Actor Bill Cosby Calls For Increased Spending On Veterans Health Care

Main Category: Veterans / Ex-Servicemen
Also Included In: Health Insurance / Medical Insurance
Article Date: 11 Sep 2006 - 7:00 PDT

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Actor and comedian Bill Cosby on Wednesday at rally in Newark, New Jersey, said that the federal government should spend more on health care for veterans, the Newark Star-Ledger reports. Operation Firing for Effect, which sponsored the rally, said that the federal government will spend about $27 billion this year on health care for an estimated 26 million veterans. Some higher-income veterans are denied health care, and others often must wait weeks for appointments at Department of Veterans Administration hospitals, according to the group. Cosby, a Navy veteran, said, "I can't believe they bring home our warriors and then turn out the light on them," adding, "People coming home sick and not allowed to be. This is a cause no one can deny." In addition, he said, "When we were attacked, all the politicians sang 'God Bless America.' Then they went into a back room and said 'Let's make some cutbacks (to veterans programs).'" A VA spokesperson declined to address specific criticisms of the department budget but cited a recent speech in which President Bush said that spending on health care for veterans has increased by 75% since he took office. However, advocates for veterans "counter that the increases haven't kept pace with a patient population that has grown from four million to 7.5 million last year as many Vietnam veterans have begun to use the system for the first time and are joined by veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan," the Star-Ledger reports (Woolley, Newark Star-Ledger, 9/7).

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