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Should the VA be abolshed?

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lefty louie

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Would it make sense to just abolish the VA all together and just give vets full medical coverage to use as needed? Would it save the govt/tax payers any money, would vets get better care? (The ultimate goal)
 
lefty louie said:
Would it make sense to just abolish the VA all together and just give vets full medical coverage to use as needed? Would it save the govt/tax payers any money, would vets get better care? (The ultimate goal)
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my boy is an enlisted infantryman. god forbid something happens to him, i dont want the va handling it. they are horrible. my wife is a veteran and she received the worst care there.

change is needed.
 
Not without a comparable replacement plan. We made a promise to them and we should keep it. They, after all, laid their lives on the line for us. The least we can do is get them and keep them healthy.
 
Vets can get the same,probably better care at a hospital.
Not mentioning a hospital in the next county but seems like they may be closing. I believe they can maintain if they add veterans to the mix. I know veterans have mental and physical inflictions due to stress from battles. Take the VA employees and add it to the hospital staff who specializes in veterans needs and affairs and the hospital will stay open.
 
ksu_aviator said:
Not without a comparable replacement plan. We made a promise to them and we should keep it. They, after all, laid their lives on the line for us. The least we can do is get them and keep them healthy.
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Did you not read where I said, give them full medical benefits?
 
I'm sure there's a group of investors ready to jump in if 45 leads the charge for privatization. Don't you think;)
 
lefty louie said:
Would it make sense to just abolish the VA all together and just give vets full medical coverage to use as needed? Would it save the govt/tax payers any money, would vets get better care? (The ultimate goal)
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It could be better or it could be much worse.

If it handled by an HMO, with a set dollar figure per soldier enrolled they would make the most money withholding services as much as they could. Making soldiers wait or never get service. Probably the most cost effective method for tax payers but potentially at poor medical care for the soldiers.

If it was paid out on an as needed basis, the medical industry would make the most money providing as many services as they possibly could. Great care for the soldiers, (probably in excess of what would really be required) but at a high cost to the taxpayer.

With competent government supervision it could save money, even with the profits the medical industry would want to achieve. But given the track record, I doubt the US would see any cost savings, or better overall coverage
 
My husband is a product of the VA healthcare system. He's 100% service-connected disabled, so they are somewhat, a necessary evil. He does, though, have Medicare as primary, so that's a blessing, as it's easier to get care from civilian doctors (and quicker), and Medicare gives him the option.

That being said, in our experiences with the VA, it all depends on the location, the clinic, the hospital, etc. For instance, my husband got better care than with civilian doctors through the VA Medical Center in Syracuse, NY. On the other side of the coin, the worst treatment (and longest wait time) he ever experienced was the VA Medical Center in Huntsville/Birmingham, AL.

So don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. It's not all bad. But what is bad needs to be fixed, and fast.
 
lefty louie said:
Would it make sense to just abolish the VA all together and just give vets full medical coverage to use as needed? Would it save the govt/tax payers any money, would vets get better care? (The ultimate goal)
Click to expand...

THe VA is big. Just like the real world, you got clinics that are terrible, and you've got clinics that are wonderful.

The same is true with the VA. Ask one soldier, he'll tell you it's the worst, ask another in another city or state, and it's superior.

I don't think, therefore, privatizing it is going to help it at all.
 
Superfly said:
My husband is a product of the VA healthcare system. He's 100% service-connected disabled, so they are somewhat, a necessary evil. He does, though, have Medicare as primary, so that's a blessing, as it's easier to get care from civilian doctors (and quicker), and Medicare gives him the option.

That being said, in our experiences with the VA, it all depends on the location, the clinic, the hospital, etc. For instance, my husband got better care than with civilian doctors through the VA Medical Center in Syracuse, NY. On the other side of the coin, the worst treatment (and longest wait time) he ever experienced was the VA Medical Center in Huntsville/Birmingham, AL.

So don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. It's not all bad. But what is bad needs to be fixed, and fast.
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I agree with this.....Birmingham VA is a nightmare, and the wait times are measured in months; I have never experienced such poor quality care before.
On the other side of that, the Minneapolis VA was by far the best I have experienced, with wait times for appointments not exceeding 7 days.
 
