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Congress May Fix VA Hospitals By Merging Them With Military
dailycaller.com ^ | 2/15/2016 | Luke Rosiak

Posted on 02/15/2016 6:45:11 AM PST by rktman

Congress is exploring a dramatic transformation of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals that would merge them with Department of Defense (DOD) facilities and treat active duty soldiers and veterans side by side.

Many veterans and lawmakers believe the VA healthcare system is in dire need of complete overhaul, and the idea of privatizing it has been increasingly popular. But lawmakers have also quietly been pondering a fix that would take it in the opposite direction — militarization.

A massive pilot project called Lovell Federal Health Care Center in North Chicago just completed a five-year trial, with seemingly positive results. The joint DOD-VA hospital now sees most patients within one day and nearly all within one month of their desired appointments, and ranks in the top five of VA hospitals in overall wait times.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailycaller.com ...


TOPICS: Government; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: vets
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To: RummyChick

Thanks for the input. Is it this? Mental Health Intensive Case Management (MHICM)


41 posted on 02/15/2016 7:39:59 AM PST by rktman (Enlisted in the Navy in '67 to protect folks rights to strip my rights. WTH?!)
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To: BobL
Trump effect is in FULL FORCE.

The project started five years ago. I really don't think Trump had anything to do with the project. Did trump even care about the veterans five years ago?

42 posted on 02/15/2016 7:41:22 AM PST by A_Tradition_Continues (formerly known as Politicalwit ...05/28/98 Class of '98)
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To: SandRat

LOL! That says it all. I don’t seem to remember serving conditionally and getting to pick and choose what I “felt” like doing. “Hey swabbie. Go clean the bilges. Now!” “Sorry chief, don’t feel like it today.”


43 posted on 02/15/2016 7:42:30 AM PST by rktman (Enlisted in the Navy in '67 to protect folks rights to strip my rights. WTH?!)
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To: rktman
Raymond W. Bliss used to be so good that when President fell in Mexico off a cliff needing Dental,Orthopedic, Dental, Rx care he was Choppered in to Raymond W. Bliss
44 posted on 02/15/2016 7:50:51 AM PST by SandRat (Duty - Honor - Country! What else needs said?)
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To: MortMan; rktman; greatvikingone; BlueNgold

You hit the nail on the head regarding the main problem with the program I’m in at the post hospital I’m within a few miles of:

What about “veterans who are not near a military medical facility....”

I consider myself very fortunate, however when I move away from here in a few more years, I’ll be out where the nearest military post is over 150 miles away.


45 posted on 02/15/2016 7:51:45 AM PST by GreyFriar (Spearhead - 3rd Armored Division 75-78 & 83-87)
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To: GreyFriar

Lucky for you, you can just use the flying car that uncle bernie is gonna give you for free to go that 150 miles. LOL!


46 posted on 02/15/2016 7:53:26 AM PST by rktman (Enlisted in the Navy in '67 to protect folks rights to strip my rights. WTH?!)
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To: rktman

How about this: every vet gets 100% health care paid by Uncle Sam.

Would work something like this, if the vet has a job and they get employee health insurance that covers 70% (use any % you want) then US pays the remaining 30%. They see their own doctor so there is no need for VA hospital, doctors, clinics, or massive bureaucracy.

If they have no job or insurance then they present their card to their doctor and US pays.

I know its too simple to work but it’s the same principle as a flat tax and abolishing the IRS.


47 posted on 02/15/2016 7:55:36 AM PST by shotgun
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To: MortMan

I’ve been advocating some form of merge for a while.

One thing it would allow is military reserve medical folks from all services and the guard, or even entire units, to perform some of their annual obligations at VA centers. They could run plus up clinics to help fix backlogs or get teams out to help underserved communities.

Another advantage is that in a military town, retirees staying in the area would get some level of continuity of care.

But we still need portability of benefits for those not near a VA med or military facility.


48 posted on 02/15/2016 7:56:07 AM PST by BlueNgold (May I suggest a very nice 1788 Article V with your supper...)
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To: shotgun

Only one problem. If they/we have no insurance, we get fined. Remember? LOL!


49 posted on 02/15/2016 7:57:33 AM PST by rktman (Enlisted in the Navy in '67 to protect folks rights to strip my rights. WTH?!)
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To: Sasparilla

“Vets should be able to visit any doctor or hospital anywhere.”

