Health care bill will not hurt vets, Dems say - Navy News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Navy Times

Health care bill will not hurt vets, Dems say

A House-passed national health care reform bill will not reduce health care choices or increase costs for veterans, the military, and military retirees and their families, House Democrats said, accusing opponents of the Affordable Health Care for America Act of spreading “myths” to try to kill the measure.

The bill specifically permits veterans, service member to keep their current coverage and to buy additional coverage if that is their choice, according to a statement prepared by the Democratic staff of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, one of the many House panels that had a part in preparing the bill.

The Senate is expected take up its version of the health care reform bill this week, but quick passage is not expected. Some congressional aides predict the debate could extend into late December and that a final vote may not come until next year.

The statement comes after two prominent House Republicans, the ranking minority party members of the House armed services and veterans’ affairs committees, claimed the Affordable Health Care for America Act would restrict options and possibly reduce coverage for veterans, retirees and their families.

Democrats defending the bill said people enrolled in the veterans’ health care system or in the military’s Tricare health insurance program are treated the same as Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, who also are permitted to buy additional coverage in addition to their government-provided care, the statement says.

Veterans’ and military health care “would not be impacted” by the House bill, the Democrat statement says. “Nothing in the bill would affect, change, or undermine the health care that veterans enrolled in VA health care and military families enrolled in Tricare are currently receiving.”

There is specific language in the bill giving the Defense Department full authority over military health care and Tricare coverage and giving the Veterans Affairs Department full authority over the veterans health care system, preventing interference by the so-called health care czar at the Health Choices Administration that would be created by the bill, Democrats said.

One of the charges from Republicans is that veterans and military families might be forced to pay a 2.5 percent income penalty that would be charged under the bill for people who do not have an acceptable health plan. Democrats deny there is any risk.

“The Affordable Health Care for American Act as passed recognizes VA health care and Tricare as acceptable minimum coverage — so enrollees are already meeting the shared responsibility requirement and will face no fee or penalty,” the statement says. “Individuals enrolled in VA health care or Tricare will never be subject to the bill’s 2.5 percent fee for those who choose not to purchase affordable health insurance.”