Posted on 12/29/2016 1:23:17 AM PST by ARGLOCKGUY
President-elect Donald Trump is considering moving the Department of Veterans Affairs toward privatization, a transition team official said Wednesday, a policy decision major veterans’ groups have said they would oppose.
(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...
Good.
VA is a single-payer system. It has long been the left’s model for the US health system as a whole.
Good and those who oppose this, are either nuts or making money off it; perhaps both.
every Vet I’ve talked to wants a version of Tri-Care not the VA.
Single payer but with a particular discriminate customer base, a type conducive to law, order and compliance. Compared with the general population. It’s why the socialized medicine model of tge military and the VA function. The personnel/staff at the VA cause problems by taking advantage of the huge-ness of the government, the employer, -as well as the perceived never ending supply of money. So... but socialized medicine for the general public especially a non discriminate one, not to mention, one that takes care of foreigners and other non tax payers, will never ever succeed.
Trump discusses veterans’ healthcare overhaul with hospital CEOs
http://topnews.us/content/264401-trump-discusses-veterans-healthcare-overhaul-hospital-ceos
I’ve been involved with the VA system as a contracted provider, never as an employed physician, for 40 years, in academic and non-academic settings.
There are some things the VA does that are most efficiently done there(because they have the volume) - traumatic brain injury, PTSD, research into prosthetics are several examples.
But the “big VA” as a universal health care provider for entitled veterans should be replaced by giving every eligible veteran a platinum health credit card that would pay normal hospitals, doctors, home care providers, pharmacies and skilled nursing facilities commercial rates with zero deductibles. It would be cheaper, and it would honor the principle that our debt is to the veterans, not to the employees of the VA nor to the Academic Health Centers who take so much and who give back as little as possible.
HOORAY Donald J. Trump. Thank you, sir.
MHGA for our vets! America’s finest BUMP!
Double good.
Retired, Tri-Care Extra, Free until I turn 65 when I’m “forced” to buy into Medicare Part B and go “Tri-Care for life” plan.
I’ve had to use my Tri-Care less than half a dozen times since I retired from the USAF in 94. Live less than 40 miles from a VA regional hospital. Never have had a need to use that VA Hospital. Tri-Care works well , my own doctors, local hospital versus VA hospital.
Walk in, show my DD2AF ID card. Simple, Free shy of a 10 or 15 dollar co-pay.....
Easy.
Free health care works fine for me.
Major vet groups ought to catch up with what’s in the best interest of those they claim to represent.
Even those concentrated specialties would be better off in the hands of a few competing private providers.
I’m with you (retired from the USN in ‘94). TriCare works exceptionally well; never had an issue. Not looking forward to TFL. The only thing I know about my local VA hospital is that a lot of the local moochers hang out on the access road begging for handouts; no vet in his/her right mind would do that.
‘Good and those who oppose this, are either nuts or making money off it; perhaps both.”
One category you missed, the largest, will be leftists which includes the MSM. They will fight it tooth & nail.
Oh wait a minute, you’ve got them covered under “nuts”.
Notice they don’t name the , “major Veteran’s groups” or the groups’ leaders by name.
Fake news.
Perhaps these are the "AARP"s of Veterans' groups?
tgusa wrote: “I’m with you (retired from the USN in ‘94). TriCare works exceptionally well; never had an issue. Not looking forward to TFL. The only thing I know about my local VA hospital is that a lot of the local moochers hang out on the access road begging for handouts; no vet in his/her right mind would do that.”
TFL works quite well. You will have to pay for Medicare Part B. That’s around $120 per month. The combination of Medicare and TFL works well. In return, TFL will pickup all that Medicare won’t pay (co-pays, deductables, etc.).
TRL will sometimes pay for things Medicare won’t pay for. A friend had cancer and the treating physician recommended robotic surgery. Medicare said no, regular surgery. TFL paid for the robot, 100%.
For example, I injured my hand and had to have all four tendons reattached. I also had four months of therapy. Some hand movements aren’t perfect but I can touch type so I’m pleased. My total cost for all of this was zero.
I started getting all these ads for medicare supplemental insurance when I turned 65. One was from Humana who administers Tricare in this area. When I told them I had Tricare, the person said: “I can sell you a supplemental policy but with TFL, you have the best one available and it’s free.”
“Free health care works fine for me.”
You do know that it isnt free, right?
If Trump privatizes the VA in any way, every veteran currently in the system who lives on minimum amounts of money will lose care. Medical costs will skyrocket as will drug costs. That is exactly what happened with Obamacare.
Perhaps that is the point? Less care equals increases in deaths due to lack of care? Some VAMCs practice this philosophy now.
Far better for the VA to set up a new, ethical, strongly pro veteran care and clean the VA swamp. Make sure everyone hired is who they say they are and educated to the appropriate level.
I am sure many vets have horror stories of incompetent doctors and NPs, doctors from foreign countries, etc and those doctors, NPs, CNAs, RNs should be replaced.
And the punishment system meted out by the administration when a patient uses a patient advocate to try to right a wrong, must be stopped. Patient advocates are not there to protect the VA administration though you would think the PAs were the admin watch dogs.
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