Obama drops vets insurance proposal

[SP33Demon]

Text

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Obama administration is abandoning a controversial plan to charge private insurers for treatment of veterans' service-connected ailments.

In an statement Wednesday night, the White House said that although the president believes the plan would raise more money for veterans' care, the administration is dropping the idea after hearing the objections of veterans groups.

"The President listened to concerns raised by the VSOs [veterans service organizations] that this might, under certain circumstances, affect veterans and their families' ability to access health care," the White House said. "Therefore, the president has instructed that its consideration be dropped."

News of the change of heart originally came from Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, who disclosed the decision to reporters while meeting with a group of veterans on Capitol Hill.

"President Obama has listened to the concerns expressed by veterans' leaders and veterans' service organizations," Pelosi said. "We will leave no veteran behind."

Veterans' representatives and members of Congress have angrily opposed the proposal, which White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said was never finalized.

Leaders from 11 veterans groups discussed their position in a meeting Wednesday afternoon with White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel.

"We stood firm on our stance that there is no way to support charging veterans' insurance companies for service-connected treatment," said Jim King, executive director of AMVETS, a leading veterans' advocacy organization.

Emanuel indicated that the proposal was "a dead issue," King added. "The administration was quick to say [that if veterans were] going to fight it, [the White House wasn't] going to push it."

Another attendee, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America Executive Director Paul Rieckhoff, said Emanuel was quick to come back after hearing the veterans' groups stand firm and tell them, "Let's clarify, it is dead."

"They made the right move -- they listened to us. Now we can move on to bigger more important issues," Rieckhoff said.

The meeting was very short, said King. Despite the difference in opinion, King said the atmosphere was cordial and "everybody seemed comfortable."

On Monday, the groups met with President Obama, Emanuel, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki and Steven Kosiak, director in charge of defense spending for the Office of Management and Budget.

The administration saw the plan as a way of raising more than $500 million in revenues for the Department of Veterans Affairs. However, veterans groups saw it is a violation of what they said is the government's moral obligation to treat veterans injured during service to their country.

In addition, they believed it would lead to veterans and their families losing their private insurance or premiums rising because of the high costs of treating many service-related injuries.

The head of the Senate Veterans Affairs committee, Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, said Tuesday his committee would "not advance any such legislation."

His counterpart in the House, Bob Filner, D-California, said his committee wouldn't take up the proposal either. In a statement released by his office, Filner said the idea is "DOA" and said the budget "cannot be balanced on the backs (or legs, or kidneys, or hearts) of our nation's combat-wounded heroes."

The president pushed back during the meeting on Monday, telling the groups that private insurance companies were getting a free ride. He challenged the veterans to come up with an alternative way to raise revenues.

AMVETS planned to propose that billings be pursued more aggressively for injuries not related to service.

But AMVETS director King said Emanuel didn't ask for suggestions in Wednesday's meeting.

A 2008 Government Accountability Office study found that about $1.7 billion in treatment that could have been charged to private insurance never was, nor was it collected by the VA.

Now that more details have surfaced about this issue, I think both sides have good points but Obama did overlook a few details:

a) Vet's families would be up sht's creek if they got sick and would need some type of alternative coverage. Maybe a plan that only charges 50% of the injury to private insurers (so they aren't completely off the hook) would be a good medium.

b) Premiums rising/families being dropped by private insurers. The government should ensure protection from this happening and push legislation that guarantees them protection. A possible solution would be for the gov to subsidize the difference in rising premiums to the national average (subsidizing rising prem < treating an injury).

c) Pre-existing conditions after service is up. Vets should have some type of exemption for war-related injuries that are long lasting and they should not be held against them when obtaining coverage as a civilian.

All in all, the government can be saving some money by not charging 100% of these costs to the VA, it's just a matter of how. Obama should have used a scalpel instead of a sword here and hopefully the VSO's will come up with a sufficient proposal. However, it doesn't exactly benefit them directly (i.e. raises a lot of money for the VA but vets will have to use up some of their personal coverage) so I'm skeptical.

 

[bbdub333]

The president p... challenged the veterans to come up with an alternative way to raise revenues.

What a piece of shit. He has hundreds of billions of dollars for "stimulus" pet projects, but can't find a few hundred million to pay for soldiers' injuries? Absolutely disgraceful.

