What in the world is this senile old man thinking with this idea? He wants to put all veterans into ER's across the country and out of the Veterans Hospitals why? Is there money in it for his republican friends in the health care industry or does he truly have NO repsect for service connected medical problems. Most healthcare at the VA is not for "serious combat wounds" it is like any other hospital, men and women have normal health problems and the government is responsible for the total health care of veterans rated 50% and higher, if you are rated 100% then you are even entitled to that famous VA dental care, the former VA Secretary Nicholson tried to pass off as an excuse to Bob Woodruff last year in that messed up interview.
Senator McCain is ranting about Senator Obama not caring about veterans, well what if the hell is this? Is this "caring" for disabled veterans? I don't think so.....
My favorite veterans website has the story from CBS posted here VA Watchdog.org
McCAIN'S REMARKS ABOUT A NEW VA MISSION SEND
CONFUSING MESSAGE -- Presidential-hopeful calls for
VA to get out of the business of "routine" healthcare.
Presidential-hopeful Sen. John McCain (R-AZ).
There are lots of people trying to figure out what McCain means by this.
He wants the VA to get out of the business of "routine" healthcare and just treat "combat wounds."
This would mean that non-combat, service-connected conditions wouldn't be treated by the VA. This would mean that there would be no preventive medicine practiced at the VA.
A number of journalists have asked the McCain campaign for a clarification, but none has been offered at this time.
If McCain is being straight-up about this proposal, it would mean the end of the VA.
In the piece below, McCain again called for a "VA Card" that vets could use anywhere for their care. Again...this would mean the end of the VA. We have seen what happened when our military hospitals were closed and retirees were given a "card"...they ended up with an HMO (TRICARE) and many of them are paying dearly for their healthcare.
Even VA Secretary Peake is opposed to the "VA Card" concept, calling it "yellow-page medicine" and "potentially dangerous."
For more about McCain's "VA Card" proposal, use the VA Watchdog search engine...click here...
http://www.yourvabenefits.org/...
here is the quote from CBS
(SEDONA, ARIZ.) – The Veterans Administration should concentrate on treating soldiers with serious injuries and get out of the business of routine health care, John McCain said today.
"We have got to spend more effort and devote more time to the treatment of the battle wounds both seen and unseen," McCain said, appearing via satellite at National Forum on Disability Issues. "I believe we need to relieve the burden on the VA from routine health care, put more of our assets in the unique capabilities of the VA for the treatment of combat wounds, both seen and unseen."
McCain advocates giving each veteran a card that they can take to any doctor’s office, so the VA can concentrate on more serious, combat-related injuries, like Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
"If you have a routine health care need, take it wherever you want, whatever doctor or health care provider and get the treatment you need, while we at the VA focus our attention, our care, our love, on these grievous wounds of war," he said.
While McCain has been criticized for not supporting some types of funding for veterans programs because he believes they are not cost efficient or encourage soldiers to leave the armed services, the U.S. government spent over $80 billion on veterans in 2007, the largest expenditure in history
You will notice this story was posted from Sedona Arizona while the Senator was at home, so this was not an off the cuff remark, this is what he truly believes, that the VA should not be doing "routine medical care" excuse me Senator the deal we made was if I became disabled due to my military service this nation would take care of me and my family for my lifetime, you can't change the rules now. I am totally disabled, I can't go back to 1973 and make my decision different over enlisting or not, I did now I am damaged and the "promise" was I got hurt and other veterans got hurt or killed while on duty you would care for us and our families there was no fine line about "combat only" injuries many troops are hurt in training for combat like myself, what are we supposed to do?
This nation reneged on the promise to care for "career soldiers" right after the end of Vietnam, you remember the one your "swift boat friend" and fellow POW Bud Day sued the government over, medical care for retirees and their spouses after retirement? It's time to quit changing the rules and keep the "promises" this nation made.
Senator Obama has never gone this far to disrespect the troops, this is callous even for a republican, especially a retired combat veteran, who is entitled to use VA health care, but I am sure you don't, you use Walter Reed because of your status as a Senator or a private doctor that your Senate Insurance pays for, dont you?
What's next Medicare for disabled veterans at 65 and kick all of the older vets out? That could save the VA a lot of money you cheap bastard.