“Veterans paid for their “free” health care when they served their country. They know exactly what their “free” health care cost. Too many non-veterans don’t understand that these veterans ‘pre-paid’ for their “free” health care.”
I’m a veteran. I know (and care about) exactly what health care costs.
Too many veterans who get “free” health care have no clue what non-veteran taxpayers must pay for their own health care.
I served because it was my duty to do so as an American. I gladly returned to civilian life. I pay more for healthcare than you can possibly imagine. No veteran, other than combat wounded, should be above any other American in terms of healthcare costs.
You are ordering Americans that cannot afford health care for themselves to pay you because you are “owed” “free” health care paid for by them no matter what the cost. Do you think that will last very long?
Military service should not prevent anyone from suffering the travails of every other American.
I understand you want “free” and you think you are owed “free”. I’m telling you “free” ain’t free, and that it’s time for you to care about the cost issue or you will find yourself without it. Every American may find themselves without it the way things are going.
I am a disable Veteran. I have used the VA for the last 8 or 9 years. I can tell you of horror stories and of wonderful stories I have experienced with the VA.
I am fortunate in that I live far enough away from the VA to use The Choice program to see a private doctor for all but routine care.
The problems with VA are systemic. The entire system is plagued with what I call urban myths. Doctors who tell you they can not prescribe a medication not in the pharmacology of the VA. (they can it just takes more paperwork). Podiatrist who have never read the VA manual for Podiatrist. (I would take my copy to appointments and when told an untruth I would show him the manual) Clerks in an office in a far away city who override a doctors order because they think it is in excess of why is required. (cost savings) I could go on.
Twice in the 8 years I have used my medicare with a supplement to pay for needed surgery that the VA delayed and procrastinated on until it was too painful or to dangerous to wait.
In the time I have used VA I have only seen the same Primary Care Physician twice.
I have have left out the good stories for brevity but there are some good doctors and people working in the VA but in many cases their hand are tied by bureaucratic rules.
In short VA pay my supplement cost and I will gladly say farewell.