Video: At Hearing, Blumenthal Details How Republican's Health Care Crisis Will Harm Veterans

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - At a Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee hearing today, Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal underscored how veterans will be harmed by the health care crisis facing millions of Americans due to Republicans' refusal to extend enhanced premium tax credits for Affordable Care Act plans.

"Our veterans are suffering, just as Americans are, from looking at the exchanges and the premium on open enrollment, as we speak right now, at their kitchen tables, trying to figure out how they are going to afford health insurance. And they can't do it because premiums are doubling and tripling. Where are these veterans going to go?," pressed Blumenthal. "If eligible, they'll go to VA. And we'll see a dramatically increased reliance on VA health care, stretching the capacities of our docs, our nurses, our VA facilities generally, which are already suffering from cuts and furloughs unnecessarily imposed by this Administration…cuts that have already eroded the Department's ability to support the needs of veterans. And according to the Department's actuarial firm: For every one percent of increased reliance on VA health care, VA can expect its costs to increase by $2.6 billion.1 percent. $2.6 billion. They don't have the money."

President Trump and Republicans have refused to work with Democrats to extend premium tax credits that have helped millions of Americans afford health insurance. Now with open enrollment underway, Americans across the country-including 18.7 million ACA marketplace enrollees in Red states-are staring down increased health insurance rates that are set to double and even triple their monthly premiums. Coupled with Republicans' Medicare and Medicaid cuts that are set to go into effect next year, Americans, including millions of veterans, are bracing for higher costs and a looming health care crisis.

During the hearing, Blumenthal noted that up to 1.75 million veterans and active-duty servicemembers rely on Medicaid, including one in ten veterans under the age of 65. Forty percent of these veterans rely on Medicaid as their sole coverage. He also noted that of the estimated 10.3 million individuals who are likely to lose Medicaid coverage because of the "Big Beautiful Bill," 267,000 are veterans.

Blumenthal also slammed President Trump for withholding funding for SNAP benefits-emphasizing the harmful impact this is having on veterans: "And the Administration, rather than curbing costs for the average American worker, including veterans, is prioritizing historic cuts, and I mean unprecedented cuts, in SNAP, Medicaid, and health care coverage. Americans often don't appreciate that veterans use these programs and depend on them. More than 1.2 million veteran households use SNAP, yet this Administration refuses to fully fund the program despite orders from courts that they do so. There's no equivalent service like SNAP through VA or any other federal program to serve as a safety net, meaning these cuts have devastating impacts on veterans and their families."

Hearing witnesses testified that cutting SNAP benefits hurts veterans, especially those transitioning from military to civilian life.

"It is very difficult to transition without a military pension, without health care for life, and that is what the average veteran is doing when they head back to school. So it's no surprise to see benefits like SNAP and other things being relied on while you're back in school while you're trying to make ends meet. When those benefits go away, veterans are impacted and more than that-their family members that rely on those benefits are impacted as well," said Jared Lyon, National President and CEO of Student Veterans of America.

"It is a very serious concern…Here recently, we have seen a surge in food insecurity and housing assistance requests. For food insecurity within the past 30 days, about a 46% month over month increase in food security assistance. And then around 35-36% increase in housing support-financial assistance, rent, mortgage, utility assistance," said Mike Hutchings, CEO of Combined Arms.

The full text of Blumenthal's opening is copied below and a video link is available here.

Sen Richard Blumenthal (D-CT): Thanks, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for holding this hearing and thank you to all of our witnesses, an unusually large panel. But we appreciate every one of you. I want to thank particularly Holly Hermes, who is Yale University's Liaison for Military Families and Veterans. This office has enabled two of my sons, who have attended Yale Law School, to go there with more aid and service and companionship than they would have otherwise. One Marine Corps veteran who served in Afghanistan, the other a Navy SEAL veteran who, actually, is there right now. I hope he's in class. I am really honored to serve as Ranking Member on this committee along with very distinguished colleagues and let me come right to the point. We're here because we need to assure veterans that they have the information and services they need when they go from military service to civilian life, often continuing to serve our country. And I know about this transition because of my two sons and countless others whom I have watched and seen and sought to mentor as they go through this, sometimes, very, very difficult transition period when they need help from a VSO in filing a disability claim, or how best to use their earned education benefits, connect with local employers, or access assistance when they need it most. And unfortunately, this Administration has increased the difficulty of our veterans, not only in transitioning, but in living through civilian life after they leave the military. All Americans are struggling with the increased cost of rent, food, electricity, and yes, health care. Most especially health care insurance, which is why we as Democrats are standing firm that there has to be an extension of health care insurance tax credits or subsidies past the end of the year. And the Administration, rather than curbing costs for the average American worker, including veterans, is prioritizing historic cuts, and I mean unprecedented cuts, in SNAP, Medicaid, and health care coverage. Americans often don't appreciate that veterans use these programs and depend on them. More than 1.2 million veteran households use SNAP, yet this Administration refuses to fully fund the program despite orders from courts that they do so. There's no equivalent service like SNAP through VA or any other federal program to serve as a safety net, meaning these cuts have devastating impacts on veterans and their families. And at the same time, reductions in access to private health insurance, Medicaid, and funding for community health services-we all know about the clinics that exist in the communities with federal support-they will result in veterans relying more on VA for their health care and benefits. Here's a startling number. Up to 1.75 million veterans and active-duty service member households rely on Medicaid. Let me just give you that again. 1.75 million veterans and their households rely on Medicaid. And that's nearly one in ten veterans under the age of 65. Forty percent of them rely on Medicaid as their sole coverage, often due to ineligibility for Medicare or VA health care. Of the 10.3 million individuals who are likely to lose Medicaid coverage because of the great Big, Beautiful Bill, which I call the great Big Blatant Betrayal, 267,000 are veterans. And meanwhile, many veterans who escape the impacts of Medicaid cuts will instead lose their health care access when ACA premium tax credits expire, making their health care coverage unaffordable. Our veterans are suffering, just as Americans are, from looking at the exchanges and the premium on open enrollment, as we speak right now, at their kitchen tables, trying to figure out how they are going to afford health insurance. And they can't do it because premiums are doubling and tripling. Where are these veterans going to go? If eligible, they'll go to VA. And we'll see a dramatically increased reliance on VA health care, stretching the capacities of our docs, our nurses, our VA facilities generally, which are already suffering from cuts and furloughs unnecessarily imposed by this Administration. Their increased reliance will come on the heels of catastrophic and unnecessary cuts to VA's workforce and resources by Secretary Collins; cuts that have already eroded the Department's ability to support the needs of veterans. And according to the Department's actuarial firm: For every one percent of increased reliance on VA health care, VA can expect its costs to increase by $2.6 billion.1 percent. $2.6 billion. They don't have the money. Those costs have not been accounted for in the Department's funding requests or factored into Secretary Collins' plans for further cuts in VA resources. If veterans are not eligible for VA care, there is a real fear they'll simply lose access to health care completely. Our veterans losing access to health care seems unacceptable to me, but it's going to happen. Given the health care and cost-of-living crises in this country, the services provided by the groups here today are more critical than ever before. So, I want to just thank you, every one of you, and your organizations for what you do. I look forward to hearing your insights and recommendations on how we can make sure that veterans get what they need, what they deserve, what we have promised them. Thank you.

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