Force Private Insurance Co. to pay for service connected disabilitys

[commanding]

WASHINGTON, March 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- 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."

Commander Rehbein reiterated points made last week in testimony to both House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees. It was stated then that The American Legion believes that the reimbursement plan would be inconsistent with the mandate that VA treat service-connected injuries and disabilities given that the United States government sends members of the armed forces into harm's way, and not private insurance companies. The proposed requirement for these companies to reimburse the VA would not only be unfair, says the Legion, but would have an adverse impact on service-connected disabled veterans and their families. The Legion argues that, depending on the severity of the medical conditions involved, maximum insurance coverage limits could be reached through treatment of the veteran's condition alone. That would leave the rest of the family without health care benefits. The Legion also points out that many health insurance companies require deductibles to be paid before any benefits are covered. Additionally, the Legion is concerned that private insurance premiums would be elevated to cover service-connected disabled veterans and their families, especially if the veterans are self-employed or employed in small businesses unable to negotiate more favorable across-the-board insurance policy pricing. The American Legion also believes that some employers, especially small businesses, would be reluctant to hire veterans with service-connected disabilities due to the negative impact their employment might have on obtaining and financing company health care benefits.

"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.



SOURCE The American Legion


http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20090316/pl_usnw/the_american_legion_strongly_opposed_to_president_s_plan_to_charge_wounded_heroes_for_treatment

[tennesseedave]

http://www.military.com/news/article/vets-rap-wh-plan-on-paying-for-care.html



"Dead on arrival" is how Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington described the idea. " ... when our troops are injured while serving our country, we should take care of those injuries completely," Murray, a member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, told a hearing last week.


I don't think he was very popular with the military to begin with.I have to say that this is one of the most shocking proposals I have ever seen.

[MaverickCowboy]

http://www.military.com/news/article/vets-rap-wh-plan-on-paying-for-care.html



I don't think he was very popular with the military to begin with.I have to say that this is one of the most shocking proposals I have ever seen.

Indeed, Obama going to lose political capital?

[commanding]

I had not heard of this until I read it. I thought most insurance companies had a disclaimer that they would not pay for injuries sustained in warfare or some such language.

Looks like, he has got the AL upset...can the VFW be far behind?

I can't believe he is making this proposal, while the country is involved in war in Iraq and Afghanistan...with the number of injured soldiers we have coming back.

[Jobu]

"This is not just a matter of dollars and cents. It's about our fundamental values."
- Barack Obama, March 16, 2009

[notherhen40]

I like this proposal...fuhq the servicemen and women, and the veteran, while we give billions to AIG to pay for corporate bonuses...fuhq the veterans who are now disabled and cannot function to the tune of being unemployable, cannot support his family, and make him a lost cause. Fuhq the serviceman and woman who are illinformed enough when they sign that dotted line, they lose all support of a land where its all volunteer armed forces becomes a thing all across high schools and college campuses a thing to laugh and joke about..yes america, lets join the military, support our country, and in the end, pay with your life off of the battle field because you could not pay for your injuries because your private insurance would not pay the VA to care for you...because some fat a$$ed politico is sitting all comfy behind his multi-thousand dollar desk, in his multi thousand dollar chair, thinking up ways to fuhq you, the brave american serviceman/woman while he leeches off of the VA and military health care system to keep him/her healthy enough to continue to suck away at the tax payer dollar..because he does not make enough at $156,000 a year to afford his health care....

Maybe we are fighting on the wrong side of this war on terror, and Osama Bin Laden was right...america is a land that is by all means imaginable, evil. Because when all is said and done, a country that shaats on its people from the people elected to lead it, does not deserve to be a country no more.

Because when we demand our men and women go into harms way to defend our country, we should pay for all of the services this decadent and corrupt country has to pay to pay back those men and women who now cannot work and live a respectable life because they were fuhqed up serving what they thought was a country that supported its men and women in uniform, the united states of america.

From a disabled veteran

[notherhen40]

"This is not just a matter of dollars and cents. It's about our fundamental values."
- Barack Obama, March 16, 2009

The only thing Osama Obama is thinking in terms of values is being the chicken sh^t douche bag he is.....if this proposal of his comes to pass, I will be one of the first to take up arms and start to fight the government..because a government that sh^ts on its people, should be a country no more.

