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2009-03-19 Home Front: Politix

Obama backs down on vets insurance billing

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Posted by tu3031 2009-03-19 10:12|| || Front Page|| [3 views ] Top

#1 The White House is not talking about reversing current policy, which does bill the private insurers of some veterans for treatment not directly related to a service-connected injury, illness or disease.

They've been doing that with retirees for years now. Once you retire and take employment elsewhere, they bill the employers health insurance for medical care received, by the retiree and spouse, at military or VA facilities. Congress et al has billions for pork, but reneges on obligations committed when they paid levels which would qualify below the poverty line on a deal of deferred benefits.

Posted by Procopius2k 2009-03-19 11:05|| 2009-03-19 11:05|| Front Page Top

#2 According to the Commander of the American Legion who met with Obama and Emmanuel, the whole conversation was "surreal". Every time he mentioned the "moral", "ethical" or even "traditional" obligation of the nation to its wounded warriors and vets, Obama kept changing the conversation to saving money. And Gibbs (what a little weasel he is) gives a wimpy story about 3rd party paperwork or whatever. We are seeing The Gong Show as Presidential performance.

Posted by Jack is Back!">Jack is Back! 2009-03-19 12:50|| 2009-03-19 12:50|| Front Page Top

#3 The Vets Insurance Billing would have been stillborn very early and the political cost would have been very significant.

Posted by JohnQC 2009-03-19 12:56|| 2009-03-19 12:56|| Front Page Top

#4 Politics of the souk.

You open with an outrageous offer, then counter-offer with something still way to your advantage when you're met with the expected response. The customer gets a sense of satisfaction from his emotional outbust, while the seller gets exactly what she wanted in the first place.

In this case, I predict you'll be seeing 'service connected treatment' defined quite narrowly in the future; fees for treatment for 'non-service' will go up significantly.

Posted by Pappy 2009-03-19 13:22|| 2009-03-19 13:22|| Front Page Top

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