Jun. 06, 2006 - 19:21 MDT

DIGESTED

As the old newsreel said, "Time Marches On" and it does, often leaving us as far behind as ever. There is an article by Ann Imse of the Rocky Mountain News in this morning's paper, to that point. Herein quoted in full:

FLATS WORKERS ASSURED

Sick ex-workers can count on benefits, OMB boss promises

"The Bush administration says it won't reduce compensation for sick former Rocky Flats workers, despite a memo implying that it planned such cuts for budget reasons."

"Congress had been alarmed about a memo from the Office of Management and budget that indicated the program would be cut, even though aid was promised to all nuclear weapons workers who were sickened or died because of exposure to radiation and toxic chemicals on the job."

"If pursued, the memo's proposals might have left some workers unpaid, even if their claims were identical to earlier claims from other workers."

"In a letter to Rep. Mark Udall, D-Colo., new OMB chief Rob Portman promised that, "the administration is not pursuing any program changes" to reduce the costs of compensation for the atomic bomb workers."

"Udall had been particularly concerned about a pending decision on a petition from Rocky Flats asking that all of its workers with certain cancers be given the $150,000 compensation without having to prove that the cancer was caused by their work."

"The petition says that records of exposure at Rocky Flats are so inaccurate that proving a connection is impossible."

"Portman addressed that concern directly, stating that the administration would take no steps in order to minimize benefit payments."

"Portman also said the $686 million cut in the program's budget for 2007 was based on estimates and is not a ceiling on benefit payments."

"He said the program's 2006 budget was unusually high because a backlog of claimants is expected to be paid this year."

"Udall welcomed the OMB promise."

"He said it was reassuring to know that the White House "will not change the program to cut benefits to entitled workers."

"Claims have been filed on behalf of more than 52,000 sick or dead former nuclear weapons workkers nationwide in one part of the program."

"In another part, nearly 40,000 claims have been filed. There is significant overlap."

"In the portion of the program covering cancer and certain other illnesses, nearly half of the 52,000 workers have been denied, a quarter have been been paid and the rest of the cases are pending."

"At Rocky Flats, 2,412 workers have applied to that part of the program, with 346 having been paid and 1,172 having been denied benefits."

"The remaining cases are pending."

++++++

Makes me wonder, if perhaps our federal gummint is going to do the same type of thing that they did to the American Indians, dragging things out to the bitter end, denying benefits until there is no one left to pay ?

Do I believe that our administration is on the up and up ? Not really.

Seems like some cancer patients have been paid because they are on the record as having cancer caused by exposure on the job. While there are others who have the same type of cancer who have been denied because the records are incomplete or track was not truly kept on them. Same cancers, some workers have been blanketed and paid because it was admitted that records were not there.

A quarter have been paid, a quarter of the cases are pending and half have been denied.

So are we supposed to be true believers in the integrity of our administration ? There are a few of us who have eaten what we have been fed, but little has been DIGESTED . . . . . . . . .

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