Military Update: Veterans could see benefits cut in effort to reduce federal deficit

The Cranford Chronicle ^ | November 18, 2013 | Tom Philpott

[2ndDivisionVet]

Military members, retirees and veterans have a few more reasons to be wary of politicians who say their top priority is to cut federal spending.

The Congressional Budget Office on Wednesday released a report of more than 100 options for reducing budget deficits. It’s a timely product as House and Senate conferees strive to negotiate by mid-December a new debt-cutting deal to replace automatic budget cuts of sequestration.

More than a few of the CBO options are fresh ideas to roll back compensation for categories of veterans or to raise TRICARE fees for military retirees, on suggestions that the government is being too generous.

To be fair, CBO is not singling out veterans here. There are options in the report to make nervous many segments of society dependent on federal payments, from Social Security recipients to drug manufacturers.

But for select veterans’ programs, CBO makes some hard-edged points that lawmakers bent on cutting spending might find compelling, if not persuasive, to help address the nation’s debt crisis....

[Half Vast Conspiracy]

It was near the end of the article:   “VA will supplement regular disability compensation for veterans not rated 100-percent disabled if they are deemed “unable to engage in substantial work,” CBO explains. The “Individual Unemployability” (IU) benefit is paid today to 300,000 veterans, boosting monthly incomes by an average of $1,800 a month.”

You misread it then. The $1800 figure is the average for UI…vets who cannot work. You combined that with stat of 45% who are getting disability pay. UI and disability pay are two different things.

[paristexas]

You’re right. Sloppy reading and thinking.