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VETERANS ADMINISTRATION REFORMS THAT WILL MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN
Donald Trump's web site ^

Posted on 07/30/2016 8:08:51 AM PDT by SoFloFreeper

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I hear people say Trump doesn't give specifics and just rambles.

Here are specifics.

1 posted on 07/30/2016 8:08:51 AM PDT by SoFloFreeper
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To: SoFloFreeper
Sounds great.

Only one thing missing

Fire the corrupt and prosecute incompetent VA executives that let our veterans down


2 posted on 07/30/2016 8:15:45 AM PDT by darkwing104 (Forgive but don't forget)
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To: SoFloFreeper
Three simple ways to better serve the vets who deserve medical care:
3 posted on 07/30/2016 8:16:50 AM PDT by oh8eleven (RVN '67-'68)
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To: SoFloFreeper

The VA Hospital situation is a direct result of the politics of the VFW and American. The Democrats saw the VA as a way to buy the votes of veterans with FREE STUFF. Republicans competed with Dems in giving free stuff.

The solution is obvious. Sell off VA Hospitals to private investors. Issue vouchers (or whatever) to Veterans which they can use anywhere they want.

My personal opinion: Vets like me who suffered no injury in Vietnam should not get any VA healthcare. Half of PTSD is due to alcohol and drugs and is not the fault of the military. Those who have true service connected issues should receive the benefit.


4 posted on 07/30/2016 8:29:32 AM PDT by spintreebob
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To: oh8eleven

Proving service connection is the fly in the ointment here, if nothing else is allowed. This can take years, which could put urgently needed care in limbo.

If promises were made to enlistees that were more generous than this, every effort should be made to keep these promises. These people did more than just deliver a vote to a government.


5 posted on 07/30/2016 8:31:00 AM PDT by HiTech RedNeck (Embrace the Lion of Judah and He will roar for you and teach you to roar too. See my page.)
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To: spintreebob

Even if half of PTSD is from purposely careless lives, how do they know the other half is?

Babies are being thrown out with bathwater.


6 posted on 07/30/2016 8:32:50 AM PDT by HiTech RedNeck (Embrace the Lion of Judah and He will roar for you and teach you to roar too. See my page.)
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To: HiTech RedNeck
Proving service connection is the fly in the ointment here ... This can take years
Well, if the system were "streamlined" as I suggested, it wouldn't take years.
7 posted on 07/30/2016 8:47:21 AM PDT by oh8eleven (RVN '67-'68)
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To: oh8eleven
The problem is getting the government to admit that something is a SRI.
8 posted on 07/30/2016 8:47:22 AM PDT by Harmless Teddy Bear (Proud Infidel, Gun Nut, Religious Fanatic and Freedom Fiend)
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To: HiTech RedNeck

Mental issues are very controversial.

Different religions and thelogians have different views.

People who believe in personal resopnsibility have different views.

The goal of all government help should be to get people off government help and self-supporting or supported by family and private charity.

From what I’ve seen of PTSD treatment it is often used as an excuse to not function inspite of the problems. But I’m no expert on PTSD. I deal with healthcare statistics in the Medicaid and private insurance world. Not so much the VA.


9 posted on 07/30/2016 8:49:12 AM PDT by spintreebob
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To: lonevoice

This one needs more work. How about do away with VA hospitals and allow veteran’s free access to medical care for service related injuries including counseling for service related PTSD? I think America can find the money to pay for such a program by slashing waste, fraud and abuse in our government.


10 posted on 07/30/2016 8:53:19 AM PDT by Pride in the USA
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To: Harmless Teddy Bear
Can't disagree, however, my guess is that the vast majority of SRIs were documented while the vets were on active duty.
Other claims, e.g., Agent Orange caused cancers, are already well defined and the vet only needs to prove he was in an area sprayed with AO.
11 posted on 07/30/2016 8:57:42 AM PDT by oh8eleven (RVN '67-'68)
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To: SoFloFreeper

The VA is a bloated bureaucracy. Typically there are 3-5 pencil pushers for every person involved in direct patient care. Most of what they do is create “metrics” that burden the providers without any contribution to improving veteran’s care. They then use these metrics to create graphs and pie charts to make it look like they are doing something important. If the VA was run like a private hospital 2/3 of these dues-paying union workers would be gone and the contributions to the uniparty would be greatly diminished. THAT is the big problem.


