Did President Joe Biden order the Veterans Administration to withhold health benefits from unvaccinated military veterans? No, that's not true: This is a satirical article published by a self-described satire website. There have been no presidential orders or announcements that would cause the VA to stop health benefits for otherwise qualified veterans. We are pointing this out because the spoof apparently fooled some people, including a member of Congress.
The claim originated in an article published by Delaware Ohio News on September 11, 2021, titled "Biden Orders VA To Withhold Health Benefits From Unvaccinated Veterans" (archived here), which opened:
President Joe Biden has ordered the Department of Veterans Affairs to withhold healthcare benefits from unvaccinated veterans as part of an aggressive new initiative to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
Beginning November 1, any veteran seeking medical care at a VA facility must have had at least one shot of the vaccine to receive services under their medical benefits package.
The executive order is one of several new rules to combat the Delta variant, including vaccine requirements for federal workers, large employers, and health care staff.
Users on social media only saw this title, description and thumbnail:
Biden Orders VA To Withhold Health Benefits From Unvaccinated Veterans - Delaware Ohio News
President Joe Biden has ordered the Department of Veterans Affairs to withhold healthcare benefits from unvaccinated veterans as part of an aggressive new initiative to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Beginning November 1st, any veteran seeking medical care at a VA facility must have had at lea
A search of the White House website found nothing to indicate the president issued such an order. But a quick scroll to the bottom of the article revealed that "everything on this website is made up." The Delaware Ohio News website is satire:
Delaware Ohio News is an online news and content source dedicated to Delaware, Ohio. Founded in the year 1808, we strive to be Delaware's premier news source, second only to the illustrious Delaware Gazette. Although we were the first Delaware, Ohio newspaper, they remain the lords of Delaware news media. That's why we're suicidal and on so many drugs.
With all of that said, everything on this website is made up. Do not rely on anything said here.
True or not, Iowa Rep. Mariannette Jane Miller-Meeks, a medical doctor, thought it was important to share on her Twitter account:
If true, this is insane! Biden Orders VA To Withhold Health Benefits From Unvaccinated Veterans https://t.co/7pxFOMeNhr via @DelawareOhNews
-- Dr. Miller-Meeks (@millermeeks) September 13, 2021
A Facebook user, who also operates a "Patriot Awakening" channel on YouTube, shared a screenshot of the fake story with the note:
This is the thanks our Veterans get from the government they protected!!
This is CORRUPTION at its finest! 👹
Edit: being told this is satire.... not sure I believe it. We will see
