This is why he's angry, this is why he yells.

[melman]

Link to tweet

[oregonjen]

1. I can't imagine how many people he hears from everyday

whose benefits have been stripped down to nothing, thanks to the selfish repug asses.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

51. Berniel's a progressive giant with a revolutionary plan for change, which is why he's

an inspirational leader to so many folks. We've waited long enough... it's Bernie's time now.


Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!! or
Elizabeth & Bernie 2020!!
Either way, welcome to the revolution!!!

[ehrnst]

56. Giant? In what way? (nt)

[LanternWaste]

62. As are the majority of our current candidates.

Either way, welcome to evolution...

[elleng]

2. Worthy of his (and EVERYONE's) anger.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

52. Damn straight!! Bout fuckin' time people follow Bernie's lead, get pissed off

and demand REAL change that will make a true difference in people's lives. We The People are not gonna take this shit anymore... we've had enough!!


Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!! or
Elizabeth & Bernie 2020!!
Either way, welcome to the revolution!!!

[ehrnst]

57. So what has Bernie accomplished to actually get affordable health care to people?

CHIP? - that was Hillary and Ted Kennedy.

ACA? - that was Pelosi and Obama.

Planned Parenthood?

Being angry and demanding change isn't enough - otherwise millions of people would be equally qualified to run for POTUS.

This is a question that's going to come up more and more, and he needs to be able to answer it.

[George II]

64. He was even Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs....

....and did very little, and virtually nothing on this issue.

Hey, he's now a millionaire and he earns about $180,000 a year - the $14,000 outstanding bill of that veteran is less than a month's pay for him.

[George II]

66. Getting pissed off doesn't solve the problem. Doing something concrete solves the problem.

[Hoyt]

3. So sorry for this guy, but doesn't he qualify for VA?

[Wounded Bear]

5. Not all Vets qualify for VA medical...

In my case, I live below the poverty line and still pay co-pays and don't have dental coverage.

[frazzled]

7. He says in the video that

He was told there was no Tricare coverage in his area and that he would have to travel. This is a condemnation, apparently, of that government insurance. So what is happening here is that he is confronting Sanders.

[Hoyt]

27. It's also why a lot of people - rightly or wrongly - are opposed to government health care programs.

[SWBTATTReg]

26. Forgive me if I'm wrong, but proving it (Huntington's) is difficult. I have a good friend that ...

has this horrible disease and it's hard to see him go down. At least his other half is taking care of him, but still, to see a person's mind and body go...

The sadness never ends...

[questionseverything]

30. if you listen to the whole thing he says he was removed somehow, that he doesnt understand

vets just won a lawsuit saying their care at emergency rooms should be covered by the va...so even tho some have the va, sometimes you have to fight for what you need, this guy doesn't have the strength to fight it any more and evidently doesn't have the support system he needs

if we had single payer it shouldn't be so complicated

[Hoyt]

31. He's retired military with 20 years. He can't be removed legitimately.

If he was, his Congesspeople need to call the VA and straighten it out.

Something is not right about his story. Like maybe he didn’t go to the VA doctor or facility as instructed.

In any event, hope it get straightened out.

[questionseverything]

35. o i am sure he didn't do something he was instructed to do

he is sick and dying and does not have the support system to drive him hours away or jump thru the 10 thousand hoops that are put in front of him





that is really the entire point, as citizens of the richest country in the world we should get healthcare just because we need it whether we followed all the "instructions" correctly or not

[Hoyt]

37. Sanders needs to straighten out VA healthcare before trying

to restructure the system in his vision.

He’s too stubborn to admit a Public Option, with adequate subsidies, is better than a mandatory system that won’t be any better than VA until structural changes.

In any event, maybe someone will update us on this story.

[rampartc]

58. huntington's is probably not "service connected."

he should apply, and may get something, but would not be a priority.

