The leader of The American Legion, Commander David K. Rehbein, met with President Obama today to discuss a proposal to bill private insurance companies for service-connected disabilities and injuries suffered by military veterans. Commander Rehbein said he is “deeply disappointed and concerned” after speaking with the president.
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.
This is outrageous. It’s just another example of Obama’s priorities. He believes the government has an obligation to provide free health care to millions of Americans who choose not to purchase insurance, yet he doesn’t believe the government has an obligation to cover medical costs of veterans injured in service to our nation.
Anyone with experience in the workers’ compensation insurance industry knows that an injured worker isn’t responsible for treatment connected to work related injuries and neither is his or her private health insurance company. If a medical provider bills a private health insurer for medical treatment connected to a work injury the private insurer has a right to reimbursement.The employer and it’s insurance carrier are liable. A serious workers’ compensation claim can’t be settled without the permission of the United States government (for which they make the employers and carriers jump through hoops). The reason is that Medicare and Medicaid shouldn’t be on the hook for work related injuries. This is as it should be.
Apparently, Obama doesn’t want the government to practice what it preaches. Shouldn’t the government, who sends our troops into harm’s way, be held to the same standard as private employers? If members of the US military were big Democratic party supporters it’s doubtful Obama would have made such a proposal.
This is a slap in the face to the men and women who serve our nation. Covering deadbeats on the backs of American veterans is certainly not “change we can believe in!”
H/T Hot Air
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President Obama said “Look, it’s an all volunteer force,” Obama complained. “Nobody made these guys go to war.”
This comment is NOT TRUE, up to and including the Viet Nam war, we had an active draft and our service men were told they had to serve. They did not volunteer and some did not want to join.
I say to President Obama “You are the Commander and Chief” start acting like it. These proud service men and women are fighting for you as much as anyone. They are fighting and have fought to preserve the freedoms we have in this country. Defend them that is YOUR JOB ALSO.
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[...] brings up one helluva point; The Lonely Conservative (Take a wild guess?) says this is a “slap in the face“… (Where are my fellow Liberals? I thought it was THEY who fought for the [...]
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I read this story with interest today, immediately after a friend and fellow veteran forwarded an email detailing the story. I knew it must be spam, but sadly after a short search I found out I was mistaken. No matter your political view or affiliation, charging combat wounded veterans’ insurance, or in any way seeking financial renumeration from a veteran for that care is in abysmally poor taste and violates common sense for any government, especially ours. There may well be a wonderful explanation forthcoming from the administration, another side to this story, but the ground truth is that our government cannot do this without disgracing thousands of veterans who have risked their lives for our great country.
I have had the honor of serving 20 years in the Army, including two tours in Iraq. During that time, between the ranks of Private and Major, I have held my tongue on policies I question, keeping my views separate from my service. I do not feel that hoping this policy will not come to fruition is enough. I have never experienced anything from an American but esteemed gratitude for my service, and by the grace of God I have never been wounded. Charging combat wounded veterans for their health care, or doing anything but providing for that care outright does those injured veterans a great disservice, and in my opinion dishonors their service.
I have the greatest respect for our government and process and I am sure this proposal will not pass.
The views expressed are my own and do not represent the United States Army.
Respectfully,
Major Stephen Treanor
Student, Command and General Staff College, U.S. Army Combined Arms Center, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
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[...] the administration can justify far less honorable and needed spending in other areas. Or as the Lonely Conservative points out: This is outrageous. It’s just another example of Obama’s priorities. He believes [...]
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[...] The Lonely Conservative: Apparently, Obama doesn’t want the government to practice what it preaches. Shouldn’t the government, who sends our troops into harm’s way, be held to the same standard as private employers? If members of the US military were big Democratic party supporters it’s doubtful Obama would have made such a proposal. [...]
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Major Treanor, thank you for your service.
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[...] “Obama vs. Wounded Veterans,” Lonely Conservative, The Lonely Conservative President Obama believes in giving free health care to millions of Americans, but what about the veterans who sacrificed so much for our country? [...]
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Isn’t it amazing how Obama wants socialized medicine for everyone except for wounded veterans?
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I never thought I would see the day the President of the United States would stoop so low as to refer to our wounded warriors as “whiners” and “selfish”. Here is a guy who never even possessed the guts to fight for this country. What a WIMP !!!!!
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I am a recently (5 Years) disabled vet with 100% service connected disability. I know the trials of getting VA medical care all across America. It is not the sunshine and peaches that they show on their new ad campaign. I sat in an emergency room at the Clement J. Zablocky VA Medical Center in Milwaukee WI for nearly 4 hours with a dislocated shoulder on Christmas Eve night before they even bothered to tell me that they were going to send me for X-rays, and there were only 2 other people waiting to be seen. This is an example of care that I have received at VA Medical Centers in several states.
I don’t like the sound of this bill, and I am smart enough to know that as just 1 man, there is nothing I can do to change it. If it were up to me, i would say that the private medical facilities should take up the slack, and allot a certain amount of free medical services, per vet, based on the injury. That would take care of the cost rite there, and it is not like a single hospital wont cover the overages in that year anyway.
At the same time, Though i did not vote for Obama, and I didn’t even like hearing his name at the time of his election, he is still the commander and chief, and I took an oath to back him 100%, even if it cost my life. I do believe that he is a good man, and I do believe that allot of these things, though they are blamed on him, are not his fault. If you want something good done, take the power away from the corporations (Like Insurance Companies, and the Health Care INDUSTRY), and give it back to the people that we elect. There is no point in badmouthing a man, when it is not his fault that things are the way they are. He is just trying to clean up the mess that we have gotten ourselves into.
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