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VETERANS ADMINISTRATION REFORMS THAT WILL MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN (Trump Position Paper)
Trump Campaign Website ^ | October 31, 2016 | Domald J. Trump

Posted on 10/31/2015 11:48:22 AM PDT by smoothsailing

October 31, 2015

Veterans Administration Reforms That Will Make America Great Again

The Goals Of Donald J. Trump's Veterans Plan

The current state of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is absolutely unacceptable. Over 300,000 veterans died waiting for care. Corruption and incompetence were excused. Politicians in Washington have done too little too slowly to fix it. This situation can never happen again, and when Donald J. Trump is president, it will be fixed – fast.

The guiding principle of the Trump plan is ensuring veterans have convenient access to the best quality care. To further this principle, the Trump plan will decrease wait times, improve healthcare outcomes, and facilitate a seamless transition from service into civilian life.

The Trump Plan Will:

  1. Ensure our veterans get the care they need wherever and whenever they need it. No more long drives. No more waiting for backlogs. No more excessive red tape. Just the care and support they earned with their service to our country.
  2. Support the whole veteran, not just their physical health care, but also by addressing their invisible wounds, investing in our service members’ post-active duty success, transforming the VA to meet the needs of 21st century service members, and better meeting the needs of our female veterans.
  3. Make the VA great again by firing the corrupt and incompetent VA executives who let our veterans down, by modernizing the VA, and by empowering the doctors and nurses to ensure our veterans receive the best care available in a timely manner.

The Trump Plan Gives Veterans The Freedom To Choose And Forces The VA To Compete For Their Dollars

Politicians in Washington have tried to fix the VA by holding hearings and blindly throwing money at the problem. None of it has worked. In fact, wait times were 50% higher this summer than they were a year ago. That’s because the VA lacks the right leadership and management. It’s time we stop trusting Washington politicians to fix the problems and empower our veterans to vote with their feet.

Under a Trump Administration, all veterans eligible for VA health care can bring their veteran's ID card to any doctor or care facility that accepts Medicare to get the care they need immediately. Our veterans have earned the freedom to choose better or more convenient care from the doctor and facility of their choice. The power to choose will stop the wait time backlogs and force the VA to improve and compete if the department wants to keep receiving veteran's healthcare dollars. The VA will become more responsive to veterans, develop more efficient systems, and improve the quality of care because it will have no other choice.

The Trump Plan Treats The Whole Veteran

We must care for the whole veteran, not just their physical health. We must recognize that today’s veterans have very different needs than those of the Greatest Generation.

The Trump Plan Will:

  1. Increase funding for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury and suicide prevention services to address our veteran's invisible wounds. Service members are five times more likely to develop depression than civilians. They are almost fifteen times more likely to develop PTSD than civilians. This funding will help provide more and better counseling and care. More funding will also support research on best practices and state of the art treatments to keep our veterans alive, healthy and whole. With these steps, the Trump plan will help the veteran community put the unnecessary stigma surrounding mental health behind them and instead encourage acceptance and treatment in our greater society.
  2. Increase funding for job training and placement services (including incentives for companies hiring veterans), educational support and business loans. All Americans agree that we must do everything we can to help put our service men and women on a path to success as they leave active duty by collaborating with the many successful non-profit organizations that are already helping. Service members have learned valuable skills in the military but many need help understanding how to apply those skills in civilian life. Others know how to apply those skills but need help connecting with good jobs to support their families. Still others have an entrepreneurial spirit and are ready to start creating jobs and growing the economy. The Trump plan will strengthen existing programs or replace them with more effective ones to address these needs and to get our veterans working.
  3. Transform the VA to meet the needs of 21st century service members. Today’s veterans have very different needs than those of the generations that came before them. The VA must adapt to meet the needs of this generation of younger, more diverse veterans. The Trump plan will expand VA services for female veterans and ensure the VA is providing the right support for this new generation of veterans.
  4. Better support our women veterans. The fact that many VA hospitals don’t permanently staff OBGYN doctors shows an utter lack of respect for the growing number female veterans. Under the Trump plan, every VA hospital in the country will be fully equipped with OBGYN and other women's health services. In addition, women veterans can always choose a different OBGYN in their community using their veteran’s ID card.

