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Just the idea of it is insulting. The fact that it is being considered is shameful. Although I don't believe this country would allow the Obama administration to get away with this, I'm sorry the troops know it was even thought of.

What part of the insurance companies paying don't you republicans understand?

haven't read much on veteran issues but this doesn't sound right. the government should provide legal and moral responsibilities to care for the service-related injuries our brave men & women received because they were on the front line defending our country's freedom. especially, they are often being sacrifice not solely for war but shameless political agenda as well.

of course, if they are employed after they return from service, the post-service injuries will be a different story.

Will Clemins March 10th, 2009 5:08 pm ET
"We Americans love it the way it was before the dems screwed it all up trying to buy perpetual votes of the "poor, sick, disabled, downtrodden, helpless, etc"

"We Americans"??? So Will, the only "real" Americans out of the 350+ million legal US citizens are the ones who agree with you?
Yeah, whatever......hope all that anger gives you heartburn.

What most of you do not know is that retired military vets already pay for their health care. I am a retired vet and when I went on active duty I was promised free healthcare for life if i served 20 years. After serving 24 years I was told I would have to pay an annual fee for my care. Our elected officials have done nothing but taken away almost every benefit we were promised. If it were their benefits you can be sure they would get them for free.

As a member of the Veterans Administration Health Plan and a VIETNAM "COMBAT" VETERAN. I have private insurance with the Aetna PPO plan and have chosen to use the VA for my RX, Lab and Doctor visits. They have given me caring and professional service on each and EVERY visit. Not to mention the free pnemonia and flu shot clinics each year/etc.. I have always paid a copay and they then bill Aetna for the remainder of the services. Aetna gladly pays the difference as it is much cheaper than it would cost on the outside in the private medical system. This has been the case now for the past 5 years that I have been part of their healthcare system.
Those of us who can afford to pay something should do so which allows those who can not to receive the free care they earned and deserve.
I can not understand all the fuss because those Vets unable to pay will always continue to receive free care.

Every worthless low-life in the country gets money from the Obama gang but if you're one of the country's heroes, as our military vets are, you only get the shaft.

Change you can believe in.

Republicans kill me with the dumbnesia... Most republicans voted against benefits for vets. What is it about having a political party makes people so ridiculous? Why can't people function on common sense? Why would the party make the difference? As an independent the Democratic approach helps more, and right now, what people need is help.

This is yet another example of CNN making news as long as the administration looks bad. We never see any thing negative on the GOP on this blog. Why!!!..because CNN is carrying water for the Republicans

Please help my son,he had a serious head injury,thats why he wont come out of the cellar and listens to Rush Limbaugh all day and night.

@ Will Clemins, who made fun of "trying to buy perpetual votes of the "poor, sick, disabled, downtrodden, helpless, etc"."

Please visit Ellis Island.

A final note on the 'proposed' bill. The largest group lobbying on behalf of the Army has nothing in its alerts or files about this matter. If it was of grave concern, the group would be all over Congress and the President.
For the Bush loving right wing, watch for this one. It shows how much concern the republicans have for their Army."The Pentagon allegedly endangered U.S. soldiers by implementing and covering-up dangerously toxic waste-incineration practices at Balad Airbase in Iraq during years past, as revealed in a leaked Air Force memo" Story broke today-AF memor dated 2006. I don't recall Obama being in the WH then.

I'm in no way surprised at this ! Imagine if Bush had suggested this ? Typical Democratic disgust towards our armed forces ! HEY, Next time to save more money, just make them pay their way home from overseas !

Not only do I disagree with the idea of billing a private insurance company for injuries sustained during military duty, I believe the administration should find a way to do even more for my fellow Brothers and Sisters in Arms. My solution to this problem, and I know a lot of you will balk at me, is to raise taxes to help pay for the care of wounded vets. What makes the US Military so great, is that it is all volunteer. No one is here that doesn't want to be here. Without us, the simple freedoms everyone enjoys, such as blogging here, would not exist. To the 1% of Americans who have EVER chosen this life of hardship and served this great nation, I am proud to be counted among your ranks. To the other 99%, freedom truly isn't free, it is paid for in blood by brave men and women. You will never know what it is like to walk a mile in our boots, and I am not asking you to do so. What I am asking is, please, defend out Vets, tighten the belt a little, spend a little less on the luxuries you enjoy, and spend a little more taking care of those few who have sacrificed so much for so many.

Some of you sound ridiculous. How is Obama Marxist and Socialist by making veterans pay for their own insurance? That sounds like a Republican move to me.

Obama is a disgrace to the office of President and "Commander-in-Chief" for even considering billing vets for service-related injuries.

After getting their cake, they want to eat it too. They must find someone to pay for that pork. That someone must be vilified and unwanted and therefore Indefensible – vets the regular scapegoats.
The Dems have already stated the Reps were unwanted and unneeded; their speech and acts demonstrate that also applies to the vets as well. Used and discarded like diapers – again.

After President Obama worked sooooo hard to get more and a bette GI bill, this sounds really "fishy" and something a crooked republican just might have stirred up!!!

I see true obamamaniacs are still trying to blame Bush for everything their hero proposes–they simply will not believe what he really stands for. THEY WERE WARNED! and they chose to ignore–he is also "considering" talking to the Taliban..you probably do not believe that, either...fools.....

Obama screwing the military? Say it ain't so!!!!

Demos have never done anything good for the service member active or retired. Cut numbers, small pay raises, stop equip,cut contracting on military posts and on and on. You people that listen to Obama and voted for him deserve what you get. When I was drafted in 68 we were told how the gov. would take care of our medical after retirement and now we have to pay for it and wait weeks for an appointment.

"Obama truly sucks. Absolutely disgusting." 10-1 you haven't even glanced at the DoD budget. For the first time in years, VA benefits are being increased, pay levels are being increased, in other words, what Bush took away from his military, Obama is giving back and more. I've got the 10 year tables and military spending is being increased. Either read what is in print or keep yer yap zipped.

Right, "dead on arrival" like I hope so many of Obama's marxist ideas will be tagged too. Pelosi/Reid better smarten up–don't they recall somewhere in the distant past the USA was a democratic and free society, free of most government controls? We Americans love it the way it was before the dems screwed it all up trying to buy perpetual votes of the "poor, sick, disabled, downtrodden, helpless, etc".

Everybody just relax and take a deep breath. No one is considering asking veterans to pay out of pocket for treatment of service-connected illness/injuries. The proposal being floated pertains to vets who happen to have private insurance benefits, perhaps from their own or a spouse's employment. The idea is to have their private insurance become the payor of first resort, with the VA then picking up the balance, i.e., the VA would serve as a secondary insurance. This is not some exotic concept; millions of people have coverage from more than one insurance.

So please, give the "Obama is abusing the vets" rhetoric a rest!

RVNVET, I'm there with you. I'm not the least bit surprised that this idea has been thrown out there. I work at a VBA regional office. The amount of veteran's claiming benefits right now is staggering. Education, home loans, and healthcare alike. But they are claiming benefits that they are rightly entitled to, regardless of how long they served or how seriously they were injured in service. The VA is severely understaffed. We are simply not equipped to deal with the influx of so many soldiers being discharged at this time. The quality of healthcare provided by the VA is decreasing at an alarming rate. The budget issued to us every year will NEVER be big enough to accommodate all the soldiers who are now being discharged and we promised benefits to, soldiers who we have been recruiting for the past 5 years to fight in the Middle East. We wanted servicemen and women to fight this war. Well we got them, and now we don't have the means to support them as promised when they are discharged. I don't think veterans should have to pay for healthcare relating to their service related injuries. Ever. But I am glad to see that different ideas are being brought to the table other than just increasing the budget every year and ignoring the underlying problems. VA has to determine a way to get better QUALITY healthcare to veterans, while also dealing with quantity.

