Posted on 06/08/2016 12:34:32 PM PDT by huldah1776
We spend an inordinate amount of time talking about the various scandals engulfing the VA in general and the abysmal healthcare received by our veterans in particular, but solutions thus far have been hard to come by. Tinkering with the existing system and replacing bad actors seems to be simply nibbling around the edges of the problem. There have been improvements in some areas, but wait times for veterans remain unacceptably long and the quality of care available in some regions is still far below where we need to be. Is it time to scrap the entire system and start over with something new?
That seems to be the general idea behind a bill being introduced by Cathy McMorris Rogers this month. She’s proposing that the entire healthcare arm of the VA be essentially shut down and transferred into a new nonprofit corporation. (Government Executive)
*******snip********
That’s not to say that there wouldn’t be improvements in the process. Removing the VA’s healthcare component from its current nest would place all the workers and executives outside of the government workers’ unions and the reach of the MSPB. At a minimum, this would make it easier to fire and replace bad actors and hopefully get some competent and accountable people running the show. But is that enough to fix what’s truly undermining the system?
(Excerpt) Read more at hotair.com ...
(link included in quote is for original article from govexec.com also a good read)
excerpt from that article by Eric Katz June 7, 2016:
"Garry Augustine, executive director of the group Disabled Veterans of America, told Government Executive in April that a focus on private care would rob future veterans of the all-inclusive assistance he received upon returning from Vietnam, ranging from vocational training to educational assistance to rehabilitation."
http://www.govexec.com/management/2016/06/bill-would-turn-veterans-health-administration-nonprofit-corporation/128887/?oref=govexec_today_nl
soooo, where will the money that is being spent now on the VA gunna go?
Follow the money
Non Profit organization???
Sounds like they want veterans to pay for their war wounds themselves?
Not necessarily. It depends on how they set it up. If it's an instrumentality, they may lose the benefits of the Federal Tort Claims Act and limited immunity. Their malpractice insurance costs could skyrocket. On the other hand, if they set it up to be a government corporation, they'd keep the FTCA, but could also keep the government unions and MSPB.
In addition, if they go with private industry unions instead of the government unions, they may also face employee strikes down the road - something prohibited to federal employees.
So there are risks and benefits with either model, but it is not at all clear that the employees, not the patients, would be the ones to benefit from a change in unions.
How about giving vets a heath insurance plan they can use anywhere, then take all physical assets of the VA and do an IPO on the NYSE. Money raised goes to pay off debt.
The problem with the VA is the protected class working as federal employees.
Once these career parasites can be fired for poor work, the entire system will begin to heal itself.
That’s what is wrong with all government. Can’t even impeach the buggers.
That has to change, among many other changes. It’s become intolerable.
As a physician who worked for several years at a busy mid-western VA hospital I can tell you that the whole system is irreparable. Nothing that has been revealed in the past year or two surprises me. It needs to be shut down and eligible vets should get a blue cross card allowing them to see the doctor of their choice at the hospital of their choice. Keep specialized units for specialized, service-related needs, but shut down the full service hospitals.
Don’t forget also that large non profits more often than not become host bodies for liberal parasites...
And nonprofits are not technically part of the government. So you can still grift from the public trough, yet do things like run your own private email server without running afoul of the law.
Just one more federal agency Obama weaponized against the country I suppose.
The solution is blindingly simple: set it up like Medicare.
Shut down ALL the VA hospitals. There are no Medicare hospitals, are there?
Provide qualifying veterans with a VA insurance card, similar to a Medicare card. Allow them to take it to the doctor of their choice. The doctor then bills the VA, but the VA is only responsible for paying for the treatment.
It’s actually less expensive than having the VA providing “care.” They can shut down/sell off the buildings and equipment, RIF all the workers out and be done.
That solution isn’t perfect, but it’s FAR better than what we have.
Dad qualified for VA medical benefits by virtue of WWII. He had to ride in an OATS Van for about 4 hrs. to the nearest VA facility. Sometimes took all day to go up and back. That got him his meds. Everything else he got from his Ins. for retirees from the Hospital where he had worked.
Except for operation on his shoulder. Then they wanted him to do Physical Therapy at the VA location. Travel for 4 hrs. take PT and travel another 4 hrs. He finally got them to agree to do it a the local hospital where he had previously worked.
The specialists @ the VA that they referred him to, often quit before his next appt. which would be rescheduled-one was about 2 years before he got in. One time they were so behind on appts. that he missed the OATS Van home. They wound up sending him home in a Taxi. He was astounded.
I too think that they should be able to get the Dr. and hospital they want where it is more accessible, and whatever their choice is and where ever.
Do you know how Tri-Care works? I thought it was kind of like regular Insurance for retired military and families, and that they didn’t have to use VA only facilities.
Listen to the DAV, VFW and Legion on this one.
Who could possibly know better than them?
FIX the VA, don't outsource it.
Once outsourced it will get far worse than it is today...the government will just say to the providers "This is your Reimbursement" take it or leave it.
It will turn into the same quality health care that welfare people get.
No! No! No! I love the VA as is. I used Baltimore for 3 years and Orlando for two so far. They are great. Leave it alone and fix Phoenix.
Wonderful. Standing with all the other Medicare-Medicade patients. Waiting for medical professionals who would rather be serving better paying customers. Vets get the same care as the indigent and the illegal.
There are critical and necessary services that ONLY the VA provides.
For instance there's a combined Substance Abuse and PTSD program called "Seeking Safety" that could not realistically be replicated in a civilian environment.
It just wouldn't be realistic to put combat PTSD patients in a group with adults that suffered child abuse and expect anyone to get anything out of it. Certainly not the vet, as the program and the facilitator would rape-victim centric.
That's a singular example of MANY.
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