Soldiers should get free health care for life!

Soldiers who come back wounded or with mental trauma are often treated like crap in America. Americans like to talk about supporting the troops and go around waving flags with stickers on the back of their cars, but when it comes right down to it, if it costs them money, they don't give a rat's ass about soldiers.

I say there should be a tax that does towards funding mental and physical heathcare for American veterans.

As it is now, we have cut funding to VFW hospitals and other programs that health veterans, and this needs to stop. These people put their lives on the line, and they deserve our support through actions and not meaningless talking points and slogans.

 

They spent half a century telling the career military they would have 'free' healthcare for themselves and their spouse for life. In the 90's they reversed the thing, denied they had ever promised it, and began to charge. The charges began small but are on a fast rise under Obama.

 

Agreed.

I would pay a higher tax for these guys.

 

Dude......Bush lead the charge for cutting healthcare spending for vets.

VFW hospitals were one of the main things cut when Bush had to make room in the budget for his tax breaks, and tried to make his deficate figures look better than they actually were.

http://http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2007/feb/12/20070212-111911-3968r/

 

Good post and you're heart's in the right place. But one of the problems is that Veterans hospitals are abyssmal and most vets would rather have coverage with private hospitals using a voucher card. I'm a former soldier and I'm also American Indian. I have access to IHS coverages as well as some DVA, but I prefer the private insurer I pay for because it's better. The problem is looking to the government and demanding single payer health care when the government has proven repeatedly that it's incompetent and the health care it provides is substandard. When George Bush visited Walter Reed Army hospital where our wounded soldiers go, he encountered deplorable conditions and demanded reforms. He might have done well to learn from Ronald Reagan who said government isn't the solution to the problem, government IS the problem. Veterans hospitals should be turned over to private contractors who have to compete against others for renewal contracts every 2 years or so. They should also do this to the Indian Health Services which I HATE.

But again, I do agree with your main point, that those who served this country should never have to worry about health coverage again. That's fair to me.

 

Dude, that is BS...Here is VA health spending over the entire period.

2000 - 19.5 billion (Clinton Budget)
2001 - 21 billion
2002 - 22.3 billion
2003 - 24.1 billion
2004 - 26.9 billion
2005 - 28.8 Billion
2006 - 29.9 Billion
2007 - 32.3 Billion
2008 - 37 Billion
2009 - 41.9 Billion (Last Bush Budget)

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/Historicals

In the real world of money and facts, Bush increased veterans health care spending by over 100%

 

Absolute truth right here^^^

 

They get medical care from the VA. Most if not all veterans are entitled (opps there's that nasty word entitlement) to medical care from VA.

 

Nobody cares what you think. You don't vote and never have, by your own admission. It makes everything you say turn to crap.

 

The fact that you are enough of a fool to think your "vote" actually gets counted shows that you don't matter.

You are insignificant.

Accept it fool.

 

They do, if they stay in and make the military their career.

My dad was in the Air Force for 20 years. He has free healthcare for life and so does my mom.

 

As a Veteran, free health care for life would directly benefit me, but I think you have to use some discretion with that.

Are you saying that a guy (or gal) who does their initial enlistment, whether they see combat or not, should just get free healthcare for life? That seems a little excessive. Currently, we have a disability system so that if someone acquires a disabling condition, either through combat or some other reason, you can get a medical disability that provides free healthcare and in some cases a monthly disability payment depending on the diagnosis. And retiree's of course have sort of free healthcare for life. I'm a Reserve retiree so I'll be eligible for for Tricare at age 60, but these programs are expensive, so it seems that we should limit these kind of benefits to people who've earned them. I don't think just for doing a 4 year stint to get college money that you should also get free healthcare for life too. The current GI Bill is pretty sweet as it is.

 

No, they do not...they have to pay about $500 a year and then copays on visits and drugs...For my spouse and I the annual cost is well over $2K and will double under the new schemes over the next decade, or worse. I also spend over $500 a year for my 'free' government dental and many times that for copays and dental visits...This year my wife had to come up with $3K for uncovered dental despite both government 'free' care and Blue Cross.

My point is not to complain about my costs but about the fact that the government lied like a rug to me for decades and then lied again when they began charging. The government lied.

 

The OP obviously has a bias towards military. What about police or fireman? Don't they put their lives on the line everyday to protect you but I guess they don't matter. What about the construction workers building your highways who face the threat of getting hit by a drunk driver just so you can go to the next Toby Keith concert to wave your flag and pretend your a patriot?

Don't they deserve health care for life then?

The military is voluntary. If you don't want to risk getting your ass shot or blown up then don't sign up. Nobody is forcing them into danger, its their choice.

And how many in the military actually see combat? Some secretary sitting in the Pentagon should get healthcare for life when the tens of thousands of non military secretary's don't?

Stupid post

 

My mom and dad don't spend one red cent. I know that for an absolute fact.

The only time they might pay little is if they get referred to some civilian doctor somewhere off the Base for some special need. But that has hardly ever happened.

 

Sorry, wrong...

http://www.tricare.mil/mybenefit/Pr...hPlanCosts/TRICAREPrimeOptions/EnrollmentFees

Unless they are in one of four categories

If they are among the tiny group of retirees who can access military doctors, then I do know what costs come with that but 90% of us do get to pay.

 

You may want to actually ask your parents. According to the Tricare website, their cost is $460 per year, if they are living in a tricare prime service area. If they aren't (basically if they aren't near a base) they will have to pay even more.

You can read about the fees at the Tricare website. Scroll down to the "Retirees under 65" section

 

Don't tell me wrong man, I talk to my parents almost every day. They don't pay anything.

My dad retired as a colonel from the Air Force in 1975. Maybe you newbies might be getting screwed, but my parents are not.

 

The military decides who sees combat zones and who doesn't, why should soldiers be doled out benefits or not depending on something out of their control? After 9/11 my sister and I both joined the Army. I wanted to kill *******s, she wanted to pay for college. I got sent to Korea, she got sent to Iraq. That's the vicissitudes of military life.

 

I guess I prefer the current system that allocates healthcare based on a proven service connected issue, or retirement, not just as another freebie.

Don't get me wrong, if they changed the rules I would probably grab my piece of free healthcare, but it's an unnecessary expense. The only reason I could think to do that would be as recruiting incentive if we really just couldn't get people to serve.

But that's not the case.


Oh, and there is a big difference between serving in a combat zone and being in combat. I served in a combat zone. I got combat pay and everything, but no way was I actually "in combat."

 

Tell it to the government...I linked to the official site.

 

If a soldier is injured and is discharged, they do not get that coverage. Career soldiers are one thing...How about vets who can't serve anymore, but are too injured or sick from their service to work?

 

Tell it to the government...I linked to the official site.

 

This would only go veterans who retire, or are honorably discharged for health reasons. A person who dishonorably discharged would lose all claim to it, and a person who only serves the minimum would have limited coverage until get a job that offers health coverage, at which time their coverage ends.

 

If anyone who happens across this thread is interested in helping out, the Semper Fi Fund for injured marines is a charity I've supported in the past. Great mission and nearly 95% of donations go to program expenses (as opposed to admin and fundraising).