Vets losing battle for healthcare.

Source: Las Vegas Sun

Thanks for serving the country, noble veterans, but the Bush Administration is now going to thank you by giving you the shaft.

Leaders of the 3 million-member American Legion have been increasingly vocal about proposed increases for some veterans in enrollment fees, prescription copayments, premiums and deductibles.

The Associated Press reported Monday that under a White House budget proposal, tens of thousands of veterans with non-critical medical issues could see delays or even denial of care.

The AP reported that even though the cost of providing medical care to veterans has been growing by leaps and bounds, White House budget documents assume a cutback in 2008 and further cuts thereafter.

The White House's VA budget request for 2007 adds nearly $3 billion for veterans' health care, compared with 2006. But American Legion National Commander Thomas L. Bock said the request is built on charging new annual enrollment fees for VA care, nearly doubling drug copayments and driving 1.2 million veterans out of the system.

Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean said the administration is playing sleight-of-hand budget games with veterans' benefits.

Nice.

Thanks for serving, but now I'm going to make getting medical care just about impossible for you.

I have an idea: how about taking care of those who helped preserve the freedoms you talk about during campaign speeches and pancakes breakfasts. Give it all to those who gave it all for every one of us.