We owe it to our Vets.
I think there are 40 large VA hospitals that are built next to university medical schools. The cooperation between the two allows for the VA to get excellent Dr’s and continued training.
It also allows medical residents in training to be used at a lower treatment cost while providing Dr’s training in the special needs of veterans. They are very closely supervised and the care is excellent.
And that couldn’t/wouldn’t happen without federal ownership? I don’t buy it. Also, lots and lots of stories about substandard VA care.