As a retired Air Force member, the last place i would go for medical help is a VA hospital when I have private insurance As long as I am working. I would always use my private insurance first before sticking the tax payers with the bill. But, service connected disabilities needed to be fully covered by the Government as a matter of responsibity related to direct employment at the time of injury or illness. I for one appreciate the efforts of our new president over the last the eight years.

How many more criminals and tax evaders will Obama try to add to his cabinet?

Just when you thought the government couldn't go any lower.

People of America fight for your country and if your health plan covers you. You may be entitled to be looked at providing of course you can meet your deductable.

Please let me know who introduces this bill and who votes for it so I can actively campaign to get them voted out of office.

If you do not meet your deductable are you automatically discharged!!!!!

Dept. of VA to Vietnam vets: Sorry, we can't help you unless you can prove your problems were caused by us. Unfortunately, we destroyed your records so you can't have them. Too bad. Live on the streets.
Dept. of VA to Desert Storm vets: Nothing is wrong with you. Pay for your own medical problems and children with defects.
Dept. of VA to Iraq and Afghanistan vets: Sorry, you're not only on your own, but you owe us money. I hope you have insurance.

It's the same game, but the rules change every time us vets start to tryint to change them. Unfortunately, as much as people say they support veterans, it has been my experience that it is mostly lip service.

Don't believe me? How many of you non-veterans have been to a veterans home to deliver blankets or directly helped a vet? My guess is not many.

It's not just the government that is all lip service when it comes to veterans efforts.

There is not excuse in the world not to give the veterans all the medical attention they need. The government has done things in the past to the soldiers that has ruined their health and not just in the last action, it went on long before the Gulf War. For those that want to take any part away from them they should have to be put in the army and sent into the bush to deal with the fear and terror. We owe it to the men that went to fight and if needed to give up their life and/or health.

"No official proposal to create such a program has been announced publicly"

"pre-emptive"

Do you people not understand that this is a big to-do about something that may not even have been what the administration decided to propose? That it was an option layed on the table in an effort to consider all avenues before making a decision? This is political circus at its best.

That's awesome! Why don't you sacrifice your life so that so that people like Obama and his family can be safe and spoiled here at home? And then when you come back with your *** blown off – you can pay for it yourself!!! Are you kidding me?

Obama truly sucks. Absolutely disgusting.

Ever heard of co-pay for private insurance claims? Hopefully, this plan looked at that and the vets don't get hit with the co-pay.

As a retired Navy man (in-country Vietnam vet) I always find it sad that the Administrations (R & D alike) find some way to disallow vet benefits, care, or accept responsibility for their veterans (case in point – Agent Orange, IED, PTSD, mustard gas, atomic bomb testing,etc, etc). We did our duty, and the government turns its back on us time and time again.
We live with our disabilities, injuries, and exposures to toxic elements everyday. All we ever asked for was to be treated like human beings who answered their country's call when needed. But what happens is you wait for us all to die and then say something should have been done. Lots of talk. No action.

I ask everyone to consider "What if is your son or daughter or wife, or husband, or father, or mother, or uncle or aunt or cousin, etc?" Lots of people wave the flag, consider themselves patriots, and post "Support Our Troops" signs. But, in the end when the men and women you "support" come home you turn your backs on them in their times of need.

The medals we earned tarnish, the uniforms don't fit us anymore, the memories of our buddies fade a little, and we walk a little slower. People snicker at the old guy in the faded uniforms selling poppies, or working at the local VFW fish fry, or marching in that 4th of July parade. We were young once. When our country called, we answered, now we are calling and we can only hope the country answers us. We shed blood for our country. Is it asking too much to be treated for our injuries in a proper manner?

George T. Hamilton
LCDR, retired

It's plain to see; Obama has little regard for the military folks, or our allies...his agenda is to gain power and great some sort of globalization; he wants to be a global organizer, when he can't even decide what dog to get his kids, what school to put them in...can't even finish the job in Chicago where he left the true community organizer with the housing project issue...remember CNN? Carefully overlooked that, huh?

Hopefully, Kate in SW was correct that it was just part of a brain-storming session. If this is the case, CNN should be more complete in its reporting.

In any event, it is a terrible idea. The government should pay if its truly a necessary and just war. If, like many of our wars, including Iraq, It's bad enough that we send our kids off to fight illegal wars for corporate benefit. If anything, the corporations that profited should pay.

Well, it seems to me that the VA does NOT take care of the vets, so they wont be losing anything. I agree 100% they should be paying for these men and women, but they are NOT. So Obama is going to make private health care more affordable, THUS allowing the soldiers the ability to pay for it them selves. Oh and Mike, NOT ONE PERSON that votes for this will be out of a job, I meann every repuke on the hill voted against soldier pay raises, better health care, and armor, and you losers keep voting them back in. Atleast Obama is not screwing them like bush and you repukes did. What a joke! You have ZERO problem sending them to an illigal war for oil and your cheap gas, but wrap yourself up in a flag when Obama and others suggest their insurance cover hospitalization...JOKES!!!!

Unbelievable!

as a disabled veteran ,and working at a VA facility, I see first hand all the freebies veterans receive, whether they are service-connected or not, whether they are retired veterans, or individuals that never made it out of boot camp. As a working taxpaying disabled veteran, I am tired of my money, going to the less serving individuals. I don't recall being told when i joined the NAVY, that the tax payers were responsible for my health care!!!! Services should be rendered for disabled veterans, at no cost, for the service related injuries only.

It is funny how people always talk about the good job that our servicesmen/women do a great job keeping us safe, but it is also funny when they come back home they do not have health insurance they are the ones that need to get if for free, they put their lives on the line for a country that can not pay for health insurance for them. But yet we say how proud we are of them give me a break.

I think the president is during an excellent job for what he had to work I rate him one hundred percent. Bush sit in there for eight years didnt

Always the cowards that won't fight for their country making the bad decisions that affect those that do.

As a former vetern without any service or other wise connected disabilities this is just totaly wrong to make veterns to have to provide for their own major health care an particularly wrong if the have serve in a war zone an have service connected disablities or amputees or any other major physicialy disablity or handycaping injuries thank you

Every time I see people fighting against "Socialist programs" in the US, I always say: "Why don't you fight against public schools? Fire? Police? Public parks? Public libraries? Public city infrastructure? Anything paid for by public tax money?"

These are all Socialist things. Paid for by your money, and they're all things you rely on every day.

Plus, a lot of these things were originally set up by Benjamin Franklin. So you can call him one of the most Socialist Americans for doing it.

But people don't. They always try to justify these things and make excuses. And I really don't care.

Anyways, I always thought that veterans deserve their health care benefits be paid for by the government who they volunteered for, putting themselves into harm's way. I just don't really think this way, or this time, is the best time to do it (personally though, I think it should have been done much earlier).

I guess this is the "Change we can believe". Can't say he didn't warn us, but the people wanted change and now they are seeing what he ment.

You people are idiots. You have no idea about the details of the plan IF it ever makes it past an idea. Maybe the government was going to provide FREE private insurance to the veterans, did you ever think of that.

You simply don't know the details of a supposed plan that may have been discussed at one point, yet you are spouting off like you know everything about it. You are just looking for something to be disgruntled about.

what a low-life Obama is turning out to be–biting the hand that protects him–maybe the secret service should pay for their own guns.

Us Veterans should be use to this. It happens everytime you put a retired General or Admiral in charge of anything that deals with Veterans affairs. They forget those the troops who served under them.
It's always the same with each of them we have ours and that's all that counts screw you.
Same old story they all are politicians at heart or they would have never made it to a flag rank,

Albert Conover, NC.

Obama is in over his head.

This proposal if enacted would kill off the volunteer military. Bring back the draft socialists and make everyone serve this country somehow! Being in the military is a hard lifestyle already. Do we want to ask the troops to buy their own gear, weapons and bullets too.

