By Neil H. Simon
Media General News Service
Media General News Service
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The White House changed course Wednesday on a veterans health care proposal after Rep. Glenn Nye, D-2nd, led 70 House members from both parties last week to oppose the plan.
The group, which includes Reps. Rob Wittman, R-1st, and Tom Perriello, D-5th, sent a letter this week to President Barack Obama, calling for the administration to abandon plans to bill private insurance companies to pay for combat-related injuries.
Late Wednesday, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs announced the president called for dropping the plan from consideration.
Currently, private insurers pay only for veterans’ health care costs unrelated to military service. The change would have made private insurers responsible for covering treatment of service-related conditions ranging from amputations to post-traumatic stress disorder.
Nye and veterans groups argued the change could result in increased health insurance premiums for veterans and potentially could discourage employers from hiring injured veterans.
The White House had sought the change to save the Veterans Administration around $530 million dollars and “maximize the resources available for veterans," Gibbs said in a statement. He said the president listened to veterans groups’ concerns that the change could affect the ability of veterans to get insurance.
The group, which includes Reps. Rob Wittman, R-1st, and Tom Perriello, D-5th, sent a letter this week to President Barack Obama, calling for the administration to abandon plans to bill private insurance companies to pay for combat-related injuries.
Late Wednesday, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs announced the president called for dropping the plan from consideration.
Currently, private insurers pay only for veterans’ health care costs unrelated to military service. The change would have made private insurers responsible for covering treatment of service-related conditions ranging from amputations to post-traumatic stress disorder.
Nye and veterans groups argued the change could result in increased health insurance premiums for veterans and potentially could discourage employers from hiring injured veterans.
The White House had sought the change to save the Veterans Administration around $530 million dollars and “maximize the resources available for veterans," Gibbs said in a statement. He said the president listened to veterans groups’ concerns that the change could affect the ability of veterans to get insurance.