Wounded Billed For Hospital Food

Saint Petersburg Times ^ | 9-12-03 | Bill Adair

[PatrioticCowboy]

WASHINGTON - After a grenade exploded inside his Humvee in Iraq, Marine Staff Sgt. Bill Murwin was treated at a military hospital in Germany and spent four weeks at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. Part of his left foot was amputated. His medical care was free, but the government billed him $243 for the food.

Then, just three days after he received his first bill for the hospital food in Germany, he got a stern letter saying the bill was overdue. It warned that his account would be referred to a collection agency. Murwin, like thousands of other military personnel hospitalized every year, is expected to reimburse the government $8.10 per day for food. That's standard procedure because of a law Congress passed in 1981. But it has angered many military families over the years.

When Rep. C.W. Bill Young, R-Largo, and his wife, Beverly, heard about the problem, they personally paid Murwin's tab. Then the congressman introduced a bill to change the rules.

Rep. Young said Wednesday that the soldiers "were sent to war by their country. Many of them will be handicapped for the rest of their lives - and we're asking them to pay $8.10 a day for their food!

There's something really wrong with that."

The practice is especially egregious, Young said, because "the food probably isn't that good."

The rule was established because most military personnel receive $8.10 a day as a "basic allowance for subsistence" for food. But when they are hospitalized, the government tries to recoup the money on the theory that they are eating hospital food and therefore are double-dipping.

Military officials have long disliked the rule but felt they had to enforce it because of the 1981 law.

"If I could be king for a day, I'd stop it in a minute," said Maj. Gen. Kevin C. Kiley, who commands the Army hospitals in the eastern United States.

The government already bends the rules for soldiers in combat. They are allowed keep the $8.10 even though they are also getting free food, according to Young's office.

Murwin, 31, a sheriff's deputy in Nevada with 10 years of active duty in the Marines and three years in the Reserves, says he was flabbergasted the government would bill him.

"Holy smokes," he said. "I'm in the hospital - and they're going to charge me for my food?"

He says he was willing to pay but thinks it's unfair that young soldiers get billed.

"What made me so hot is that (it applies to) privates and lance corporals - guys who barely make enough money to pay for their own food, let alone take care of this," Murwin said.

Kiley, the Army medical commander, said the costs can add up. "If you're here for a couple of months, you could rack up a thousand dollars," he said.

Young, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, said he was unaware of the law until his wife heard about it from Murwin's father-in-law. He has quickly lined up support for his bill, which would reverse the rule so military personnel do not have to pay.

His staff hasn't had time to estimate the cost of the bill, Young said, but the government has an obligation to pay for the food of injured soldiers.

The bill has 96 co-sponsors and has been endorsed by associations that represent enlisted personnel.

Because of the strong support, the bill is likely to sail through Congress in the next few weeks.

Kiley said that he is glad to see the bill and that it has wide support in the military. But he disagrees with Young's unfavorable assessment of the hospital cuisine.

"It really is pretty good food," Kiley said. "It's not the same as a four-star restaurant. But we work pretty hard at it."

Murwin concurred, but said his taste buds had been dulled by weeks of eating field chow - called MREs (for Meal, Ready to Eat) - in Iraq.

"I was expecting the worst" from the hospital food, he said. "I was pleasantly surprised. I actually got a steak dinner one night."

[- Bill Adair can be reached at 202 463-0575 or adair@sptimes.com

[PatrioticCowboy]

This is sad.

These brave young men and women are risking all over there to protect our nation, yet they get stuck with their hospital food tab?

[PatrioticCowboy]

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[PatrioticCowboy]

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[PatrioticCowboy]

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[MEG33]

A military wife explained today that they get an 8 to 10 dollar a day food allowance and as they are not buying food..they eat hospital food,they are asking for the allowance back.It really sounds awful but at least that explains the reasoning.She had had a husband in the hospital.

[Mon]

My husband just emailed me this:
It only applies to married soldiers or higher ranking Sargents and Officers who are allowed to live off post and not in the barracks........see, when you are married they give you 8.10 a day for food in your paycheck. When I was married I had to pay to eat at the barracks, it wasn't alot, I think $1.00 for breakfast, $3.00 for lunch and I think $4.00 for dinner. If you are single, you don't get money for food in your paycheck, you have a meal card which you show at the barracks to eat. It makes sense even though it looks like they are getting charged for it.

[Dark Wing]

The Wonders ot Tri-care for all to see. It makes a HMO look reasonable and cuddly in comparison.

[Humidston]

This is CRAP! When citizens are being squeezed for every last dime from the IRS, when Congressmen are getting massive pay raises every year or so, when Congress gets so many perks, when we pay through the nose, THIS IS CRAP to expect servicemen and women to PAY for their own food. Period!

[OldFriend]

Signed into law by Ronald Reagan early in his first term.

[Justin Thyme]

Personally, I think this ought to be waved in combat related situations, or when injured in the line of duty.

But if you fully understand the mechanics of it as others have explained, it isn't as barbaric as it sounds in the headlines. And in the end, the service men aren't paying for their food, they are just not double-dipping in being paid and allowance and getting free food. It would be equivelant to saying "I'll sell you this thing for $250. Now you give me the $250, and while I'm at it, I'll just keep the thing too".

[GySgt D]

This neither surprises nor concerns me. Many, if not most military members are paid a monthly allowance for meals. The hospital was simply recouping that allowance, since they provided the patient with meals. To not do so would be pretty dumb, and most certainly improper. The reporter who started this stink probably knew these facts, but decided to have himself a "story" at the military's expense. Shame on him.


Sorry folks, there is no story here.

GySgt D
active duty USMC

[Rider on the Rain]

Sorry folks, there is no story here.

My sentiments, exactly. Thanks Gunny.

[Prodigal Son]

You can get in a lot of trouble over 'Seperate Rats' as this $8.10 per day food allowance is called. I used to know a lot of guys who received Seperate Rats but would still go in the mess hall and eat for free. Every once in a while the military cracks down on that and they get caught. I always preferred to pay the small amount for the meal. For a couple bucks you could get a humongous lunch in the mess hall. Hard to beat that for value. I also knew a lot of single Joes who didn't get paid a food allowance who would go and eat in the Burger King or AAFES snack bar daily. I could never figure that one out. They'd pass on all that free good food that was served in the mess hall and wonder why they didn't have any money at the end of the month.

The thing with this situation- if they didn't make the Joes pay for those meals in the hospital, they'd simply change the rules so Joe wasn't entitled to seperate rats during that time frame. Joe would end up paying for the food anyway.

[glock rocks]

I gotta agree with you here.

Thank you sir, for your service to our republic.

[RaceBannon]

I spent a week in quarrantine for German Measles in 1978,Cherry Point Naval Hospital, North Carolina, never had a bill for food that I remember!

[Humidston]

Sorry guys, but I'm a compassionate conservative and no matter what you say, I still think it stinks when you guys are billed for hospital food. Especially when that bill can hit in one chunk. Then, your name is turned over to a collection agency if you don't pay in a timely manner? Nope. Still Crap, IMO.

BTW GySgtD, stay safe and know how much we support and respect you!

[PatrioticCowboy]

Right On!!

[Justin Thyme]

Well, I certainly agree with the collection agency part, that is inexcusable.

I remember getting billed for food after I had my appendix removed.

Like I said, I'd suggest waiving that requirement for anyone injured in the line of duty.

BTW, Humidston, as a veteran, I greatly appreciate your support on issues like this!

[Mon]

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