Obama To Make Military Wounded Pay for Own Treatment

I'm trying very, very hard to not use any of the Seven Words You Can't Say on Television to describe the latest Obamination.

Get this: The Obama administration is going forward with a plan that makes a wounded veteran get reembursement for treatment for his wounds.... from his own insurance company, NOT from the U.S. Government.

This can only be described as a deliberate in-your-face to every veteran who ever wore the American uniform.

For example:

You are working at X Corp. You're called up to go to Iraq. While in Iraq, you are wounded by a roadside bomb.

Who has to pay for your treatment?

Your Own Insurance Company.

Not the United States Government.

Not the people of the United States.

Your Own Insurance.

Or: You get home.

You are missing your left leg and part of your right hand.

Who is responsible for paying for your medical treatment?

Your own insurance company.

And if you can't get insurance? Tough.

I. am. not. making. this. up.

Below is a press release from The American Legion. Apparently the head of the AL met today with the Obamessiah and he openly rejected their protest.

Since it's a press release, and intended for unlimited distribution, I'm reproducing the American Legion piece in its entirety.

The American Legion Strongly Opposed to President's Plan to Charge
Wounded Heroes for Treatment

To: POLITICAL EDITORS
Contact: Craig Roberts of The American Legion,
+1-202-263-2982 Office, +1-202-406-0887 Cell

WASHINGTON, March 16

/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The leader of the nation's largest veterans organization says he is "deeply disappointed and concerned" after a meeting with President Obama today to discuss a proposal to force private insurance companies to pay for the treatment of military veterans who have suffered service-connected disabilities and injuries. The Obama administration recently revealed a plan to require private insurance carriers to reimburse the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in such cases.

"It became apparent during our discussion today that the President intends to move forward with this unreasonable plan," said Commander David K. Rehbein of The American Legion. He says he is looking to generate $540-million by this method, but refused to hear arguments about the moral and government-avowed obligations that would be compromised by it."

The Commander, clearly angered as he emerged from the session said, "This reimbursement plan would be inconsistent with the mandate 'to care for him who shall have borne the battle' given that the United States government sent members of the armed forces into harm's way, and not private insurance companies. I say again that The American Legion does not and will not support any plan that seeks to bill a veteran for treatment of a service connected disability at the very agency that was created to treat the unique need of America's veterans!"

Commander Rehbein was among a group of senior officials from veterans service organizations joining the President, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki and Steven Kosiak, the overseer of defense spending at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The group's early afternoon conversation at The White House was precipitated by a letter of protest presented to the President earlier this month.

The letter, co-signed by Commander Rehbein and the heads of ten colleague organizations, read, in part, " There is simply no logical explanation for billing a veteran's personal insurance for care that the VA has a responsibility to provide. While we understand the fiscal difficulties this country faces right now, placing the burden of those fiscal problems on the men and women who have already sacrificed a great deal for this country is unconscionable."

Commander Rehbein reiterated points made last week in testimony to both House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees. It was stated then that The American Legion believes that the reimbursement plan would be inconsistent with the mandate that VA treat service-connected injuries and disabilities given that the United States government sends members of the armed forces into harm's way, and not private insurance companies. The proposed requirement for these companies to reimburse the VA would not only be unfair, says the Legion, but would have an adverse impact on service-connected disabled veterans and their families.

The Legion argues that, depending on the severity of the medical conditions involved, maximum insurance coverage limits could be reached through treatment of the veteran's condition alone. That would leave the rest of the family without health care benefits. The Legion also points out that many health insurance companies require deductibles to be paid before any benefits are covered.

Additionally, the Legion is concerned that private insurance premiums would be elevated to cover service-connected disabled veterans and their families, especially if the veterans are self-employed or employed in small businesses unable to negotiate more favorable across-the-board insurance policy pricing.

The American Legion also believes that some employers, especially small businesses, would be reluctant to hire veterans with service-connected disabilities due to the negative impact their employment might have on obtaining and financing company health care benefits.

"I got the distinct impression that the only hope of this plan not being enacted," said Commander Rehbein, "is for an alternative plan to be developed that would generate the desired $540-million in revenue. The American Legion has long advocated for Medicare reimbursement to VA for the treatment of veterans. This, we believe, would more easily meet the President's financial goal. We will present that idea in an anticipated conference call with White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel in the near future.

"I only hope the administration will really listen to us then. This matter has far more serious ramifications than the President is imagining," concluded the Commander.

SOURCE The American Legion.

And this by a guy who never once wore an American uniform. Not for a minute.

ADDENDUM MARCH 17, 2009 0800 hrs

Compare and contrast to the veteran in the story immediately above this one.

ADDENDUM MARCH 17, 2009 1600 hrs

[R]eaction on Capitol Hill to the idea has been swift and harsh.

“Dead on arrival” is how Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington described the idea.

“ . . . when our troops are injured while serving our country, we should take care of those injuries completely,” Murray, a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, told a hearing last week.

If Patsy "Loonie Lefty" Murray, of all people, is against this thing .... "Mistah Kurz, he daid."

A quick reminder for our President: We have three branches of government, sir, of which you happen to control only one.