Steve Benson for June 08, 2018

Ways to reduce federal expenses…worth a hefty bonus, don’t you think?

Republicans have been at the conversion with not just failing to keep up with increased case loads by providing not just money, but insufficient means to hire, and RETAIN good staffing, Trump’s just making it worse, Cadet Bonespurs could care less about vets, as he noted with his respect for John McCain.

Now the push is to CLOSE more facilities, convert to contracting, then privatize the VA. The “choice” program is getting to work pretty well for us who live remotely from big cities or VA facilities, but it is NOT an excuse to convert the whole system. BTW, a friend had heart surgery at VA in Portland, and had one of the best surgeons in the world, they rebuilt his,instead of doing a transplant. VA associating with university hospitals is a great combination, like Portland and OHSU.

Yes, the problems are complex, which is why the constant complaining and stories of what went wrong, is NOT the whole story, as much more goes right, as has been my experience since ’95. Also keeping good staff on. Is difficult, especially in mental health, due to a huge increase in patient load, that funding and support from Congress has NOT kept pace with.

How Republicans decimated the VA:

Cut the VA budget.

Start multiple wars to sacrifice our brave heroes on the blood-stained altar of corporate profits to enrich oil cronies and “defense contractors” of the military-industrial complex Eisenhower warned us about.

Bring home hundreds of thousands of injured and maimed heroes to increase the demands for services at the same time you are cutting the funding.

Put up lots and lots of yellow ribbons and bumper stickers saying “Support the troops” (until they come home).

I’m glad my father, a Veteran of WW 2, isn’t alive to see this.

I have no choice but to use the VA. I can’t afford insurance. Things are even worse if you have a chronic condition like diabetes, especially if you’re on the needle.

Thanks, REPUBLICANS!!!

Under Trump and the Republicans things are just getting worse for our veterans.

They need funding and support to keep it as a hospital, something trump will not be doing. The VA is very important to many vets for health services. Trump only says he supports the military. If he did, he would make sure the VA was taken care of before all the weaponry.

BTW, I am a military brat. My father was career USAF. I’m sure he’s rolling in his grave at everything that is going on with our current tangerine-in-chief and his people. This is NOT what he fought for. And for those who don’t get it, think Germany pre-WWII.

A good friend of mine is both a patient and an employee of the VA. Vietnam vet, long term combat related PTS. Severe. He went misdiagnosed for decades by the private system. His wife finally persuaded (demanded) that he go to the VA for help. They had him pretty well stabilized and sleeping through the night within 3 months. Went back to school, got his accounting degree and eventually was hired…by the VA.

I have quite a few vet friends who have gotten excellent specialized care at the VA. They do a pretty good job on service related mental health issues. In some hospitals and clinics. In others, not so good. Just up the road from me (relatively speaking) is the Tomah facility. That operation was known for decades as “candyland” because of the massive over-prescription of opiates to vets.

Another friend is dead at the hands of the VA. This during the previous administration. He had a serious cardiopulmonary condition that required the implantation of two pumps to aid circulation of blood through his lungs. The VA bureaucracy delayed authorization for months, despite the pleas of his VA doctors. Then finally approved a single pump.

His doctors fought but went ahead and implanted the single pump to keep him alive. Sort of. They fought for nine months to get that second pump, but when it was finally approved, Mike was too weak to handle the surgery. He suffered a slow and agonizing death because the pencil pushers refused to act in a rapid manner to a critical medical situation.

Congress has now made it a bit easier to remove incompetent employees, and made it possible for vets to more easily seek outside treatment. Both are actions that should have been carried out decades ago.

continued

The next step, IMHO, is for the VA for to make use of the established private PPO networks (not insurance companies) to improve care for most medical matters. VA should retain what they do best, especially trauma care and trauma rehab. Service related PTS services. Perhaps a few others.

But the day to day normal healthcare should be farmed out to private physicians, clinics and physicians. The existing PPO networks like PHCS and a few others have long established relationships and reimbursement schedules a huge number of professionals are willing to accept. The VA could “rent” those networks just like insurance companies do and issue VA “insurance” cards to vets.

Just carry it forward with zero deductible, zero out of pocket to match the current structure when a vet goes to the VA. Wait times would be dramatically reduced, quality of care be dramatically improved overall and the total cost to the treasury would absolutely be reduced.

The GOP torpedoed the ACA despite its benefits for veterans! www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/04/19/524751540/many-veterans-gained-health-care-through-the-affordable-care-act

Trump has signed the VA law giving vets private healthcare choices, it is expected to expand veterans’ health care. While whistle blowers have been telling the secrets of the VA – deplorable treatment, or even lack of treatment, of American veterans. Doctors who told of delayed colonoscopies and endoscopies which led to the death of as many as 20 veterans would not even appear on camera or give their names. Doctors have tried to tell administrators of their concerns that patients are being harmed by delays and that some have died or suffered serious injury. A secret list, destruction and cover-up through intimidation isn’t a secret to anyone inside the VA. The only Doctor who would come forward was one who finally retired, he blew the whistle on the secret list months before, but no one on the inside reacted. The Office of Special Counsel is investigating the great lengths allegedly taken to silence those who would expose a scandal this Department of Veterans Affairs has been successful hiding for years.

Just have a National Health Care Plan, expand Medicare to cover everyone.

Try to act like a first world nation for once.

How about a better solution… QUIT SENDING SOLDIERS TO GET SHOT AT AND KILLED IN SOME RATHOLE TO SUPPORT AMERICAN OIL COMPANIES AND CORPORATE PROFITS!!!

I have vet family members who use the VA services. This doesn’t mean that they don’t believe there is room for improvement at the VA. They need leadership and appropriate funding. They have neither.

Another note: my niece’s husband had a stroke, lost his job and insurance, then she lost her job and insurance. He’s a NON-service connected vet. I told them to check withVA as they couldn’t afford his meds, over $400 a month, or physical therapy any more. They fortunately live close to a aVA hospital. He got signed on in less than three months, and started getting his meds at a copay of $40 a month based on their income, and resumed physical therapy at the VA hospital- no cost. VA literally saved his life. It ain’t all the bad we’re supposed to believe in the Republican effort to privatize all of America, and screw the 99% of the population not in Trump’s favored bracket.