12 posted on 07/30/2016 9:05:01 AM PDT by 43north (BHO: 50% black, 50% white, 100% red.)
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To: spintreebob

Eureka!

You make an excellent point that I have never heard remotely emphasized. It clarifies the conditions and is so simple. Good heaven’s.


13 posted on 07/30/2016 9:07:31 AM PDT by RitaOK (Viva Christ Rey! Public Education is the farm team for more Marxmsists coming, infinitum.)
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To: oh8eleven
Part of the problem is getting a hold of your medical records. Thankfully we did have his. But having it in your medical records and even in your exit exam does not mean that they will not drag their feet on authorizing and paying.

He had private insurance and so did I that paid for the surgery and we paid for the rest out of pocket. It has been five years and they still refuse to reimburse us for our OOP.

According to what the gentleman at DAV said you have to be diagnosed twice before separation for them to call it a SRI without a major fight.

How many times does a broken neck need to be diagnosed? Apparently twice.

How many military doctors do you have to say that you are currently fit to return to duty but to expect problems down the road? Apparently one is not enough.

14 posted on 07/30/2016 9:11:26 AM PDT by Harmless Teddy Bear (Proud Infidel, Gun Nut, Religious Fanatic and Freedom Fiend)
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To: spintreebob
From what I’ve seen of PTSD treatment it is often used as an excuse to not function
I had a HS buddy who served as a life guard at the Army pool at Long Binh.
He put in for PTSD claiming he was never able to swim in a pool again ... reminded him of VN.
15 posted on 07/30/2016 9:37:36 AM PDT by oh8eleven (RVN '67-'68)
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To: SoFloFreeper

Build more prisons.

We’re going to need them.

The VA bureaucrats are organized crime. The thievery is astounding.


16 posted on 07/30/2016 11:37:49 AM PDT by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: Pride in the USA

I agree. The only caveat needed, I think, is that we honor our commitments and promises to our veterans. Some may have entered military service based at least partly on those promises. I think we could do something like when prior GOP candidates talked about restructuring either social security or medicare. There needs to be a definite change date, ie, current veterans will not lose any benefits, period.


17 posted on 07/30/2016 11:58:32 AM PDT by lonevoice (Life is short. Make fun of it.)
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To: SoFloFreeper
I guarantee that you will see a dramatic improvement in the VA system as soon as # 3 is implemented -

"Make the VA great again by firing the corrupt and incompetent VA executives who let our veterans down....

I would include any other employee who cares more for their job than the veterans.

But good luck!

The federal government employees union runs the VA right now, and they won't go down without a fight.

18 posted on 07/30/2016 12:53:22 PM PDT by airborne (I don't always scream at the TV but when I do it's hockey playoffs season!)
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To: spintreebob
My personal opinion: Vets like me who suffered no injury in Vietnam should not get any VA healthcare. Half of PTSD is due to alcohol and drugs and is not the fault of the military. Those who have true service connected issues should receive the benefit.

I agree with you. VA benefits should be for service related injuries or service related illnesses only. If that were the case the VA could (and of course without the bureaucracy and corruption) afford top of the line care and treatment for injured vets. While PTDS is real in some cases, I also think some use it as an excuse not to work and to receive benefits. And some went into the military with pre-existing mental health issues and drug and alcohol problems or developed them much later in life.

My late father was a WWII vet and used a combination of private insurance and Medicare after he turned 65.

But he would still go to the VA once every couple of months to see a VA doctor. Why? To get his insulin and insulin needles for free at the VA. His diabetes was in no way service related but he held the opinion – “they owe me”. One day I had to correct him and let him know that I and other taxpayers were paying for his VA provided “free” insulin.

19 posted on 07/31/2016 10:05:20 AM PDT by MD Expat in PA
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To: MD Expat in PA

re: some went into the military with pre-existing mental health issues

Yes, my brothers and sisters diagnosed me as crazy before I went in the Army. Now my daughters confirm that diagnosis and tell me I’m crazy.

What does the Army have to do with that?


20 posted on 08/01/2016 3:59:12 AM PDT by spintreebob
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