Privatize the VA?
From the CATO Institute:
If you listen to Democratic campaign ads in Colorado, Nevada, or Delaware, among other places, you will discover yet another perfidious plot by evil Republicans — they want to “privatize the VA.”
Which makes one respond, “This is a horrible thing because … why?”
I know that even the mention of privatizing certain functions of the VA causes heads to explode at VoteVets and IAVA, which means the idea must have some merit. Personally, I am open to the idea. Jonn, myself, and others frequently post horror stories about the VA healthcare system in addition to using VA benefits ourselves. Despite a 11 percent increase in demand as a result of the GWOT and 95 percent budget increase, wait times are actually getting longer, quality of care isn’t improving, and almost every veteran I know who is attending college has to battle with the GI Bill office over something every semester. At least trying a pilot program where certain health benefits are paid for using debit cards like the ones they use for Health Savings Account is worth a shot.
For those of you who use VA benefits, what are your thoughts about this?
Category: Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Veterans in politics, Veterans Issues, Veterans' Affairs Department
Somewhere, I forget when or where, I suggested a private insurance plan to replace the VA health care system.
The basics of my suggestion were that every insurance company that offers health insurance would be required to have a VA health plan that met minimum standards (similiar to current VA standards) and charge rates similiar to their standard coverage. The US Govt/VA would pay the premiums.
The companies would then compete for selection by individual Veterans, by means of customer service and bennies above/beyond the minimum standard.
The competition beats Tricare style monopolies because the customer (Veteran) can individually choose a different company if their current provider was unsatisfactory in customer service.
This greatly benefits Veterans that don’t live near current VA facilities who would no longer have to drive to one. It would also benefit the Veteran in that his doctor would now be in private practice rather than a bureacrat working for the Govt. The Veteran that received substandard care from a doctor could easily switch to a better doctor in his own area.
Competition in insurance companies and doctors increases care quality and customer service.
And for the tree huggers, it cuts down on CO2 emissions by decreasing miles driven for care, which means less out of pocket expenses for the Veteran.
What’s the downside? The costly VA bureacracy would be cut back, including the overhead and capital of maintaining hospitals.
Full Disclosure: I’ve never filed a VA claim, other than the Montgomery GI Bill.
I’ll agree with the battling over the GI Bill every semester. It’s an absolute nightmare trying to use what should be a simple benefit. Vet reps at the college are not accountable to the VA, don’t know their job correctly half the time, are often doing the Vet rep as a side job, never take the time to have a sit down orientation session with the students/Vets (btw, why can’t the VA Education department send trainers out to regions to run seminars on do’s and don’ts and how to’s?). This semester I lost 2k dollars temporarily due to bad info and the Vet rep not doing their job. 1k of that is permanent. 1k, gone…because of nothing I did of my own accord but by following the rep advice. As far as healthcare…eek. I dunno. If they privatize it- the result will be a bottom line mentality. Not much better than some VA hospitals anyway. On one hand, I like going to the VA for what I need. On the other hand, it would be nice to be able to see my own doctor of my choosing. I have Tri-Care and being that my spouse is overseas and I am not on a mil post anymore since getting out, I can sort of already go to whom I want if I use Tri-care instead of the VA location. I just haven’t done so since until a few months ago, the retirement was still temporary and I had to see the VA. No choice. Bottom line- will there be a “bottom line”, and, what steps will be taken for care to not fall below current levels while being able to improve them as they go along? I am lucky enough to not need physical care for the most part. In fact, I’ve used the VA for nothing I haven’t had to at their insistence. What I really want to know is, if it is privatized, can I get 2 steps in the door without being asked if I am angry or want to hurt someone else or myself? Hear that enough… Read more »
Good God! Privatize and make it efficient? *That* is exactly what should be done and I can remember thinking it years ago. The poor bastards that need more than some of us do deserve better and I say that lovingly. I am lucky but I want to fight for those who have lost much more than myself. That is one way.
Liberal ‘logic’…
Socialized government-run healthcare is the way to go! It’s great!
