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.
I am not an advocate for the VA as it now stands. However, “free” is not free. The typical way government “fixes” things is similar to what they do for medicare - simply set reimbursements below the actual cost - requiring medical providers to raise the price on everybody else - or simply refuse medicare patients (which is becoming more frequent)
“Free to government-entitled patients” is the way to destroy the private medical infrastructure that is supposedly the savior of the VA - and also make it more unaffordable for everyone. It is also the way to make it unavailable to many veterans that need it (if the same model is used by government) because there will be fewer (if any) providers willing to provide care at a loss in some locations.
Somewhere, somehow cost must be managed. The VA does it now by simply requiring extended wait times and providing poor service in far too many cases.
There is no “FREE” ever.
We can pretend that we can provide “free” care to the old, veterans, disabled, indigent, or whomever, but there are so many people getting “free” now that there aren’t enough folks left to pay for it all.
We are now at the point where folks that pay can’t afford the deductibles should they attempt to get medical care that they supposedly are paying for. How long do you think they will continue to pay? Where will anyone go to get “free” care when those that used to pay stop paying for your care, in favor of paying for their own care?
I wish you good health in the new year.