Yes. Any time that we can get rid of a bloated, inefficient government agency, I'm all in!
 
Polar Bum said:
I agree with this.....Birmingham VA is a nightmare, and the wait times are measured in months; I have never experienced such poor quality care before.
On the other side of that, the Minneapolis VA was by far the best I have experienced, with wait times for appointments not exceeding 7 days.
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We were moving from Syracuse to Huntsville, Alabama. He was having twinges in his chest. Nothing serious enough to be hospitalized, but with a heart patient, any little twinge should be cause for concern. He went to the Syracuse VA, and they said that he would be fine, but as soon as we got to Huntsville to alert the clinic there that he was having chest pains, and were a cardiac patient. He was also told, "Let them know that you were advised to come in by the VA Hospital in Syracuse." We got to Huntsville, and the very next day, went to the VA clinic. 3 months for an appointment. We told them what the VA in Syracuse said about the emergent need of his being seen, heart patient, and all that, and she looked at my husband, deadpan, and said, "3 months for an appointment. You want it or not?" :roll: We took the appointment, and at the same time, scheduled a cardiac appointment for the Birmingham VA. 5 months it took for the appointment. 5 months. He walked in Syracuse and was given immediate attention. Birmingham was 5 months.
 
Superfly said:
We were moving from Syracuse to Huntsville, Alabama. He was having twinges in his chest. Nothing serious enough to be hospitalized, but with a heart patient, any little twinge should be cause for concern. He went to the Syracuse VA, and they said that he would be fine, but as soon as we got to Huntsville to alert the clinic there that he was having chest pains, and were a cardiac patient. He was also told, "Let them know that you were advised to come in by the VA Hospital in Syracuse." We got to Huntsville, and the very next day, went to the VA clinic. 3 months for an appointment. We told them what the VA in Syracuse said about the emergent need of his being seen, heart patient, and all that, and she looked at my husband, deadpan, and said, "3 months for an appointment. You want it or not?" :roll: We took the appointment, and at the same time, scheduled a cardiac appointment for the Birmingham VA. 5 months it took for the appointment. 5 months. He walked in Syracuse and was given immediate attention. Birmingham was 5 months.
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With thanks from a grateful nation. :roll:

Thank you for your service has become such a trite phrase.....I don't even want to hear it anymore.
 
Polar Bum said:
With thanks from a grateful nation. :roll:

Thank you for your service has become such a trite phrase.....I don't even want to hear it anymore.
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Same here. That's our biggest gripe. That you are promised lifetime health care if you serve your country, and this is what you get.

I'd rather he be thanked for his service by getting what he was promised. Words mean nothing. Actions mean everything.
 
lefty louie said:
Would it make sense to just abolish the VA all together and just give vets full medical coverage to use as needed? Would it save the govt/tax payers any money, would vets get better care? (The ultimate goal)
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Great idea, except for one major thing: The VA kind of specializes in war related injuries. If there was a way around that I would totally agree with you.
 
biglawnmower said:
my boy is an enlisted infantryman. god forbid something happens to him, i dont want the va handling it. they are horrible. my wife is a veteran and she received the worst care there.

change is needed.
Click to expand...

What year, what kind of care and where?
 
Superfly said:
My husband is a product of the VA healthcare system. He's 100% service-connected disabled, so they are somewhat, a necessary evil. He does, though, have Medicare as primary, so that's a blessing, as it's easier to get care from civilian doctors (and quicker), and Medicare gives him the option.

That being said, in our experiences with the VA, it all depends on the location, the clinic, the hospital, etc. For instance, my husband got better care than with civilian doctors through the VA Medical Center in Syracuse, NY. On the other side of the coin, the worst treatment (and longest wait time) he ever experienced was the VA Medical Center in Huntsville/Birmingham, AL.

So don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. It's not all bad. But what is bad needs to be fixed, and fast.
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IDENTICAL story with my wife, who is also 100% service-connected disabled - R1.

The Memphis VA is a hot mess, always has been and shows little sign of getting any better so far.
She wasted YEARS going round and round with them and never even getting an official diagnosis.