Sorry for the rant, but the last thing I need is some refugee from the cover of mad magazine trying to tell me I should pay for something I was ordered to do while in the military, and got injured because of it, just because this osama wannabe wants to put the screws to those of us who served proudly thinking we were defending a country that no longer cares about human lives, but the all mighty dollar and some mad magizine refugee that currently sits his disgusting sh^tty a$$ on a tax payer chair...especially when some of those taxes come from the people who served, the ones who served this hollow shell of a country.

[philbob]

honestly is any one suprised, he loaths the military and any one who has served, it doesnt fit in his 'world view'

plus he is still bitter or his treatment at camp Lejune

[FLYNAVY29]

Hopefully this will be DOA in Congress, but jic it's time to start calling our Congressmen & Senators. To even suggest something like this has lost any respect/support he can xpect from any member of the military. & I did see a coupla people clapping @ Camp LJ, granted they were SECDEF & CJC & on stage but every one else was standing @ attention. Wonder if we can get the same medical insurance that Congress gets.......& pension.

[philbob]

Hopefully this will be DOA in Congress, but jic it's time to start calling our Congressmen & Senators. To even suggest something like this has lost any respect/support he can xpect from any member of the military. & I did see a coupla people clapping @ Camp LJ, granted they were SECDEF & CJC & on stage but every one else was standing @ attention. Wonder if we can get the same medical insurance that Congress gets.......& pension.

i dont think he cares if he has their respect.....

[JKD]

An interview with Paul Rieckhoff on the issue

http://www.youtube.com/v/CaML7rHtMag

[sinophile]

Just wondering... is VA healthcare the same, better or worse than most private hospitals?

[notherhen40]

I do not know about other VA hospitals, but the ones I have been to in Salt Lake City, and Shreveport LA. are pretty good I think. I get all my medical care at the Salt Lake City one...they are really good.

[Zoomie]

Another failed Obama promise.
From early last year:

We all know that the sacred trust does not end when the uniform comes off. That’s why it’s time to build a 21st-century VA. No more red tape. It’s time to give every service member electronic copies of their medical records and service records upon discharge so that they can immediately get the services that they’ve earned. No more shortfalls. We’ll fully fund VA health care. No more delays. We’ll pass on-time budgets. No more means testing. It’s time to allow every veteran into the VA system.
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/FsbkXY9ak3I

[THESONOFDONJOHNSON]

If he is already doing this, just think about all the good times on the way during the next 4-8 years. The concept of charging veterans for the treatment of injuries they recieved while serving their country is really a mind ****.

[philbob]

the real question is how can you do such a quick 180 on a subject like this esperically when u spend the better part of your political career trying to build up a reputation didnt he have an 'A' rating by the various veterans groups?

[Nano]

Wow what a bad idea and it could simply bring insurance costs up. It is likely that some private insurance covers these war job related injuries if they are specified or assumed, but those that don't should not have to pay up. Private insurance in some cases makes its part of the exceptions clause of coverage as part of massive unforeseen disasters. It looks to me like the government is trying a shakedown approach to spending cuts.

The senators and the like always get their automatic pay raise while everyone else does not get any or pink slipped. Perhaps everyone needs to take a drastic pay cut in the government given they failed so miserably at their regulatory function. I feel bad for the veterans who now have to jump so many hurdles just to get a checkup on their job related injuries. This is definitely not going to help the mental health aspect of veterans dealing with both physical and mental injuries. Family insurance plans are going to get hurt and families not just the vets may end up without medical coverage as a civilian. That or military families will have to pay a premium for coverage. My proposal for those vets on here is to have your significant other buy insurance including only your children as dependents insured and not include yourself in employer plans or private insurance other than life insurance. The important thing to know is how much insurance coverage you actually have and exemptions.

[commanding]

Where are all the Obama supporters??

[eskachig]

I'm an Obama supporter (generally) and I think this is absurd. We as a nation sent these people to war, we as a nation have to pay for the consequences. Forcing private businesses to take up the slack is insane, and is against the sort of accountability Obama championed.

I understand times are tough, but this is lunacy.

[philbob]

I'm an Obama supporter (generally) and I think this is absurd. We as a nation sent these people to war, we as a nation have to pay for the consequences. Forcing private businesses to take up the slack is insane, and is against the sort of accountability Obama championed.