 

[heyheybooboo]

Originally posted by: bbdub333

The president p... challenged the veterans to come up with an alternative way to raise revenues.

What a piece of shit. He has hundreds of billions of dollars for "stimulus" pet projects, but can't find a few hundred million to pay for soldiers' injuries? Absolutely disgraceful.

Comprehension problems?

This is not about service-related injuries.

A 2008 Government Accountability Office study found that about $1.7 billion in treatment that could have been charged to private insurance never was, nor was it collected by the VA.

 

[Dari]

Originally posted by: bbdub333

The president p... challenged the veterans to come up with an alternative way to raise revenues.

What a piece of shit. He has hundreds of billions of dollars for "stimulus" pet projects, but can't find a few hundred million to pay for soldiers' injuries? Absolutely disgraceful.

The stimulus package isn't an annual thing, genius.

 

[GTaudiophile]

Originally posted by: bbdub333

The president p... challenged the veterans to come up with an alternative way to raise revenues.

What a piece of shit. He has hundreds of billions of dollars for "stimulus" pet projects, but can't find a few hundred million to pay for soldiers' injuries? Absolutely disgraceful.

Nope, no money for those who fight for their country. While all those upstanding, productive citizens on welfare get more money from Uncle Sam.

I guess Mr. Obama holds the average welfare recipient (like Octomom) in higher esteem than our fighting men and women.

 

[SP33Demon]

Originally posted by: GTaudiophile

Originally posted by: bbdub333

The president p... challenged the veterans to come up with an alternative way to raise revenues.

What a piece of shit. He has hundreds of billions of dollars for "stimulus" pet projects, but can't find a few hundred million to pay for soldiers' injuries? Absolutely disgraceful.

Nope, no money for those who fight for their country. While all those upstanding, productive citizens on welfare get more money from Uncle Sam.

I guess Mr. Obama holds the average welfare recipient (like Octomom) in higher esteem than our fighting men and women.

Did you read the article? This is about raising/saving an additional 500 mil for the VA through charging soldiers' private insurance. They're not taking away VA money but trying to make it more efficient by privatizing it. The problem is that they can't completely privatize it without additional safeguards first b/c it will allow private healthcare companies to drop/deny them more coverage when it's maxed out.

 

[Budmantom]

Obama is going through the budget line by line, he decided to start with vets insurance.

 

[OutHouse]

Originally posted by: Dari

Originally posted by: bbdub333

The president p... challenged the veterans to come up with an alternative way to raise revenues.

What a piece of shit. He has hundreds of billions of dollars for "stimulus" pet projects, but can't find a few hundred million to pay for soldiers' injuries? Absolutely disgraceful.

The stimulus package isn't an annual thing, genius.

it has been for the past 3 years.... remember your first stimulus check you got from GWB?

 

[OutHouse]

Originally posted by: SP33Demon

Originally posted by: GTaudiophile

Originally posted by: bbdub333

The president p... challenged the veterans to come up with an alternative way to raise revenues.

What a piece of shit. He has hundreds of billions of dollars for "stimulus" pet projects, but can't find a few hundred million to pay for soldiers' injuries? Absolutely disgraceful.

Nope, no money for those who fight for their country. While all those upstanding, productive citizens on welfare get more money from Uncle Sam.

I guess Mr. Obama holds the average welfare recipient (like Octomom) in higher esteem than our fighting men and women.

Did you read the article? This is about raising/saving an additional 500 mil for the VA through charging soldiers' private insurance. They're not taking away VA money but trying to make it more efficient by privatizing it. The problem is that they can't completely privatize it without additional safeguards first b/c it will allow private healthcare companies to drop/deny them more coverage when it's maxed out.

i read it and its bullshit period. if the BO can bail out GM with BILLIONS he and his admin can take care of our wounded vets period end of story.

 

[SP33Demon]

Originally posted by: Citrix

Originally posted by: SP33Demon

Originally posted by: GTaudiophile

Originally posted by: bbdub333

The president p... challenged the veterans to come up with an alternative way to raise revenues.

What a piece of shit. He has hundreds of billions of dollars for "stimulus" pet projects, but can't find a few hundred million to pay for soldiers' injuries? Absolutely disgraceful.

