McCain: Make combat-disabled top VA priority

Source: Army Times

McCain: Make combat-disabled top VA priority
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Jul 23, 2008 5:59:24 EDT

Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain appeared Tuesday to suggest rationing of veterans’ health care may be needed so combat veterans can receive the care they deserve.

At a town hall meeting in Dover, N.H., McCain talked about the need to “concentrate” veterans’ health care on people with injuries that “are a direct result of combat.”

“Right now, there are people who drive a long way and they stand in line to stand in line to get an appointment to get an appointment,” McCain said.

~snip~

McCain, like many other Republicans, have been slow to endorse providing additional money to the Department of Veterans Affairs when Democrats have been pressing for large increases. McCain and other Republicans have argued there is enough money available to treat veterans if the VA were to operate more efficiently.

Read more: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/07/military_mccain_healthcare_072208/

Let's see some of those profits go to the ones who make the oil companies rich.

would not be defined as resulting from "a direct result of combat".

Getting less so more can have less.

This is Alice in Wonderland Doublespeak.

That's going to go over real well.

:sarcasm:

Source: Army Times

Presidential candidate Sen. John McCain appeared Tuesday to suggest rationing of veterans’ health care may be needed so combat veterans can receive the care they deserve.

At a town hall meeting in Dover, N.H., McCain talked about the need to “concentrate” veterans’ health care on people with injuries that “are a direct result of combat.”

“Right now, there are people who drive a long way and they stand in line to stand in line to get an appointment to get an appointment,” McCain said.

McCain’s campaign press office did not return a telephone call asking for clarification of the remarks.

The VA already has a priority system that puts at the top of the list for care people with service-connected disabilities rated at 50 percent or who cannot hold a job because of their service-connected disability. The severity of the injuries or disease is the chief factor in being placed in enrollment priority 1, not whether the problem is the result of combat or from peacetime service.

Read more: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/07/military_mccain_healthcare_072208/

“Right now, there are people who drive a long way and they stand in line to stand in line to get an appointment to get an appointment,” McCain said.

WTF?

If he's anything like Bush, his actions will accomplish the exact opposite of what he says.