President Obama proposes private insurance companies pay for service related injuries

[scottinnj]

I disagree with the President on this issue. I agree with the American Legion.

The American Legion Strongly Opposed to President's Plan to Charge Wounded Heroes for Treatment (http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20090316/pl_usnw/the_american_legion_strongly_opposed_to_president_ s_plan_to_charge_wounded_heroes_for_treatment/print)

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 highlighted the areas where the AL and myself hold concerns with the President's proposal. I'm not a member of the AL, I am a member of AMVETS, which is a veteran's organization that caters to all veterans of all branches no matter where or when they served-the only requirement is an honorable discharge from your particular branch of service. This news piece is merely a synopsis of the AL's letter to it's membership and to the media. I hope the President isn't going to totally ignore the AL's concerns over this. I'm looking forward to the White House's response to this letter.

[epo]

Scott, this looks like an interesting one. I'll be interested to see the actual bill and how the funding works. The health care/legislation issues are ones that I get a ton of info on.

[high fly]

Lots of things get discussed without anything ever being done and I think we can be confident this idea is D.O.A.
I'm not so sure the idea came from Obama.

Instead, what should be discussed is what the administration will do, such as modernize record-keeping and implementation of the New GI Bill.
And every first lady has a "cause" to devote considerablr attention to.
Michelle Obama's will be military families....

[scottinnj]

Lots of things get discussed without anything ever being done and I think we can be confident this idea is D.O.A.
I'm not so sure the idea came from Obama.

Instead, what should be discussed is what the administration will do, such as modernize record-keeping and implementation of the New GI Bill.
And every first lady has a "cause" to devote considerablr attention to.
Michelle Obama's will be military families....

That's why I'm going to be careful on who gives me input on this. But in the article, the AL president was reportedly talking to Obama himself. But I do know he isn't trying to cut corners with veteran's health issues, maybe just looking at different approaches.
President Obama really touched me with more then just fancy talk. He really took a JFK approach to getting Americans off their duff and serve our communities more. I took it to heart, which is why I joined the AMVETS organization and want to do more with my church.
I primarily want to stay out of politics with my AMVETS membership-I became a member to be able to do more for returning troops and getting involved in community projects as a group-we can do more that way then me on my own, IMO.
So hopefully the President does good here. Like I said, I know his heart is in the right place.

[TheMojoPin]

I heard about this earlier in the week and really, really disagreed with it.

Granted, I'm no expert in this area, but won't it be exceedingly difficult for veterans that need medical treatment for serious combat-related conditions to get affordable coverage because of they have pre-existing conditions?

Seems like a raw deal for vets. Not cool.

[tanless1]

i think jfk motives were straight forward, i get a differnt vibe from obahma, feels like im dealing w/ a trial attorney. his true motives are somthing else. you want to get a better idea of what obama really thinks ? look to rahm.

[JerseySean]

Worst President Ever?

[TheMojoPin]

Worst President Ever?

He'd have a lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnng way to go, even just in handling veterans affairs.

[epo]

Worst President Ever?

Because of a bill that you haven't seen? Get real.

[scottinnj]

Worst President Ever?

He'd have a lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnng way to go, even just in handling veterans affairs.

Because of a bill that you haven't seen? Get real.

Ahh, give him some slack.

1. He's from Jersey (we have special needs)

2. He forgot the mandatory "wakka wakka"

[TheMojoPin]

Anyone able to answer my question above? Seems like it's an unfair catch-22.

[scottinnj]

I got a little more clarification on this via the Rachel Maddow show on MSNBC.

She interviewed the guy and

1-It's being bandied about, it's not a specific proposal or a bill

2-Even if President Obama does present this to Congress, it's DOA.

But I hate his term "third rail"

Every special interest group has a "third rail" that politicians should never touch. I just hate the term-makes us veterans sound like we are unwilling to talk to the President, that we're just going in there making demands.

[JerseySean]

Because of a bill that you haven't seen? Get real.

