Dreier, Colleagues Denounce Effort to Bill Insurance Companies for Combat Injuries

March 18, 2009

WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman David Dreier (R-San Dimas), Rules Committee Ranking Republican, joined a group of his colleagues today in signing a letter to President Obama that expresses deep concerns over a proposal that would bill veterans’ private insurance for their combat-related injuries, rather than the Veterans’ Administration (VA). Excerpts of the letter follow:

“We are writing to express our profound disappointment over news reports that your Administration is considering a proposal to breach a solemn obligation to our nation's veterans who have courageously fought for our freedom. If true, the proposal under consideration would permit the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to ignore its core responsibility to provide health care services to our men and women who have a service related disability. We recognize much work needs to be done to improve access to health care services for veterans; however, turning our backs on our veterans by shifting the burden to private health care insurers for their disability-related health care is the wrong policy course.

We adamantly oppose any attempt to shift this responsibility through an unfunded mandate on private insurers. We intend to protect and honor the service of our highest priority veterans by appropriating the resources necessary for their care.

We hope you will not go forward with this ill-conceived plan and will assure our service-disabled veterans that your Administration is committed to meeting its obligations to them.”

Congressman Dreier said that our veterans, especially those with combat-related injuries, deserve the full support of the federal government. “When our young men and women put their lives on the line in Iraq or Afghanistan and suffer grave injuries, they need to know that they will be taken care of when they return home. They have earned that care and it should be free of red tape or any other barrier a protracted insurance negotiation might cause. I am hopeful that President Obama will reconsider this proposal and allow us to consider other options to achieve savings and efficiency for our veterans and the taxpayers who support them.”

Please click here to view a fully copy of the letter.

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