On the other hand, the Dallas VA, the Minneapolis VA and the Long Beach VA have all saved her life at various times.
We didn't even live in Minneapolis, we were just attending the National Veterans Wheelchair Games where Karen was a participant, got sick and the VA headed off a disastrous infection.
The Dallas VA gave her life back to her and between them and Long Beach she has had several lifesaving surgeries.
Her experience with the outside medical community has NEVER been good at all.

Abolish the VA? Over my dead body, and hers.
Try me. Try either of us.

KarenVAfirstDay.jpg
 
Moderate Right said:
Great idea, except for one major thing: The VA kind of specializes in war related injuries. If there was a way around that I would totally agree with you.
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Plastic surgery, prosthetics, diabetes, traumatic brain injury, PTSD, melanoma and lung cancer are all specialties which have benefited from VA's leadership.
 
lefty louie said:
Would it make sense to just abolish the VA all together and just give vets full medical coverage to use as needed? Would it save the govt/tax payers any money, would vets get better care? (The ultimate goal)
Click to expand...

What's your status? Family, significant other in the system or are you a disabled veteran?
 
Polar Bum said:
I agree with this.....Birmingham VA is a nightmare, and the wait times are measured in months; I have never experienced such poor quality care before.
On the other side of that, the Minneapolis VA was by far the best I have experienced, with wait times for appointments not exceeding 7 days.
Click to expand...

They saw my wife the SAME DAY...she was participating in the National Veterans Wheelchair Games and she developed an infection.
They had her right as rain not even two days later and she went back to finishing out the games.

Karenhcyclempls.jpg
 
lefty louie said:
Did you not read where I said, give them full medical benefits?
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Except it doesn't work that way because politicians will want to carve up a cash cow, which is what happens when you privatize a public service.
See "private prisons".
So in essence we would end up with disabled vets getting a voucher for a limited amount of care, a kick in the teeth and a great big

"THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!!!!"

("Now GTFO of here, you crippled moocher son of a bitch")
 
I'm not getting any answers from all the people who want it abolished.
I think disabled veterans and their families have a right to know who is cheerleading the call to abolish something that they may have absolutely no direct experience with.

If you're a pilot, and a person who has never flown in an airplane in their entire life is out there leading the call to shut down all the air traffic control towers, you'd probably feel that you had a right to know where they get off talking as if they know something.
 
At 8:45 PM I asked for the first time about veteran status, disability level, and location of care.

https://www.debatepolitics.com/government-spending-and-debt/316689-should-va-abolshed-post1068488852.html#post1068488852

I then asked several others the same question.
Maybe by tomorrow some folks will either say it's none of my business, or they'll respond as to whether they have had any interaction with the VA system.
I think it is entirely fair for me to ask, first of all because a lot of folks who get care once or twice at a military facility might not even be AT a VA hospital at all. I've run across people who were at Walter Reed who think Walter Reed is a VA hospital. It's not and never has been, it is a military hospital for active duty personnel. Walter Reed had a very bad reputation in some departments, whereas RIGHT UP THE STREET the Bethesda Naval Hospital, which I grew up in the shadow of, has always enjoyed a reputation as one of the best hospitals in the entire world.
My mother was a volunteer there for twenty years, too.

NavyHospital1a.jpg

But it's not nor has it ever been a VA hospital. And now it is being called Walter Reed Military Medical Center, but it always was Bethesda Naval Hospital until about two years ago.

So, it's fair me to ask if these people even got care at a VA facility, and which one, and for what.
After all, they're calling for them all to be bulldozed.
 
Polar Bum said:
I agree with this.....Birmingham VA is a nightmare, and the wait times are measured in months; I have never experienced such poor quality care before.
On the other side of that, the Minneapolis VA was by far the best I have experienced, with wait times for appointments not exceeding 7 days.
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I'm on medicare and I never have to wait for an appointment. If I have something that needs immediate attention, my clinic will take me in that day, otherwise, appt set for the next week, or whenever I want.


I realize the VA has departments and specialists for the special needs of soldiers/sailors/airmen, etc., but I"m wondering why they can't structure it after the medicare model.
 
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