JWV celebrates scrubbing of veteran insurance change

The Jewish War Veterans is applauding the White House for dropping a plan that would have billed the private insurance companies of veterans to pay for military injuries. Leaders of JWV participated in meetings with other veterans’ groups at the White House to express their opposition last week. Here’s the group’s press release, which disucsses the group’s efforts and emphasizes its dislike of the now defunct plan:

National Commander Ira Novoselsky of the Jewish War Veterans of the USA (JWV), on his way to meet with JWV Departments in Ohio and California, directed National Executive Director Herb Rosenbleeth and PNC Norman Rosenshein to attend meetings at the White House to voice the JWV’s anger at the Obama administration’s ill-advised proposal to force private insurance companies to pay for the treatment of service-connected disabilities and injuries for veterans.

At Commander Novoselsky’s request, NED Rosenbleeth and PNC Rosenshein attended meetings with President Obama, Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel, and VA Secretary Shinseki together with the other veterans
organizations and military groups to voice their opposition to this clear attempt to help balance the Federal budget on the backs of those who deserve their highest priority, the wounded troops who have given so much of themselves to protect and defend our fellow Americans.

All of our veterans have earned their care in their defense of their country. Our country has the obligation to care for them in return. The mission of the VA is, "To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan." The passing off of this responsibility to a third-party insurer is unconscionable.

Following his meeting at the White House, PNC Rosenshein attended a meeting on veterans’ issues convened by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, who started the meeting by announcing that the White House had rescinded the unconscionable 3rd party payer proposal.

We therefore applaud word from the White House that as a result of the diligent work of the JWV, working in partnership with other VSO’s and MSO’s, most notably the fellow organizations of the Veterans Health Care Partnership, this proposal has been dropped, and our veterans will get the care they both deserve and have earned from the VA.

When word of the successful work of the veterans groups in getting the President to abandon this ill-considered and insulting proposal reached National Commander Novoselsky on his travels, he thanked NED
Rosenbleeth and PNC Rosenshein for their work in helping to avert the implementation of this disastrous and insulting proposal. He reiterated that, "Our highest duty and obligation as a country is to
care for those who have served in harm’s way to protect American freedom. This proposal for 3rd party care for veterans with service-connected disabilities was an insult to those who have earned
the thanks and care of a grateful nation. We will remain vigilant that no such proposal will ever destroy the rights and benefits earned by our veterans."

The response to JWV’s objections is very much appreciated.