I understand times are tough, but this is lunacy.

wasnt that a good reason to stay and win in Iraq also?

on another note i think most people are Obama supporters becuase they dont want to see the country fail, but the problem is not enough people (the kind who dont post on MP.net) are not speaking out against things like this, his **** is starting to stink and stink bad.......

[Walter Sobchak]

honestly is any one suprised, he loaths the military and any one who has served, it doesnt fit in his 'world view'

plus he is still bitter or his treatment at camp Lejune

Well, in order to make America into Euro-style "social democracy", he has to not only destroy the middle class, but he has to take the military down to a level of a third-rate power. We were warned... next? Religion!

Eventually we bitter, angry hicks will only have our government-issued "comfort pillows" to cling to.

[philbob]

America will never be like Europe
wether you are a recent immigrint, a son or daugter of the revolution, black, white or anything. there are more people who like this country the way it is then there are who want to change it to be like Europe, or support every socialist policy he and his cronies belive in.

He may try but Congres will not let him degrade the military, his polls are falling at this rate he will be vulnrable soon

[gatomalo]

Where are all the Obama supporters??

Dude, I am here and I am very disturbed by his first two months in office. This is kinda like renting a movie and when you get home you open the box and instead of having "Transporter" you have "The Notebook"...very, very disturbing in deed.

[WarDancer]

Been listening to a lot of talk radio these days and man a lot of BHO supporters are saying they have become disillusioned by his actions of late. Man usually it takes half a term before supporters become non-supporters. BHO is setting records for turning people off. But what do you expect from a person who surrounds himself with radicals?

BHO prolly has no realization that this proposal is bad. He has been surrounded by anti-military types his entire life and indoctrinated into this way of thinking. This is his only train of thought that he was brought up on and so this proposal makes absolute sense to him and he really doesnt understand all the hubub!

[philbob]

Been listening to a lot of talk radio these days and man a lot of BHO supporters are saying they have become disillusioned by his actions of late. Man usually it takes half a term before supporters become non-supporters. BHO is setting records for turning people off. But what do you expect from a person who surrounds himself with radicals?

BHO prolly has no realization that this proposal is bad. He has been surrounded by anti-military types his entire life and indoctrinated into this way of thinking. This is his only train of thought that he was brought up on and so this proposal makes absolute sense to him and he really doesnt understand all the hubub!

i agree sadly, this combind with his recent experiance at Camp Lejune he might be out for vegance

[JKD]

Veterans get another White House meeting to discuss benefit cuts

By DAVID GOLDSTEIN
The Star’s Washington correspondent

WASHINGTON | Angry advocates for veterans will return to the White House on Thursday to try and talk the Obama administration out of cutting health benefits.
The plan has ignited a political firestorm in the veteran’s community, and a meeting Monday with President Barack Obama failed to tamp it down. But the same veterans groups that met with Obama have been asked to come back to meet with his chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, for more discussions.

The plan to save money by cutting veterans’ benefits remains sketchy, but the Obama administration is weighing whether to make veterans use private insurance to pay for treatment of combat injuries and other health problems that resulted from their military service.

Veterans currently are responsible only for health-care costs that are unrelated to their time in the military, with some exceptions.

Several veterans’ advocates suggested that the White House was unprepared for the political backlash to its plan from veterans and their supporters on Capitol Hill and might be looking for a graceful exit.

“Why pick a fight that’s going to consume time and energy that doesn’t need to happen?” asked Doug Vollmer, a lobbyist for the Paralyzed Veterans of America.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said “no decisions have been made” about changing benefits for veterans. Gibbs said they “can be assured that the president understands any concerns that they would have.”

Obama on Monday told the advocates that the government could save $540 million by making veterans use private insurance for all medical care.

But to veterans and their advocates, government-financed health coverage is their “third rail” of politics. They believe that upon enlistment, the government pledged lifetime coverage for injuries sustained on the battlefield or elsewhere.

Reversing that “cuts to the quick of the covenant between the people and those who take the step forward, pledging life and limb, often at great cost, in defense of the United States,” said Rick Weidman, a lobbyist for the Vietnam Veterans of America.

