A few days ago, most veterans and several organizations that represent veterans were alarmed to hear that the Obama Administration was making plans to have private insurance companies pay for injured veterans’ healthcare.

As a veteran, I was more than a little stunned.

The veteran’s organizations united. They met with Obama’s people. The Obama Administration did an about face. Smart move.

Sure, I would like to see VA healthcare revamped some. I would like to see veterans who have service-connected disabilities be given free health care at the closest healthcare facility, be it VA or private. No traveling to Denver from Montana to see a specialist or driving 200 miles to a VA hospital. Just issue them an ID card and they go to the closest place and everything is free. They earned it. The same could be done for military retirees.

Literally tons of money is spent for construction of VA facilities and, yes, some are needed. Someone, somewhere, in the bureaucracy of the federal government must have thought that it might just be cheaper to have veterans go to their local private hospital or clinic down the street instead of driving across the state to a VA hospital and clinic.

But having veterans with service-connected disabilities use private insurance was a slap in the face to those of us who served. It was not a good start for the Obama Administration to let this proposal out of the bag before it was vetted.

Veterans will need to pay close attention and be at the ready in case there are more silly plans on the drawing board.