The Trump Plan Will Make The VA Great Again

The VA health care program is a disaster. Some candidates want to get rid of it, but our veterans need the VA to be there for them and their families. That’s why the Trump plan will:

  1. Fire the corrupt and incompetent VA executives that let our veterans down. Under a Trump Administration, there will be no job security for VA executives that enabled or overlooked corruption and incompetence. They’re fired. New leadership will focus the VA staff on delivering timely, top quality care and other services to our nation’s veterans. Under a Trump Administration, exposing and addressing the VA's inefficiencies and shortcomings will be rewarded, not punished.
  2. End waste, fraud and abuse at the VA. The Trump plan will ensure the VA is spending its dollars wisely to provide the greatest impact for veterans and hold administrators accountable for irresponsible spending and abuse. The days of $6.3 million for statues and fountains at VA facilities and $300,000 for a manager to move 140 miles are over. The Trump plan will clean up the VA's finances so the current VA budget provides more and better care than it does now.
  3. Modernize the VA. A VA with 20th century technology cannot serve 21st century service members and their needs. The VA has been promising to modernize for years without real results. The Trump plan will make it happen by accelerating and expanding investments in state of the art technology to deliver best-in-class care quickly and effectively. All veterans should be able to conveniently schedule appointments, communicate with their doctors, and view accurate wait times with the push of a button.
  4. Empower the caregivers to ensure our veterans receive quality care quickly. Caregivers should be able to easily streamline treatment plans across departments and utilize telehealth tools to better serve their patients. As we have seen from the private sector, the potential for new, innovative technology is endless. Abandoning the wasteful and archaic mindset of the public sector will give way to tremendously effective veteran healthcare.
  5. Hire more veterans to care for veterans. The more veterans we have working at the VA, the better the VA will be. They understand the unique challenges facing their community. To increase the number of veterans hired by the VA, this plan will add an additional 5 points to the qualifying scores of veterans applying for VA jobs.
  6. Embed satellite VA clinics in rural and other underserved areas. The Trump Administration will embed satellite VA clinics within hospitals and other care facilities in rural and other underserved areas. This step will ensure veterans have easy access to care and local hospitals and care facilities can handle the influx of patients without backlogs while tapping the specialized knowledge of VA health specialists.


TOPICS: Breaking News; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; Politics/Elections; US: New York; US: Virginia
KEYWORDS: 2016election; election2016; elections; newyork; repositorytrump; sitetest; trump; va; veterans; veteransaffairs; virginia
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To: smoothsailing
I don't see patient choice in here.

If the vet doesn't have any choice as to where he receives treatment, this plan boils down to nothing more than, "I'll make the DMV less bureaucratic!"

141 posted on 11/01/2015 4:39:17 AM PST by St_Thomas_Aquinas ( Isaiah 22:22, Matthew 16:19, Revelation 3:7)
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To: smoothsailing
Nevermind, I found what I've been looking for:
Under a Trump Administration, all veterans eligible for VA health care can bring their veteran's ID card to any doctor or care facility that accepts Medicare to get the care they need immediately.
Watch the VA hospitals shape up real quick.
142 posted on 11/01/2015 4:40:42 AM PST by St_Thomas_Aquinas ( Isaiah 22:22, Matthew 16:19, Revelation 3:7)
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To: smoothsailing

WHEN I see it, then I will believe it. My years of dealing with VA have shown me that the one thing you have to have is a long patience because it takes forever to get anything done or accomplished by them. My first time around, right after I retired, I appealed their disability rating I got. It took FIVE, yes 5, Five, five, FIVE, YEARS for that appeal to make its way through the system to the appeals board in Sodom on the Potomac. And when I won, of course I did not get my disability back payed to when I got my disability, no it started when the board approved my appeal. So, VA got away with not paying me the new disability rating for all those five years.


