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VFW commander blasts guv’s veterans care program

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Illinois

Buried way down in a Copley News Service story entitled “Blagojevich, Topinka trade barbs” is this very important nugget about the governor’s new Veterans Care program that will offer medical services to vets who don’t qualify for federal assistance.

Also, the Blagojevich administration has drawn fire for the way it has chosen to finance the $8 million health-care plan - by channeling most revenue from a new scratch-off lottery ticket for Illinois veterans. […]

In a September letter to JCAR, the Illinois commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars called the health care program “suspect at best.”

“It is not an entitlement; it is not mandatory; and is subject to availability of funding,” Matthew Claussen wrote. “We wonder what will happen to the veterans who enroll in this program if it is not renewed in the next General Assembly.”

You’d think the Topinka campaign would have publicized this letter last month.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 8:51 am

Comments

Blasts? He obviously concerned about the program’s funding. Did he say it was a bad idea? Did he say we should not do it? Did he say it does not provide the coverage that Vets need? He definately is suspect and has concerned about the funding, but he did not blast the program. If the program delivers the services promised I doubt he will be “blasting” the program a year from now. I would expect him to continue to lobby for a more reliable funding mechanism but he didn’t really blast the program.

Comment by wndycty Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 9:05 am
According to letters sent out by the administration (two identical ones of which my brother recieved from different agencies on the same day), Veterans Care is supposed to be “affordable, comprehensive health care coverage.” Without a secured, guaranteed revenue stream to support it, it certainly seems like our vets are being sold a bill of goods.

http://gopartisan.blogspot.com
/2006/10/who-needs-state
-job-when-youve-can-get.html

Comment by grand old partisan Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 9:06 am
The legislature identified 5 service areas to Illinois veterans including healthcare and homeless. The five service areas were appropriated by the lottery scratch-off estimated to produce $10 million in FY 2007.

In testimony before JCAR the director of Veterans Affairs indicated that $9 million was allocated to the healthcare initiative and the $1 million would be allocated to the remaining 4 categoies, including homeless veterans.

There are an estimated 11 million homeless veterans in Illinois. The director of Veterans Affairs stated before JCAR that he was not concerned because they were adding 15 beds to the downstate veteran’s home which is funded by a separate allocation in the FY 2007 budget.

Members of JCAR are “hot.” They are unanimous in their opinion that this was not the intent of the legislature.

This is a sad development for Illinois veterans, particularly homeless veterans who are struggling with serious health issues including mental health issues such as bi-polar disease and schizophrenia. Often, becasue of the lack of healthcare and access to prescription drugs they “self-medicate” with alcohol.

Comment by Larry McKeon Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 9:10 am
I wonder what Lt. Governor Pat Quinn, who has been fairly supportive of veterans and their concerns over the past four years, has to say about this development.

Comment by fedup dem Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 9:19 am
What about cuts at the VA hospital.He threw us veterans under the bus many months ago.

Comment by DOWNSTATE Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 9:24 am
Sigh.

Here we go again.

The problem is not veterans. It’s not kids. It’s everybody. The veterans deserve health insurance, but so do the other nearly two million adults in Illinois who don’t have it.

State government is a pile of our money presided over temporarily by a succession of more or less competent civil servants and elected officials. Right now we are in a less competent phase…less competent civil servants (with a heavy dose of patronage workers) and less competent elected officials. They are incapable of complex thought so we need to send a simple message. All Illinoisians should have guaranteed access to
reasonably priced health insurance. Figure out how to do it, there are a myriad of ways, but
do it now. The money is there.

Comment by Cassandra Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 9:50 am
Thought Rod has put out ads claiming that JBT is anti-vets and not supportive. Guess it is the old shell game of on paper PR there is a program, behind the scene there is nothing to pay for it to be operational.
RB: “This service supports vets like I do”.
Anyone: “Hey Gov, how are you paying for it?”
RB: “What was the question?”

Comment by zatoichi Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 10:46 am
Blago could care less about veterans. Look who he put in charge of Illinois Veterans Administration, a parking lot manager and 2nd in command to him, a woman who has been passed around VA like a loose rag. No wonder us veterans have taken it on the chin since this administration has been in power. After all, they got rid of a Metal Of Honor recipient for what we now have. What kind of an idiot would do that!!

