Veterans May Face Budget Cuts in 2008

[deadparrot]

WASHINGTON - At least tens of thousands of veterans with non-critical medical issues could suffer delayed or even denied care in coming years to enable President Bush to meet his promise of cutting the deficit in half — if the White House is serious about its proposed budget.

After an increase for next year, the Bush budget would turn current trends on their head. 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.

In fact, the proposed cuts are so draconian that it seems to some that the White House is simply making them up to make its long-term deficit figures look better. More realistic numbers, however, would raise doubts as to whether Bush can keep his promise to wrestle the deficit under control by the time he leaves office.

"Either the administration is proposing gutting VA health care over the next five years or it is not serious about its own budget," said Rep. Chet Edwards (news, bio, voting record) of Texas, top Democrat on the panel overseeing the VA's budget. "If the proposals aren't serious, then that would undermine the administration's argument that they intend to reduce the deficit in half over the next several years."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060227/ap_on_go_pr_wh/budget_cuts_veterans

[bleedingheart]

1. That's how conservatives "support the troops"

[CAG]

2. Its amazing that they keep harping about medicare, VA, medicaid,

and other govt healthcare costs continue to rise 5% a year (except of course medicare, which has risen much more sharply thanks to our inability to negotiate drug prices with repub big pharma) while our PRIVATE health insurance premiums keep rising 10-15% a year.

[SpiralHawk]

3. koMMander AWOL: "Mission accomplished. Screw the real vets"

"They are only pawns to help increase War Profiteering for me, Deadeye "Five Defermments" Dick, and our oily Republican Cronies"

[teryang]

4. He didn't mention this in his recent American Legion speech

:puke: