Vets’ Hospital Rates Raised More than 20%

The government raised the rates veterans have to pay for hospital stays. And we’re supposed to believe they can lower the rates the rest of us pay?

Amanda Carpenter reports:

While most of political Washington has been consumed with the debate over how to make health care more accessible to low-income Americans, the government unexpectedly raised rates by more than 20 percent on the in-patient co-payments that must be paid by retired military veterans and their families who have their health insurance provided by Veterans Affairs.The Defense Department announced the rate increase Sept. 30, and it went into effect the next day, Oct. 1, taking several military advocates by surprise. The increase raises prices for retirees and their family members from $535 per day to $645 per day, or 25 percent of billed charges, whichever is less. Once bills meet a $3,000 cap, however, the beneficiary will pay no more costs for that calendar year.