White House drops plan to bill disabled veterans for care

PRNewswire/Hawai`i Free Press ^ | 3-18-09 | Disabled American Vets

[AndrewWalden]

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

White House drops plan to bill disabled veterans for care By News Release @ 2:49 PM :: 61 Views :: Hawaii State Politics, National News, National Politics

WASHINGTON, March 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Disabled American Veterans today commended the Obama administration for backing down from a controversial proposal that would force private insurance companies to pay for the treatment of military veterans who suffered service-related disabilities and injuries. The proposal that had been considered as part of the president's budget would require private insurance companies to reimburse the Department of Veterans Affairs in such cases. But the idea was unanimously opposed by the DAV and other leaders of the veterans community who were invited to the White House Monday to discuss the plan directly with President Obama. Veterans were again united in opposing the plan in a follow-up meeting with White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel Wednesday. The decision to drop the idea was announced by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi at a meeting with veterans groups after the meeting with Emanuel. "The president was very open and candid when he met with veterans groups earlier this week, and we are pleased that he has heard our concerns and taken them to heart," said Washington Headquarters Executive Director David W. Gorman. "Our message to the president was simple and direct: that our government must not abandon its moral responsibility to the men and women who have sacrificed so much for our freedoms." "Now that this ill-advised proposal is off the table, the DAV looks forward to working with the administration and Congress on crafting a good budget that will include sufficient appropriated dollars to cover veterans' health care needs," Gorman said. "We also urge the president to fulfill his pledge to include advance appropriations for veterans health care in his budget submission." A top priority for the DAV and other groups is passage of the recently introduced Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act. The measure would authorize Congress to approve VA medical care appropriations one year in advance of the start of each fiscal year. The legislation also would add needed transparency to the process by having the Government Accountability Office review and report on the VA budget request. "This budget reform legislation would ensure sufficient, timely and predictable funding for veterans' health care. It has the added benefit of making government more efficient, transparent and accountable. These are three key elements that President Obama, Congress and veterans all agree are needed in these challenging times. And if enacted in conjunction with the fiscal year 2010 budget, advance appropriations for 2011 would not add one dime to the 2010 deficit," Gorman said. The 1.2 million-member Disabled American Veterans, a non-profit organization founded in 1920 and chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1932, represents this nation's disabled veterans. It is dedicated to a single purpose: building better lives for our nation's disabled veterans and their families. For more information, visit the organization's Web site, www.dav.org. SOURCE Disabled American Veterans -0- The office of Sen Dan Akaka (D-HI) released the following statement today in response to the withdrawal of the Obama administration proposal: AKAKA PRAISES OBAMA ADMINISTRATION FOR DROPPING PROPOSAL TO CHARGE VETERANS’ INSURERS FOR COMBAT INJURIES   WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI), Chairman of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, called Secretary Eric Shinseki and issued the following statement today praising President Barack Obama for dropping a proposal to shift the responsibility to pay for care for service-connected injuries from the Department of Veterans Affairs to the private insurers of wounded veterans: “I thanked Secretary Shinseki for listening to the concerns the veterans service organizations, my colleagues and I had over this proposal to charge veterans’ insurers for combat injuries.  President Obama made the right decision not to move forward.  Veterans’ care and benefits are a cost of war and treatment for conditions directly related to service is the responsibility of the government alone.  I look forward to working with my colleagues and the Administration to enact the President’s funding increases and targeted programs to help VA adapt to the changing needs of veterans and their families,” said Akaka.      -END- RELATED: Sen Akaka opposes Obama plan to bill combat wounded for medical care, but backs Shinseki , Obama to bill combat wounded for medical care , Shinseki confirms plan in VA budget

[madinmadtown]

I couldn't agree with you more. Obama never gives up on an idea....people who have dealt with him know this.
He is sneaky and immoral and deceitful. This is so outrageous that even Jon Stewart called him on it. I am sure that he doesn't have a clue why anyone would find it a travesty. He has no moral code. None.

[Brytani]

I hope they got this in writing, on tape and took DNA samples from Pelosi to prove she said the admin changed their mind.

I also hope every veterans groups has the opportunity to go through every single line in zer0’s budget BEFORE it gets rammed through Congress.

I would bet this decision is nothing but a “make us look good” tactic. I have no doubts Obama will de-fund the VA and hope nobody finds it in the 5,000 page budget he’s sure to submit.

[GatorGirl]

Oh someone will slip it in somewhere.

I am becoming more and more convinced that the man has indeed sold his soul.

[Brytani]

They’d cower faster then William Ayer’s asking for police protection.....

[Brytani]

The line of reversals makes it look like we're ruled by The Keystone Cops.

We are.

[Anima Mundi]

This might be sort of a mind-warping technique akin to Stockholm syndrome effect. Make a threat that you know is bizarre and that you do not intend to carry out and then back off from it. Two things happen: 1. Intimidation/fear and the clear message “I have power over you and COULD do stuff to mess with you” and 2. “I am your benefactor because I did not do what I had the power to do to you.” Fear, threat and intimidation, making someone angry will give access to manipulate their brains. We all must be on guard against this sort of manipulation at this time.

[Brytani]

They’re simply testing to waters.

We can not depend on the Republicans to keep restraints on this administration. As conservatives we must continue to hammer home all of Obama’s mistakes and over-the-top liberal ideals.

Once we stop, once the phones of elected leaders and the White House stop ringing with outraged citizens, this usurper will have the opportunity to force through policies and spending 90% of the country would disapprove of.

[Brytani]

It’s a litmus test IMO to see how far left he can take this country with the least amount of criticism or public outrage.

[TYVets]

,,,maybe he’ll be the first to be dragged out in a straight jacket ....

Has there ever been a president that was tarred and feathered?

Another first

[Wisconsinlady]

You’re right. Barry is just seeing how far he can push people and groups.

[Myrddin]

Obama loves to float these outrageous proposals. Apparently, they are even too outrageous for his Democrat controlled Congress.

[CanaGuy]

Just goes to show ya....”the squeeky wheel gets the grease”.

[Danae]

Damn good thing they dropped it, Damn Obama for even suggesting it.

[Slip18]

George Washington didn’t know about John Kerry.

But I love that quote!

[Slip18]

~tears in eyes~

[calex59]

Oh. . and when the far left liberal weenies who can’t shoot a slingshot are looking down the barrel of a gun toted by a member of a foreign invading army, they’ll be screaming for a marine to save them. Metrosexuals my foot.

I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o' beer, The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here."

The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die, I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:

O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away"; But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play,

The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play, O it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play.

There have always been the anti-military crowd around, in every country. The difference today is that we have never had a President who was so blatant about it.

[LibertyRocks]

Exactly... Obama and his minions in Washington are like a Magician and his assistants. “Watch this hand while I do what I don’t want to see with the other”

[Kevmo]

That was fast,
***A little too fast. Not enough time to make political hay out of this big mistake on zer0bama’s part.

[ari-freedom]

“This might be sort of a mind-warping technique akin to Stockholm syndrome effect. Make a threat that you know is bizarre and that you do not intend to carry out and then back off from it. Two things happen: 1. Intimidation/fear and the clear message “I have power over you and COULD do stuff to mess with you” and 2. “I am your benefactor because I did not do what I had the power to do to you.” Fear, threat and intimidation, making someone angry will give access to manipulate their brains. We all must be on guard against this sort of manipulation at this time.”

that’s what I was thinking: he did this to the military to show them that he’s the new boss in charge.