Of course, then they turn around and make a political issue out of how horrible is the VA… which is socialized government-run healthcare.
Of course, then they turn around and say “No, don’t privatize the VA!”
So apparently, the government-run VA is fine, except when it’s not, but don’t dare do anything to fix it… except when we want to make a political issue out of it, but don’t dare make any fixes to it that may work… just do what we ask by throwing more and more money at a broken system, so it never gets fixed, but we can keep using it as a political issue.
Does that about sum up the liberal ‘logic’ on the VA?
I would oppose it. Yes, I have had issues with the VA and I can tell horror stories just as much as the next vet out there. But my experience with private care hasn’t proven great either.
My wife has a number of neurological issues. We take a visit to the ER usually 6-7 times per year and we have been married for 14 years. She has had 3 strokes. We once waited in the ER for over an hour before they moved her to a private room. We sat in that room for five hours without ever seeing anyone. We finally left and went somewhere else. This was at a private hospital and I have great insurance. We now have a list of our favorite ER rooms. The quality from one to another varies greatly.
That brings up another point. Anytime I have issues with the VA there are always people there I can talk to and understand. They won’t do shit about it, but at least I understand them. If I call my private insurance (Aetna) I end up talking to Kareem Majood Ihaveabomb in Bangalore, India. Whereas most of the people working at my local VA are vets themselves. I would rather have a slow, lazy government employee managing my healthcare than some idiot outsourced in Dumbfuckistan.
With the help of a DAV CSO, I filed my VA/BDD claim at the 180 day mark prior to my retirement on 31 DEC. I received a letter shortly after on Jul 9th acknowledging the submission of my claim. I have not heard a peep from the VA since. I have contacted my CSO for further assistance, but he is being told that there are delays. Supposedly one of the advantages of the new BDD program was it would reduce processing time and provide for adjudication of any claims prior to departure from the active duty so as to permit a seamless transition. A buddy four months ahead of me has not heard a peep except a request for more documentation. He has been retired almost two months giving him a grand total of almost 8 months awaiting the VA to process and adjudicate his claim. Nov 5th will be four months since I started my claims process. I have not seen a doctor or heard from the VA since Jul 9th. I think it is time to rethink government run health care.
The VA processed my claim for disability in 4 months. Is the VA perfect? No, but I don’t have any major complaints.Most of the VA personnel I deal with are hard workers. I say leave it as is.
The thing is, I’ve had a number of surgeries, and regularly have to go to the VA hospital. I like being around folks with similar backgrounds, with shared experiences. When I go to the VA I have been treated with respect, as a veteran, and not like the number I was when at a civilian hospital.
My complaints with the VA have always been on the administrative side of things. When hospitalized I have had no complaints about the medical treatment, the staff, Doctors, anything. I was rooming there with other veterans, and, if nothing else, we had a shared experience of serving and could relate to reach other.
At a civilian hospital, I didn’t know anyone around me. I was just another patient. I don’t want to be like that ever again.
If there is to be a privitisation of the VA, then it should be ONLY for Veterans, and staffed with as many veterans as possible, because there are levels of trust, levels of compassion, and levels of understanding that no civilian hospital can ever provide.
I certainly have my complaints about the VA system, but that same system was promised to us as a part of our benefits package for honorable service.
Matt: The last time I asked for a rating exam, it took some 4 months before I was seen, and some 11 months until I got a final decision. I, too, was asked twice for further documentation, even though it was the same info I had given them over and over again. It isn’t the health care part that I complaints about. It’s the administrative side and all the redundant levels of clerks and adjudicators who simply don’t talk to each other.
I know that even the mention of privatizing certain functions of the VA causes heads to explode at VoteVets and IAVA
Add the VFW to the above.
