Effective January 17, 2003, VA suspended NEW enrollment of veterans assigned to Priority Group 8e and 8g (VA's lowest priority group consisting of higher income veterans). Veterans assigned to Priority Group 8e and 8g are veterans who are enrolling for the first time on or after January 17, 2003, and whose income exceeds the current year income threshold, who have no other special eligibilities such as a compensable service connected condition or recent combat service, and who refuse to provide income information are not eligible for enrollment at this time. Veterans enrolled in Priority Group 8a and 8c on or before January 16, 2003, will remain enrolled and continue to be eligible for the full-range of VA health care benefits.

The number of veterans who can be enrolled in the health care program is determined by the amount of money Congress gives VA each year. Since funds are limited, VA set up priority groups to make sure that certain groups of veterans are able to be enrolled before others.
All of the above was from www.military.com
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In other words my fellow Americans, not all Veterans qualify for medical care for life as originally promised upon their enlistment.  

After reading just a part of the http://www.military.com website about veteran's health care, it looks to be just as complicated as Medicare is to seniors.  If this, then that, if that, then this, or even perhaps this if you qualify for that, etc...

The Democrat, Independent and Republican parties want to claim `they' support the troops more then the other guys/gals.  Well political leaders, here's your chance.  

It's been suggested in the past that our government should allow veterans the ability to go to local hospitals and doctors instead of having to travel sometimes hours to get help medically.  This would be a fabulous idea.

Recently we heard news reports about New York's Governor Spitzer, wanting to hand out drivers licenses to illegal immigrants.  Why not do something similar for our `legal' citizens and war veterans?  Give them an identification card for medical care.  Call it their insurance card.  The card should give them access to any hospital and or doctor in the nation.

Apparently a veteran gets an ID card now, but it's only good at VA hospitals.  This is not good enough.

If the government wants to limit the amount of care available, according to priority (combat connected injury, active duty health problem, non-active duty care, etc...) because of budget constraints, then so be it; but treat the card like any other insurance card, that soon, hopefully, all Americans will have.  If a co-pay or deductible is required, then list that and any other needed information on the ID cards that are given out.

Just give our veterans medical care access - like any other American has access to, but give them more, because they served their nation and perhaps even risked their lives doing so.

Don't make them suffer even more by waiting months for approval for a doctors appointment, traveling miles to a doctor in a VA hospital or waiting in line for hours just to be seen, only to be told to come back later after being approved for a procedure.

Any Democrat, Independent or Republican that can get this offered up and accomplished will be America's hero, even if it means raising their taxes.  

Don't miss the opportunity.   Do it now, during War - Americans will listen.

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