Can We "Privatize" the VA Without Jeopardizing National Security?

[Lee-Lee]

13. Several things here...

First, the VA is a civilian agency and in no way part of the DOD.

Most VA doctors and nurses are not veterans. Virtually none of them hold any sort of security clearance or have any training on how to handle classified information. The only ones who would hold an active clearance would be those also in one of the reserve components of the US military in a position that requires it.

The VA computer system is in no way, shape or form set up for not approved to handle "military secrets". No classified information should ever be on there any more than it should be on the systems of any other typical government agency like HHS or HUD.

There is no indication the VA computer systems are in any way more secure than private health care systems. I can tell you for a fact that in virtually every way the VA computer systems lag about 10 years behind in technology and capabilities compared to what you see in the private sector. Heck, it was only very recently that they actually upgraded the VA system to allow codes for female specific diagnoses it was set up assuming all patients were male long ago and never changed.

So, in short, the idea that VA systems or VA doctors are somehow equipped to or more capable of safeguarding any information a patient wrongly passes to them is pretty much totally without merit or any grounding in reality. Being a VA employee gives them zero clearance or training on the matter and VA computer systems are no safer and in fact, due to how poorly run and constantly out of date they are probably more susceptible to compromise.

Now, as a patient who uses VA services I would very much like to be given the option of using VA doctors and services or choosing to go to a private practice or specialist and having the VA pay for it. When I was uncomfortable with the only choice given of an gynecologist at my old VA facility my only option to get another was to drive a 5 hour round trip to the next closest VA hospital. It would have been so much better to just be able to choose one in town.

The VA kind of tried this with the VA choice program but the screwed it up badly. It said if you were over so many miles you could choose a private doctor. But first they made the arbitrary decision at some facilities that the mileage limit Congress set was to be measured in nautical miles straight line to make it as ft as possible, so your actual drive might be 80 miles to go around rivers or mountains but straight line on a map it was 39 nautical miles making you ineligible. Then they badly, badly bungled paying the private doctors causing most to no longer accept the program after a short while and even causing some vets to have bills sent to collections in their name screwing their credit. They fixed the mileage issue to be driving miles everywhere but the damage from late payments remains with most providers no longer willing to take the system and vets with damaged credit.