated by a letter of protest presented to the President earlier this month. The letter, co-signed by Commander Rehbein and the heads of ten colleague organizations, read, in part, ” 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.”

The Obama administration explains that it wants private insurers who sell coverage to vets to pay their fair share, but there are two things wrong with that argument. First, the United States has a moral obligation to provide treatment for those wounded in the service of their country. That’s a commitment we make to the people who enlist in military, and should not get outsourced.

Second, vets with service-related injuries and illnesses can only get third-party insurance because insurers know the US will cover all service-related medical treatment through the VA. If the government reneges on that commitment, it will put insurers on the hook for veterans already enrolled — but it will make it a lot harder for the next set of veterans to get insured. It will also raise costs to the rest of the insured by those companies, when the burden should fall on all Americans equally.

If the country needs more revenue streams, it should find some other way to find them than the backs of our wounded veterans. They’ve sacrificed enough. Shame on the Obama administration for attempting to weasel out of our commitment.

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[Louis of PA]

from Ace of Spades HQ:

Obama: Yeah, We Might Try And Get Insurance Companies To Cough Up Money For Treatment Of Vets

—DrewM.

When the idea that the government might go after the private insurance companies for money spent treating vets for service related treatments started popping up on milblogs I didn't pay it much attention. I figured it was something some idiot bureaucrat came up with when the administration said, 'how can we cut costs?'. I figured once it reached higher levels, sanity would assert itself and this idea would be discarded as stupid, immoral and political suicide.



Well, that's the last time I give this bunch of *** clowns the benefit of any doubt. Officially, the administration says it's an idea under consideration but one interested party has spoken with the President and seems to think it will happen

“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.”

I've been leery of wondering aloud what impact an Obama administration would have on military recruitment because I think most Americans who volunteer do so out of a deep calling and sense of patriotism. The kind of reasons that go beyond any one President. While I still think that's true, this is a despicable case of breaking the faith with those who have served that can't but lead to questions if one wants to serve under such a commander.

If Obama is stupid enough to go through with this, I eagerly await the well deserved *** kicking it will get in Congress.

One last thought...Hey John McCain, do you still think Obama is a 'decent person'?

Posted by DrewM. at 06:30 PM New Comments Thingy

[oscars]

Second, vets with service-related injuries and illnesses can only get third-party insurance because insurers know the US will cover all service-related medical treatment through the VA. If the government reneges on that commitment, it will put insurers on the hook for veterans already enrolled — but it will make it a lot harder for the next set of veterans to get insured. It will also raise costs to the rest of the insured by those companies, when the burden should fall on all Americans equally.

This is a complete straw man argument predicated on a set of "if pigs could fly" scenarios. The VA is broke and can't care for the new vets from OIF/OEF.
This action is hardly Obama's alone and has benn floated in Clinton's and Bush's plans for the VA even befor the influx of younger vets.

What are you a Cat 7 or Cat 8? You seem to want to parallel your status with that of Cat 1's.

[Dan Wilson]

That category crap is a bad deal too, it would seem that if the VA actually had a budget every year instead of handouts from the services budget it would work a lot better but for some reason they never want to split the VA away from the defense budget.

Its only going to get worse until it gets much worse, I'm 100% SC but I still feel for the rest of you guys that's standing out there in the rain being told your not wet enough - its just a crock.

If might help too if we actually get a head of the VA that isnt either a bumbling moron or an outright crook or both but that's the only kind we seem to ever get.

Dan

[conductor]

There is no doubt in my mind that Rahm Emanuel is behind this. He has never been a friend of the military or of veterans.

[PhillipM]

My mother retired as a nurse from the VA, now she still goes in as contract labor, a telephone advise nurse. For many years she has spoken about the waste and bloated bureaucracy of that system. Whenever someone starts espousing free government health care, I remind them to see how well the VA is run.

[Former Cav]

I could write a book on this $hit!
I've had my PREVIOUS employers insurance hit for a COMBAT injury that the VA called me in for (I didn't call them or make an appointment) to see if scar tissue had turned cancerous. (instead of a quadracep muscle, all I have is scar tissue as my quad got blown out by an RPG back in 1968).
Since I no longer worked at the previous employer, their insurance saw fit to sic a collection agency after me!!! This was for a COMBAT INJURY that is ON my paper work and they HAVE the paper work.
Well, I had to call my "service officer" and he got them off my back.
I wish all of congress had to use the VA for a couple years to find out what a "joy" it is to use them.
I am keeping this brief as I don't want to write a book here.
but I can tell you that over a period of 40 years (1969-2009) I have had a 100% FAILURE rate in dealing with these "people".
Bob