Veterans deserve better

While they definitely deserve better than they currently get, they most certainly don't deserve this.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/03/10/veterans.health.insurance/

Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki confirmed Tuesday that the Obama administration is considering a controversial plan to make veterans pay for treatment of service-related injuries with private insurance.

We all know that private health insurance companies will pay for someone who left their leg behind in Iraq or pay for medications for someone who has seizures due to a plate in the head.  We also know that insurance is very affordable for people with pre-existing conditions.  [/snark]

The groups also cited an increase in "third-party collections" estimated in the 2010 budget proposal -- something they said could be achieved only if the Veterans Administration started billing for service-related injuries.

Asked about the proposal, Shinseki said it was under "consideration."

"A final decision hasn't been made yet," he said.

So if the vet has no insurance and is getting care through the VA, under this proposal, they would still get billed.  Nice.

"I believe that veterans with service-connected injuries have already paid by putting their lives on the line," Murray said in her remarks. "I don't think we should nickel and dime them for their care."

They already are nickled and dimed, but she is right about the first part.  They've paid and they've paid dearly.

At the time, a White House spokesman would neither confirm nor deny the option was being considered.

Of course not.  If he confirms it before it has a chance to get anywhere, he knows it is dead in the water.  He can't deny it, because he would, later down the road, be caught lying.  Not that lying would be anything new for this administration.