And the cuts begin

Pima

10-Year Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2007
Messages
13,900
Well isn't this one great!
http://www.ajc.com/services/content/news/stories/2009/03/17/veterans_insurance.html
The Obama administration is considering making veterans use private insurance to pay for treatment of combat and service-related injuries....“Veterans of all generations agree that this proposal is bad for the country and bad for veterans,” said Paul Rieckhoff, executive director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. “If the president and the OMB (Office of Management and Budget) want to cut costs, they can start at AIG, not the VA.”

“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.”

I guess the salt marsh mouse, honey bees, mormon crickets and the parking lot for the little league in Puerto Rico means more to our govt than giving medical for our military, who actually are living, breathing HUMAN BEINGS! Also doesn't he understand that when you seperate from the military there is a big medical examination done, thus, any company they go to privately have those records (disability pay) and can claim it is pre-existing and deny to pay them? So if private companies say no, all that accomplished was hurting the VA
The one most of
interest to Retired Military is in Article 189. If approved by Congress the
first assault wave would hit the beaches in 2011 and would hit hard. It
would initiate cost sharing to require retirees to pay the first $525 of
medical cost and 50% of the next $4,725 for a first year cost of $2,888 per
person. It would be indexed to increase with inflation.

So glad Bullet did 20 yrs so they could now do this to us...my guess our DS will not have any medical coverage when he retires.
Add onto this
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2009/03/17/gates_readies_big_cuts_in_weapons/

Two defense officials who were not authorized to speak publicly said Gates will announce up to a half-dozen major weapons cancellations later this month. Candidates include a new Navy destroyer, the Air Force's F-22 fighter jet, and Army ground-combat vehicles, the offi cials said.

More cuts are planned for later this year after a review that could lead to reductions in programs such as aircraft carriers and nuclear arms, the officials said.

All I keep envisioning is when you are already buckled in on the roller coaster and left the gate, you see the sign that says if you have high blood pressure, pregnant, heart problems, etc you should not take this ride. That is what we have now...you are already on the ride, but now you are being told that maybe you shouldn't have gotten on it.
 
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Speaking of high blood pressure, mine just went through the roof!

I had seen the proposal for retirees and was unhappy about that. But the proposal to refuse to pay for treatment of combat and service-related injuries is unbelievable! Thank you for putting your life on the line to serve your country. We're sorry that you were severely injured and are now disabled, but it's not our problem. Go buy some private insurance to pay for your treatment - as if any insurance company would provide coverage.

I was so proud that our daughter is seriously considering going active duty Navy after she graduates from KP. If this goes through, we will be counseling her against doing that.

How not to help recruitment and retention in time of war!
 
There's a lot of people who have additional health care, and pay for it, when if fact they are just wasting their money. If it's a service connected medical, then the VA should be paying for it. End of discussion. For all other things, you should have Tricare or something else. We only have Tricare Prime. I don't use the employee health care at work. Neither does my wife. I have no reason to pay additional premiums for something I don't need to pay for. Now if a person wants to pay for supplemental insurance, go for it. But why you wife would have additional health care; unless it's free; when tricare is available; I don't know why.
 
When GWOT kicked off, I heard a lot of people complaining about the damage some of the Clinton era cuts did. (20/20 Hindsight can be a B, can't it?) Now, while we are involved in two wars, sounds like a PERFECT time to start military cuts!:mad:

...Why do we need to cut $540 million for people wounded in defense of our contry, when we can spend multiple TRILLIONS on failing companies? If you are going to completely screw over the next several generations with massive debt, you might as well tack on a measly extra half-billion.
 
I don't use the employee health care at work. Neither does my wife.

I think you should be required to use employee health plans. It would probably be an accountability and accounting nightmare, but it would save DoD money.
 
You know I find it hard to control my Anger with you right now OG, but I will...go pound sand!!!@
 
Wow. that was rude. I though that everyone was entitled to their own OPINIONS.
 
I think you should be required to use employee health plans. It would probably be an accountability and accounting nightmare, but it would save DoD money.

Tell you what oldgrad; you pay the premiums and deductibles and I'll use it. If not; then DITTO DS. I paid my dues with my service. And forget me for a second, but if you think that any military member that served should give back any of the benefits they were promised and entitled to; then I don't consider you part of the military that I served in. later... mike....
 
We will not have personal attacks on the forum. If you disagree with something another member has posted, state why you disagree in civil terms. There is no room here for name calling or for telling others to pound sand.

We are not in kindergarten any longer.
 
I always wondered....

So my hubby is retired USAF and now works for boeing...

Regence Blue Shield is primary since it is with his current work but tricare is secondary.. when I have had surgeries etc.. Regence pays, but tricare as our secondary doesnt pay a dime SINCE they have a policy (according to them)that they don't pay anything if the primary insurance pays more towards the claim then they would...... okay..

now IF I go on base the clinic charges Regence, Regence pays but tricare pays nothing.... BUT since we ARE PAYING for the service .. why are retirees on the bottom of the list for care?? after all wouldnt serving the ones that they make money off of seems like a better deal??? am I totally crazy for thinking that? I can't imagine that I am the only one...

-------------
so here is my dad, a 82 yr old Veteran (28 yrs, WWII, Korea and Twice in Vietnam) he has tricare for life and medicare... this all costs him $$$$$
its just not fair... he is 100% disabled .. any problems he has are related to his service time............
 
I would like to apologize if this is my last post since I appear to have lashed out earlier, but this is an area that is very close to my heart. I would not presume to instruct another retiree and direct his choice of healthcare options. It is also significantly different growing up as a dependent and a beneficiary then it is to be the one whose service earned that benefit. It was EARNED, not granted , but EARNED. Something I don’t expect the President or his administration to understand.
 
