The Youngest received his paperwork and card for this program (born out of such ire created by the VA scandal (whereby vets were refused timely service of their health needs) rose to heights that it coalesced both Dems and Repubs) a little while ago. It allows him, in certain circumstances, to go to a civilian healthcare provider when needed. As it turned out, he has had the unfortunate experience of having to have taken advantage of it; happy it was available but not that he was ill. Now, Obama wants to kill it and his just released 2016 Budget:
The Obama administration outraged members of Congress on Monday by proposing to scale back a new program aimed at letting veterans access health care outside the VA system.
Last August, Congress passed a VA reform bill that created the Veterans Choice Program, which was supposed to be a way to speed up access to health care given the breakdown within the VA itself. President Barack Obama quickly signed it into law.
Of course he did – dead vets kinda spoils the Narrative that all Government has only our best interests at heart. Until it doesn’t (remember, the scandal was all about “hiding the numbers” so the VA managers could get their bonuses; dead vets spoils that as well.
But on Monday, Obama released a budget plan that said he would try to pare it back, and would offer legislation to do so. “In the coming months, the administration will submit legislation to reallocate a portion of Veterans Choice Program funding to support essential investments in VA system priorities in a fiscally-responsible, budget-neutral manner,” the budget said.
VA Secretary Robert McDonald added that he would propose this chance in order to provide flexibility at the VA, in order to “serve veterans the way they want and deserve to be served.”
Problem is that there is no Trust that what McDonad says will actually be done. That’s for the public consumption as a PR distraction. I doubt very much that’s the real reason or purpose.
La Raza is the uber-Hispanic “advocacy” group whose motto (which they deny) is “Por La Raza todo. Fuera de La Raza nada”; For The Race everything, outside The Race nothing. Obama seems to have the same attitude like any good Progressive / Socialist: For the Government everything, outside the Government, er, shouldn’t exist.
Choice? Vets get a CHOICE to use either Government facilities or the private sector? Why, why, that sucks money away from Government operations! Doesn’t matter that the VA Scandal ended up with dead vets and others demonstrably underserved. What Obama is telling vets, politicos, and we in the general public that generally are very appreciative of what vets have done for us, that the vets must stay on the Federal plantation. There can be no choice, there can only be Government. Makes no difference if the healthcare is adequate, timely, and of quality – Obama seemingly cannot abide by Competition and with this Budget, has made his move to quash it.
Choice? Choice is the quantification of Freedom. In this, Obama has reduced the ability of vets to make choices; in fact, he removed it altogether (surprise, surprise, eh?). Even though Congress acted about as fast as I’ve seen it, this shows that Obama’s teeth must have been grinding off the enamel in that he had no political choice but to sign it. In this action, here is his retribution.
Remember, the VA is completely Government run – a completely “owned means of production” in healthcare – government owned facilities, government purchased supplies, government employees. It IS a totally socialist system that cares for vets and as we saw during the uprise of the VA scandal, only Government is responsible for its tremendous failure. This is what faces the rest of us as Obamacare continues its transformation of the American healthcare system.
And it all comes down to “who decides who gets a Choice”?
And Obama just said “Me. Period.”
