American Legion Outraged at Obama Plan to Make Wounded Vets Use Private Insurance

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As we noted last Thursday, Barack Obama is proposing to make wounded veterans pay for their own health care with private insurance; the American Legion is outraged: Legion to White House: Don’t Bill Our Heroes.

WASHINGTON, DC (March 16, 2009) – The leader of the nation’s largest veterans organization says he is “deeply disappointed and concerned” after a meeting with President Obama today to discuss a proposal to force private insurance companies to pay for the treatment of military veterans who have suffered� service-connected disabilities and injuries. The Obama administration recently revealed a plan to require private insurance carriers to reimburse the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in such cases.�

“It became apparent during our discussion today that the President intends to move forward with this unreasonable plan,” said Commander David K. Rehbein of The American Legion.� “He says he is looking to generate $540-million by this method, but refused to hear arguments about the moral and government-avowed obligations that would be compromised by it.”

The Commander, clearly angered as he emerged from the session said, “This reimbursement plan would be inconsistent with the mandate ‘ … to care for him who shall have borne the battle … ’ given that the United States government sent members of the armed forces into harm’s way, and not private insurance companies.� I say again that The American Legion does not and will not support any plan that seeks to bill a veteran for treatment of a service connected disability at the very agency that was created to treat the unique need of America’s veterans!”

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