The problem with that idea is this:

The government will never pay “full boat” for anything. They will mimic medicare/medicaid and pay 40%.

This will have a dual effect, first, finding ANY doctor if you’re a vet will be difficult to impossible.

Second, if you’re just a poor schlub who is not a vet, the cost of your medical care (due to cost-shifting) will go through the roof even further than it already has.

The VA is broken, if anyone thinks DoD medicine is the answer, God bless ‘em, but I wouldn’t want to have to endure DoD medicine again (hit or miss).

The problem ultimately is that there are two classes of vets - those that legitimately need care due to actual combat injury in service to their country. These folks need every bit of care to help return them as closely as possible to a normal life. Then there are vets who are rent seekers - who want a check for life for sitting on their ass in the green zone, and there are substantial numbers of folks like that these days, sad to say.

Separate those who have clearly sacrificed for their country from those who have unverifiable claims.

We can and should treat a vet with his legs blown off in service to his country differently than someone who claims PTSD that is impossible to verify.

As long as you provide checks to anyone who says they want one, there will never be enough money to treat those who actually need care.


50 posted on 02/15/2016 7:58:05 AM PST by RFEngineer
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To: rktman

Well there is that...


51 posted on 02/15/2016 7:58:13 AM PST by shotgun
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To: rktman

One other thought...
Want to cut government and make it more efficient?
Move the entire VA under DoD. Make it a component.
DiD retains responsibility for our nation’s treasures from oath to rights.


52 posted on 02/15/2016 8:02:46 AM PST by BlueNgold (May I suggest a very nice 1788 Article V with your supper...)
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To: BlueNgold

DoD

Flippin autocorrect got me.


53 posted on 02/15/2016 8:03:50 AM PST by BlueNgold (May I suggest a very nice 1788 Article V with your supper...)
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To: rktman

this might explain the “rebranding” I’ve seen(Hines, Il)

For records (billing?) purposes:
“Va Treating Facility Name” was changed - same place, now different name.

“VA Treating Facility Name” was listed: “Edward Hines Junior Hospital”
It’s now listed as: “Great Lakes Healthcare System” and all the old records were rebranded to show the new name.


54 posted on 02/15/2016 8:04:44 AM PST by stylin19a
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To: A_Tradition_Continues

Sadly for you, Trump does have a LONG HISTORY of supporting vets.


55 posted on 02/15/2016 8:07:33 AM PST by BobL (Who cares? He's going to build a wall and stop this invasion.)
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To: CharlesOConnell

That is most bureaucrats.


56 posted on 02/15/2016 8:09:28 AM PST by hal ogen (First Amendment or Reeducation Camp?)
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To: GreyFriar

Once again it becomes obvious that this President (Emperor) is the most unfriendly President ever to the military, veterans and anyone else in uniform. All his professions of love are pure BS.


57 posted on 02/15/2016 8:12:54 AM PST by armydawg505
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To: rktman
Switch incentives so doctors at the VA get paid based on patients seen. Doctors will be 'selected BY vets' the same way civilians chose what doctor they'll pay.

If a doctor doesn't get selected they don't get paid. In no time they'll start providing better service or they'll have to start flipping burgers... cause in the real world people don't put up with jerks who think they're Gods.

Let them function under the same incentive as private doctors.

And the administrators? Same thing... Doctors chose which 'hospitals' they put patients into - the bad ones don't get paid if no one wants to go there. In the real world Hospitals that are dreadful go under. Same should happen here.

Switch the incentives - the change would put the vets in the driver's seats and doctors as trusted professionals offering a 'service for pay.

Patients would go from 'charity cases ' to 'customers' in weeks... this whole mess would start changing.

58 posted on 02/15/2016 8:14:26 AM PST by GOPJ (Hillary has 416 'superdelegates'... Bernie has 14... Wake up democrats - the election's rigged.)
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To: rktman

How about hospitals having veteran wards or veteran centers attached to a hospital. Think out of the box...


59 posted on 02/15/2016 8:15:54 AM PST by Sacajaweau
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To: rktman

While traveling through NM I stopped at the “VA” in Albuqurgue (sp) and it was actually the AF hospital. Got great treatment!


60 posted on 02/15/2016 8:18:15 AM PST by VerySadAmerican (Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. - Sam Adams)
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