News From

State Representative Ron Stephens

For Immediate Release: March 19, 2009

Contact: Rep. Stephens

618-651-0405

Stephens, Watson and Moffitt are pleased the President has reconsidered making Veterans pay for healthcare

Obama’s plan would have required private companies to pay for wartime injuries

Springfield… State Representatives Ron Stephens (R-Highland), Jim Watson (R-Jacksonville) and Don Moffitt (R-Galesburg) expressed their relief that the President has reconsidered his plan to require private insurance companies to pay for the treatment of soldiers injured in military service. Stephens and Watson are both military veterans. Moffitt’s son recently returned from serving in Afghanistan.

The President’s plan would have required private insurance companies to reimburse the Department of Veterans Affairs for any treatment related to injuries soldiers received during their service.

“We are thrilled the President has decided to stop pursuing this horrible plan and try to find revenue elsewhere,” Moffitt said. “Had he continued with his proposal, it would have been disastrous for veterans, both in Illinois and the nation.”

“The plan was unconscionable and disrespectful to this country’s veterans,” Stephens said. “Another president from Illinois, Abraham Lincoln, said the United States has a responsibility ‘to care for him who shall have borne the battle’. President Obama should remember that commitment in the future.”

The President had proposed this plan to various veterans groups as a way for the federal government to raise $540 million from private insurance companies.

“The President said the insurance companies needed to pay their fair share,” Watson said. “But the problem was insurance companies didn’t send these men and women off to fight our battles. It was the United States government.”

Currently, any service related injuries are treated and paid for by the government. Opponents of the plan argued making insurance companies bare the financial burden will cause substantial problems for veterans and their families.

“President Obama’s plan would have caused an increase in insurance premiums for veterans, making health insurance unaffordable,” Stephens said. “The plan also would have resulted in higher unemployment for veterans. Small business owners may have avoided hiring veterans who have significant health insurance needs.”

Both Stephens and Watson have sponsored legislation that would assist veterans in receiving the care they need. House Bill 4214, sponsored by Watson and co-sponsored by Stephens and Moffitt, would provide a subsidy for a veteran to use private nursing home care in the event there is a waiting list at State veteran nursing home facilities. Additionally, House Bill 4218 and House Bill 4219, sponsored by Stephens, assist veterans in obtaining medical coverage under State-run health care programs.

“Legislators both at the federal and state level have a responsibility to take care of our military veterans,” Moffitt said. “Illinois offers veterans a wide variety of benefits, from healthcare assistance to education. I encourage every veteran to contact their local legislator and find out what programs and benefits are available to them.”

“It is not the responsibility of the veterans, who have already shouldered a large burden, to sacrifice even more to scrape money together to fix the country’s financial problems,” Watson said. “I’m thrilled the President has realized this.”

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