LANSING – State Representative Kate Ebli (D-Monroe) today announced that she called on the U.S. Congress to offer health care coverage to more than 1.8 million veterans with disabilities who currently lack coverage. The Michigan House of Representatives adopted the resolution on Tuesday.
"It's our duty as a country to support our veterans with disabilities, especially when they face difficult times," Ebli said. "The men and women who sacrificed for our country have earned the right to receive health care coverage."
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) maintains eight "priority categories" to manage access to VA health care if sufficient resources are not available for all veterans seeking care. As a cost-cutting measure, the department ceased enrolling veterans categorized in Priority Group 8 for VA health care. Veterans in Priority Group 8 are those with no service-connected disabilities and who have an income above $27,790 for one person or up to $38,948 for those with four dependents. It is estimated that of the 1.8 million uninsured veterans younger than 65, about half are categorized as Priority Group 8. The VA considers individuals categorized in Priority Group 8 as the lowest priority.
"All of the men and women who volunteered to fight for our freedoms should be considered high-priority veterans in our country," Ebli said. "My colleagues in the House and I called on Congress to do the right thing and ensure that veterans in need of health care receive the assistance they've earned."
Ebli is a member of VFW Post 1138, Ladies Auxiliary. She is the daughter of a World War II veteran and is married to a Vietnam veteran.