2.4 Million Veterans Will Pay New Fee, WTFO!
 

2.4 Million Veterans Will Pay New Fee

Republican majorities on the House and Senate veterans' affairs committees have voted to impose an enrollment fee of at least $230 a year on 2.4 million veterans -- one of every three now eligible for Veterans Affairs Administration health care. Those targeted are in priority categories 7 and 8, meaning they are neither poor nor suffering from service-connected disabilities. Half of the 2.4 million used the VA health system last year. The Bush administration proposed the enrollment fee to hold down costs. The VA committees rejected another Bush proposal to raise co-payments on VA-filled prescriptions for these same priority 7 and 8 veterans. The House committee, chaired by Rep. Steve Buyer, R-Ind., voted to set the fee for priority 7 enrollees at $230, matching the enrollment fee of under-65 military retirees using Tricare Prime, the military managed care program. For priority 8 veterans, Buyer proposes a sliding scale fee of $230 to $500, depending upon veteran income. How do you feel about this? Contact your public officials now.

A time is coming when all categories will be paying like this. I am surprised it hasn't happened already. The VA just cannot handle the number of patients it has ( I believe there are over 20 million veterans now )....it is a disgrace. Still waiting to get into the outpatient PTSD clinic at the Memphis VA. It has only been 19 months !!!

Larry