In article , Strabo
wrote:


Actually Tim, he's already paid for it. The VA was part of the
monetary package back when he was paid about $60 a month.

You mean the Veteran's Administration is responsible for the $400,000
bill he says his wife (or what he sometimes calls his "ex-wife") ran
up?

Even for the case of Gunner himself, being a veteran is not a ticket to
lifetime medical care. I'm surprised anyone thinks it is.

VA hospitals are generally for service-related conditions. Here's one
online summary of the requirements for ca

" Compensation for service-connected disabilities is payable to
veterans who have suffered an injury or illness which occurred or was
made worse during military service. A claim for compensation may be
established by evidence showing that an injury or illness arose or
became worse during service and that the veteran currently suffers from
that difficulty.

" The amount of compensation paid depends on how severe the medical
problem is. Severity can vary from 10 percent to 100 percent
disability. Benefits range up to a certain amount each month, with
additional payments for certain severe disabilities. The rate of
compensation may change as the severity of injury or illness changes.
Also, permanently and totally disabled veterans without income may
qualify for a non-service connected disability pension if they served
at least 90 days on active duty with one day during a period of war.
"

http://www.chicagobar.org/public/diallaw/20.asp


I know of one Vietnam-era vet who had his heart bypass done at a VA
hospital and who has been receiving $1000 a month for the past two
years, but only because his heart attack was ruled a service-related
disability. (I don't know any more details. This guy is the friend of a
guy who does some tree trimming at my place. He says his disabled
friend uses the money to buy booze and such and that he just lives in
his van and hopes the money will continue to flow...supposedly his
condition is subject to review and will likely eventually stop.)


And, being from a military family, my father was only covered if he got
care via a military hospital, and this as part of his full retirement
benefits. (Note: Being in the service for 20 years gets a person more
benefits than for a 3-year hitch, which only gets service-related
treatment, as noted above.) For example, he travelled to military
facilities specfically for this reason, and even retired to San Diego
to be near a naval hospital. Care at other hospitals was not covered
(emergencies may be covered, but not surgeries past the stabilization
period only).

If the VA is going to pay, why is Gunner talking about "county and
state" aid?

And his wife's $400,000 bill is not covered by the VA in any case. I
recall posts from Gunner a few years ago about his ex-wife's (er,
wife's) drug abuse, bad habits, etc. It seems likely these bad habits
were the cause of her terrible medical condition not long after. So why
are my taxes going up and up and up to pay for the bad lifestyle
choices of others? Seems to me to be just the sort of thing Gunner used
to rail about.


--Tim May