Bob McCarty Writes

Two days after news surfaced about President Barack Obama’s plan to charge wounded war veterans for treatment, the White House on Wednesday backed off a controversial plan that would have dramatically altered the way the Department of Veterans Affairs handles insurance claims, after veterans groups staged an all-out fight against such a proposal.

According to a report in The Hill newspaper, President Obama will not pursue the proposal that would have allowed the VA to charge private insurance companies for the treatment of veterans with service- or war-related injuries.

“We are glad that President Obama listened to the strong objections raised by The American Legion and veterans everywhere about this unfair plan,” said David K. Rehbein, the American Legion National Commander whose outrage was highlighted in this BMW post Monday.  “We thank the administration for its proposed increase in the VA budget and we are always available to assist by providing guidance to ensure a veterans health care system that is worthy of the heroes that use it.”