- Joined
- Mar 10, 2001
- Messages
- 17,198
I'd always thought once a veteran, always a veteran. But apparently that isn't so. Are we to decide that some veterans deserve service, while others don't. If we decide that now, will we further reduce benefits for other classes of veterans in the future. Now I understand the may be the VA Administrators way of saying "Hey, there's a problem here". But why does he need to do so in the first place. While the Bush Administration proposes yet another tax decrease, they are silent about this reduction of benefits. Is this how "Compassionate Conservatism " works? If you watch the actions, not listen to the the rhetoric, one gets a rather different picture. Will we now discount what is available to our veterans as policy?
VA to start limiting care to some veterans
By AP and Journal staff
WASHINGTON The Veterans Affairs Department will suspend enrollment today for higher-income vets seeking health care for nonmilitary related ailments such as heart disease and diabetes.
The suspension, scheduled to last through 2003, goes against VA policy set in 1996, when Congress ordered the agency to open health care to nearly all veterans. The change is expected to affect about 164,000 veterans.
In a statement Thursday, Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., called the suspension of benefits appalling and extremely disappointing.
"At a time the Bush administration is considering sending our men and women in uniform into battle, they're choosing to push a trillion-dollar tax cut for the wealthiest instead of taking care of those that have already served," Daschle spokesman Jay Carson said.
Carson said Daschle believes the action sends a terrible message and is unacceptable. Daschle will continue his fight for increased funding for veterans, Carson said.
"The senator will also continue to make the case that American veterans need to receive the health-care coverage they have been promised more than the wealthiest in America need a tax cut," Carson said.
The chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., said the decision was disappointing but "underscores the need to develop long-term solutions to VA's health-care funding problems."
In an interview with The Associated Press, VA Secretary Anthony Principi said the agency has been struggling to provide adequate health care to a rapidly rising number of veterans. The VA's patient population ballooned from 2.9 million in 1996 to 6.8 million today, Principi said.
"People might say, Well, Mr. Secretary, what kind of message does this send to people who may deploy to the Persian Gulf?"' Principi said.
"I have a son in the Gulf, who may deploy to Iraq, who may fight a war if the president chooses. I think it sends a positive message that the VA is there for those who are disabled in uniform. The VA is there for men and women who come back and, within the first two years, need VA health care."
Ronald Conley, American Legion national commander, agreed with Principi that Congress has not provided the agency enough money to fulfill its mandate to provide care to nearly all veterans.
"The Congress of the United States has to properly fund it, and this is the bottom line. And the president has to go to Congress and tell them they have to fund it," Conley said.
Principi said he expects President Bush to propose a 7.7 percent increase in the VA's health-care budget for 2004, but he said it would not be enough.
The enrollment suspension applies to those considered the lowest priority for benefits, called Category 8 veterans. Those veterans are not suffering from ailments caused by their military service, such as complications surrounding a war or training injury.
Category 8 income levels vary, depending on residence and marital status. For instance, unmarried veterans making more than $38,100 in Atlanta or more than $29,200 in New Bedford, Mass., would be considered Category 8 veterans.
The 6.8 million veterans already enrolled in the VA, including 1.4 million Category 8 veterans, would not be affected by Principi's decision. The VA estimates that about 164,000 Category 8 veterans would have enrolled this year.
The suspension of benefits did not surprise Jeff Honeycutt, chief of community affairs at Fort Meade VA Medical Center. Honeycutt said Category 8, or Priority 8, was added to the VA's list of enrollment-priority groups in December. The new group added a geographic factor for computing veterans' eligibility for benefits, he said.
A nonmarried veteran living in Rapid City making more than $27,600 would fall into Category 8.
Nonmarried veterans living in Meade or Fall River counties and making more than $25,100 would be considered Category 8 veterans.
"The key point that we want to make is that veterans who are already enrolled will not be effected by this decision," Honeycutt said.
About 18.2 million U.S. veterans do not use VA health care.
Principi, who is mandated by law to review enrollments every year, had warned Congress last session that he might be forced to limit enrollments if lawmakers did not approve a proposed $1,500 deductible for higher-income veterans.
Congress balked at the proposal, which was criticized heavily by some veterans groups.
Principi said the VA needs the enrollment "time out" to get a handle on its current workload and reduce waiting times that can be as long as six months.
