StormWarning’s Counterterrorism

At a time when 1.8 million veterans and 3.8 million family members are without medical insurance coverage, President Bush has nominated retired Army Lt. Gen. James B. Peake to head the Dept. of Veterans’ Affairs. This is a brilliant appointment. He will be the 1st physician and the 1st General to be Secretary of the Dept. And there’s lots of “fixin’ to do.”

Here is the text of President Bush’s announcement. He has a lengthy career as a medical professional and an impressive background as a military man (you don’t get 3-stars for nothing):

graduate of West Point
Vietnam veteran ( platoon leader with the 101st Airborne Division)
Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart
Twice wounded
EVP, COO of Project Hope, a nonprofit international health foundation
chief medical director and chief operating officer of California-based QTC Management, which calls itself the largest private provider of government-outsourced occupational health and disability examination services in the nation

Man o’man. The “nasties” are already out. Senator Murray of Washington worries that Peake may have had a role in the crumbling of the military medical system that was recently shown to be so shoddy when conditions at Walter Reed Hospital were disclosed. Others like David W. Gorman, executive director of Disabled American Veterans worry that while he has experience in caring for in-service military that he might not understand or relate to the needs of veterans.

What concerns me, beyond the state of military medical facilities like Walter Reed (there is a reason why it is closing and will be replaced by the military medical system in San Antonio Texas)…is that the report that covered the period through 2004 showed:

“Over 1 million veterans have no health insurance and no access to veterans’ hospitals,” Woolhandler added. “I think that’s shocking to most people. It was certainly shocking to us.”

Many of these veterans were members of working families that earned too much to qualify for programs such as Medicaid or Veterans Administration care, Woolhandler said. “Yet, they earned too little to be able to afford private coverage,” she said.

Woolhandler noted that the Veterans Administration health-care system is not open to all veterans. Many uninsured veterans can’t get any VA care because the Bush Administration stopped enrollment of most middle-income veterans in 2003, she said.

“Any veteran with a service-connected disability can get access to the VA,” Woolhandler said. “That’s a minority of veterans. For everybody else, VA care is means-tested — veterans earning more than $30,000 a year will not be eligible for VA care.”

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Web site, the financial income threshold is $27,790 for a veteran with no dependents and the range graduates upward to $38,948 for four dependents. Each additional dependent raises the annual income ceiling $1,866.

First of all, who can live on $38,948 per year with 4 dependents…or even $27,790 as a single? In fact, for the first time in my long business career I needed to get private (individual - not corporate) medical covergae for the first time two years ago. I realize that I have “decent” coverage, but the premiums are almost $6000 per year and there is a $1000 deductible. Even if you claim that my covergae is “richer” than someone might need, consider that these men and women have given to our country what many, including myself have not…their military service. There is something wrong with this picture.

Surgeon to Be Nominated to Head VA, Bush Picks Peake as Veterans Affairs Secretary; Hearing May be Weeks Away

Wait a minute, why would the hearing be “weeks” away?

But it could be weeks before Peake gets his hearing because the U.S. Office of Government Ethics must complete its background check process, Senate aides said. Veterans’ groups had pushed the president to announce a replacement for departed VA Secretary Jim Nicholson.

I refuse to politicize this issue. Maybe one of the Veterans who read this might wish to add some context here. This is not a debate about insurance for free, or anyone pundit’s rage about the “nanny state” and entitlements. This is about our veteran military. There is a difference.

Read Spree’s post, Bush Slams Congress With Some Harsh Truths: GOOD FOR BUSH