Being realistic, I happen to have private insurance and a combat service connected disability. I think that it is the responsibility of my private insurer to pay for any medical service that I receive. I'm only unsure that this would be the beginning of some sort of privitazation of the VA's responsibility to all veterans. How exactly would it work? Would my premiums increase? Would it lead to higher expenses for my employer?

Those who have borne the scars of battle deserve the best this country can give! They did it for Love of Country and it is an insult to treat them as as just another patient. Shame on those who dishonor them.

The issue of asking for private insurance at the va, also at regular military hospitals has been happening since Clinton was in office. I was 20yrs old and was able to recieve medical services from the military hospital and at that time they were asking for private insurance. Military child dependants can recieve health benefits upto their 25th birthday if they are attending college, otherwise its 21 years of age. This is how he is going to treat our vets then he has no business being our president. thanks for all who voted for him..

I agree with Sen Murray. It will be a cold day in hell that I should start paying after serving 23 years on active duty. Am opposed end of conversation.

What's new here folks?
My father waited for fifty years to get coverage for service related injuries. Until then he had to fend for himself.
Are far as I'm concerned they aren't changing the policy, they're just making it public now.

I wonder if Patty Murray is reconsidering her blind support of
the current Administration now that she is seeing their true
colors!......Hang in there Patty..........be yourself and don't get
sucked into the quagmire emenating from the White House.

To all who say this is just talk. When something is just talk, it usually comes down to a vote. This should not even be considered. I'm not a disabled vet, but I am a vet. People who spend time in the military do so at the risk of their lives. There should never be even a comment made to charge for service disabled medical care. It is kinda like your on the job workmen's compensation, the only difference being these were incurred in defense of the country.

Every senator and congressman should be saying NO, in a loud voice.

As for McCain voting against improvements, you need to make sure you check to see what was attached to them.

I agree with all the comments relative to our men and women who do honor to themselves as they serve and protect us and their country. Their care should always be first rate, and at our expense.

But I have to point out that USMA graduates put their people first....recall their motto " Duty, Honor, Country" ....and the rule of leadership, "mission, men, me". Respectfully, I can't let that negative comment about being a USMA graduate go by....I know too many great people from there to just let it slide; I'm not a graduate, either.

Honestly, its hard to know what they were thinking, but its our responsibility to point out that its wrong.

Does this have anything to do with the fact that our military veterans are getting less than adequate care at our government facilities?

Republicans are liars and the only way they have to scare the public is making things up and saying just whatever they think will change the public opinion about President Obama eventhough is not true. Republicans are insane for power and they will destroy this country.

These Airman, Soldiers, Sailors and Marines risked their lives for us and you want to reward them with pay for your care??????

I think this goes to show just how much NOBAMA does not care about our military.

As a vet of the Iraq war, I am curious how the previous administration's "treatment of our men and women in uniform was even worse." Did President Bush make us pay for our health care (or even consider it), did he give us the lowest pay increase in several years, did he cut the budget that provides us with our necessary equipment??? Which one of those things did he do to make him such a bad advocate for Vets?

President Obama used vet benefits in his campaign as a sticking point. I just wonder when he is going to follow through on ANY of his promises.

ALL troops ouf of Iraq in how much time–great for a campaign, but not realistic, even President Obama himself knows that (now). Then when he changes his plan to better reflect a WORKABLE withdrawl and Sen McCain steps up and shows support of the NEW plan–Sen McCain all of a sudden is the one that is flip-flopping..... I will never understand you political fanatics. Either so far right or so far left that you have no recollection of what the middle actually looks like anymore.

Mustang Allie you need to slow that Mustang down.

Sounds like it's part of A bigger plan to combine A national health care system and the VA. They should have explained it to the people instead of hiding it.

This was probably just a part of a brain storming session. As anyone who has ever participated in problem solving groups can tell you, every idea is floated, then discussed, then eliminated if not workable. This knee jerk reaction hate speech is destroying our democracy. I know that President Bush got a lot of unfair criticism also, but we are in a CRISIS and need all hands on deck. There will be plenty of time for politicking when things settle down some.

One problem ... most private insurers have exclusions against paying for injuries related to military service. The VA and the US govt. can bill away ... they'll just get a standard denial letter stating that the cause of the injury is excluded under the terms and conditions of the policy.

And I do NOT see any insurer making ANY sort of exception. All the VA will accomplish is racking up needless expenses pursuing payments that just won't happen.

Now I understand this is being considered, which means no decision has been made, so there is no reason for anyone to go nutty.

Personally, from what I read, I probably would not agree with it. If a soldier is injured in the line of duty, I think we as a country have a moral obligation to that soldier to pay for his treatment.

"W" certainly did not plan on how to treat all the wounded soldiers coming back from "King George's War". Like all the other junk, he just left it for someone else to deal with.

This bad (and old) idea has come up in previous administrations; and fortunately got no where on those occasions. It is not just this administration's suggestion.

What most of you seem to forget althought this is a consideration, if we stay silent, it will soon become an action!

Obama is right--just because they protected us from terrorism and lost their limbs doing so--we should still make them pay for their own injuries with their own private insurance.. Go Bama.

How about everyone calm down – the VA Secretary was floating the idea – not the President. Find out the entire story before you all go off half cocked

Someone has to pay for the deficits he is running up, why not the Veteran?.....let's see, how does it work now? Go to war, lose an arm
or leg or an eye, sustain a life-altering head-injury or PTSD, find yourself unable to get a job, then find out that the Govt will give you, the Vet, your monthly disability check, then tell you that out of that you have to pay for medical insurance. I can't wait to see his "Universal Health Care" proposal!

Jackie in Dallas,

First, thanks for your service. Second, I was responding to Ijoe who blamed republicans for stirring up stories. This is an actually consideration, not a story. Smug?? absolutely not! What I caught was someone would jumped to the conclusion that republicans are responding to rumor and this individual will only believe what comes out of the president's mouth! No more no less! By the way, I wore a military uniform for over 20 years! I have earned this right to complain and correct!

This is what this Republican admires about Democrats – they are not afraid to stand up to a President from their own party and say, "This is a bad idea and we won't support it."

The socially- conservative Republican-controlled Congresses under George Bush were too timid and scared to stand up to him. They rubber-stamped everything he gave them, including the garbage, citing "loyalty" etc. Well bad legislation is bad legislation. At least the Democrats have shown us that they have the courage to fullfill their Constitutional duty of providing checks and balances.

This is a lesson the social-conservatives need to learn if the Republican Party is to become politically relevant again.

The plan might actually make some sense if the VETS were reimbursed for the private insurance cost; then they could choose local and possibly better avenues for care without the care and feeding that goes along with supporting the VA

Until I hear it from Obama's lips, I will wait and see. I personally DO NOT believe this is what he has in mind.

I do know the way it exists right now, from personal experience. If you are on Medicare and you go to the VA, they bill Medicare for your visit. At one point I discovered that they were double dipping by billing Medicare and then charging me for the MD visits. ( Not on 100% disability ) When I complained, then they TOOK THEIR GOOD OLD TIME and finally returned my money to me.

Do not jump to conclusions until you find out what is really going on.

I love that the Obama administration is looking at everything but this is not a good idea, to many people, especially young people, have giving life and limb to fight for our country. This would truely be a slap in the face to our vets. Can't do it.

Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki confirmed Tuesday that the Obama administration is considering a controversial a plan to make veterans pay for treatment of service-related injuries with private insurance.***KEY WORD CONSIDERING***I don't Believe It ...Say it ain't soooooo JOE !!!

What is wrong with the government paying for a private insurance policy to cover war-related injuries, at no cost to the vet? Why do we have to use VA hospitals only? I guess because the government is better at the private sector at delivering health care?

