mr. alfred dimmick. mr. dimmick is 90 years old and he served in the army air corps during the korean war. he flew over 100 combat missions during the war and earned a bronze star and a distinguished flying cross for his heroic service. mr. dimmick receives all of his medical care at the v.a. as a disabled veteran but also carries medicare part-a, as does nearly every american over the age of 65. during a one-month span earlier this year, mr. dimmick collapsed twice in the middle of the night while he was in the bathroom. one time he hit his head and was bleeding. because his 85-year-old wife was unable to pick him up, she appropriately called 911 each time. in both instances, the ambulance took him to rapid city regional hospital, even though he requested to go to the fort meade v.a. hospital, the v.a. facility where he normally receives all of his care. the paramedics did not want to take him on the 25-mile drive to fort meade because they feared he was having a heart attack and he may not survive even that