US Rep. Dennis Moore on supporting United States Military Veterans
coburnforsenate
US Rep. Maurice Hinchey on Veterans Health Care (2007)
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| The War on Veterans | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Since 1995, the US government, in close collaberation with various private interests, has been at war with America's soldiers. Benefits that were promised and funding for hospitals have been cut, and now it's being reported that VA facilities are in horrendous condition. This is the result of an agenda to completely privatize healthcare. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Several questions that need to be answered: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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What do the veterans themselves prefer - public or private healthcare? What have veterans been saying about the cuts in spending? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Was it necessary to let injured Iraq War veterans suffer in pursuit of this agenda to privatize? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Were policy makers informed of the consequences of how bad things would get for soldiers as spending on healthcare was reduced? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Has anyone consulted with the veterans to explain how a better system would work? Has anyone asked veterans what system they think is better? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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If it has already been decided that the healthcare system is going to be privatized, hasn't anyone designed a transition system for a smoother move from public healthcare to private? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Hasn't anyone considered the consequences of a major systematic change in hospital systems during the middle of a major war? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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If the system becomes completely privatized, are injured soldiers going to have to pay for their own hospital expenses? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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If a private system is better, how come it has taken this long for people to figure that out? Why has the US military had a public health care system for so long? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Various links that should help to answer these questions: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balanced Budget Act protects Veterans (pdf) - Nov 16, 1995 - The lies start here | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "From September 1995 to September 2000, DVA cut Registered Nurses (RNs) by 10 percent, Licenced Practical Nurses (LPNs) by 13 percent and Nursing Assistants (NAs) by 30 percent. In combination these cuts meant a loss of 1 in 6 direct caregivers...The impacts of these cuts are significant and snowball over time." The State of the Veterans Healthcare System before The House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Health Subcommittee (Apr 3, 2001) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Since 1995, the Department of Defense (DOD) and the VA have coordinated their medical care in the program known as TRICARE. TRICARE provides beneficiaries with the opportunity of choosing a health maintenance organization option, a preferred provider option, or a fee-for-service option"..."VA's cost per patient will continue to grow. While greater than the 2006 amount, the Administrations's request is not enough to meet the federal government's obligation to veterans. In order to make up the difference, the Administration is introducing a three-tier TRICARE fee structure for retirees under age 65. The proposal includes higher enrollment fees for the Prime plan, new enrollment fees for the Standard plan, increased annual deductibles for the Standard plan, and higher pharmacy co-payments."..."These changes are not acceptable. The federal budget should honor veterans by providing the benefits they have earned at no additional cost to them." US Rep. Dennis Moore on supporting United States Military Veterans |
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| "We still owe a debt to our veterans...Now, my budget cuts a lot. But it protects education, veterans, Social Security and Medicare, and I hope you will do the same thing. You should, and I hope you will." Bill Clinton, 1995 State of the Union Address | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "President Clinton rejected bills to provide funding for the departments of the Interior, Veterans Affairs, and Housing and Urban Development, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency."..."The two bills vetoed Monday would have..cut veterans' medical care to $400 million below the amount Mr. Clinton had requested" 250,000 idled as Clinton puts veto-power to work (12/19/95) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Local veterans face nation's budget blues (Nov 8, 1995) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The president's 7 year balanced budget proposal, 1995 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Support the warrior, not the war. Give them their benefits! (March 28, 2003) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Veterans' care squeezed by the VA (May 25, 2003 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Veterans Administration Malpractice Claims | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "In congress, Dr. Coburn cinsistently voted to guarantee funding for veterans' services. He voted to restore $206 million cut from Veteran's Administration (VA) funding in 1995 (Roll call vote #239, 3/15/1995). He voted to increase veterans' medical care by $213 million (Roll call vote #829, 11/29/1995) and to extend long-term care for veterans (H.R. 2116; Roll call vote #427, 9/21/1999), Dr. Coburn voted to increase the funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs extended care facilities by $10 million in 1999 (Roll call vote #401, 9/9/1999) and for an increase of $21 million in 1998 (Roll call vote #347, 7/29/1998). He also voted to approve a bill to guarantee home loans for homeless veterans (Roll call vote #162, 5/19/1998)." coburnforsenate |
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| Veterans benefits cut (2003) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Military familites speak out - "a message I think veterans - and all americans - would be interested in" (2003-2004) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Howard Dean: "do we cut veterans' benefits?" (2004) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Yesterday, the Ranking Member of the House Committe on Veterans' Affairs released as fact a scary tale of fictitious cuts to veterans healthcare funding." Evans Holiday season scare tactic rings hollow (Dec 15, 2005) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Republican inaction on the VA spending bill results in a $438 million cut to veterans' health care" Republicans cut our veterans budget! (Oct 16, 2006) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| bush wants to cut veterans' healthcare - Feb 12 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bush budget cuts veterans health care in 2009 (02/13/07) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bush cuts veterans health care (2/13/07) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dean: Bush has failed our veterans (March 6, 2007) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Porkbuster files: 1974-1998 (bulk 1990-1995) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "The veterans' health care system is in a state of crisis...Our government made a commitment to those who served and I for one believe that we ought to honor it by providing the best possible health care to every veteran who needs it...The decline in the availability and quality of care is the direct result of inadequate funding by the Bush Administration and Congress. For nearly a decade, the Republican leadership's desire to cut government spending has resulted in too little funding for the VA medical system. Despite the growing demand for care and the increase in enrollment in the VA health programs, funding has not even kept up with the rate of inflation...In a joint press release, the major veterans' advacacy organizations denounced the inadequate funding, stating that, "This meager increase is simply inadequate to provide health care to sick and disabled veterans, and represents a flagrant disregard for promises made to veterans by this Congress." I wholeheartedly agree...We need to fund veterans' health care at a higher level that keeps pace with the rising cost of providing it and the growth in the number of veterans enrolled. We should be working to address the long waiting times and reduced services that veterans are already experiencing by providing more resources. US Rep. Maurice Hinchey on Veterans Health Care (2007) |
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| "The national debt, which has swelled by almost a trillion dollars in the last two and a half years, has hampered the nation's ability to fund priorities such as education, health care for seniors, children and veterans." Jeff Steinborn during his 2004 election campaign. (May 23, 2004) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jim Talent cutting veterans' benefits - 23 votes against veterans' benefits | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||