What's this I hear from a repuke friend about Obama asking the military

[crim son]

to get health insurance to cover service-related health problems? Does anybody have a link?

On edit: Thanks! I have what I need. Interesting how this really pisses off some repukes.

[RJ Connors]

1. If it is a Republican friend you got the info from, the link will be

http://www.Freerepublic.com

[hlthe2b]

2. or Drudge... I believe it has been repeatedly debunked...

But, don't have time to search for the DU posts that discussed, sorry.

[ColbertWatcher]

3. I can make a link up real quick ... hang on ...

(PLEASE STAND BY AS COLBERT WATCHER CREATES A LINK TO SUPPORT A GOP LIE)

[ColbertWatcher]

4. Here ya go ... a link everyone can add to ...

http://www.wikiality.com/Our_Troops#Support_.26_Care

(Just make sure you register a free account so you can hide your IP address)

[biopowertoday]

5. The WH has/is considering it. Goggle DU--discussion yesterday

[Dave From Canada]

6. Associated Press

http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20090316/pl_usnw/the_american_legion_strongly_opposed_to_president_s_plan_to_charge_wounded_heroes_for_treatment

[zbdent]

7. I think this sums up the complainer ...

"Rehbein presented Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, with the Legion's Distinguished Public Service Award."

link to the Legion story ... http://ourvoice.legion.org/story/1438/legionnaires-visit-hill-during-dc-conference

[biopowertoday]

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

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

[WeDidIt]

9. I think it's a win-win for Obama

It demonstrates the absurdity of privatized medical insurance.

[RamboLiberal]

10. Try this one - heard Paul Rieckhoff had a meeting with Pres Obama

WASHINGTON | The Obama administration is considering a plan to make veterans use private insurance to pay for treatment of combat and service-related injuries.

The proposal would be an about-face on what veterans think is a longstanding pledge to pay for health-care costs that result from their military service.

In a White House meeting Monday, veterans groups apparently failed to persuade President Barack Obama to take the plan off the table.

“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 (ailing insurance giant) AIG, not the VA.”

http://primebuzz.kcstar.com/?q=node/17662

[Swede Atlanta]

11. Not enough facts......

I have heard various reports on this. Some suggest that Obama is going to require vets to purchase private insurance to have any benefits, others see this as a program under which some vets would be covered under a private insurance plan that allows them to obtain benefits from private providers.

Today, the VA health care is closed. You are either in or out of the plan. What I understand is that the Obama administration wants to open the care program by providing the appropriate type of care plan for the individual. If you are a vet living in Wyoming with few VA resources and vast open spaces, it may be better for the VA to fund a private insurance policy that allows the individual to seek care from private/public providers in their area.

I'm no expert on what is proposed but I think the key is that Obama wants to find ways to EXPAND VA benefits and not take them away. Remember that Bush-Cheney charged soldiers for their body armor. Now that is what I call "I support our troops".

[TornadoTN]

13. Agreed. We need more substantive facts before we jump to conclusions here

Unlike the GOP, who are going to have a field day with this, we like to find out the facts before we make baseless or half-cocked conclusions.

On its face, it sounds like a really bad move from a P.R. standpoint. But the factors are unclear and after a little searching, it actually sounds like it is an attempt to expand the program beyond what they can do under the current system.

I'll wait until I find out more about this before I get concerned. But make no mistake, the right wing will frame this one every way they can. I hope Team Obama gets out in front of this quick or otherwise we are in for a flood of rabid right wing emails and meltdowns.

[Joanne98]

12. I thought they hated socialism?

[burning rain]

14. Just for "thee," not for "me."

#

[FLDCVADem]

15. Trying to get veterans to use private insurance isn't new

When I was active duty (retired two years ago), every trip to the military doctor included me signing a form stating that either a) I wasn't covered by a civilian policy, either my own or my spouse's or b) I was covered by a civilian policy, in which case I would have to provide the policy info so that the military could bill them.

And in 2007, Congress passed a law that effectively discourages military members from using the retiree health care benefits that we earned.