I’ve had 3 different primary care doctors in 3 years at my VA Medical Center. I have been lucky in that each time they switch that I have been comfortable with the switch. That may not be the case in the future, but I’m not as concerned for myself as for our older Vets. Primary care doctors are supposed to get to know their patients and it’s hard for that to happen if they keep playing musical cubicles. Scheduling is another pet peeve of mine. I have had experiences where I was told that I would be contacted to set up an appointment for this or that and the call never comes, then I get a letter saying I missed my scheduled appointment and that they have been trying to call me. They must be using super-secret stealth phone technology, because I have never gotten a call or voice mail. Plus, they have told me things were scheduled, have actually sent me letters with the date and time and I show up only to find out that I haven’t been scheduled and that they can’t fit me in because of a full schedule, even after I show them the paperwork.
I’m not as concerned about this for me, but for our older Vets, that have many more appointments than I do. Would privatization help that part? Probably not, since it would probably only be a matter of insurance provider, unless one of the big boys was going to take over the medical centers themselves and privatize the entire thing.
This is a tough one to just say yes or no too. Because of the criminal way I was operated on at the Charleston, SC VAMC, and the filthy medieval conditions of the Washington, DC VAMC, I’ve always been in favor of giving the veteran, depending on his SC rating, a fee-basis card, if they choose. If they want to use the VA for their SC condition, fine. If not, the card would allow them to get treatment for their SC condition where the veteran chooses. 0-40% SC only 50-90% could get anything they need, 100% would allow for dental. I am 100% SC, (actually 170% but they cut you off at 100), but continue to pay for BC/BS in the Federal Retirement system because of the lack of trust I have for VA Hospital Care. Some of my friends though, have not had the same problems, but after working in the system I know more horror stories than good ones. Over a few drinks and poker I could talk to you guys/gals for hours about this. My local VAOPC is great and I use it for minor health problems. The problem is, if I wake up with the flu I just can’t go to the OPC and get treated. It’s either private or drive 75 miles to the VAMC. There is no ER at the VAMC so if you have a “life threatening” problem you have to go civilian anyway. Oh, and see how long it takes for the VA to pay the hospital you went to. If you don’t pay the hospital first your credit rating is going to take a hit waiting for the VA to pay the bill. It will be in collection before they get around to it. We all know there are horror stories in civilian hospitals and clinics or else there wouldn’t be 10 gazilion lawyers out there, but my solution is offering SC veterans a choice as the system was originally set up to treat SC only. I could go on about the length of time for claims…but I’ll wait until the… Read more »
Old Trooper….you’re so right about scheduling. I have the same problem with being “contacted for follow up”. When I call to schedule I’m on hold for a minimum….MINIMUM of 45-50 minutes IF I GET THROUGH! I’m having to put the VA number on “friends and family” to afford calling them. What I’ve had to do is call my psychiatrist and she makes the appointments for me on her computer. I know 99% of vets don’t have that option and I feel lucky she does it. Professional courtesy.
Honor and Courage
Old Trooper….really good point on scheduling. As a professional courtesy, my Psychiatrist makes my appointments for me due to the 45-60 minute wait to get through to the scheduling dept. manned by one or two people. I’ve had to put that number for the VA into my “friends and family” plan. I never get the call for follow up appointments either. The VA goes through so many good doctors it’s unreal. Most quit “because they wouldn’t let me practice good medicine. I can’t even order the latest drugs.” Have heard this so many times it makes me sick. Have had so many doctors it’s frustrating. Continuity of care is a joke. Luckily we haven’t had a change at the OPC in quite a while and praying my 2 doctors there stay. Both tell me their frustrations.
Honor and Courage
Sorry about the double post. Second didn’t seem to go through.
I have never been in the military, but I would ask, do you want each veteran to be reduced to a mere profit center?
The US Postal Service, UPS and FedEX all provide basically the same services, yet the USPS continues to bleed money while the two corporations post profits.
Does anymore really need to be said?
Joe….Huh?
