2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: Why didn't Bernie get Vermont to pass single payer? [View all]jberryhill
(62,444 posts)By and large, it serves millions of satisfied customers.
If you think that private hospitals are having better outcomes in the cities they serve, then it is clear that you don't care for numbers much.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/federal-eye/wp/2014/04/17/va-hospitals-on-par-with-private-sector-for-patient-satisfaction/
"The American Customer Satisfaction Index for 2013 shows that the VA health network, which serves more than 8 million veterans, achieved marks equal to or better than those in the private sector."
Unlike private companies, the various levels of government oversight in the VA health care system are effective at exposing problems that get swept under the rug elsewhere.
So, what is it that you are comparing with VA performance, and what conclusion have you reached on what data?
The UK's NHS rates about 70%
http://www.kingsfund.org.uk/projects/bsa-survey-2013
"While satisfaction levels have not recovered to the high of 70 per cent recorded in 2010, they remain high by historical standards. In only two of the past 30 years have satisfaction levels been greater than those recorded in 2012 and 2013."
So, yeah, the VA, which serves 8 million, does a better job than the UK's NHS, which serves a comparable number of people.