[vette6387]

The solution to the substandard care given by “union goons” masquerading as VA Hospital workers, is to sell off the VA facilities to private companies without any provision for any “worker retention.” This gives veterans better healthcare and eliminates the need to go through the odious process of firing the majority incompetents who currently staff the facilities.

[oh8eleven]

No veteran should be treated in the VA medical system unless their condition is specifically service connected.

[familyop]

"The Department of Veterans Affairs is preparing to shift billions of dollars from government-run veterans’ hospitals to private health care providers..."

Here's some advice. Do it with the veterans' homes, too (VA funded nursing homes with state employees). At least some of them are reportedly being scolded and insulted while being physically jerked around.

[blam]

After trying for four days to get someone in the VA at the Mobile facility to answer the phone, a young White male voice said, "who is this?" I told him I was trying to get an appointment and he said "how did you get this number." I said I just dialed the number like always but no-one will answer, he said, " you can't fire them", an hung up. (I think I'd gotten a technician in one of the labs)

I've noticed that if I can manage to steer clear of the fat Black females that I can get good service at the VA.

[Sacajaweau]

It’s about time. My bud has to drive 90 miles for his appointments.

[mrsmith]

I like my VA care, from VA employees.
Would prefer to see money spent to improve it in the areas nelow standard.

Lot of abuse possible here, chance of medicaid type care.

[HamiltonJay]

Won’t make up for th Billions if not trillions they will burn when moving to Cerner from Vista... stupidest move I’ve ever seen. Someone took some huge bribes to make that idiocy happen and it will burn your tax money by the TRILLIONS never ending

[quadrant]

I am conflicted about this story. In principle, I agree with the proposition to allow vets to seek service outside the VA system.
However, I have been a patient at SFVAMC for almost a decade and have received excellent treatment. It has been prompt - allowing for the fact that the VA is a government bureaucracy - and caring. I have had excellent relations with all personnel (except one) and have found them responsive to my requests.
The hip replacement surgery went far better than I had any right to expect. The concern for my high blood pressure has been constant and professional.
Again, I cannot speak for all vets - or even for all who are treated at SFVAMC - but I would be reluctant to leave the MC as I would be trading something I know (and with which I am satisfied)for an unknown.

[rockinqsranch]

The effing NYT would rather write about fabricated chaos in the Trump administration than provide us information on what’s happening with the VA.

Sick, and tired of the left effing with my head.

I have for the last time given the NYT a chance to report to me what they claim to be legitimate perspective on issues.

Leftist politics is all the NYT is. Yeah! I’ve known that for a long time, but I kept giving the B-stards a chance.

[bigbob]

Good. Vets should come first, receive highest priority.

[OftheOhio]

while Democrats have favored increasing the number of FOREIGN doctors in the V.A. fixed.

[grumpygresh]

Hopefully when they talk of “private care” doesn’t mean going through a middleman health care administrator such as UHC or Anthem. These middlemen are making a fortune on 0-care gaming the system by denying care. There are one of the major reasons that healthcare quality has declined. They don’t insure, they just administer. Just look at their stock prices since 0-care, and the drop they sustained when O’Conner ruled against 0-care (even with no injunction).

If the VA needs specific treatment for vets such as surgery, oncology, cardiology or any speciality care, the VA can use primary care physicians and speciality advisors, administrators to develop their protocols for referrals. Then, they can refer and directly contract out for services with hospitals and individual providers for service. This way, the VA providers can have a direct check on quality and cost. If the contractor is bad or too expensive, they can look for another one.

[minnesota_bound]

Simple solution is to allow the vets to go to any hospital but the gov’t would lose control and that is something bureaucrats never want to give up.

[sparklite2]

It’s about damned time.