[rktman]

Or, how about this. If you served honorably and need medical care, the "govt" contract with private practices that wish to participate? How about the VA pharmacy accept scrips from outside physicians? Are outside MDs less qualified to write you a scrip? Are the MD's at the VA facilities there so they can avoid having to pay huge malpractice insurance premiums? How about we stop with the "qualifying income" crap while we're at it. Did any of you that served balk at performing your duties because you weren't making enough money? Did you put your lives on the line daily because that's what you agreed to do? We all know that even during training ops our military folks get killed. You don't have to be in a combat situation. Some things done in the military are inherently dangerous. Yeah, I get somewhat aggravated with the VA system.

[BobL]

Trump effect is in FULL FORCE. They’re trying to take the issue away from him.

Whatever, as long as it gets fixed for our vets. Too bad it took Trump to get them off their butts.

[CharlesOConnell]

Problem being bureaucrats who are primarily in it to further their own power could end up screwing up Active military care.

[knarf]

Some kind of card with an embedded code that, when swiped, pulls up a validation of the serial number, branch, years served and type of discharge .... “OK, Sahj ... your prescription will be ready in 20 minutes”

[MortMan]

I’m sure this makes sense to someone, but not to this engineer.

Veterans suffer from different classes of ailments as active duty military (obviously, with overlap). It’s pretty danged rare that a military MD sees an octogenarian, with the attendant maladies that come with such a respectable age.

I’m not seeing how the political solution is a solution for the affected people.

[Sacajaweau]

Let them be able to choose their own doctors near home. My buddy has to travel 90 miles.

[dila813]

So military run VA Hospitals might sound great to some, but I think this distracts from the Military Mission of protecting the country, and now I wonder how the funding for these hospitals will occur, do they come out of the DOD budget?

[GreyFriar]

Thank you for the info. right now a full colonel, Army, is getting the runaround from the Army medics as he is retiring. they are saying that he can get the surgeries he needs from the VA instead of Walter Reed or Ft. Belvoir army hospitals, AFTER he is retired. If a ‘full bull’ is getting this runaround, what is happening to the enlisted folks?

[The Sons of Liberty]

Congress May Fix VA Hospitals By Merging Them With Military

This MIGHT be a viable solution, but my fear is that it could result in military hospitals being dragged down and becoming like VA hospitals.

[TurkeyLurkey]

IMO this will be a disaster—let the government have control over it so everything will be kept in secret from the people, not to mention poorer care, one could go one and on...

[Fhios]

It’s not a bad idea, but it won’t be effective for years, and in fact may be a huge detriment in the intrim.

[Bobby_Taxpayer]

How about we stop with the "qualifying income" crap while we're at it.

Agree. The idea that if you have a little success in life, you can't have what you deserve from the sacrifices you gave, is utterly ridiculous. This only comes from lawyers in congress that never made the sacrifices. I am of the position that DoD should be the agency caring of Vets. After all it was their decisions that got vets into the necessity in the first place. Combining The VA under DoD (under a high level under secretary) would make both agencies more accountable and make DOD take the consequences of decisions putting soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen in harms way or taking risks even in training.

[oh8eleven]

How about we stop with the "qualifying income" crap while we're at it.
Sure, right after we stop giving medical care to all veterans who don't have service connected disabilities.
The VA medical care system was never designed to handle all comers. That's probably half the reason why it's in the shape it's in now.
The other half being greedy, blood sucking, gubmint bureaucrats.

[GreyFriar]

I just posted the article to FaceBook to spread the word there.

[donozark]

This does not eliminate the travel factor. One of the main negatives of the VA System. Military bases are as far flung as VAH in rural America. E.G.-I'm 3 hours from nearest VAH. And 3 hours from nearest military hospital. What would be accomplished?

Hillary did away with "fee-basis" 20 years ago. It has been somewhat restored with this new "Choice Program," but they have not returned my call from 7 months ago...

We should be authorized to use a local physician. Impossible to staff ALL VAH with state of the art surgical suites and physicians.

[onedoug]

What do y’all think of vouchers so that vets can be cared for within the ‘private’ sphere?

[greatvikingone]

“the govt contract with private practices that wish to participate?”

The problem I have with farming vets out is that regular docs don’t have a good picture of what the vet has experienced or needs beyond standard medical care. Our vets deserve to be understood and treated as a whole person, not just a medical problem.

“Are the MD’s at the VA facilities there so they can avoid having to pay huge malpractice insurance premiums?”

Not in our experience. Federal docs make less than their civilian counterparts, significantly less in some specialties.

[BlackFemaleArmyColonel]

This may not be a bad idea.

[Nifster]

If congress does this it will make things worse not better

[RummyChick]

If anyone has a Vet with mental issues I highly suggest the MHICAM program. I don’t know the parameters for qualifying but they have been a Godsend in dealing with a relative. They will take my relative anywhere in the area even if it is to go buy underwear. And when he goes off the rails- they will go check and see what is going on and help me deal with the ensuing trauma drama.

[SandRat]

GIVE BACK FULL ACCES TO AND FULL SERVICES (MEICAL, DENTAL, OPTICAL, Rx) SERVICES AT RAYMOND W. BLISS ARMY HOSPITAL.