American troops with war injuries and make them pay for their injuries with private insurance that they can in no way afford. Maybe he'll attack women and children with disabilities next.

I think some people need to properly read the "proposal". It's being floated for injured vets to pay for their injuries out of private insurance, not out of pocket. My husband goes to the VA for treatment, and yet because I have him on my policy through my work, they bill my insurance company – how's that for the VA skirting the responsibility? Keep in mind that there's also a healthcare reform bill floating out there as well – meaning that people can be insured under their private insurance or through government provided insurance – meaning that the VA can just transfer their load onto the government – still probably not much more out of pocket. I don't think that anyone wants to take away a servicemembers right to treatment, they're just looking for new ways to shift the budget around to pay for it.

I am a retired military Noncommissioned Officer. I quailfy for "free" medical care for life (or until I go on Medicare). I pay for Tricare as my health insurance and it's a good deal for me. I suppose that I could go to a VA hospital and get treatment, but I like the idea of having the same family doctor as my wife. Why couldn't the VA make TRICARE available to non-retired veterens? It would help offset the cost to the taxpayer, and might reduce complaints about Vets getting "free" care for their service-related injuries.

PATC March 10th, 2009 3:50 pm ET "Obama and all libtards have total disdain for the military. He has been taught this his entire life through his Saul Alinsky Communist days in College to his William Ayers days in Chicago. Why is anybody surprised?"

"Obama and all libtards"???? PATC, speak for yourself and not the rest of the American citizenship. You don't know all 350+ million of us personally and therefore are in no position to call names......I don't align myself with any party, but do consider myself a fairly liberal moderate (in other words, so that you can understand what I'm saying, I believe in common sense and the greatest good to the greatest number). Many members of my family have served in the US armed forces and I've always felt that our government isn't doing enough for our Vets. My uncle (who's 88, btw) served in WWII, so FU PATC.....this "libtard" supports our Troops and our Vets!!!

so it seems to me that veterans jsut want EVERYTHING paid for them (free housing, free tuition, free health care, free car, monthly $$$)....we'll sounds like socialism to me.....

Sounds like a fake issue that the republicans made up in order to fake a response to....so they could pretend they care. I doubt it is being considered.

I recommend some of you read the article, you are too eager to start typing in Lush's daily talking points.

NO ONE has suggested "vets losing coverage" or "pay out of their own pocket". The care would be exactly the same as today.

The only suggestion is that IF the veteran has a private insurance medical insurance plan then that would be billed before going to the taxpayer to fund the care.

The only thing I see wrong with the plan is that many vet's injuries would quickly reach the maximum of the insurance policy, in my case 1 million lifetime max. This curtail care to his/her family if the lifetime cap were met.

I do not like the plan for that reason, but I can see the effort to shift the cost to private insurance companies and off the taxpayer.

I find it very hard to believe that this came from Obama. Especially considering the special relationship Michelle has with military families. Eric Shinseki may be floating the idea- but I would be very surprised if it was created in discussion with Obama. People should calm down until they have facts.

Veterans need better care and professional full time career staffing and stop running training centers for new doc.. Not some idiots new plan to bring thrid party money into an already allying system, allow vets to sue in local courts if you want to bring about real change to the VA.

I agree with obama-mama. Everyone is jumping the gun. No formal plan has been put forward yet. The first step in problem solving is to put ALL ideas on the table, no matter how good, bad, stupid or crazy they may seem to be, The next is to examine each one for benefits and costs. Sometimes policy makers send up trial balloons to see what might fly. Unlike the previous administration, this one understands that hard questions do not have simple answers.

This is how business will be handle on speculation. I never heard Obama say anything about this and I am pretty sure many of you have not either. Republican should be ashamed of themselves. They are throwing anything out there.

I see the Obamabots are STILL making excuses for their Clown in Chief! What does he have to do to get you to say, "Gee, maybe he's not the Savior of the World after all?" KILL somebody??????? I guess even then you'd say, "Oh, well, that's OK too." Why not? You all think Ted the Killer Kennedy is a great guy!

Dumb and dumber; every day, in every way.

After thinking about this, I don't believe there is even one person in this country, President Obama included that expects a soldier who loses his leg to and IED in Basra, Iraq to pay for that horrible injury and treatment him or herself. For those on active duty, we're on duty 24/7 even when we're playing soccer on post and we break an ankle. Perhaps that is what the Secretary is looking at. Surely, a former 4 star general himself who has placed his life on the line many times, understands that veterans don't pay for a lost arm or leg or something like that.

This is what Obama wants to do. Another foolish idea.

Hey Republicans, Obama is just following your advice. This is just free-market capitalism at work. This is TOTALLY NOT "socialist". Lol! You right-wing hypocrites never cease to amaze me, this is the kind of thing that you have been advocating for, and now you have the nerve to become indignant? You should be applauding this move towards free market capitalism. We can just give the veterans a 5000.00 tax credit to put towards a health insurance premium (never mind the fact that that won't even cover the cost of a single surgical procedure under the current "free market" conditions). Come on right-wingers, recognize when someone is making a move that you support!

I believe it. You people got buffaloed into voting for this guy with his phoney charisma and eloquent speaking.

Let us all please take a moment and remember that considering something is not enacting it. There are a lot of tough budgetary concerns that need to be addressed and tough decisions to be made. It's counter-productive to explode into fury at even the consideration of an idea. Also, note that they're talking about billing private insurers, when available, not just handing a bill to the Vets. I disagree with the idea, but the money freed up in the VA budget could go towards services like repairing the antiquated Hospital system the Vets have to endure now. There are pros and cons to this idea.

Actually – THIS is the way Obama plans to pay for his Universal Healthcare!!

Create such a horrible medical plan for soldiers... none re-enlist and recruiting grinds to a halt.

Reduce the military budget due to lack of soldiers... pay for Universal Healthcare covering illegal immigrants too!

Screw the military – reward soon-to-be-amnesty Illegals.

Everybody calm down. We're not talking about billing the veterans. We're talking about billing the multi-million dollar insurance companies for an addional portion of the care they are already paying for.

He worries more about his Muslim terrorist buddies in Gitmo than he does about our military. After all, he made them his first priority!

"perhaps this is an attempt to be sure that Vets are getting the best medical care. Care that meets the medical standard as opposed to what they are getting thru the underfunded and overloaded system that now exists to provide their care."

Bingo!
Guys, come on. President Obama is a nice guy. He wouldn't purposefully shaft the vets. I'm sure there is a rhyme and reason to this. Stop being so knee-jerk!

John A. Nicholson> Sorry, but my vote wasn't an error. Thanks.

obama-mama March 10th, 2009 3:56 pm ET
Everybody jumping the gun. Did any of you hear this from the president.
----------
WAKE UP!! This is from the mouth of the man Obama selected to run the VA. A man who is authorized to speak for the president in this area! Are you questioning everything SOS Clinton has said while overseas because you are waiting to hear it out of the mouth of the president? Please transform out of your hypnotic, robotic state!

Max,

Typical USMA Grad, huh? That's the way to be stereotypical. I'm a USMA Grad and I wouldn't dare introduce this piece of crap to be voted on. I think it's completely wrong and leads us to a place we don't want to go.

Could you imagine a soldier being asked to go on a dangerous mission? He could then reply, "Well, sir, what happens if I get shot or hurt? How will I pay for my health coverage?" Huge slippery slope there.....

I just want to know the name of the bone head that came up with this idea. I seriously can't picture Obama thinking this would fly......

So, is this a rumor?
Did President Obama actually say this? If not, then I don't believe it.
I only believe what comes from his mouth and NEVER listen to the pundits.

