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Medical Services Cut To GI Families

By VVAW

The right to health care, an essential requirement for all people, has recently been attacked, particular for the families of active-duty members of the military. Hard hits are the services for wives and children of lower-ranking enlisted people who cannot afford many of the services otherwise. Historically, the services have been less than adequate for GI families, especially for women and minority people, but even less-than-adequate medical services are better than no services at all.

The Department of Defense announced the so-called "additional guidelines" for Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS) as part of a "concentrated effort to ensure better management of the medical benefits program." What this means to the people who require the medical services translates somewhat differently. In fact, what it says is, "We, the government and the rich that run this country are in sort of a bind right now (and it isn't getting any better) so we're going to eliminate these services to you." Of course it will help them manage the program better--it will cut the number of people treated in half!

These cutbacks or total eliminations, effective as of last March, include a wide range of services including: visual and sight training, air ambulance service, dental care, pregnancy treatment, a wide range of therapeutical services and devices, psychological treatment, a wide range of surgical services, and various forms of counseling programs. Most important of all is a new cost-sharing system where people requiring many types of medical treatment pay half (or more) of the costs--a drastic change from the free services most people are "guaranteed" upon entry into the military. Additionally, many people requiring attention will be refereed to already swamped local, state and federal programs in their areas. These cut backs are just the beginning of the Defense Department's plan for total elimination of health services to families of active-duty GIs. Additional cutbacks are planned to be announced in the near future by the Defense Dept.

The Pentagon, Ford Administration, and the blood-sucking rich leeches pulling the strings on the government have a real surprise in store if they think that GIs and their families are going to sit by as everything they have fought and worked for is stolen from them. The massive cutbacks in the Veterans Administration, the proposed elimination of the GI Bill and the massive cutbacks and attacks on all working people in this country haven't escaped the notice of GIs and their families. We're not going to take it! Decent health care is a right!