Nope, no money for those who fight for their country. While all those upstanding, productive citizens on welfare get more money from Uncle Sam.

I guess Mr. Obama holds the average welfare recipient (like Octomom) in higher esteem than our fighting men and women.

Did you read the article? This is about raising/saving an additional 500 mil for the VA through charging soldiers' private insurance. They're not taking away VA money but trying to make it more efficient by privatizing it. The problem is that they can't completely privatize it without additional safeguards first b/c it will allow private healthcare companies to drop/deny them more coverage when it's maxed out.

i read it and its bullshit period. if the BO can bail out GM with BILLIONS he and his admin can take care of our wounded vets period end of story.

So you're against efficiency in our government? Hope you're not a fiscal conservative Republican or you're a hypocrite. This plan IS more efficient provided that safeguards are implemented to protect our soldiers from being exploited by the healthcare companies. Why the hell should our tax dollars completely pay for treatment when they have private insurance that just sits there unused? It's about waste and efficiency, it has nothing to do with "taking care of our wounded vets". They are going to get their care regardless.

 

[Slew Foot]

Having worked at a VA in the past, anyone who thinks the VA is any sort of model of efficiency is sorely mistaken.

 

[OutHouse]

Originally posted by: SP33Demon

Originally posted by: Citrix

Originally posted by: SP33Demon

Originally posted by: GTaudiophile

Originally posted by: bbdub333

The president p... challenged the veterans to come up with an alternative way to raise revenues.

What a piece of shit. He has hundreds of billions of dollars for "stimulus" pet projects, but can't find a few hundred million to pay for soldiers' injuries? Absolutely disgraceful.

Nope, no money for those who fight for their country. While all those upstanding, productive citizens on welfare get more money from Uncle Sam.

I guess Mr. Obama holds the average welfare recipient (like Octomom) in higher esteem than our fighting men and women.

Did you read the article? This is about raising/saving an additional 500 mil for the VA through charging soldiers' private insurance. They're not taking away VA money but trying to make it more efficient by privatizing it. The problem is that they can't completely privatize it without additional safeguards first b/c it will allow private healthcare companies to drop/deny them more coverage when it's maxed out.

i read it and its bullshit period. if the BO can bail out GM with BILLIONS he and his admin can take care of our wounded vets period end of story.

So you're against efficiency in our government? Hope you're not a fiscal conservative Republican or you're a hypocrite. This plan IS more efficient provided that safeguards are implemented to protect our soldiers from being exploited by the healthcare companies. Why the hell should our tax dollars completely pay for treatment when they have private insurance that just sits there unused? It's about waste and efficiency, it has nothing to do with "taking care of our wounded vets". They are going to get their care regardless.

oh God here is the ole "make government more efficient" bullshit argument. get a damn clue and think of others besides yourself for a change. this bullshit proposal would have hurt disabled veterans, their families and would make disabled veterans less desirable employees for companies worried about holding down health care cost. Also this plan would have led to veterans and their families paying higher premiums ? even raising premiums for everyone working for the same company.

I will give Obama credit for sitting down and listening to the veterans groups and taking their REAL concerns to heart and squashing this stupid idea.

 

[bbdub333]

Originally posted by: heyheybooboo
Comprehension problems?

This is not about service-related injuries.

A 2008 Government Accountability Office study found that about $1.7 billion in treatment that could have been charged to private insurance never was, nor was it collected by the VA.

You are obviously the one with comprehension problems. The entire issue is about trying to charge vets' private insurance to treat service related injuries, per the FIRST LINE OF THE STORY. The quote you provide is about the current issue of not collecting what already should be charged to private insurance.

AMVETS planned to propose that billings be pursued more aggressively for injuries not related to service.

That was their answer to Obama when he asked what they thought would be a better idea for raising money instead of his idea of charging service related injuries to private insurance.

Make sure you understand what is being talked about before you call others out.

Originally posted by: Dari

The stimulus package isn't an annual thing, genius.

You're right. 1 year of stimulus is equal to over 1,500 years of what Obama is trying to "save" with his plan.

Why the hell should our tax dollars completely pay for treatment when they have private insurance that just sits there unused?

Why the hell should a private company pay for treatment when the government sends me to a war zone?