I am not going to say much on this. Ok, my first lie! LOL I have several wounds and service related injuries. I was an 18 Z which is a Special Forces Sergeant. Besides the fact that it is totally disgusting to even address this issue the more concerning thing is that NO liberal has seen fit to respond. When there are alot of posts on an article it is because it is normally in defense of the new president. When there is controversey on an issue there are not a lot of posts. I earned my health care. An illegal immigrant has not. Someone NOT seeking a job is not. I welcome them here. Get citizenship and you can have PRIVLEGES. Times are hard now, no doubt. But they weren't hard 5-10 years ago. I could get a job when I retired! And there is BK's and MacDonanalds which are always hiring. There is the services to join, or the peace corp or churches to volunteer in. I do think all kids should have health care. People, grow up OK. And for those of you that do not know or pretend you don't know as a retiree I do have to pay for health care. I pay a one time fee every year and have co-pays and pay for meds. I do think it is very cheap in comparisn to other insurance policies but we do pay. And the dental plan really sucks so don't go there. I challenge anyone to try to defend this. And IF you do not, then do not try to spin only the content of articles the the left agrees with. Proper debate is what this country is about. Intelligent debate is what we should do.

As a disabled Vietnam Vet, an employee of the VA Health Care System, the father of an Iraq war Vet, and someone who did
vote to seat this Administration, I am not surprised by this
concept being floated at all. Ironcally enough, on my work
e-mail this AM was a questionaire that the Office of the
VA Secretary wanted us to complete regarding what we
employees thought of the VA as it currently operates.

the Real Steve,

I'm sure you are gloating and feeling smug. Now, while you are still euphoric about the situation, do a Google on how your most venerated Republican veteran voted, DURING THE BUSH ADMINSTRATION, on VA benefits. Yep, McCain voted against improving veteran benefits, on upgrading VA hospitals, on extending VA benefits to families, SEVEN times.

As a Vietnam era veteran myself, and the daughter of a career military man, I can tell you right now that American veterans have been paying out of pocket for a lot of their own health care for years. Why? Because VA hospitals, the only facilities where you can get major medical care, are only located in major population centers. There are clinics located in smaller areas, but statistics say that less than 40% of veterans live within a 4-hour drive of care. In addition, Wikipedia says this: "VA’s budget has been pushed to the limit in recent years by the War on Terrorism. In December 2004, it was widely reported that VA’s funding crisis had become so severe that it could no longer provide disability ratings to veterans in a timely fashion. This is a problem because until veterans are fully transitioned from the active-duty TRICARE healthcare system to VA, they are on their own with regard to many healthcare costs."

This is ALREADY in effect, and went into effect during President Bush's Administration. No matter how high-sounding the Republican Party has been, regardless of how hawkish they are about getting us into conflicts, they have been terrible at paying our active duty forces, supporting the families of active duty, giving our active duty personnel proper gear for conflict zones (why do you think that there have been major fund raising campaigns to send FLAK jackets to our troops in Iraq...they aren't furnished any such thing), funding medical and psychiatric care for returning vets, and VA benefits for discharged or retired disabled vets. Oh, yeah, they love paying for fancy planes and ships and satellites, and other toys manufactured by their buddies in the defense technology industry, but they don't give a hoot about the people dying and being maimed.

You're only happy because you think you caught out a "liberal" being wrong, when all he said was we should wait for details and a formal statement before judging. Well, Steve, I'm not a liberal, I'm a moderate. I do my civic duty like pay taxes, vote, do my jury duty. I served my country for 4 years active duty, and my family has served for 6 generations in the military. My father suffered 60% service related disability, and ended up paying for his own medical care most of the time because we didn't live close enough to a VA hospital. Ironically, it came out of his disability retirement pay, which barely covered it, so he still had to work up until he could not any longer.

The government, no matter which party is in power, owes it to our active duty, retired, and disabled military members to honor their service by providing proper equipment, medical care and support for military families. This is one area where partisan politics should be discarded unilaterally, and conscience should reign. There is no such thing as "honored dead" if you don't honor the living who also sacrificed.

NUTS ! ! These guys are absolutly NUTS to even think of a a plan like that.

Well well well...congress is showing they have guts. I would say the other but they have some women in congress. I think it is outrageous, that they would even think of such a thing. These men and women were sent to war without their permission and NOW THEY ARE BEING EXPECTED TO PAY FOR THEIR INJURIES THEMSELVES.

I have a better idea. Take away ALL HEALTH BENEFITS FROM the members of the cabinets and the president and his family and turn them over to a private insurer....makes more sense.

I'm a vet with a service-related injury. I barely make enough money to pay my utilities and rent each month. Now they want me to pay for something the Army couldn't correct properly? Obama needs to publicly reject this. This is completely dumb. Even the mention of it is dumb. Well thats what we get for letting democrats run this country.

I do know for a fact that in some developing countries, the veterans have free medical care.
It is sad to hear and learn that in a the Super Power America, the veterans have to face such terrible news and live in poverty.

I am a 100% disabled vet, with schizophrenia and PTSD, and now I am legally blind due to nervous system complications. Don't I deserve medical care for these service-connected problems? Before things got so bad and I could work and had medical insurance through my employer, the VA billed my insurer for the cost of any treatments. I think that is reasonable. But what about people like me who couldn't get heath insurance for pre-existing conditions, even if I could afford it? The Obama Administration wants a free national health care program for all Americans, but they specifically want disabled veterans to buy health insurance? I thought I was crazy.....

One more example of how i feel played by the Obama campaign. I want my vote back. Not that I'd give it to McCain, but I'd just not bother casting it.

A lot of the crap that's been talked about in the last few weeks has definitely not been representative of the message of the campaign. I've learned my lesson.

obama-mama March 10th, 2009 3:56 pm ET

Everybody jumping the gun. Did any of you hear this from the president.
____________________________________________________
I don't think so. Obama is using the Secretary to float the idea. Some idea! Too bad I cannot take back my vote. I served for 22 years active duty. I have lots of friends with service connected disabilities and this President is considering making them pay for their service connected injuries? NOW I heard everything! I want my money back that I donated to the Obama campaign and I am throwing away my Obama tshirts and ball caps.

Unacceptable!!

You've got to be kidding me! Anyone who believes that our healthcare system isn't broken, needs to have their head examined.

On top of cancer patients going without care, we are now considering having our military persons paying for service related injuries out of pocket?!!!

Single payer universal healthcare – PLEASE!!!!!!!

i am a service connected vietnam veteran. please tell the Obama greedy Admin, to 'get a life' and leave veterans benefits alone! i can see already Obama is a fraud and has no idea how to be the president. i hope he gets kicked out, before his term is finished. Bush was better than this clown!

Listen to the usual republicans chiming in... Ignore the FACT that they suported the complete missuse of our Military for profit while keeping them ill equipt, undermanned and left to fend for themselves when they come home.

True hypocrites who are now seen for who they are. Future generations will curse the republicans and the theft of America and our Military that occured this decade.

Failure has a face and that is the Republican party.

Obama wants to expand the US military engagement in Afghanistan while contemplating making wounded combat veterans pay for the costs of medical care for their injuries with private insurance? This is a disgrace! Viewed in a larger context, it is just one more example that the Obama administration with all its rhetoric and support of a Wall Street bailout is in reality (at least thus far) leaving the most vulnerable US citizens out in the cold. Ask yourself, has Obama said even a single word during his campaign or first days in office about immediately ending predatory credit card default rates? lowering or freezing student loan payments? or creating any single large-scale federal initiatives (i.e. a renewed job corps or the equivalent of the Depression Era W.P.A.)? Have you seen him actually tour public housing, federal prisons or VA hospitals? The answer is "No". Average Americans and the least vulnerable ( including wounded vets) will continue to receive little if any direct attention. Thus far, the name of the Obama game appears to remain, "if it does not directly benefit corporate America and in a large way, then it ain't happening".

Bring back the draft .Then watch the rich so and so's put a stop to this war crap. Put all politicians in the service too . Take care of our service men and women.

