I sleep a lot these days. I do manage to check my e-mail at least once a day though. This afternoon I get into my account and I see 214 new e-mails waiting for me. Thats about 150 more than usual for that time of day. My IMs are blowing up. So many, so fast that I cant even answer one before I have another one pop up. "What could possibly be going on?"  I think to myself. After I abandon trying to answer IMs until they die down a bit,  I begin to open my mail up. I become sad and mad all at the same time.

 My friends, most of whom are Veterans, have swamped me and the volunteer groups that I belong too with correspondence over the governments proposition to start billing the 3rd party insurance companies of Veterans for treatment of service related injuries. There are so many things wrong with that - I think my head is going to explode.

 I read the story a few days ago about what Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki said regarding this very thing. He said that the Obama administration was indeed considering this plan. Also in the article were senators who said this plan wouldn't go through even if it were proposed. So I thought that this had been settled. Aparently many of my friends did too, since I didnt get this kind of reaction back then.

Today was a whole new ball game though.  Obama and his "team" met with 11 Veterans groups today. The largest of those is the American Legion. They tried to explain to this administration the many, many reasons this is a terrible idea. But it all seems to have fallen on deaf ears. The offical story from the AL is posted here http://ourvoice.legion.org/story/1448/legion-white-house-dont-bill-our-heroes  They can better explain exactly why this plan is total BS and their opposition to it. I encourage everyone to read it.

 On a personal note, I will share the thoughts from a good friend of mine as we discussed this plan today. His name is Scott and he is a Veteran. He told me  "I thought I already paid for my healthcare?! It cost me an arm and a leg!". That was his attempt at bringing some dark humor into a serious discussion and he did make me laugh.

The truth is, along with his arm and leg he also lost his right eye, his hearing and a large part of his jaw on the right side as well. If the VA billed his wifes insurance for the many treatments he needs to help with his service related injuries  - they project their family would hit their insurance cap within 3-4 months. Even if they only billed 50% of what it costs they would be out of insurance in 6-7 months.That means no more healthcare for him, his wife, or his 2 kids for the rest of the year. The only reason he is on his wifes insurance plan to begin with is to cover those non service related illnesses that the VA doesnt cover - and there are quite a few of those. Its a serious situation and a slap in the face of an honorable man who gave his all to our country when he was asked too. He deserves a country who will give its all for him.

How many "earmarks" did we just agree to fund that could more than make up the 540 million in revenue that charging the veterans is supposed to bring in? There are better ways to get money. There are certainly more honorable ways to get money. What has happened to us as a country when we think it's okay to even consider something like this - and while we are still at war no less!? Its a sad day for me, its a sad day for my friends. If it comes to fruition, we will be fighting the passage of this abomination with all we have. I just hope someone with some common sense will take the time to listen and stop the madness.