143 posted on 11/01/2015 6:27:56 AM PST by RetiredArmy (Read 1 Corinthians 15: verses 1-4. This is the Gospel of Grace, the ONLY WAY TO BE SAVED!!)
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To: sitetest

The thing about Trump is he wants to do it, he wants Vets treated and cared for properly. Trump will adjust his plan if it doesn’t accomplish the results he is after to give Vets the best care and eliminate the problems, waste and inefficiency. Trump is a solutions guy not a politician who is more concerned about his public image than actually fixing the problem.


144 posted on 11/01/2015 8:45:03 AM PST by free_life (If you ask Jesus to forgive you and to save you, He will.)
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To: RetiredArmy
WHEN I see it, then I will believe it.

Then I hope you see it, I hope we all do. That will mean Donald Trump is president, and he's being successful at it.

145 posted on 11/01/2015 9:03:53 AM PST by smoothsailing
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To: BlackFemaleArmyCaptain; Jane Long

 photo trump-rally-virginia-2-10-31_zpsuknytonv.jpg

146 posted on 11/01/2015 9:28:21 AM PST by smoothsailing
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To: smoothsailing

The current man in charge said there are 2,600 people he wants to fire but can’t because of the rules, etc. So they sit around and draw their pay while doing nothing. It’s better they do nothing than keep screwing vets over.


147 posted on 11/01/2015 9:28:42 AM PST by VerySadAmerican
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To: xzins

Many providers will not accept vets because it’s too hard to get paid.

I’ve been treated outside the VA system twice and I had to help them get paid. Now, with that said, it was their fault. When I checked in I gave them the address where to send the bill and how to bill it. They were too stupid to follow my directions. Eventually they listened to what I had to say and got paid within two weeks.

But they see it as a simple fact that they won’t get paid.


148 posted on 11/01/2015 9:31:49 AM PST by VerySadAmerican
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To: free_life

I have looked at trump’s alleged solutions, and instead of real market reforms, he is basically trying big government “solutions” that are implemented drop the top, down.

This is familiar to him. He’s a crony capitalist, and he’s made a bunch of money as a crony capitlost. He took a fortune of some tens, or perhaps hundreds of millions of dollars from his father and turned it into as much as $4 billion. Crony capitalism has treated him very well.

On the other hand, you’re arguing that if his statist “solutions” don’t work, he’ll keep trying until he finds something that does work.

That’s an assertion that you are inferring from his alleged business success.

But the evidence is that when something doest work for him, he disengages. He walks away.

Besides his four bankruptcies, he’s had many smaller businesses from which he’s walked away. Starting with his four bankruptcies, he’s walked away from Atlantic city. He says he got out before Atlantic City became unprofitable. But it’s still profitable. There are other casino and hotels operators there still making money. There is increased competition. It is harder to make money. Operating margins are slimmer. But some operators still make money. But trump, instead of figuring out how to fix the businesses in Atlantic City, ultimately walked away from them. As well as smaller ventures such as trump steaks, trump mortgages, trump vodka, and trump: the game.

That’s all right. As a busunessman, you might try a number of ventures, and onl y stick with the ones that work out. trump has done that well. He has taken a formidable fortune from his father and kept pace with that fortune probably a little faster t h an inflation. Many come into large fortunes and squander them. trump has not. He will pass a larger fortune to his children than he received from his parents.

But in government, walking away may not be a viable option. At least if you’re not going to leave the people hanging.

In private business, if you walk away, you may directly affect some laid-off workers you may stiff some contractors, some bond holers, but the damage is limited.

In government, if you walk away, you may affect hundreds of thousands, or millions. Or even all of us.