 

[SP33Demon]

Originally posted by: Citrix

Originally posted by: SP33Demon

Originally posted by: Citrix

Originally posted by: SP33Demon

Originally posted by: GTaudiophile

Originally posted by: bbdub333

The president p... challenged the veterans to come up with an alternative way to raise revenues.

What a piece of shit. He has hundreds of billions of dollars for "stimulus" pet projects, but can't find a few hundred million to pay for soldiers' injuries? Absolutely disgraceful.

Nope, no money for those who fight for their country. While all those upstanding, productive citizens on welfare get more money from Uncle Sam.

I guess Mr. Obama holds the average welfare recipient (like Octomom) in higher esteem than our fighting men and women.

Did you read the article? This is about raising/saving an additional 500 mil for the VA through charging soldiers' private insurance. They're not taking away VA money but trying to make it more efficient by privatizing it. The problem is that they can't completely privatize it without additional safeguards first b/c it will allow private healthcare companies to drop/deny them more coverage when it's maxed out.

i read it and its bullshit period. if the BO can bail out GM with BILLIONS he and his admin can take care of our wounded vets period end of story.

So you're against efficiency in our government? Hope you're not a fiscal conservative Republican or you're a hypocrite. This plan IS more efficient provided that safeguards are implemented to protect our soldiers from being exploited by the healthcare companies. Why the hell should our tax dollars completely pay for treatment when they have private insurance that just sits there unused? It's about waste and efficiency, it has nothing to do with "taking care of our wounded vets". They are going to get their care regardless.

oh God here is the ole "make government more efficient" bullshit argument. get a damn clue and think of others besides yourself for a change. this bullshit proposal would have hurt disabled veterans, their families and would make disabled veterans less desirable employees for companies worried about holding down health care cost. Also this plan would have led to veterans and their families paying higher premiums ? even raising premiums for everyone working for the same company.

I will give Obama credit for sitting down and listening to the veterans groups and taking their REAL concerns to heart and squashing this stupid idea.

Read my original post and 3 points (a, b, and c) before posting, you may actually educate yourself and not look stupid before posting about topics that have been discussed in my proposed solution.

To everyone: Is it just me or are half of these idiots off their ADHD medication and not able to participate in a rational discussion? /rant

 

[SP33Demon]

Originally posted by: bbdub333

Why the hell should our tax dollars completely pay for treatment when they have private insurance that just sits there unused?

Why the hell should a private company pay for treatment when the government sends me to a war zone?

Why did the private company accept them for coverage in the first place then? They have a choice whether or not to provide coverage and should adequately screen better before agreeing to provide coverage. They will still make their money on raising premiums for everyone across the board which they do anyway.

If the goverment subsidized the difference on premiums rising, the gov would save money in the long run because premium difference < cost of treating an injury.

 

[brandonbull]

If they costs are due to service related injuries, the government should pay. If the injuries are not service related, then someone else pays. If the VA is paying for treatsments unrelated to service, then someone needs to fix the paroblem.

I don't get what the problem is. Is the government paying for treatment someone else should be responsible for or they trying to divert the costs to the private sector in hopes of starting the early stages of private subsidized national health care?

 

[lupi]

The vets that signed up during ww2 had till death health coverage as part of their contracts, how long did that last.

Trust the government on what they can taketh, on giveth not so much.

 

[Genx87]

The story is confusing because it interjects an unrelated item to the mix. Obama wanted to start charging private insurance for service related injury. The vets pushed back and congress wouldnt have taken it up anyways.

The 1.7 billion the VA failed to collect from private insurance or vets is an administration issue and imo has nothing to do with this situation. Fix the administration issue and get the money from people who use the VA for non-service related issues.

If they did the right thing and fixed the administration issue they would recoup 3x the money than they were trying to by fucking vets in the ass for service related injury care.

 

[AndrewR]

I think this issue falls under the "trying to do too much, too soon" argument which I've heard some levy against the Obama administration. As the OP says, there are some things which could have been done, but it doesn't appear that the legislation considered all of the issues thoroughly.

Maybe if we, as a nation, got off the "first 100 days" mentality, this would not have been an issue. Of course, veterans' groups, much like elderly groups such as AARP, can be very intractable and resistent to anything which remotely impacts benefits, cost be damned. And, yes, I am a vet.