With Obama’s administration all set to make amendments, a common talked about plan that is gaining momentum is to lay the charges on private health insurance for treatments of service-related illness of veterans. Currently, these costs are borne by the Department of Veterans Affairs. This is a proposed change that has evoked outrage from many veterans’ groups.
Leaders from 11 major veterans’ organizations have thereby signed a letter to President Obama that mentions this consideration to be completely unacceptable. This would be a complete abrogation of legal responsibility and moral obligation of the government towards people who have never cared to lay their lives for the freedom of the country, the letter adds.
Many veteran group leaders have met officials from Obama administration recently to discuss about the complete VA budget. Eric Shinseki, Secretary of Veterans Affairs confirmed last week that the plan to increase charges on private health insurance of veterans is being though upon but that it is not formal proposal as yet.
At present, the entire cost for medical ailments that relates to military service is covered by VA and third-party insurers are billed for the non-service injuries. Like, if any veteran has got flu, personal insurance of the veteran bears the charges. But if the injury is service-related and needs prosthetics or hearing aids, the cost is covered by VA.
Veteran groups are anxious about the fact that shifting the costs towards private insurance would lead to:
• Increased premium payments for veterans
• Increased difficulties to seek and hold on to health insurance by the injured veterans
• Discouragement of employers from appointing disabled veterans
• Making war injury as the pre-existing condition may be.
Lately, these points have not directly been attended to by The White House as yet. However, it has been made quite clear by the president that meeting veterans’ needs is on his priority list for sure, so he has forwarded a request for an increase by 11 percent in the 2010 discretionary funding. He also mentioned that administration is working actively with veteran community in order to fix the budget details properly.
It is quite likely that this plan would face a huge opposition from Congress, if it at all turns into a formal suggestion.
Sen. Richard Burr, who is a ranking member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, says that the main purpose of the creation of VA was to care for people who have been brave enough to fight for the country without giving a thought to their own safety. So, it is our responsibility to care for the injuries sustained by these brave men while serving the country.
Though everyone is aware about the financial crisis faced by the country but putting this burden onto the shoulders that have already sacrificed so much for the country’s welfare, is unconscionable, clears the Veterans’ letter written to the president.
At present, the federal government looks for the reimbursement of $2.5 billion from the third-party payers for the money needed for health services of veterans. This amount is expected to increase by almost 36 percent as the reimbursement collectible would soar to $3.4 billion with the new 2010 fiscal budget proposed by Obama. However, no specifications have been released, so everyone is waiting for April 2009.
