[b]WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A federal appeals court Tuesday ruled that the U.S. government does not owe free lifetime medical care to World War II and Korean War veterans who agreed to serve 20 years in exchange, despite promises made to them when they were in the armed forces.[/b]

The ruling represents a victory for the federal government, which had argued the veterans were not entitled to the benefits. The ruling will potentially save the government billions of dollars in health care costs.

The 9-4 ruling by the full U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, D.C., overturns a ruling by a three-judge appeals panel in February, 2001, which ruled that the veterans were entitled to the lifetime health care based on the military's promises.

In the opinion issued Tuesday the Court said that action taken this year allows for free care in the future, but that the government is not obligated to pick up the medical expenses incurred from 1995 to 2001.

"Because [the law] at most authorizes space available treatment and not free health insurance for life, we hold that the Air Force Secretary lacked the authority in the 1950s when plaintiffs joined to promise free and full medical care," the Court majority said.


[url]http://www.cnn.com/2002/LAW/11/19/retired.veterans.hearing/index.html[/url]

This makes me ashamed.  I'm really not liking the fed.gov any longer.

What was that movie with Ed Harris, Sean Connery, and Nicholas Cage?  They were over in Alcatraz with some VX gas...

Anyway, I was rooting for them to get the benefits - I just wondered why they didn't target fed property instead of civilians.