I am a veteran, and I don't see what all the commotion is about. In the first place, no decision has been made. You all make it seem that discussion of issues means that that is how it will be. That may have been true of the last administration, where any questioning of Bush's and Cheney's (and their clones') policies was tantamount to treason, but this administration will listen to all ideas, no matter how problematic they may sound, and make an informed decision on that issue.

In the second place, there is no way that this President is going to abandon veterans. If it seems that having insurance companies pay for veterans' treatment will allow the VA to serve us veterans better (i.e., particularly, those with no private insurance at all) I don't see why that might not work out, making sure that vets would receive better service that what they have been receiving under the hypocrite Republicans. Actually, thinking about it, it wouldn't take squat to serve us better than what they've been giving us. President Obama is commtted to us veterans, there is no doubt about it.

I'm sick to death of all the hypocrisy. The right will scream up and down about perception, when the reality is that they have done more in the last eight years to trash veterans benefits than any other period in U.S. history.

First of all, our vets deserve the very best from us. They were there for our country and our country owes them big time.

Secondly, everybody needs to calm down.

This isn't a proposal.

It's a proposal of a proposal and it was dealt with in an appropriate fashion by the good Senator.

Problem solved.

Now let's get back to worrying about the economy going up in flames. Another little thank you gifted to us by the Republican Party.

What the heck are they thinking?

Any member of Congress and President who promotes this agenda will have a very difficult time getting re-elected.

That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. If a person gets injured on the job, the EMPLOYER pays the cost of medical fees. If I'm not mistaken, soldiers receive a paycheck from the US Government, so the US Government is their employer. I can't believe this is even being considered. if Obama approves this, he has nobody to blame but himself for the hate mail he will receive and the dropping to the bottom of the barrel of his approval rating. He could probably kiss goodbye any hopes he has of ever getting re-elected. He would probably have a tough time winning the nomination.

More change we can believe in (NOT). What an idiot this man is and so are his advisors! Egad – why did you liberal idiots think he was sooooooooooo good???? We are all going to pay for this one's arrogance!

Democrat Patty Murray fighting with the President on an issue. Patty Murray will not get reelected.

Read the article, folks: this is about a RUMOR.

"NO OFFICIAL PROPOSAL to create such a program has been announced publicly, but veterans groups wrote a PRE-EMPTIVE letter last week to President Obama opposing the idea after HEARING the plan was under consideration."

People are getting in an uproar over something somebody "heard," or that might be on a list of considerations. You can put a lot of things on a list of considerations; it doesn't mean that they're not going to be soundly rejected. One method on a list for ways of ridding your house of termites might be burning it down, for example, but that doesn't mean anybody'd be stupid enough to do that.

I don't like this idea, either, and I don't support any money coming out of our veterans' pockets for any injuries they sustain in defense of this country.... IF that is, indeed, what this plan would mean. The country put them in harm's way, and the country should pay for their care. I was furious at the shabby treatment the Bush administration gave our veterans, and I'll be angry if the Obama administration does the same... but I'm not going to be so foolish as to jump the gun and start throwing out conspiracy theories based on a response to an unsubstantiated RUMOR. And neither should you.

Most are missing the bigger point here. 634 billion dollars in spending as a "down payment" on "UNIVERSAL" health care, yet this idea to make troops pay their own way.

Anything wrong with this logic? Give it to all, except for those willing to give all.

Michael Savage was right, liberalism is a mental disorder. (But it's probably covered for them under the Obama plan).

To borrow a phrase from our esteemed leader, "You've been given the ol' Okey-Doke, bamboozled, hood-winked."

And this from a good Irishman, Mr. O'Bama

This "idea" was floated by the opposition party to make Obama look bad. It's nothing even close to what his policy is. It's farcical. A distraction from the self-destruction of the Repubs.

Obama is the most anti-american president ever put in office. Hopefully the country will last 4 more years so we can boot him out !!!

You sent them to unecessary war and now you want them to pay their treatment out of their pockets. I voted for you man, come out and say no to this evil plan. Democrats in Congress should say NO NO NO. Republicans don't even get involve because you know what you did to our braves men and women.

Chantilly, Virginia

Why is anyone surprized, he did not serve and thinks veterans are beneath him, this is the start of the change! Expect more!

toni March 10th, 2009 3:56 pm ET

perhaps this is an attempt to be sure that Vets are getting the best medical care. Care that meets the medical standard as opposed to what they are getting thru the underfunded and overloaded system that now exists to provide their care.
______________________________________________

Thanks Toni. These people on here are so intense. You know what Benny Hill used to say when you A-S-S-U-M-E

It is tragic that the Administration even is considering this. But is it not reflective of the general attitude of both political parties toward our military personnel? Do politicians not view military personnel as expendable? No. They are expendable. The politicians praise them for sacrificing their lives to defend our country, and when they come home, they face extraordinary bills, their family life suffers, and they receive less than adequate military treatment in VA hospitals? Is this the way to really treat our military personnel? NO!! They deserve much better than this!! It is time for BOTH political parties to get a clue!!

This will never fly. Recruitment, in a time where enlistments are already terribly low, will plummet. Who wants to join if you have to worry about outrageous medical bills after separation of service if you were wounded in a battle you were shipped off to? As a Navy vet and Obama supporter, this is truly shocking. When you try so hard to put off the naysayers, sometimes it really is evident you have no one on your side...

Has anyone considered that part of the plan might be to reimburse service members for the private insurance that they buy? My point here is that we know almost nothing about the details of the plan so it's not possible to make a rational decision about whether it's good or not.

Any time anyone mentions reform of our medical/insurance system, people immediately scream socialism, our choices are being taken away, Govt run health care is going to be the end of Democracy, etc. So.....if Govt run health care is so horrible for the majority of us, why is it great for veterans?

In my opinion, using health insurance companies isn't good for veterans or the rest of us for that matter. They are huge bureaucracies whose primary goal is to take money from our wallets and produce profits. I would prefer health care be handled by organizations whose primary goal is to provide the best care.

Time for a Washington tea party, We are losing our country if we cannot support the people that fight and die for us. The American people need to stand up against anything that hurts our Veterans, GOD Bless America and her Fighting Forces.

The chickens are coming home to roost....you voted for it, you got it.

I tthink that the very suggestion of possibly requiring our veterans to pay for their healthcare by private insurance is awful. Our men and women in uniform have served our country with honor. They deserve everything we can provide to them for their service. Who in the world came up with this idea? It stinks. Congress, for once, do your duty and shoot this thing down in flames if it comes to you for consideration. The American people will NOT stand for this.

It will never happen.

Will that apply to The Secretary himself?? Don't forget he sustained woumds in Viet Nam, and I believe lost part of one foot.

How can this even be even considered? Why would anyone even think of doing such a thing as to make our brave men and women, who fight for our country, the red, white and blue, a free nation, have to pay for their own medical? this is the dumbest idea I have ever heard of and will do everything I can and write everyone I know to make sure that nobody in our armed services are treated this way. What has happened to this great country of ours?

The treatment wounded vets received during the reign of Bush was bad – this idea is horrible.

Even under universal single payer health insurance, a veteran with a service related injury or illness must receive care with no copay.

To ask the veteran to buy insurance to cover such care is unbelievable.

So this is again, about a rumor. How about wait and see what happens?

It would appear that Mr. Obama is "staying the course" of former President Bush.

There must be some kind of chemical leak in the White House that turns every president into an uncaring putz when it comes to the service men and women of this country.

Well, at least they still have Walter Reed. WHOOPS, theres another can of worms!

Each time I go to the Veteran's Hospital for service connected disability treatment, they ask me for my private medical insurance insurance card so they can be reimbursed for the treatment. None of the other departments ask for it. Now I'm wondering why. I prefer the VA hospital over Kaiser Prmanente as they treat you like a person instead of just another patient.

