This is kinda relevant again, no? The current economic situation is a roundabout reason for my pissed-off-idness new word, write it down. Yesterday I read about Mr. President's proposal regarding private insurance reimbursing the VA for treatment of veterans wounded in combat. Um, what? Let me get this straight, we're gonna send you off to fight for our country and if you get wounded we'll bring you home BUT we're gonna make your private insurance company pay for your treatment?! Wow, nice kick to the nuts there for ya. Not really surprised that the White House refused further comment on the proposal.
The administration is looking at it like private insurance companies are "getting free ride" by not having to pay for these veteran's treatments while the veterans pay the insurance companies premiums. Guess what, they're paying the premiums for everything else, not the combat related injuries. No one is getting a "free ride" here.
I think they're missing something here. Take for example our small, family run business. We offer insurance coverage to our employees. We pay part, the employee pays part. Standard, right? Say The Dude was injured in combat and needed medical care related to that injury for an extended period of time, or for life. If our private insurance plan had to pay for that care we, as a business, would probably NOT be able to afford to keep The Dude on our plan. The rates would be so outrageous that we simply could not absorb the premiums. So now, The Dude has to find insurance on his own. What insurance company is going to take him on, knowing they'll have to throw down a crap-ton of money on him (pre-existing condition much??!). OR, if they do take him on, how would we ever be able to afford the premiums? That is just NOT fair.
Mr. President essentially told the veteran's groups he met with that if they can come up with a better idea that would be great. Guess what to quote my Shasty "it's not my job motherfucker!" YOU, sir, took on this job with the promise of fixing everything. I realize it's a tough job. Personally, I would never want to be President. Perhaps this is the problem with having a Commander in Chief who never served in the military.
Oh! Oh! Pick me! Pick me!! I have an idea!!!! How about taking the 540 million the President is looking for, from the bailout money!! How much sense does it make to GIVE eleventy billion dollars not an actual figure to companies that made bad financial decisions, but try and TAKE money from those that this country should be caring for?
These young men and women sign up to serve this great country. The only thing they ask is to be cared for should they come home injured. Is that really too much to ask? It breaks my heart to read stories like my Shasty's. Troops should have better options available to them than a pat on the back, a "good job" and sent on their merry little way. Private groups are picking up the slack, or at least trying to, but how many veterans are suffering in silence. Too many I fear. Let's not add to their stress with passage of this bill.
Maybe we all should open the windows and shout like in the clip. Maybe the White House would sit back and say, yep, THAT was a stupid idea. What were we thinking??
5 comments:
What are they thinking... thats a good question. I would venture to say that never in their lives have they had an inkling to help someone else. Oh, that is unless food stamps are involved, cause lord knows military families dont qualify for those either. I think maybe we need to contact the ACLU because I feel like we are being targeted. I think maybe the president hates our own military and he is doing whatever he can to sabotage it. Its like some sort of chess game played by total idiots. Way to go Demmies.
I just watched the AIG hearings and OMG I could spit. It's all so, so wrong and unfair.
It's all horrible crap.
::stands up and applauds:: Honestly, you hit the nail on the head. Mr. President, it's YOUR job, now please get back behind your desk and think of a solution.
They already did!
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/19/us/politics/19vets.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
After vet's groups voiced their concern, Obama said it would be dropped from consideration - they never actually tried to push it through congress or anything. I agree that it was a bad idea, because NO ONE should be denied health insurance. Health care should be treated as a right, not a privilege in my opinion.
I just applied for health coverage, just the cheap cheap emergency only kind, and I'm kind of worried I'm going to be rejected, even though I'm in my twenties and relatively healthy. I just heard a story about this on NPR, that more and more people are being rejected bc so many more people are applying for independent insurance. I'm a woman, which lowers my chances, or ups my cost, bc i could have a baby and because women on the whole go to the doc more, and because I don't think i could possibly get notes from previous doctors proving that the bronchitis or UTI or whatever I got four years ago is gone now - they ask for that kind of shit. There were rotating doctors at the UCSC health clinic; I have NO IDEA what the name of any of the doctors I saw were. yeesh. There is, however, some legislature being suggested to stop healthcare discrimination based on sex.
ALSO, I just watched Network a few weeks ago. It was pretty good (except for the holier than though, wise father type relationship btw the old guy and Faye Dunaway irritated me). That guy in the clip though has some great speeches. I kept wanting to repeat "I'm a human being, goddamn it! My life has value!" etc.
Jenny-benny! I hit "post" for my next blog (about this proposal being taken off the table) JUST as the "new message" icon appeared for your comment! Weird world. That's sucktastic about your insurance. People get screwed left and right. Our insurance did NOT cover maternity. Oh yeah, that was fun to find out AFTER I was preggers.
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