Budget panel may cut care for 1.3 million vets

[unhappycamper]

Budget panel may cut care for 1.3 million vets
TOM PHILPOTT
Posted April 9, 2011 at midnight

Budget panel may cut care for 1.3 million vets

The House Budget Committee, chaired by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), has told a veterans' group it is studying a plan to save $6 billion annually in VA health care costs by canceling enrollment of any veteran who doesn't have a service-related medical condition and is not poor.

Committee Republicans, searching for ways to curb federal deficits and rein in galloping VA costs, are targeting 1.3 million veterans who claim priority group 7 or 8 status and have access to VA care.

Priority group 8 veterans have no service-connected disabilities and annual incomes, or net worth, that exceed VA means-test thresholds and VA "geographic income" thresholds, which are set by family size.

Priority Group 7 veterans also have no service-connected disabilities and their incomes are above the means-test thresholds. But their incomes or net worth fall below the geographic index. In other words, because of where they live, in high cost areas, they likely struggle financially.



unhappycamper comment: So the GOP is trying to end the promise made to our veterans - basically, "We will take care of you when you return home." I hope Rep. Paul Ryan will be out of a job in 2012.

[Luciferous]

1. I'm not surprised by this because Ryan is a dumbass... my in-laws

are actually friends with him :puke: and I wonder what they'll have to say about this, since they are both veterans.

[PDJane]

2. Republicans will always hit the neediest

The hardest. Always. Here, there, everywhere. It's who they are and what they do.

[lpbk2713]

3. Support the troops.

They like riding around in their gas hogs with those bumper stickers on the rear.
They all live in a phony world of hypocrisy.

[crickets]

4. But there's still plenty of funding for more WAR

and all of the military toy manufacture involved. The contractors will still be getting their cut, too. Right?

Wow.

[ellie]

5. Tax cuts for the rich must be preserved!

There is nothing more important than tax cuts for the rich.
:sarcasm:

[Lars39]

6. Cutting priority 8?

That's how my brother will be getting hospice care when the time comes. He's stage 4 now. He might possibly get another round or two of radiation as needed. He'll definitely be dying a lot sooner now if he can't get radiation. :(