The American Legion Strongly Opposed to President's Plan to Charge Wounded Heroes for Treatment

[emilyg]

Contact: Craig Roberts of The American Legion, [phone] Office, [phone] Cell


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


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

[ColbertWatcher]

1. It seems that The American Legion is strongly opposed to reality. n/t

[Andy823]

4. From what I have seen

The Legion is made up of republicans, at least that's the way it is in my area. They vote for idiots like Bush because he was a "strong military" man, but have no sense of what is going on.

[msongs]

2. didnt this group back the serial adulterer john mccain? nt

[DJ13]

3. Where was their outcry when Bush reduced VA benefits?

[enlightenment]

11. Without digging too deeply -

it would appear that they did.

"Ronald Conley, commander of the conservative American Legion, also recently blasted the White House for VA budget cuts and surcharges, saying: “This is a raw deal for veterans no matter how you cut it. The administration is sending a message that these vets are not a priority at all.”"

http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/370/dishonorable_discharge/


I'm not arguing your disdain for the organization, just pointing out that they did, apparently, disagree with Bush's cuts.

[pnwmom]

5. Not the wounded veterans -- their private insurance companies. n/t

[santamargarita]

6. They are nothing but a bunch of Beer-Guzzling right-wing assholes

:crazy: :puke: :beer:

[peacetalksforall]

7. I've read this three times and I don't understand what is going on.

Can someone translate. Very confused reporting, I would say. Guess I should try to catch Rachel's segment. Everything is always clearly presented.

[UTUSN]

8. Me neither. Who said wounded vets were going to be charged?!1 n/t

[LynnTheDem]

9. The PRIVATE INSURANCE COMPANY has to repay the VA.

NOT the "wounded heroes".

But hey, rightwingnuts & facts don't get along.

[Dr_Willie_Feelgood]

12. Who REALLY pays for broken minds and bodies?

The United States government is sending these young men and women to sacrifice their bodies, souls, and minds.

By sticking the cost on the private insurance companies - will the service members have to pay the deductables?

Many of these policies have coverage limits - what happens when they are used up? Will people, and their families be left out in the cold?

If the gov't doesn't want to pay for the destruction they cause - quit sending our young people into positions where they will be hurt!!!

[Stargazer09]

18. I don't know exactly how it would work

But if it's similar to what we go through as an active duty family, the military/VA covers most of the cost. But if someone has private insurance (through a spouse, for instance), the private insurance company is expected to help cover the military member's medical expenses. It's happening right now for active duty, and it's probably happening at the VA.

I imagine that the VA or Tricare will cover the deductibles, co-pays, and costs above the coverage limits. They just want the insurance companies to help with the costs, so the VA can make their meager budget stretch a little farther to cover more veterans. I'm fairly certain that this system is already in place.

The American Legion was just trying to change the rules in favor of the insurance companies. They obviously failed.

[kiva]

16. The point is that our government assumed this responsibility.

Insurance companies are largely greedy, soulless entities and I would love to see single payer health care in the U.S. That said, it is NOT the responsibility of private insurance companies--they did not send the soldiers to Iraq or Afghanistan, and they should not be responsible for paying these bills.

[Stargazer09]

19. I don't like the system, either

However, I don't think it would be fair to penalize military members by allowing the insurance companies to decide what's military- or combat-related and what's not.

For instance, let's say a soldier suffers a head injury in Iraq. He comes home, gets patched up, serves a few more years, then gets out. Years later, he starts having headaches. His private insurance company could claim (assuming that the insurance companies didn't have to pay for military injuries) that his headaches are due to what happened in Iraq, and they could refuse to provide the medical insurance that they are supposed to cover.

True, the private insurance companies did not send our people to war. However, they do have the obligation to pay the medical bills they are required to pay, regardless of the root cause of the medical conditions of the insured.


Edited for spelling.

[kiva]

21. I agree that companies may try to weasel out of paying

non-service related injuries, but the first line of this story makes it pretty clear that the current discussion is specifically about injuries related to military service: "...a proposal to force private insurance companies to pay for the treatment of military veterans who have suffered service-connected disabilities and injuries." This is unacceptable, and will make insurance premiums for service personnel skyrocket (unless we get single payer health care--please,please).

[trayfoot]

24. I agree.....if I understand this issue correctly.

The government, in essence, CAUSED these people to be sick/injured - they should pay the costs of rehab.

[ET Racer]

10. Well I guess

I'm in the minority here in that like many other programs this should be a last resort.
The thought of family and friends facing the challenges they are without the VA, and going through private insurance is frighening.
As for the American Legion, there are quite a number of us that are members of the local post,
and as a rule politics DOES NOT get in tthe way of being a service organization.
For the troops and for the community.

I edited after more thought, gotta look further into this tonight.

[sammytko]

13. I use the VA and also pay for Tricare

I don't have to have the tricare, but since it is only 20 dollars a month, the extra coverage is worth it.

What they are doing is going through your private insurance company to get reimbursed - in my case tricare. Same as if you were on medicare.

Tricare is health insurance for retired veterans and dependents.

[marshall]

14. Who cares what this guy thinks?

He was lucky to get face time, he should be thankful for that.

[emilyg]

15. Right. Only opinion that matters is yours.

[Stargazer09]

17. We're an active duty family

And we're required to tell the base clinic whether or not we have private insurance (for instance, if I had health insurance through my job, etc.). The base clinic will go after private insurance companies for military families' care, then basically write off the part that the private insurance doesn't cover.

The clinic is constantly hassling us about it, too. If we don't have our stupid yellow card on our person, they make us fill out the same form again and again. And if you have a family, they want the same form filled out on every person in the family (you can't just put the entire family on one form--tried it and got nowhere). It used to be computerized, so the clinic staff could look and see if you filled out your form for the year, but I guess that wasn't good enough for the hospital administration. More paperwork!

[NaturalHigh]

20. The government is responsible for their injuries.

In my opinion, the government should pay for their care.

[Thothmes]

23. You are correct, If a person is injured as a result of their service

That persons medical care should be on the Govt's dime. However, if a vet breaks a leg skiing and is treated at a VA facility, I see nothing wrong billing the vets insurance company for medial services. I do not see the Govt as responisble for medical services to veterans that are not related any injuries or medical conditions from their service. JMO.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

22. The title is incorrect. It isn't Obama's "plan" it is one of the options being considered. Also,

it doesn't make veterans pay for their own care as it says. Rather, it is based on going after private insurance for reimbursement.

I don't care for this plan, but the AL is not helping themselves by misrepresenting the issue.