Meanwhile, he said he and Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson would try to work through regulations to allow the VA to be reimbursed for services provided to Medicare-eligible veterans, generally those over 65 years old.
In the interest of full disclosure, I need to acknowledge that I am a Veteran of a foreign war with a service connected disability. I am not currently affected by this new ruling.
VA to start limiting care to some veterans
By AP and Journal staff
WASHINGTON The Veterans Affairs Department will suspend enrollment today for higher-income vets seeking health care for nonmilitary related ailments such as heart disease and diabetes.
The suspension, scheduled to last through 2003, goes against VA policy set in 1996, when Congress ordered the agency to open health care to nearly all veterans. The change is expected to affect about 164,000 veterans.
In a statement Thursday, Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., called the suspension of benefits appalling and extremely disappointing.
"At a time the Bush administration is considering sending our men and women in uniform into battle, they're choosing to push a trillion-dollar tax cut for the wealthiest instead of taking care of those that have already served," Daschle spokesman Jay Carson said.
Carson said Daschle believes the action sends a terrible message and is unacceptable. Daschle will continue his fight for increased funding for veterans, Carson said.
"The senator will also continue to make the case that American veterans need to receive the health-care coverage they have been promised more than the wealthiest in America need a tax cut," Carson said.
The chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., said the decision was disappointing but "underscores the need to develop long-term solutions to VA's health-care funding problems."
In an interview with The Associated Press, VA Secretary Anthony Principi said the agency has been struggling to provide adequate health care to a rapidly rising number of veterans. The VA's patient population ballooned from 2.9 million in 1996 to 6.8 million today, Principi said.
"People might say, Well, Mr. Secretary, what kind of message does this send to people who may deploy to the Persian Gulf?"' Principi said.
"I have a son in the Gulf, who may deploy to Iraq, who may fight a war if the president chooses. I think it sends a positive message that the VA is there for those who are disabled in uniform. The VA is there for men and women who come back and, within the first two years, need VA health care."
Ronald Conley, American Legion national commander, agreed with Principi that Congress has not provided the agency enough money to fulfill its mandate to provide care to nearly all veterans.
"The Congress of the United States has to properly fund it, and this is the bottom line. And the president has to go to Congress and tell them they have to fund it," Conley said.
Principi said he expects President Bush to propose a 7.7 percent increase in the VA's health-care budget for 2004, but he said it would not be enough.
The enrollment suspension applies to those considered the lowest priority for benefits, called Category 8 veterans. Those veterans are not suffering from ailments caused by their military service, such as complications surrounding a war or training injury.
Category 8 income levels vary, depending on residence and marital status. For instance, unmarried veterans making more than $38,100 in Atlanta or more than $29,200 in New Bedford, Mass., would be considered Category 8 veterans.
The 6.8 million veterans already enrolled in the VA, including 1.4 million Category 8 veterans, would not be affected by Principi's decision. The VA estimates that about 164,000 Category 8 veterans would have enrolled this year.
The suspension of benefits did not surprise Jeff Honeycutt, chief of community affairs at Fort Meade VA Medical Center. Honeycutt said Category 8, or Priority 8, was added to the VA's list of enrollment-priority groups in December. The new group added a geographic factor for computing veterans' eligibility for benefits, he said.
A nonmarried veteran living in Rapid City making more than $27,600 would fall into Category 8.
Nonmarried veterans living in Meade or Fall River counties and making more than $25,100 would be considered Category 8 veterans.
"The key point that we want to make is that veterans who are already enrolled will not be effected by this decision," Honeycutt said.
About 18.2 million U.S. veterans do not use VA health care.
Principi, who is mandated by law to review enrollments every year, had warned Congress last session that he might be forced to limit enrollments if lawmakers did not approve a proposed $1,500 deductible for higher-income veterans.
Congress balked at the proposal, which was criticized heavily by some veterans groups.
Principi said the VA needs the enrollment "time out" to get a handle on its current workload and reduce waiting times that can be as long as six months.
Meanwhile, he said he and Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson would try to work through regulations to allow the VA to be reimbursed for services provided to Medicare-eligible veterans, generally those over 65 years old.
In the interest of full disclosure, I need to acknowledge that I am a Veteran of a foreign war with a service connected disability. I am not currently affected by this new ruling.