[Hoyt]

59. He's retired military, it doesn't have to be a service related injury, it could be a stubbed toe.

[frazzled]

4. But ... I don't get it

As a Navy vet, he is eligible for Tricare, a government insurance program for the military that bills itself as the “gold standard.” And Bernie was a longtime champion of the VA system, his ideal of a government health provider.

Obviously, both these systems failed this vet.

So why is Bernie yelling? He was head of Veterans affairs for years. And this is the type of system he advocates. This is not about the greedy corporate insurers. It’s about a different kind of failure. One that Sanders was directly responsible for and unable to fix (and for a while unwilling to admit to its deficits.) I wouldn’t try using this as a campaign ad.

[TimeToGo]

6. All vets?

Are you sure? My dad is a military retiree and he has it - I'm a vet and I don't think I'm eligible.

Is it connected to a poverty line? Or servive related injury?

Just curious.

[Wounded Bear]

9. Wounded Vets can basically get full coverage. My brother does...

I get VA Medical because I live below the poverty line and I make co-pays. I don't get dental.

There's a tiered system for qualification, but yeah, if you don't live near a VA medical center it can be tough.

[melman]

12. Right

Because it's obviously only about this one man. Everybody else is doing great. No problem!

[Baked Potato]

14. Tricare is only for Active Duty, Military Retirees, and their eligible dependents.

This veteran may be eligible for care at the VA. The VA has a tiered priority system. Most Veterans are eligible for *some* kind of care, depending on income, service connected illness and/or injury, etc.

Generally, Dental care at the VA level is only for 100% disabled vets or those veterans who have a dental/oral service connected illness or disability.

[TimeToGo]

16. That fits with what I thought

But, wasn't sure.

[frazzled]

21. Watch the darn video

He seems to be saying he has Tricare. That they told him there was nothing where he lived and he’d have to go to Dayton (?), that he’d applied for it when he retired from the military, that it’s taken out of his check every month.

[Baked Potato]

25. Yes, I see

It looks like he is eligible for, or on Tricare, but there is a specific problem with billing or someone feeding him bad information. My point was so folks here don’t think every Veteran can get on Tricare.

Finding a provider who takes Tricare can be hard. He should go to the nearest VA clinic or hospital.

[Hoyt]

32. Doesn't he say he retired with 20 years in Navy?

[Baked Potato]

40. Yes, that's what it sounds like

I hope he gets it straightened out.

[secondwind]

29. My husband is a Vietnam vet and has 100% disability under the VA. He also receives

almost 2,000 a month in disability benefits.

[Bev54]

34. Perhaps he does

Perhaps he should have VA coverage but what about those who don't?? Under Universal healthcare he would be covered vet or not. The problem is that Bernie is not getting the message out properly, he needs to explain it better. Once people understand it better they will not be so tied to their insurance carriers. No questions about whether you qualify for your healthcare, you get the healthcare you need, no matter who you are. I just wish they would get people who actually understand the systems to explain it to the candidates or the candidates need to have people there to explain it to their audiences.

[BigmanPigman]

8. This person's story is shared by millions in the US.

Until you are in their shoes you have no idea how fucked up our system is for anyone who is not healthy throughout their lives. Being pregnant is a pre-existing condition! This is so fucked up on every level!!!!!

[JI7]

10. this actually shows why Sander's plan is a bad idea .

[melman]

11. No

No it doesn't.

[BlueMississippi]

43. It does. nt

[melman]

44. Actually it doesn't

[BlueMississippi]

45. Actually it does.

"Does" is the key word.

[melman]

46. ""Does" is the key word."

So you're not even trying to hide it? Okay.

[BlueMississippi]

47. Hide what? nt

[melman]

48. lol

[BlueMississippi]

49. It must be an inside joke for BS supporters

I didn't type anything humorous. I think.

[melman]

50. "I didn't type anything humorous. I think."

I think I agree.