Still, veterans’ advocates said they were open to discussing alternatives, which is likely to be the topic Thursday. One option could be to have some veterans use their private insurance for treatment of service-related injuries, but without requiring co-payments.

Another option could be allowing the Department of Veterans Affairs to bill Medicare for an eligible veteran’s coverage. Currently, if a veteran eligible for both Medicare and the VA and uses the VA, the agency is not allowed to bill Medicare.

“This, we believe, would more easily meet the president’s financial goal,” David Rehbein, the commander of the American Legion, said in a statement

Apart from the tempest over private insurance, several veterans’ advocates said that Obama has been a supporter of their concerns. His proposed budget for 2010 of nearly $113 billion for Veterans Affairs was more than $1 billion more than the plan they had been pushing.

But many said they were surprised by the ham-handedness of the private insurance effort because it seemed that no one in either the White House or the VA took into consideration how veterans would react.

Or the Congress, where several members have called the plan “dead on arrival.”

Paul Rieckhoff, the executive director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, likened it to the problems Bill Clinton faced in 1993 at the outset of his presidency when he proposed the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy about gays in the military.

“The president needs to drop this,” Rieckhoff said. “The longer we wait, the more it hurts his relations with the VSOs (Veterans Service Organizations) and with vets, this is a no-brainer. … We don’t understand why he’s picking this fight.”
http://www.kansascity.com/news/nation/story/1092512.html

Despite some of the histrionics here, I don't think Obama is trying to reduce the military to a 3rd rate power, turn us into Europe, or kick little old ladies down stairs. I think it was just a really bad idea and now they're probably looking for as graceful an exit as possible. I've never seen any indication that he hates the troops or is out for "vengeance".

[philbob]

They why would he even consider it? He would never say he hates the troops that would be politcal suicide and would give the republicans more ammo then they could ever dream of, but there has been a tendiency for those who are highly educated (college profs, sociolgist, people who are paid to think.... [not hard science scientist either])not to understand what makes a person want to join the military or what their (the soldier's) causes are...

simply put Obama doesnt understand them, and doesnt seem too intrested in trying to understand them....


lastly congress will kill his proposals to reduce the military size, becuase it is about the jobs

and America will never turn into Europe or a pesudo Europe/socialist strong hold, overall the independent streak here is way to high.... and for the most part our culture does do a good job of teaching some of the basic american tenats

[JKD]

They why would he even consider it? He would never say he hates the troops that would be politcal suicide and would give the republicans more ammo then they could ever dream of, but there has been a tendiency for those who are highly educated (college profs, sociolgist, people who are paid to think.... [not hard science scientist either])not to understand what makes a person want to join the military or what their (the soldier's) causes are...

simply put Obama doesnt understand them, and doesnt seem too intrested in trying to understand them....
That's quite the leap of logic there.



lastly congress will kill his proposals to reduce the military size, becuase it is about the jobs
What? Obama plans to increase the size of the military as well as give them a pay increase, dude. It's already in his FY2010 budget proposal.



_ would increase the Army's manpower to 547,500 soldiers and the Marines' to 202,000 by the end of fiscal 2010.

_ would give a 2.9 percent pay raise to all uniformed men and women in the military and a 2 percent raise for all other federal employees.

_ would increase spending on the Defense Department by $20.4 billion, or 4 percent.

_ would increase spending for the Veterans Administration by $25 billion over five years.
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/244/story/62896.html

[Zoomie]

That's quite the leap of logic there.



What? Obama plans to increase the size of the military as well as give them a pay increase, dude. It's already in his FY2010 budget proposal.

He also promised everyone the moon, but that doesn't meant it'll happen.

[JKD]

He also promised everyone the moon, but that doesn't meant it'll happen.

Well, all a president can do is submit a proposal. It's up to Congress to pass it.

[Martial]

What happened to Obama at Camp Lejeune?? Can't find anything....link?

[philbob]

[quote=JKD;3995776]That's quite the leap of logic there.

its opinion based off what i have seen and observed


What? Obama plans to increase the size of the military as well as give them a pay increase, dude. It's already in his FY2010 budget proposal.

actually Bushed increased the size of the Army and Marines in 2007, Obama is going to take the credit but he did not lift a finger to make it happen and if it had not happend he wouldnt of even brought it up

[philbob]

What happened to Obama at Camp Lejeune?? Can't find anything....link?

it was not a warm reception lets just leave it at that

[JKD]

actually Bushed increased the size of the Army and Marines in 2007, Obama is going to take the credit but he did not lift a finger to make it happen and if it had not happend he wouldnt of even brought it up
And that makes your statement about Obama's "proposals to reduce the military size" any less false?