Making our veterans use their private health insurance to pay for war injuries will be rejected by private health insurance immediately. War injuries are different from normal injuries at home or at work. We owe these veterans and we have to care for them after their survival from the wars. Often they need specialized medical care for brain injuries from IEDs in Iraq.

What we need is universal health insurance run by the government like Medicare. Everyone pays their affordable copay for each doctor's visit and prescriptions to control wastes. We spent the most on education and health care and we don't have much to show for. We cannot afford this kind of wastes any more.

Service related injuries should be covered. Non-service related care, pay for it yourself, don't burden the taxpayer.

@leapfrog – Congress doesn't get free healthcare. They use the same federal plans that all federal employees use.

But I totaly agree with your comments regarding Vets. They should have THE BEST health coverage in the country.

Why on earth would the Obama administration even think that this might be acceptable?

The VA has billed veteran's HEALTH INSURANCE just like any other provider would do. In the past, it has not billed the veteran's health insurance for treatments for service connected injuries or illnesses. Flat feet, back pain, etc.
The VA does not bill VETERANS for service connected treatment and does not bill veterans for other care if their income is below certain thresholds.
Third party billing is just that, veterans who have health insurance and who are seen at the VA have their health insurance billed.
This has nothing to do with any promises made by the administration.
Remember, the previous administration excluded more that 200,000 veterans from VA care and this administration is going to provide care to them That's a promise.
You should note that this was objected to by some of the service organizations who said it would over stress the system.
If the VA could bill Medicare the system would not be over stressed. It won't be anyway.

you guys should diss Obama on stuff he actually does, not something he considers ... people w brains do analyze and consider the situation even bad ideas, they don't just let rush or church tell them what to do, or in most cases from these posters their invisible friend

If Obama is pushing this, there is no way he should be commander in chief. Obama is starting to show his true colors. He just needed to lie enough to fool enough people to get elected. I really don't think Obama wants to be President of the United States of America. I think what he wants is to be president of the United Socialist States of America. This is a disgrace.

And this is the man who was voted to lead our country, where is he leading it ?????

My feelings on this, I cannot even bend my mind around Obama to even consider this. I can tell you that I am a service connected disabled veteran my main source of income comes from the V.A. and My wife working her a– off and now with all the worries about the economy I have to even think of possibly having to pay for insurance!!!!!!!!!!! I gave the military my body and mind and both are damaged goods.........makes me sick cannot even type anything else.
God bless our troops when they ALL come home !

My feelings on this, I cannot even bend my mind around Obama to even consider this. I can tell you that I am a service connected disabled veteran my main source of income comes from the V.A. and My wife working her a– off and now with all the worries about the economy I have to even think of possibly having to pay for insurance!!!!!!!!!!! I gave the military my body and mind and both are damaged goods.........makes me sick cannot even type anything else.
God bless our troops when they ALL come home !

Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki confirmed Tuesday that the Obama administration is considering a controversial a plan to make veterans pay

You guys don't have copy editors, do you? There's an extra 'a' in the sentence.

This what to expect when people who have never spent one minute to risk anyhthing but a photo opportunity have the final say on who goes to war. They treat men like pawns on a chess board. This idea is not only stupid, but heartless. P

I want the truth on this. I want to hear and see the President talk about Veterans paying for service related injuries with private insurance before I read about ever again.

Will the idiot who came up with this idea, please "walk the plank" and the sooner the better. Let's see here. I volunteer to serve, get my backside blown off in Iraq then have to come home to no job and pay a portion of my medical bills. Sounds more like "Rush" than Rush does. Take cover boys, incoming "mail"!

Everybody jumping the gun. Did any of you hear this from the president.

This idea should not even be under consideration.

Hell of a way to start out as the new Secretary of veterans Affairs.
Looks like it's going to be more of the same old stuff. Perhaps even worse.
Former Army Chief of Staff.
Taking care of the troops.
BS BS BS BS BS

Typical USMA Graduate, career comes first, all else is second.

His mission WAS to straighten out the VA. Looks like failure from the begining.

perhaps this is an attempt to be sure that Vets are getting the best medical care. Care that meets the medical standard as opposed to what they are getting thru the underfunded and overloaded system that now exists to provide their care.

Let's see.......we will make Vets pay for their service related injuries that they received while protecting us. In the meantime, we will pay for illegal aliens to receive free injury care at our community hospitals....Ok I got it ! Maybe we don't deserve Vets anymore.

Don't allow this to happen...a disabled veteran who served 25 years for your country!

As a vet that back Obama financially and with volunteer time, I really expected them to be better then this.

Seriously, Shinseki? Seriously?

There's better ways to save money then this.

That's going the wrong direction, Prez. We should be going toward nationalized, single payer, not farming out vets' bills. Thhat's the worst, alomsot sounds like something Bush would have considered.

Nothing this current occupant of the White House is considering surprises me. I hope all those who voted for him see the error or their ways before it is too late.

I don't get this. Do they want vets to get their own health insurance while in the service, cuz they certainly aren't going to get it after they're wounded. If that's the case, then I guess they're thinking that the combination of G.I. Bills and disability payments for vets will go toward their health care, killing two birds with one stone by curtailing the cost of war and injecting government money into health care. Kind of clever, but callous.

We have men and women in uniform dying EVERY single day for our freedom in Iraq and Afghanistan and this is how Obama plans on paying honor to them? I cannot believe I voted for this guy!

I agree this is unacceptable....and wil make sure my Congressman/ woman and Senators know........
WE've got your back Veterns!

This is ridiculous, what kind of moron would even possible entertain this idea, is this the grand health care reform? I am becoming more and more disappointed in this administration. I know he has been in office a short time and has to fix a lot of messes, but you can only claim the prior administration for so long. Not one of his ideas has seemed to bring any relief yet, and not a lot of ""hope"either. All I see is a whole bunch of excuses and broken campaign promises. As a wife of National Guardsman who is getting ready to deploy, I think this is absolutely shameful and would really like to know whose brilliant idea this originally was.

Obama and his team care more about the rights of terrorists in Gitmo than of our soldiers. How can liberals even defend the likes of the Gitmo detainees when 5 of them just today praised September 11 and the attacks that they planned on our country? Liberals are disgusting

This story just doesn't compute. Obama has been at the forefront of the fight to provide care to our veterans, so if this proposal is true, it wouldn't be in step with his words or previous actions. Makes me wonder if some essential part of the story has been overlooked. ??

The people against this plan are doing so because of self preservation. As a former Marine I think our service men and women deserve the best care possible. Given the dismal conditions exposed at Walter Reed and other VA hospitals, private plans should be considered with the gov't picking up the tab, with a $5 co-pay. Many small town service people have to travel distances to the nearest VA facility, why should this be, if proper care is available where they live. Any concerns the gov't has over the medical equalivent of a 300 hammer can be regulated. If we can waste 70 million to build the Iraqis a prison the didn't want we can find the cash to take care of veterans.

Perhaps this is a clue for congress to give more funding to the VA.

And while he is at it he should charge them for the plane ticket over to the war zone, that should really save some money!

Change we can believe in...awesome

Yes we can Yes we will …Yes we screwd!!!
Change we can believe in!!!!

If the VA were properly funded in the first place then I could see the problem with billing third party insurers. As it is? It seems to me that the veterans will pay for Republicans protecting their buddies in the health insurance industry by continuing to suffer with aging facilities and inadequate staffing levels. Because Republicans also love to brag about how they're keeping down government spending, which includes health care for veterans. Ironic, yes?

If we had a national health care plan this cost sharing idea wouldn't even be on the table.

