Tuesday, March 23, 2010

New health care bill won’t affect veteran’s medical benefits

Veterans of Military Service

Now that the first major hurdle for health care reform has passed many Americans are wondering how that will affect them. Especially veterans. The good news is THERE WILL BE NO CHANGES. here’s Statement from VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki

"As Secretary of Veterans
Affairs, I accepted the solemn responsibility to uphold our sacred trust
with
our nation's Veterans.  Fears that Veterans health care and TRICARE will
be undermined by the health reform legislation are unfounded.  I am
confident that the legislation being voted on today will provide the
protections afforded our nation's Veterans and the health care they have
earned
through their service.  The President and I stand firm in our commitment
to those who serve and have served in our armed forces.  We pledge to
continue
to provide the men and women in uniform and our Veterans the high
quality
health care they have earned.

President Obama has strongly supported Veterans and their needs, specifically health care needs, on every major issue for these past 14 months - advance appropriations, new GI Bill implementation, new Agent Orange presumptions for three additional diseases,
new Gulf War Illness presumptions for nine additional diseases, and a 16% budget increase in 2010 for the Department of Veterans Affairs, that is the largest in over 30 years, and which has been followed by a 2011 VA budget request that increases that record budget by an additional 7.6%. 

To give our Veterans further assurance that health reform legislation will not affect their health care systems, the Chairmen of five House committees, including Veterans Affairs
Chairman Bob Filner and Armed Services Chairman Ike Skelton, have just issued a
joint letter reaffirming that the health reform legislation as written would protect those receiving care through all TRICARE and Department of Veterans Affairs programs." 

Source: Agent Orange Legacy

 

4 comments:

vintagekart2 said...

There is no mention as to whether or not Veterans will be required to purchase insurance coverage under the new law.

ImBlogCrazy said...

Vintagekart2,

If a veteran already has VA insurance - like if they're 100 percent service connected (or smaller percentage) nothing changes.
Say you are a veteran that doesn't have any service-connected disabilities:
If you already have private insurance that you are satisfied with it won't change.
But let's say you have NO insurance. Now, you'll be eligible for help under the new health care law.
At some point, everyone without insurance will have to get it. However, they new law will assist those who can't afford it.
It's a safety net.

See Today's (3/24)post from a reader - Georgia Gordon. There's more detailed information there.

If this doesn't help you, let me know and I'll work on getting more information from directly from the VA regarding your question.

afret said...

being a retired AF veteran, with a 22yo son in college full time, Is he still covered until 23 or 26 in tri care, or do I have to buy additional insurance from my work site group for him to be covered? Also half the word verification shit can't be read whats with that?

ImBlogCrazy said...

Afret,

There's no change for your son's elibility (up to 26)

Sorry about the word verification hassel.

I'm not sure how to fix that. If anyone has any ideas, please share them with me.

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