[philbob]

i never said it was his intent i said if he wanted too congress would not let him, he might try eventually but he hasnt talked about it for the time being. But he had no hand in increasing the size of the miliary. On that note Obama doesnt seem intrested in truly recapitalizing th US military, it is all about equiping to fight the current war when that war is pretty much done.

If i were you i would concentrait on my statement he doesnt understand the military or care too, but you dont becuase part of you problably feels the same way about him

[commanding]

It appears to have got a little hot in the kitchen for Obama, as he has dropped his proposal to bill insurance companies for military related injuries:


WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama has decided to drop any consideration of billing veterans' private insurance companies for the treatment of combat-related injuries, the White House said Wednesday.
Presidential spokesman Robert Gibbs said the idea was on the table as the administration sought "to maximize the resources available for veterans."
Veterans groups complained that the proposal would reverse government policy of taking responsibility for caring for the war wounded and said it could cause difficulties for veterans in getting future insurance or even jobs.
Members of Congress leapt in to join the criticism.
Leaders of about a dozen veterans groups met at the White House on Monday to discuss it with Obama and top administration officials. They returned for more talks with White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel.
Gibbs' announcement that the idea was officially out was released by the White House in the afternoon.
"The president listened to concerns raised by the VSOs (veteran service organizations) that this might, under certain circumstances, affect veterans and their families' ability to access health care," Gibbs said. "Therefore, the president has instructed that its consideration be dropped."
Gibbs has noted that the administration is seeking an 11 percent increase in discretionary funds for the VA for this year. The proposal would have saved the Veterans Affairs Department hundreds of millions of dollars a year
The VA already pursues third-party billing for conditions that are not service-related. The process only applies to those veterans who have private health insurance.


http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jqcMrxSMmf0NEuM7AUqiF7jd_mlQD970NKUO0

[JKD]

i never said it was his intent i said if he wanted too congress would not let him, he might try eventually but he hasnt talked about it for the time being. But he had no hand in increasing the size of the miliary.
He does indeed have a hand in it....he's doing it. He didn't have to actually carry out the plans that were created in the Bush administration. He didn't have to put the money for it in his budget proposal. He did though.


If i were you i would concentrait on my statement he doesnt understand the military or care too, but you dont becuase part of you problably feels the same way about him
Actually, no I don't share that opinion. I think he understands it as well as anyone who hasn't served can.

[philbob]

He does indeed have a hand in it....he's doing it. He didn't have to actually carry out the plans that were created in the Bush administration. He didn't have to put the money for it in his budget proposal. He did though.

all he could do was draw down, the expansion for the Marine Corps at least ended two years quicker then anticpated (i dont know the stats for the army? so his hands were tide in that matter. Besides if he had done that people would be calling him out on that so might as well let the expansion fininsh for the time being and then he could also put them to work in Afghanistan


Actually, no I don't share that opinion. I think he understands it as well as anyone who hasn't served can.

i disagree and i dont think either of us will make head way to convert the other, feel free though im up to a challenge.

[philbob]

It appears to have got a little hot in the kitchen for Obama, as he has dropped his proposal to bill insurance companies for military related injuries:


http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jqcMrxSMmf0NEuM7AUqiF7jd_mlQD970NKUO0


as it should of..... but when your spending a trillion dollars a week what is the sence in trying to save 500 million......

[loganinkosovo]

I'm an Obama supporter (generally) and I think this is absurd. We as a nation sent these people to war, we as a nation have to pay for the consequences. Forcing private businesses to take up the slack is insane, and is against the sort of accountability Obama championed.

I understand times are tough, but this is lunacy.

This is an attack on the Military

It's an Attack on Enlistment and Retention

It's an Attack on the Private Sector

It's an Attack on Capitalism

It's an Attack on the VA

It's an Attack on Veterans


It's an Attack on everything Obama Hates.


And this is surprising people?????