V.A. Seeks to Redirect Billions of Dollars Into Private Care

[douglas9]

WASHINGTON — The Department of Veterans Affairs is preparing to shift billions of dollars from government-run veterans’ hospitals to private health care providers, setting the stage for the biggest transformation of the veterans’ medical system in a generation.

Under proposed guidelines, it would be easier for veterans to receive care in privately run hospitals and have the government pay for it. Veterans would also be allowed access to a system of proposed walk-in clinics, which would serve as a bridge between V.A. emergency rooms and private providers, and would require co-pays for treatment.

Veterans’ hospitals, which treat seven million patients annually, have struggled to see patients on time in recent years, hit by a double crush of returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and aging Vietnam veterans. A scandal over hidden waiting lists in 2014 sent Congress searching for fixes, and in the years since, Republicans have pushed to send veterans to the private sector, while Democrats have favored increasing the number of doctors in the V.A.

If put into effect, the proposed rules — many of whose details remain unclear as they are negotiated within the Trump administration — would be a win for the once-obscure Concerned Veterans for America, an advocacy group funded by the network founded by the billionaire industrialists Charles G. and David H. Koch, which has long championed increasing the use of private sector health care for veterans.


https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/12/us/politics/veterans-administration-health-care-privatization.html

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

1. Yes, give veterans a few vouchers, and cut them loose from V.A. That's the ticket!

A great idea for the Koch brothers, not so good for ailing veterans. I don't know of a good remedy for this stupid idea, other than electing a Democratic ticket in 2020.

The only change I'd recommend for the V.A.: expand the hell out of it, and make it available to all. Free. Classify every individual as "V.A. 100% disabled" at birth. I'd gladly pay a big tax increase for that.

[The River]

2. This is FUBAR

on steroids.
I guess it really is time for me to
liquidate and leave.

[GP6971]

3. This is so much BS on so many levels.

I'm not in Trricare are so I can't comment. But I am in the VA system and the changes they are proposing are absurd. I started in the Choice Program and it was great...until the management company, Tri-West failed to meet their obligations. So opted to wait for their appointment backlog which was close to 3 months. And so far the service has been great.

Cut it and I'll take to the streets.

[Cold War Spook]

4. I am a 100% service-connected veteran in Jacksonville NC.

I needed an eye appointment at Wilmington VA. They set up an appointment for 8 months later. 2 months later it was cancelled. I needed to see the dentist. To have a crown, I had an appointment in 5 months. He put the temporary on and made me an appointment 6 months later for the permanent one. Teeth cleaning is backed up 7 months. My primary is ??? in Jacksonville. My primary left and I had a new doctor who left before I could see him and then I finally saw my new primary and 3 months later he is gone. I don't blame the VA, I blame Congress for not allocating enough money to take care of veterans. I was using Choice Plus and non-VA but I don't seem to be able to use them. Wilmington is 75 miles from where I live but that is not a bad ride if I could only get appointments. Thankfully my Psychiatrist and Psychiatric nurse are in Jacksonville at the clinic. I see one or the other at least once a month.

[pwb]

5. I get everything I need always on time.

.

[Cold War Spook]

6. I think most vets do.

It depends on where you live. Like I wrote, the only problems I have right now are getting an appointment with eyes and dentist. Of course it I really need them right now, I could most likely get them through non-VA. That is the only problems I have had since starting with the VA in 1995.