I'm in full agreement with you DS. I can understand a non-military member having an unappreciated opinion of military member's benefits such as health care. To some, they may even see it as a government taxpayer giveaway; and even a waste of money. But I can understand their ignorance. I can't however understand how anyone; if they actually spent time in the military; could debate the validity of military benefits. Even the person that spent 4 years or 20 years and never went to a war zone should understand that such benefits are a small token of what the military member either did sacrifice or potentially was willing to sacrifice for their country. And to be honest; OldGrad totally caught me off guard. I have never met a military member that believed that their benefits were excessive and should be given back. If he would like to not use tricare or any other military benefit or facility, he is free to do that. But to even suggest that someone else shouldn't is over the top. There's a difference between stating an opinion and not knowing what you're talking about. And being he doesn't know anything about me, then that means suggesting how I should provide for my family means he doesn't know what he's talking about.

But I will say that whenever possible, I never utilize military facilities if I even think it will cause an active duty person to have to wait or miss out. I.e. if there's some sort of sale on base, I won't go. I hope that it allows one more active duty military or their family to have the chance of taking advantage of the sale. Same with commissary shopping. We only go about once a month and we only go on Sundays. This frees up the more convenient times for the active duty folks and their families.

Anyway; I for one appreciate your posts and input to these forums. And I know what it's like to get passionate with posts. I've definitely had my share of those. And it's a shame that Obama and his minions have little to no idea what the military goes through for them and the rest of the country. And to even consider a cut in medical, or in any way charging the military members, or half of what he implies is ridiculous. He definitely knows very little about what he's doing.
 
Given-when a 38 year old military retiree leaves the service, he should be 'guaranteed' medical coverage for life. I guess my issue is who should provide it.

All enterprises employing over 10 persons, I think, are required by federal law to provide health coverage. It is a normal part of doing business. Employers expect it. When an employee ops out of it, who does it benefit? Not the employee who will receive the same coverage regardless. Not the taxpayer who will be footing a bill that the employer should cover. Not DoD who will have an increase in their retiree health dollars. No, it is only benefiting the employer. Is this right? I don't think so.

Like I stated in my initial post, the accounting for premiums, etc. to ensure that the retiree does not have additional out-of-pocket expenses might prove burdensome, but definitely doable. tpg has so kindly pointed out how the system works with Tricare being the secondary insurer. No major issues there.

Definitely worth looking into, I think, as our government faces more austere times. The Bush Administration did suggest it a few years ago. However, other more pressing Veterans issues put it on the back burner.
 
We will not have personal attacks on the forum. If you disagree with something another member has posted, state why you disagree in civil terms. There is no room here for name calling or for telling others to pound sand.

We are not in kindergarten any longer.

Where is there any name calling. In case we haven't looked at the news in awhile, name calling is common place in a Gibbs press conference.
 
All enterprises employing over 10 persons, I think, are required by federal law to provide health coverage. It is a normal part of doing business.


that is just not true... that is why there is so much flack to walmart and other big companies... healt care benefits are just that...
 
come on.. we all know that the Army, navy and air force doctors are the ones that are suppose to provide the care for the AD, families and RET. BUT currently there are so many of them deployed that the clinics and hospitals are hiring PAs to work in the clinics and the like.. instead of sending more nurses aids into training and paying for it, they are opting to contract nurses at 30-60 bux an hour.. My dad spent some time at Madigan army med center
he was treated by both civilians and AD members..

E-4s and E-5 nurses aids (they want to go to school as nurses.. it would be cheaper for the military to send them and get more from them)

A friend of mine just recently retired from a clinic there.. he was the chief of the clinic, he was a Col (full birds make nice bucks), Now he has been re-hired as a making MORE money then he did on AD, and getting benefits on top of his tricare (from his restired duty).
 
LITS, please do not address Moderation activities. In the future should you find something to be a problem, contact any of our moderation staff in a private message. This has been discussed on many occasions.

Thank you for your cooperation.
 
Manipulate the facts anyway you want to prove your point, however, you will never be able to defend the position.

Military members that stayed long enough put free medical care into their equation. They did their 20 and now they are told that the govt will not pay for the disabilities incurred while on duty.

We have additional insurance and Tri-Care is our secondary, but the reality is those medical issues occurred due to them and not our current employer. The country made a promise for the military members sacrifice in defense of our country, to reneg on it is disgraceful!

Disgusting is all I can say. They gave decades to our country and our lawmakers would rather spend 335 million on condoms than medical care for our citizens that spent 12 mos+ in the desert!

Given-when a 38 year old military retiree leaves the service, he should be 'guaranteed' medical coverage for life. I guess my issue is who should provide it

To me there is no question the 38 that dedicated 20 yrs with the belief that the military would give free medical coverage MEANS the govt must fulfill their end of the contract...they said that he/she will have lifetime medical coverage. How would you feel if the military member at 10 yrs said to DOD I have decided that I will only take specific assignments and I have renogotiated our agreement without your input! That is what they are doing...they made a committment to the service member and have now changed the contractual agreement
 
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This is a very simple, and now a pattern forming tactic that the Libs currently holding the place at the White House do; it's called a smoke screen.
The goal is Nationalized Health care and this is just a tactic used to enrage the military, and then Barry unveils his plan for all Americans.

Who knows, maybe while he's yucking it up on Jay Leno's Tonight show, he might unveil his latest savior socialistic plan. /vomit :thumbdown:
 
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