[BlueMississippi]

60. You're the one who typed "lol" in Post 48

Now the opinion is that there was nothing humorous.

hmmmmm ... wouldn't that be spontaneously laughing without any reason? Please correct me if I am mistaken.

[George II]

63. Like deja vu all over again:

[BlueMississippi]

67. lol nt

[mudstump]

17. No way....that's just bs.

[bahrbearian]

20. LOL

[George II]

24. He was Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs for years. What did he do about this?

[democrank]

28. Perhaps you could contact the VFW, American Legion, etc.

to see whether or not they think Bernie Sanders helps veterans. Better yet...go directly to a VA hospital and ask around.

[Duppers]

13. K & R

[comradebillyboy]

15. I'm a veteran and it never occurred to me that I might be eligible for VA

medical benefits. I served a four year enlistment and wasn't injured or wounded during my term of service.

[TreasonousBastard]

18. I wasn't wounded either, but I'm in because I'm a "Viet Nam Era" vet. Check with the VA to...

see about eligibility.

And there's all sorts of stuff besides health care they offer.

[comradebillyboy]

22. I am a Vietnam era vet also. I used GI Bill education and mortgage benefits

in the 70s. My employers always provided excellent health insurance so it never occurred to me to look at the VA for health care. My current coverage is quite good so I have no big desire to change at this time.

[elocs]

19. Any chance you might clue us in about why he is angry and yells

without having to click on the tweet link?

I am undecided now, but only a Democrat would get my vote in the Wisconsin primary and the only way Sanders would ever get my vote is if he is the nominee of the party he refuses to join, but I'm sure we are smarter than that to ever nominate him in the first place.

[corbettkroehler]

38. Moral Indignation Because A Navy Vet Contemplates Suicide Due To Huge Medical Bills

When our largest trading partner (Canada) and our most important ally (United Kingdom) provide healthcare as a human right and we don't, Bernie sees how outrageous this situation is and is angry that we've known about the problem for decades but haven't fixed it.

Worse still, when progressives try to fix it, they are blocked by special interests and their stooges in politics.

[myohmy2]

39. +1

...

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

53. BINGO!!!

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!! or
Elizabeth & Bernie 2020!!
Either way, welcome to the revolution!!!

[gulliver]

23. If we lose to Trump, Obamacare will go down in flames.

It's an aspect of human nature that people don't like things being taken from them, even if the purpose is to give them something better. Eliminating private insurance in one fell swoop is a very foolish idea. It should not be on the table. It's a loser for us.

[athena]

33. Who said anything about eliminating it in one fell swoop?

The goal is to go from insurer-provided coverage to single-payer health care. That can be done over several years in several steps.

Please don't repeat right-wing talking points. No one is taking anything away from anybody. I have "excellent" health insurance (I've posted elsewhere about just what that means in practice), and I would love to have it replaced with single-payer health care. That would expand my options, not shrink them. And I would be much happier not contributing to the family wealth of my health insurance company's top officials.

[Bev54]

36. If you keep Trump Obamacare is for sure going down in flames

Do you really not have any idea that Trump administration is in court right now trying to get rid of Obamacare? What planet did you just land from? Universal healthcare can be done and has been done by several other countries - just ask them if they want a US system, not a bloody chance. I am not a Bernie supporter but he has the right idea, just the wrong message and needs to explain how it really works. It is worth the fight to get it, just educate yourselves about how it works.

[BlueMississippi]

42. It ain't happening

It is just one of BS's slogans and I'm sure it won't even pass a committee.

[BlueMississippi]

41. lol

[ehrnst]

54. I find it interesting that his town halls produce very few questions for him to answer

but consist a lot of people venting, with stories that he believes somehow confirm that his health reform plan is the only one that will help them.

[demmiblue]

55. Heartbreaking.

[katmondoo]

61. My nerves just cannot take the anger and screaming of Bernie along with the anger and stupidity of

Trump. I want peace and stability with intelligence and honor.

[HeartlandProgressive]

65. kicked and DU rec