Veteran's healthcare... your thoughts?

[MyBrokenJeep]

Folks, I am not one to go on rants or anything like that, but I thought this was something that might be discussed by our ultra opinionated, knowledgeable, and involved fellow Jeepsters... Especially since a great many of us are either veterans or family of veterans...

The White House is apparently planning to release a proposal that would place the cost of treatment of battle injuries back on the veterans and their private insurance policies. The proposal would bill private insurance companies for the treatment of service-related medical needs for veterans. The plan calls for reimbursement from the private insurance carriers to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The plan was outlined in a White House meeting with various veterans service organizations, but has met with strong opposition from veterans groups.

I personally find this to be reprehensible. It is bad enough that the VA does not provide adequate health services for our veterans, but to then bill their private insurances for the less than stellar care...

While I personally am not a veteran, I have personal experience dealing with the VA through my father who is a veteran (20 years in the USAF) of 2 tours in Vietnam and involvement in many other conflicts.

Press release from the Air Force Association...http://www.afa.org/media/press/injuries.asp

Letter written to the President...
http://www.afa.org/grl/pdfs/MilitaryCoalition.pdf

[Ol Man]

I never served in the military and I cannot believe that we would even consider not covering any injuries to our military incurred as a result of serving this country.

[blackZZR]

My father spent 34 years in the military, Army Air corp and the Air Force. During WWII he was shot down and spent 9 months in POW camp, the back injury he received never seemed to bother him much till he passed 70 years old, now he does feel it, he is 87 soon to be 88.
Besides Europe as a B17 pilot he also went to Viet Nam for a extended tour flying there.
So just ask me how I feel about denying medical services to an injured vet and I will get all up into your face. These guys go out and risk their lives doing a job we do not even thank them enough for, for pay that is not that great. We owe them everything they can get. No one of us have to face armed men in our streets such as in Iraq or elsewhere. They have paid a supreme price for our freedom.

[GP4Play]

Whats next,are they going to bill thier auto Insuance when the Hummer thier driveing gets hit with an IED?What a bunch a Bull$hit.

[Mitch]

Bullshit! This is absolutely wrong. These decisions are destroying this country.

Mitch

[aw12345]

It's a Nobamanation abomonation

[Roger]

We can only hope the vetran groups and all Americans will let congress how much we are against this.

I guess we can give illegal aliens all the medical care they want but not take care of our vets. This is not the same country I grew up in...

[Kodiak Spirit]

Roger, you are so right, I look at my kids and wonder what the heck are these guys s'posed to do I know every generation looks to the future and goes "WTF?" ...but really, "WTF?!"

[avjeepfreek]

Un Freakin Believable! I served 10 years in the USAF and while I was not injured or in need of the VA benefit, those that did sacrifice for their country and do need this benefit are truely getting the shaft! Thanks to the government for another winning strategy! (insert middle finger here!) This stinks!

[tiny terror]

Just an FYI, I'm very involved in veteran's issues and followed this one until it was removed from the table. Luckily the bill was recognized as an insult to this country's veterans, combat or not, injured or not.

One of the sites I keep up with on a daily basis is VAWatchdog.org. It's a great place to find info and links to stories about vets and concerning vets from all over the country. If you know a vet, keep informed and keep in touch. Our vets need to know the country's got their back.

[Kodiak Spirit]

Hey! Tiny! long time no see!

[atamata]

I read about this a few weeks ago. I think that's just plain dumb! my husband was in the Marine Corps, the VA medical is already bad as it is just seeing both my bro-in-law adn husband get the run-around. But if it weren't for them being able to have the VA medical, my bro-in-law may not be around today. And when my husband was really sick, we didn't have medical at the time, and we'd probably be paying an arm, leg and more!

It seems like they'r trying to take things away from vets who serve our country.