WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Frank A. LoBiondo (R-02) Wednesday, March 18 blasted the Obama Administration’s proposal to bill veterans’ private insurance for their service-related disability treatments.
“I am astonished and outraged by the Administration’s efforts to pass the buck for our veterans’ care to those who bravely and selflessly served this country,” said LoBiondo in a release. “In no uncertain terms, the Administration’s proposal shirks the nation’s obligations to our veterans, and I will work tirelessly to oppose it.”
According to the release, the Veterans Administration (VA) pays for service-related disability treatments. The Obama Administration is proposing that privately-insured veterans be forced to cover their own service-related disability treatments. The consequences could include: increased insurance premiums and co-payments for disabled veterans; greater difficulties for disabled veterans and their families to obtain or retain private health insurance; and the potential for veterans to exceed their maximum coverage limits.
Joining with his fellow Representatives Charlie Dent (PA-15) and Mark Kirk (IL-10), LoBiondo is sending a letter to President Obama this week urging him to reverse course on the VA’s current proposal. The full text of the letter is as follows:
Dear President Obama,
We write to register our deep concern with recently announced plans to force veterans to rely on private insurance company payments for treatment for service-connected injuries.
The American Legion’s National Commander, Dave Rehbein, and the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America Executive Director, Paul Rieckhoff, already publicly expressed the strong opposition of their membership to this plan. These two organizations alone represent more than 3 million American veterans.
We, the citizens of America, owe veterans our care through our government. Veterans should not depend on private insurance companies who bear no moral bond to soldiers or their pain.
One of President Washington’s first missions was to care for veterans. President Lincoln promised “…to care for him who bore the brunt of battle, his widow and his orphan…” It seems clear to us what Lincoln would advise here.
We urge you to reconsider this private reimbursement plan and instead ensure the Department of Veterans Affairs has the resources it needs to fulfill its mandate to treat service-connected injuries and disabilities. Private companies bear them no obligation. We, and our federal government, owe them everything.
Sincerely…
The proposal is being considered as part of the Obama Administration’s Fiscal Year 2010 VA budget. LoBiondo has agreed to cosponsor legislation by fellow New Jersey Representative John Adler (NJ-03) to permanently block this proposal should it be included in the budget, which will be presented to Congress in the coming weeks.
On Friday, March 20th, LoBiondo will meet with leaders of South Jersey veterans’ organizations to stand in support of their rejection of this proposal and to discuss additional concerns they may have on initiatives being considered by the Obama Administration. The meeting is expected to occur in Vineland with exact details to be announced shortly.
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