No because of his bungling of 4 different foreign policy situation, mismanagement of the economy and now this...

[epo]

I got a little more clarification on this via the Rachel Maddow show on MSNBC.

She interviewed the guy and

1-It's being bandied about, it's not a specific proposal or a bill

2-Even if President Obama does present this to Congress, it's DOA.

But I hate his term "third rail"

Every special interest group has a "third rail" that politicians should never touch. I just hate the term-makes us veterans sound like we are unwilling to talk to the President, that we're just going in there making demands.

But in better news today Scott here is one for the vets:

Obama pledges more help for veterans (http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/03/16/obama.veterans/)

President Obama pledged Monday to make good on his promise to transform the Department of Veterans Affairs and said he would "dramatically improve" mental health aid.

Flanked by Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki, the president said his budget calls for a $25 billion increase in funding for the VA over the next five years -- a commitment that will be tested by the needs of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

"With this budget, we don't just fully fund our Veterans Affairs health care program, we expand it to serve an additional 500,000 veterans by 2013," he said.

He promised that the VA would "dramatically improve services" related to mental health, post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury, and he said homeless veterans would be targeted for support.

"Those heroes have a home," Obama said. "It's the country they served, the United States of America, and until we reach a day when not a single veteran sleeps on our nation's streets, our work remains unfinished."

I'm glad that somebody is going to start mental health issues.

[scottinnj]

Nice. That is going to go a long way in helping our vets coming home.
Now we just have to work on access, especially in areas where vets live that are far away from VA hospitals.

I'm really digging this President's commitment to healthcare for troops. Secretary Shineski was a good soldier, and he seems to be taking his job very seriously.

[scottinnj]

The rerun of Rachel Maddow's show is on now. Hope you catch the interview

[JerseySean]

The rerun of Rachel Maddow's show is on now. Hope you catch the interview

Gagging

[TheMojoPin]

Gagging

Yes, God forbid you watch an interview with a person critical and central to this issue.

[scottinnj]

Gagging

C'mon dude, she's not that bad.

It was a layout of the facts, the discussion of those facts and two viewpoints represented.

An intelligent interview. No shouting, name calling or finger pointing.

Viewer decides at the end. Television Journalism 101.

[epo]

C'mon dude, she's not that bad.

It was a layout of the facts, the discussion of those facts and two viewpoints represented.

An intelligent interview. No shouting, name calling or finger pointing.

Viewer decides at the end. Television Journalism 101.

Maybe he's jealous that Rachel gets more pussy than him.

[scottinnj]

Maybe he's jealous that Rachel gets more pussy than him.

She should. She's not bad looking at all.

[underdog]

Nice. That is going to go a long way in helping our vets coming home.

America : We support our troops, until they come home.

[epo]

America : We support our troops, until they come home.

Let's home that ends.

[underdog]

Let's home that ends.

How about we hope it ends.

[epo]

The rerun of Rachel Maddow's show is on now. Hope you catch the interview

Its on right now.

[scottinnj]

Just watched Shep Smith on Fox News report the proposal has been scrapped by the White House.

Good for them.

[underdog]

If Obama was really behind this, wouldn't it just prove wrong everyone who called him a socialist president? JerseySean and WMT must love this idea of making wounded soldiers pay for their own health care.

[keithy_19]

If Obama was really behind this, wouldn't it just prove wrong everyone who called him a socialist president? JerseySean and WMT must love this idea of making wounded soldiers pay for their own health care.

The government is your employer when you're in the military. So technically they should offer you coverage.

Just like if you work for a company that company should provide you with coverage.

It just so happens their employer is the government.

[foodcourtdruide]

If Obama was really behind this, wouldn't it just prove wrong everyone who called him a socialist president? JerseySean and WMT must love this idea of making wounded soldiers pay for their own health care.

Haha that's actually a really funny point.

[keithy_19]

Does anyone find it kind of disgusting that a sitting war time president would propose this?

Is it just me?