War injured toll soars, hits veterans health costs(VA needs $2.6 billion)

[maddezmom]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - As the numbers of U.S. war injured in Iraq and Afghanistan soared, the Bush administration admitted to lawmakers on Tuesday it had underestimated funds to cover health care costs for veterans and Congress would have to plug a $2.6 billion hole.

"The bottom line is there is a surge in demand in VA (health) services across the board," said Veterans Affairs Secretary James Nicholson.

The Veterans Administration assumed it would have to take care of 23,553 patients who are veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan but that number had been revised upward to 103,000, Nicholson told a House of Representatives panel.

Nicholson told a House Appropriations subcommittee that his agency's estimate of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans in need of health care services was now four times greater than thought.

more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050628/pl_nm/usa_congress_veterans_dc

[Double T]

1. Piss poor planning again by this totally incompetent administration..

I continually wonder what this Iraq war REALLY costs in hard dollars and lives.

[SlavesandBulldozers]

5. at a certain point the numbers become incomprehensible

there is a great image somewhere out there that i cannot currently find that has a to-scale image of a human standing next to like a
multi-story-building-sized stack of cash.

[CottonBear]

2. 103,000 injured and the number's growing daily.

:scared: :cry:

[rodeodance]

7. so so so many --

[indepat]

12. But we will stay until the job is done and forgetful me not remembering

what the job is.

[meganmonkey]

17. Duh! We have to stay the course! Finish the job, which is....

uh...wait a minute...on the tip of my tongue...err...

Oh yeah, I think it goes something like this:

:banghead: :hide: :argh: :evilfrown:

[indepat]

21. Thanks: I needed a laugh

[Benhurst]

3. We can't afford this. Next thing they'll want to restore the "death tax."

Jeez! Can't they re-use the bandages or something? :sarcasm:

[dbeach]

4. busheviks admit to making an error????

maybe they are afraid that 25 million Veterans might think jr is a war monger and don't need the Vets..

nicolson ..no stranger to politics as the former RNC chairman will cut the VA budget and smile away...


something weird here....2.6 bilion ain't much to halburton but is lots of dough for Vets..nicolson..what a bushevik bummer!

[Laughing Mirror]

6. Not to worry, Pentagon Collection Agency gearing up to plug those holes

Marine Staff Sgt. Bill Murwin answered his country's call to duty in Iraq, was seriously wounded and lost part of his left foot. A grateful nation considers him a hero. The military, however, treated Murwin as if he were a deadbeat, threatening to turn his name over to a collection agency for an overdue debt.

Here is the most outrageous part of this story, which was reported by Times staff writer Bill Adair. The debt was for food Murwin ate while he was hospitalized, recovering from his war injuries. An obscure law passed in 1981 requires soldiers to reimburse the government for their $8.10 daily food allowance while in a military hospital because they are being fed for free.

Murwin had little choice where he ate. After a short stay in a hospital in Germany, he was transferred to a U.S. medical center. In all, he owed about $243 for hospital food that, he concedes, wasn't too bad. He got one of the bills in the mail, and three days later a warning that said the payment was overdue and would be referred to a collection agency.

When Rep. C.W. Bill Young and his wife, Beverly, heard about Murwin's plight, they helped pay his bill. And because Young is one of the most powerful politicians in Washington, he was able to do something else - file legislation to repeal the 1981 law.

http://www.sptimes.com/2003/09/12/Opinion/A_different_GI_bill.shtml

[Karenina]

8. Chew 'em up

Spit 'em out into the gutter. GOOD on those who have the skills to "Fight The Power." They speak for the "common good."

[magellan]

13. And that Congressman who helped pay the bill is a Republican, too

Now and then they still make them like they used to.

[maddezmom]

9. and * response: Bush: Bloodshed in Iraq Is 'Worth It'

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1589501

:puke:

[bpilgrim]

10. no problem, we can OUTSOURCE that to KBR - Cheney n/t

peace

[maddezmom]

11. kicking for our Vets

did * mention this in his speech?

[pinniped]

14. Just print some more money.

It worked for Germany.:crazy:

103,000, has this number been published before?

The only amount these morans didn't underestimate is the billions their bank accounts will be filled with.

[dbeach]

15. Senate GOP Plans Spending Boost for Vets

so where is the short 2.7 billion?

Vets will suffer more under bushevik rule.
nicolson is a budget cutter..former RNC chairman


"Senate GOP Plans Spending Boost for Vets

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5104834,00.html

Tuesday June 28, 2005 8:31 PM



WASHINGTON (AP) - Struggling to prevent political damage, Senate Republicans intend to raise spending on veterans programs by $1.5 billion to make up for a shortage caused partly by the return of troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, officials said Tuesday.

``I'm glad they have seen the light,'' said Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada. He said majority Republicans had refused to provide the money when members of his party called for it earlier in the year.

Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, who chairs the Veterans Committee, said a vote was likely Tuesday or Wednesday.

Nicholson said the agency now estimates its earlier forecast for the next fiscal year will leave it about $1.5 billion short.

EDITED BY ADMIN: COPYRIGHT

[Moderator]

16. dbeach

Per DU copyright rules
please post only four
paragraphs from the
copyrighted news source.


Thank you.


DU Moderator

[not fooled]

18. And what minute fraction of the tax cuts for the wealthiest 0.1%...

...would fully fund the VA???

Just askin'

Oops, can't go there (if you're a hypocritical, duplicitous, masses-hating 'puke politician):mad:

[Yavin4]

19. What Happened to "Support the Troops"?

I guess supporting the troops doesn't mean offering them healthcare. It just means waving a flag and buying a Toby Keith CD.

[Roland99]

22. You mean the ribbon sales aren't helping cover veterans' healthcare?

[Roland99]

20. 23,553 revised UPWARD to *103,000*?!?! Good grief!!

[AndrewJacksonFaction]

23. I think it has to do with mental health.

I don't not believe that they counting mental health as wounded, but it does go into the tabulation of costs on the VA. Just my .02.

[Roland99]

24. Well, as of about a year ago, wounded were already over 30k if......

you counted the mental health issues that took people out of theater.