Posted on 11/04/2015 3:12:05 PM PST by Amntn
A whopping 20 percent of Republican primary voters are military veterans. No wonder GOP presidential candidates are making the scandal-plagued Veterans Affairs Department a campaign issue.
And the man frequently tagged as lacking substance - Donald Trump - just came out with the best reform plan so far.
Under Trump's plan, vets of all ages who are eligible for VA care could get treated at any civilian doctor's office or hospital that takes Medicare. No bureaucratic hoops, pre-approvals or wait lists.
...Competitors criticize Trump for not estimating the cost. But the facts suggest his plan will be low-cost, because nearly half of VA users are already on Medicare. Astoundingly, over 1 million of them have Medicare Advantage, which means taxpayers are paying insurance companies to care for them and then paying Veterans Affairs to care for them. This nonsensical double payment sends 10 percent of the VA health budget down the drain every year.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
"Concerned Veterans for America lashed out at Trump's plan for lacking details. It proposes moving vets into private health plans with subsidies to help pay the premiums. But the plans resemble ObamaCare, meaning most vets could face large out-of-pocket costs.
That's a nonstarter. Vets already earned their care. At the VA, they can see a doctor for $15. Maybe Concerned Veterans was fast to criticize Trump because one of their plan"s authors is an adviser to another presidential campaign."
I understand there is a difference.
/johnny
a distinction without a difference?
This is what is in the policy on his web site:
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 veterans’ 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.
Betsy is an expert on subjects like this. Good to hear her opinion.
“Concerned Veterans for America lashed out at Trump’s plan for lacking details. It proposes moving vets into private health plans with subsidies to help pay the premiums. But the plans resemble ObamaCare, meaning most vets could face large out-of-pocket costs.
_____________________________________
The CVA are a pack of liberals who could care less about real veterans...
as veterans are already under ObamaCare in the VA the CVA are lying about Trump..
Plus veterans used to go to private doctors for some care before Obama stopped it and made them get all their care from the VA..
and heres a new thing since Obama..
If the veteran lives within 40 miles of a VA clinic he or she must go to a VA hospital for specialized tests even if the hospital is 200 miles away..(the clinics don’t have the special machinery or specialists/doctors)..
figure that one out and get back to me..
Good to know she is an expert. :)
I would be interested to hear your thoughts on this.
Last year I had a Bladder cancer removed cost to me was less than a hundred bucks. Had to travel to Mass for the procedure but I will travel for Harvard Med.
A Freeper was trying to tell me that these changes aren’t needed because he is happy with his experience with VA.
I tried to tell him a friend of mine has to drive about 250 miles each way to get treatment for cancer.
That’s a nonstarter. Vets already earned their care. At the VA, they can see a doctor for $15.
I am pretty sure they will be able to see a private doctor for that also. Medicare Advantage is only a $5 co-pay.
I'm on the west side of Ft. Worth, and much of my treatment (including the surgeries I had) happened over at the Dallas VA.
Little far, but I was willing to pay cash for the ride over there. I needed that treatment.
I do get some treatment over here in Ft. Worth, but not much.
What the VA can't provide quickly now, I pay for myself with cash out of pocket. That is how I got my eye glasses.
I'm fortunate that I can do that. Not all can.
I'll stick with the VA for now.
/johnny
The “40 miles” is measured as the crow flies. Or was until Congress got after VA. The bureaucrats do NOT want vets to get non-VA care. Nor do government unions. They’ve both fought any attempts to do so for years now.
I like Trump’s VA plan...
And you know the old saying: “You could give the biggest sand pile to the government and in one day there wouldn’t be a piece of sand to be seen”
So, lets get our government down to where we the people want it, and lets have our House and Senate in Washington D.C. only 100 days to do their jobs, (saving money) and let them be in their States so the people can talk to them...
GO. TRUMP. GO.!!!
From what I gather of Trumps’s plan you will have your choice. I hope that is what it means.
I’m glad the distance works out for you but I have a friend that has to drive quite a distance for cancer treatments so it would be nice if he could get them locally.
I don't drive at this point, so I have to hire a ride. I am very blessed to have a choice. Prayers up for your friend.
/johnny
I drew Harvard no complaints.
Johnny, you don't get it.
This is Trump's plan we're talking about here.
Just by the fact that it's Trump's plan, it's automatically GREAT and better than that LOSER deal you have now.
Didn't you get the memo??
All sarcasm aside, thank you for your service and God bless you.......
We have to be careful here. Lots of doctors don’t take medicare patients...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.