149 posted on 11/01/2015 10:09:30 AM PST by sitetest (If Roe is not overturned, no unborn child will ever be protected in law.)
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To: sitetest

Notafter the wall is built! Then there will be lots of room for AMERICANS!


150 posted on 11/01/2015 10:32:19 AM PST by Mollypitcher1 (I have not yet begun to fight....John Paul Jones)
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To: smoothsailing; BlackFemaleArmyCaptain

Wow!!! Look at the size of that crowd, for Trump!

I’d imagine over half of them are vets....God bless ‘em, all...and God bless Trump!!


151 posted on 11/01/2015 10:36:59 AM PST by Jane Long ("And when thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek")
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To: sitetest; free_life; smoothsailing; hoosiermama; RoosterRedux; Liz; DoughtyOne; Hostage; All

You sound like an Occupooper.

We get that you have nothing but disdain for Trump, but coming on here and projecting your “crony capitalist” BS completely degrades and diminishes ANY argument you might have had.

Trump is the ONLY candidate leading the way to help...with a SOLID plan...our dear vets. For you to mock THIS plan, of all things, is beyond despicable.

Your *facts* are completely unfounded and are nothing but the typical DU drivel posted by leftists, on conservative forums.


152 posted on 11/01/2015 10:43:39 AM PST by Jane Long ("And when thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek")
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To: montanajoe

When the crap is cut out of the multi bureaucracies smothering Washington, there will be plenty of money without tax increases. He has already said certain bureaucracies will be closed. that will be good news!


153 posted on 11/01/2015 10:46:04 AM PST by Mollypitcher1 (I have not yet begun to fight....John Paul Jones)
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To: smoothsailing

Very nice.


154 posted on 11/01/2015 10:49:17 AM PST by GOPJ (Imagine if the GOPe fought Dems as hard as they fight Repubs. - freeper bray)
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To: sitetest

Your alleged opinion or du talking points or whatever anti-Trump bilge you routinely spout is meaningless on this thread. You’re not what this thread is about.

This thread is about honoring a promise to the nation’s veterans and providing them the timely quality care they’ve earned.

I doubt, given your biased bs, that anybody cares what you think.


155 posted on 11/01/2015 11:17:43 AM PST by smoothsailing
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To: Mollypitcher1

That’s a silly non sequiter.


156 posted on 11/01/2015 12:03:08 PM PST by sitetest (If Roe is not overturned, no unborn child will ever be protected in law.)
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To: Jane Long

Perhaps you haven’t been paying attention for the last six and a half years, but crony capitalism is what this is regime is all about. Solyndra, GM, Chrysler, Porkulus, etc.

Or perhaps you approve of this sort of “economic stimulus.”


157 posted on 11/01/2015 12:12:56 PM PST by sitetest (If Roe is not overturned, no unborn child will ever be protected in law.)
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To: smoothsailing

Make an argument, not a rant.

trump’s plans aren’t going to do much. Veterans will still be suffering after he puts his “solutions” into action. Deal with it.


158 posted on 11/01/2015 12:20:41 PM PST by sitetest (If Roe is not overturned, no unborn child will ever be protected in law.)
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To: sitetest

Like I said, no one cares what you think. You’re meaningless. Get over yourself.


159 posted on 11/01/2015 12:29:05 PM PST by smoothsailing
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To: sitetest

Or perhaps you approve of this sort of “economic stimulus.”


Evidently, you do. As I said, you sound like an Occupooper with your complete BS in calling Trump a “crony capitalist” and dissing his wonderful VA plan.

Look, we know you don’t actually take the time to read Trump’s plans...you only have time to jump on Trump threads and berate the man and his well thought out, highly touted plans.

No one cares what you say on these threads, anyhow....so, there’s that.


160 posted on 11/01/2015 12:42:43 PM PST by Jane Long ("And when thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek")
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