Veterans and troops set to lose health benefits under Obama's budget: Increases up to 345%!

The Londaon Daily Mail ^ | February 28, 2012 | Meghan Keneally

[2ndDivisionVet]

Concern is sinking in over the long-term effects of President Barack Obama's proposed budget cuts to military health care spending.

Critics say that by taking aim at the military health care program by adding additional fees and increasing required payments, the President is dishonoring troops and hurting the military's recruiting power.

The budget put forth by Mr Obama- which still needs to be approved by Congress before being enacted- would create $487billion in cuts over the next 10 years.

One of the biggest areas of contention is the increases of health care fees that specifically target military retirees by boosting their co-pay charges and deductibles.

Some reports cite unidentified administration officials as saying that they hope that the increases would put pressure on the retirees to opt out of their veterans benefits and sign up for the program put in place by President Obama's controversial Affordable Care Act which was approved in 2010.

'Would you stay with a car insurance company that raised your premiums by 345 per cent in five years? Probably not,' an unidentified congressional aide told Fox News, hinting that their plan to get veterans to sign up with other insurers would work....

[2ndDivisionVet]

Imagine if either of the Bushes, Ronald Reagan or Richard Nixon had done this. And why do we have to hear about this from an overseas news source?

[EGPWS]

If he has his way we ALL are going to lose our health benefits starting with the eldest and working it’s way down.

[blueunicorn6]

Well, we as a nation had the choice in 2008. We could vote for a Veteran or a freeloader for President. We got the freeloader along with his criminal pals.

[Brian_Candy]

One of the biggest areas of contention is the increases of health care fees that specifically target military retirees by boosting their co-pay charges and deductibles.

Please hear me out and don't flame me. Raising co-pays and deductibles is happening to everyone. It is a huge necessity because it makes a person really think before going to the doctor - the patient has a financial stake in the decision. This is being applied to all medical benefits, including the richest private plans as well as to plans for the poor (Medicaid). All I'm saying is before you pan this decision please read about it and think it through logically.

[big'ol_freeper]

Have I mentioned how much I hate this paper-hanging SOB we have soiling the Oval Office?

[spokeshave]

I am an American Soldier...defender of freedom against tyranny

and when I enter the valley of death

for which I receive $7.50 a day for hazardous duty

and the angel of Satan appears at my shoulder

I will be resolute and fear no evil

And my Lord in heaven will guide my sword.

And if I am injured, and return to my family

I face health care benefits rising by 345%

[nascarnation]

You’re correct.
The country is functionally bankrupt.
We’re spending 1.40 for every dollar we take in.

Now we can argue about what we should spend the devalued currency on, but it doesn’t change the basic problem.

[SandRat]

The President is dishonoring troops and hurting the military’s recruiting power.

[Iron Munro]

If the repblicans let this go through they might as well shut off the lights, give Obama the keys, and go back to shaking down their home towns.

[GlockThe Vote]

We are broke, correct, but until welfare thugs are no longer getting free phones, solar companies no longer looting the treasury, that fat hog not flying all over the world, the vets should be left alone.

[Cold Heart]

It’s a matter of balance. The money saved by reducing health benefits for troops can be used for contraception coverage for female law students at exclusive colleges.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Were you promised by your company that you’d get “free” healthcare for life if you’d risk your life? The military, especially the 20-40 year retirees were. Apples and oranges, FRiend. Wal-Mart, McDonalds and Apple don’t ask you to invade another country, take a hill, put out fires surrounded by jet fuel or go into villages surrounded by people who want to kill you. See the difference? Sears, Halliburton and the rest of the Fortune 1000 don’t promise to take care of you if you lose a limb or an eye in their service.

[2ndDivisionVet]

BTW, what do you do for a living and have you ever worn the uniform?

[OafOfOffice]

Is this comment true in that article? Why is this guy not demanding more for our military? He is comparing his chef son to someone who fought their country?

I get Tricare Prime healthcare. I will say to people who are complaining to stop. It is based on a person’s rank at retirement. I am not complaining because we pay $460 a year. While my son is a cook at a chain eatery who makes $12.00 per hour and pays alittle over $400.00 a month for a family of 4. Now I find that outrages. He used to get 2 weeks a yr vacation time. He has been there over 12 yrs and their bosses took away a week from the employees except for the managers. My dad and fathe-in-law both retired from the military at a time that they and their families got free health care for life. Now they can’t do it anymore. I don’t like having to pay for the health care but we are still better off then alot of people so stop complaining. I know I got our monies worth with all my health issues. If you don’t like it don’t take it. It is that simple.

- AFM, Cookeville,TN, 28/2/2012 22:37

[DustyMoment]

By the end of the year, our military will be about the same size as a relatively large Boy Scout troop and have an average age of 13.4 so they won’t need too much healthcare.

However, the POTUS will not be able to commit them to war without getting a permission slip from their parents!

[GreyFriar]

Just think how much more money could be saved if soldiers were required to buy their own bullets and bombs! I’m sure one of BHO’s academic genius’ will propose that next.

[2ndDivisionVet]

There are Obamaites in the military and amongst veterans, too, sadly. Not every veteran is a conservative. Oliver Stone was in Vietnam.

[nascarnation]

The Chicago mob really knows how to play the game, don’t they?

They realize the military vote isn’t going to help them any, so that’s where to cut.

[2ndDivisionVet]

NAMBLA would love that!!

[silverleaf]

but it is not happening to everybody
unions are exempt
federal civil service (union) are exempt
congress are exempt
working age women are guaranteed FREE birth control and abortion

think about that

and before you advise us to go get a job or find a new healthplan, consider this

many of us did work second careers and our employers healthplans, knowing we were vets, insisted we use our vet benefits for primary coverage

this is happening to retirees ages 65+ while union workers who are exempted by cronyism are in their prime and still getting pay raises

not everyone 65+ sees doctor visits as a luxury we can cut back on by making it unaffordable, like it or not the body wears out and some parts just don’t work so good. We don’t go to the doctor frivolously. Do you?