Comment by WARDOG Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 11:23 am
Gee i am no genius but arent the va hospitals run by the fed and i guess since we cant promise care for infinity that we dont start with one year at a time isnt one year better than none

Comment by observer Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 12:19 pm
This governor has a long history of ignoring the vets. Right here in Springfield WW II vets were working for funding for a WW II memorial. The governor, with much fanfare, promised that if the vets obtained their portion of the proceeds then Blagojevich would make sure the state contributed their fare share.

Well these aged vets many in their upper 70’s and lower 80’s lived up to their end of the bargain; however, when they went before the governor’s people to have Blagojevich live up to his end of the deal the governor attempted to back out. After much pressure and maybe a little concern that it might be made public did the governor finally provide the money that he had originally promised. It was such a farce that the vets didn’t even invite Blagojevich to the dedication ceremony.

Heâ€™s so concerned about our vets.

Comment by Sound Reasoning Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 1:43 pm
Observer,
No good deed goes unpunished in Illinois.

Comment by Bill Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 1:47 pm
Mr unsound reasonning you had 25 yrs in office why didnt you build a WWII memorial

Comment by observer Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 4:56 pm
This is just another example of all blow and no go. Public Official got a law passed to award a medal to service people who are/have be in Iraq. The only thing is he never got the money appropraited to pay for making the medals. What a loser.

Comment by Huh? Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 6:26 pm
Pat Quinn is all blow and no go as well. He bragged himself up this summer and DID NOT deliver. A young man from Macomb, I believe, drew some wonderful renditions of all our Illinois service members KIA. Quinn took these pictures ON TOUR. The only problem was that the pictures were the only things, an AID, delivered. What was promised was a complete display, 24 hour security and a Honor Guard during the display hours. After borrowing easles to put the pictures on and the help of two Veterans (one a Vietnam Bronze Star recipient) who obtained flags,banners etc…, the display was completed. Prior to the help of these men there were numerous complaints that this shabby of a setup DISCRACED our Brave Veterans, who had given the Ultimate Sacrifice. I say SHAME ON YOU Pat Quinn for grandstanding at the expense of these Outstanding Illinoisans. God Bless our Troops, Veterans and Country.

Comment by Bob Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 7:23 pm
Let’s be clear about things. The VA centers in Illinois, not Hospitals (which are Fed.), are run by Illinois. The understaffed facilities get staff from the state. There aren’t enough nurses or aides to give the people, VETS, who live there, more than one full bath a week. Is that how you’d want your parent or brother or sister, for that matter, to be treated, after serving your country?

Our Gov can’t figure out how to properly fund the bugdet to staff the Veterans Affairs at the local level. How the heck do you expect him to figure out how to fund an APPROPRIATE healthcare or insurance program for the vets?

Comment by Tessa Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 7:25 pm
First of all mr lm there are not 11 million homeless veterans in illinois there are only around 12.7 million people in the whole state. If you are saying tessa that the vet centers like we have on 9th street in spfd is state run that is also not true it is 100% federally ran we will not buy your false claims get it right or shut up

Comment by observer Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 8:52 pm
Everything is fair game in this campaign, but we have gone past that, past fairly gamey, and into a period of continuing smell.

Comment by Truthful James Saturday, Nov 4, 06 @ 11:43 am
Speaking of smell how about the VFW endorsement of Roskam.

Comment by Charles Martel Saturday, Nov 4, 06 @ 12:35 pm
observer - I was talking about the vets homes, which are state run. Like the ones in Anna and Quincy and LaSalle/Peru. The ones where there are empty beds for vets to go into, but there aren’t enough staff to take care of them or provide adequate services for them. I work for the state, and I know what’s going on.

I’m not making false claims, I used the word center instead of home, and please refrain from telling people here to shut up, it’s not very professional. If you don’t walk in my shoes, don’t tell me I don’t know what I’m talking about.

Comment by Tessa Saturday, Nov 4, 06 @ 6:08 pm