The VA Health Care System sucks. At least around here. I am sure it is good in some of the major cities but most Veterans are from rural areas. My son was severely wounded in Iraq and one of his injuries was he lost his right eye. A while back he had to have a wedge put in behind what is called a fatty implant. They used fat to make the implant and over time the fat breaks down and recedes that is why the wedge was put in to push out the implant to make it equal with his good eye. This was contracted out to a private eye surgeon. Now his prosthesis does not fit properly and he needs a new one. Rather than contract this out to someone close by they want us to drive him six hours to the VA in Atlanta where they make prosthesis for the eye. They only pay 11 cents a mile which will not cover our gas expense. Plus they start the gas milege from the nearest VA Clinic which is 30 miles nearer to Atlanta. They only allow him about $20.00 a day for meals and nothing for us. They will not fly him which would be much cheaper. The IRS allowance for travel reimbursement is .50 per mile. That is what I get reimbursed for by my company when I have to travel in my own vehicle for business purposes. This is the law. How can the VA get by with just 11 cents? We have spent thousands of dollars on our son that we will never get back. I don’t regret a single dime however he sacrifice his health for our country and when a military member gets disabled in combat he and his family pays for life both mentally and financially. The expenses never end. We have made countless wasted trips to the VA Hospital. They will make multiple appointment on one day. the first one at 7:00, the next at 11:00 and the last at 3:30. Why can’t they schedule the appointments back to back. When… Read more »
Kenny,
Check to see if there is a Fisher House in Atlanta. It doesn’t fix the problem, but it helps with the deficiencies.
Thanks WOTN, I will check it out.
The US Postal Service, UPS and FedEX all provide basically the same services, yet the USPS continues to bleed money while the two corporations post profits.
But at the same time, the USPS doesn’t charge $90 to ship a package overnight. FedEx and UPS do.
Kenny…I think the VA has raised it’s travel allowance from .11 to something else. You need to ask about this. I used to not even try and get mine because after the deductable, 100 miles, it came out to nothing. I mentioned it at one of my Purple Heart meetings and guys that use the VAMC more than me stated it had changed. Next time I went up the 100 mile deductable was gone and I think I got .40 some cents. Please check that out when you get to Atlanta or call the 800 number for the Atlanta Regional Office. One of the phone counselors will have that information. I am very sorry that you and other parents/veterans have to go through so much after they have given so much. I also have a buddy in Ellijay that uses the VA in Atlanta and he’s getting more than .11. I will call him this a.m. and confirm this for you.
Honor and Courage
1AirCav69,
I got the .11 cents per mile from a letter we received last week confirming his appointment and room reservation. It also mentioned the deductable. I hope you are correct about the increase in the travel allowance.
Thanks
Kenny….gotta call to my buddy and left voicemail. Will get the info to you ASAP.
Honor and Courage.
Kenny…my bro just called. He gets .41 cents a mile from Ellijay with no deductable. He says they have him at 89 miles and gets over $60 everytime he goes to Atlanta. Make sure you guys check with the Agent Cashier when you get to the hospital or when leaving. If they give you a deductable and .11 cents a mile…there’s a problem. I would demand a clairification. Good luck to you and your son.
Honor and Courage
Kenny…here’s from the VA website. Even though it’s Texas..Atlanta is the same. Hope this helps.
http://www.northtexas.va.gov/patients/travel.asp
1aircav69,
Thanks for the link but it looks like the rate they are allowing for use is much different. I have the letter in front of me from the Atlanta VAMC, 1670 Clairmont Road, Decatur, Georgia.
This is word for word.
Travel to the nearest VA Facility will be reimbursed at 11 cents per mile for mileage over 55 miles roundtrip. This constitutes a $6.00 deductible.
Then they give an example:
If a veteran’s residential area is 110 miles one way – 220 miles round trip, he/she will be reimbursed $24.20 minus the $6.00 deductible which equals $18.20.
A rep from the Atlanta VA called my wife and my wife bought up the 11 cents a mile and she verified that is what my son would be reimbursed.
and so…whose pockets are ya’ll so carefully protecting? so yes…just go on and sputter your phony interests in deployment-related SERIOUS illnesses of MOST returning was veterans. you earned your spot again today…maybe tommorrow – you will not