Posted on 09/06/2024 1:00:59 AM PDT by RandFan
When they STOP SPENDING on illegals healthcare THEN we can talk until then LEAVE THE VA ALONE!!!
There are veterans who got hit with a bullet in combat. Veterans with a Purple Heart are Priority Group 3, unless they have service connected injuries (disabilities, it’s not well named) exceeding a 50% rating. PG 3 is free healthcare for life, excluding meds, which have a copay, regardless of income.
There are veterans who raised their right hand and swore the oath and signed on the dotted line and never served in combat for 2 years. They will be a lower Priority Group depending on if they got long-term injured in those 2 years (like something during paratrooper training). Their PG may get them VA healthcare forever, unless their income goes above a threshold ($43K for single vets). 2 years service suffices for that. At some time in their lives they swore to obey orders and go into combat. If they were never ordered to, doesn’t matter. They committed to. Civilians don’t do that.
VA healthcare is good in a lot of aspects, however, if I would have depended on them to treat my cancer I would likely be dead by now. I maintain outside health insurance for any treatment that is life threatening (my continuing cancer fight). For routine health stuff the VA is preforming as well as current private health providers which are on a downhill slope (because of illegals and private insurance rules?).
And yes, part of the problem it is that easy to fraud the VA into providing both health and disability payments. Because of this and the government’s technology gap they can not provide the services needed to those that are truly in need.
However, my private Oncology Doctor said she is even denying treatment for long periods of time now because of health insurance claims taking months on end. She said that it is becoming worse than the VA.
A veteran is a veteran period. As a retiree, I do not need the VA. I avail myself of some of the benefits and see a VA doc once a year. But between my other health insurance as a retiree I do not need the VA. In fact the VA bills my government insurance when I see them. Veterans, who have no insurance or very limited insurance need the VA.
I know a Marine who served 1 year. He was injured in training, had surgery, but it got worse. He opted out of anymore surgery and took a Medical Discharge. The VA ultimately did the surgery years later. Is he not a veteran? Those men who did two years during Vietnam are veterans. Even during Nam only a small percentage of veterans ever served in country. The military peaked at the time with about 3.5 million personnel. Highest number of personnel in Vietnam during war was about 544,000. That left nearly 3 million other veterans serving in places like Germany, Japan, Korea and the USA. By your reckoning none of the nearly 3 million who did not go to Nam rate VA benefits unless they retired from the service. Who the hell would volunteer for the all volunteer force if that were the case?
Indeed
I think if you’re going to be America first, you can’t put veterans last.
Go back and read my initial comment before you take this any further.
"only veterans with service related injuries or illnesses should be eligible for benefits."
It would solve a lot of problems, but the government always wants to grow the government, more than anything else.
You also pointed out that the individuals you mentioned only served two years. My point was my friend barely served for a year. He is still a veteran regardless of time served. I am unsure if this is still the case, but to be classified as a veteran for VA benefits, you must serve 180 days of consecutive active duty. That is all that is required to receive VA benefits. For damn good reasons, I should not have to explain.
I live in an area full of military retirees and veterans. Anecdotally, most retirees do not use the VA but keep an active status in the VA system. We have excellent medical plans and do not need the VA. When I use the VA, some have service-connected issues, and some don't. All that matters is they are veterans.
My father's heart attack was not service-related, and the VA treated him. They billed his insurance, of course, but there was no co-pay or bill for the meds. Decades later, he lost the use of certain limbs. The VA treated him and arranged for a nurse to visit weekly. Again, they billed his insurance, but there were no medication fees, copays, or additional charges. Every time a veteran uses the VA, our insurance, Medicare or Medicaid is billed, so there is no free service.
I don't believe I described it as being downrange of a burn pit once. In fact it was all of central Iraq in 2005 due to a prolonged cold front, producing duststorm. Picking up all that raw oil burning, burning animal and human waste (septic systems and trash collection were still offline). Lots and lots of waste. Made the nostrils foul and the clothes reek and stick.
Breathe deep the gathering gloom...
what else was in this bill umm, the Hill never says, just attake a republican
And he is receiving disability benefits due to his service related injury, is he not?
Where did I say he should not be entitled to veterans benefits?
Are you having a problem with reading comprehension?
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