Obama and all libtards have total disdain for the military. He has been taught this his entire life through his Saul Alinsky Communist days in College to his William Ayers days in Chicago. Why is anybody surprised?,

Why should the VA pay if you as a service connected veteran have private health insurance? I am retired, 62 years of age and have health insurance through my prior employeer. I use the VA Clinic for myself, but I have to keep the private insurance for my wife. I smell big money from the insurance lobby. You can bet that if both members of a couple have insurance, that there will be a primary and a secondary, and only one will pay. How is this different from the VA and a insurance company.

Shame on all of them. If anyone should pay for their own insurance, it's congress. That would save some money. Don't shaft our soldiers.

Why not have private insurance pay for some costs, if it is covered? This is not like the Bush policy of just ignoring our troops in need. This sounds knee-jerk.

Ironic, isn't it, that a president who has championed universal health care as recently as this weekend is talking about cutting government health benefits for veterans? Particularly when it has a contractual obligation to provide those services, as a result of the fine print on those enlistment forms Uncle Sam gave us when we signed up?

Obama didn't win the veteran's vote, but he did better among them than the last Democrat to run for the WH (and that walking cadaver WAS a vet). A lot of vets took a chance on Obama. THIS is how he repays them?

Obama
is a joke -oh wait BIG SURPRISE leave the vets alone they deserve to be treated respectfully

OBAMA hasn't got a clue

is OBAMA paying for his care -oh no WE ARE

I can not believe that this idea is even being discussed at all. I am a service connected disabled vet, and I rely on my medical care from the VA, because I can not provide for any additional medical care.

Veterams should have VA coverage for life. Pay for it by not sending our hard earned money to countrys that hate us.

I have to admit I'm puzzled and disappointed by this move. I thought Obama was going to do much better for the troops than Bush did. They got injured serving the country, they MUST be given the BEST care, for FREE.

I'm surprised that the Obama Administration would even consider this. Just as Worker's Comp insurance pays medical expenses for on-the-job injuries, so should our government pay for military service-related injuries.

If Obama is looking for ways to help pay for the costs involved in treating injured vets, the elimination of no-bid contracts will help.

Also, companies such as Haliburton should be sued for breach-of-contract for such items as over-charging; fraudulent charging for services; failure to deliver equipment as specified and paid for; providing Humvees that were inadequately armored; etc., etc.

I'm sure these companies have liability insurance from which our government could collect.

I think that all of our elected and appointed government officeholders should have a the same housing and benefits as our fighting men and women. Our armed forces are giveing mor to the country than any politician ever did so why do the politicians live like kings and queens. It's just not right. Most politicians are just in it for the money.

WHY IS THIS EVEN BEING CONSIDERED?????? So many of our Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen have sacrificed so much to this country and all we can say to them is; "Well, you were injured fighting for this country and well, now we have to bill your insurance for your care." How dare the government even considerate it. We owe a debt of graditude, not an insurance bill, to our VETS. Big government at it's finest, screwing those who give the most and expect the least in return.

Is he just throwing ideas out there to see which ones stick, which ones please all the people he promised things to during the election?

NO RAISES FOR CONGRESS- TRY THAT ONE ON OBAMA!!!

That would be a disservice to the men and women that fought and died for our freedom and our wounded warriors

Democrats want free health care for illegal immigrants but not for our brave men and women who have faught for our freedom.

This really shines the correct light on how the average lib in America truly thinks and how they really are evil to the core.

When Congress starts paying for there medical insurance. I as a vet, I did my time while the Congress stayed home and sent me to the front line to handle there decisions to go to war. They should never touch the VETS benefits.... When they start to go in the military and do the time...they they can adjust policy and that won't happen....

Persion Gulf War Vet

Make GI's pay for service related injuries with their own private insurance hey? What's next? Make them pay for their plane ticket to Iraq? Obama and his cronnies are even less American than Bill Clinton was.

So much for Obama's concern about of injured service members.

So lemme get this straight, a soldier goes into combat and gets wounded. The soldier is discharged, and as a veteran, he is expected to pay for the treatment for his wounds out of his own pocket? Bad idea. REALLY bad idea. Save money some other way, but don't skimp on veteran's benefits. They earned their free medical benefits the hard way, unlike members of Congress who get free medical benefits from sitting around on their a$$es and blowing hot air.

CNN first ran this story on 4 March, this is what Ijoe stated then:
ijoe March 4th, 2009 10:35 am ET
when are you people going to realize the repubs stir up these stories to created trouble,without any crerdible source!! come on people wake up.if it does,nt come from the presidents mouth then it's bull.
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Well, Ijoe, you feel the same way now? Real cute to blame republicans on March 4. How's that crow tasting right about now?? Bet you thought I forgot didn't you? Not to worry though you weren't the only liberal to suffer foot in mouth disease! Excuse me if I gloat just a little!

Well, as a veteran who was discharged from the Army due to a service connected disability this bill would be a slap in the face, especially considering I voted for change. If this is the change this man is considering, consider my vote in 2011 as service disconnected.

Obama can forget about 2012 if he pushes for this!

I don't believe what I am reading.

So much for Obama caring about our troops.

(See fellow posters, I can make such sweeping generalizations that aren't based on facts too.)

Yep, change you can believe in. The only reason the Repugs can't say anything is their treatment of our men and women in uniform was even worse.Obama has never pretended to be sensitive to or appreciative of, the military so this should come as no surprise.

Simply put, this is a horrible idea and political suicide if President Obama moves forward on this. Not good for a former Senator that supported the new GI bill. Certainly not good for a President that has pledged to end the Iraq War. Not good.

JH

We owe our veteran's more than this!!!

Everyone should make sure their Senator and Congressman or woman knows it is TOTALLY unacceptable for US to not take the best care possible of our veterans. And we tax payers owe it to them. Besides – our insurance companies will only recoop the expense from our premiums. We pay either way. Do it right!

this is what Obama will do to vets......stab behind the back!
he is no friend of the military....does not like it, does not appreciate it
you voted for him....and we all got screwed!

This is the dumbest thing to be proposed to the Military/Veteran Community since they were compelled to pay income taxes.

Only Obama could come up with something this inane.

Sri Lanka. Ceylon. Sinhalese? Tamil? Indo? It is just an island. But it is creating more interest every week. Day?

Serious problems in the country and what task does Obama put to Rahm Emanuel, David Axerod and mouthpiece Gibbs?

Waste time on a talkradio host!!

DIRTY CHICAGO POLITICS!!!

SHAME ON YOU OBAMA!!!

what? do we have some holdovers from the bush administration floating these ideas by us?
totally unacceptable! don't even think about making veterans pay for service related injury care.

Ok.
This is where you will totally lose my Independent vote, President Obama!

One of the reasons that I voted for you was because I felt that you would do better by our Veterans than the Republicans did.

If you want to derail your support among the military, go ahead with this stupid plan. You will certainly lose my support!

Our Veterans MUST have FREE healthcare – I don't care what it costs! They have put it ALL on the line for us, and we must do the same for them! Period.

End of discussion.

Isn't that interesting. I seem to remember that when this story broke, several people on this very ticker said the veterans organizations were jumping the gun based on rumor.

I guess they weren't paranoid after all.

It's good thing that not all of us believe the chosen one is as transparent as he claims to be.

I've no interest at all in having an idiot government waste tons of my money, but screwing vets needing care for service-related health problems isn't how I want to stop that waste.

If Obama wants to save money on veterans health expenses, maybe he should consider getting our soldiers out of places where they're being shot at with no perceivable benefit to the US.

As I understand it, right now veterans are having trouble even getting medical services. If they are employed after they return home, and have insurance, shouldn't that be their primary carrier, not the taxpayers?

Any elected official who votes for this better realize how many active duty, veterans, spouses and extended family members there are in their state. Any Florida elected official who votes for obamby's plan will be out of a job.

They have no idea as to how to deal with Health care reform thus putting forward a controversial plan...hehehe. Let the intelligent Democrats iat the White House draw it up.

Shouldn't the VA's rationale be explained in your article CNN?