Trump considering plans for privatizing VA medical options

[mitty14u2]

Source: military times



President-elect Donald Trump is evaluating a radical overhaul of veterans health care options even before he finalizes his pick for the next secretary of veterans affairs. 

In comments to reporters late Wednesday, a transition official said Trump is considering a “public-private option” that would allow some veterans to get all of their medical care from private-sector physicians, with the government paying the bill. 

Congress in 2014 approved a new Choice Card program, which allows veterans facing lengthy wait times or significant travel to visit private-sector clinics instead of VA facilities. But the program has faced mixed reviews, with VA officials saying it has limited use and critics saying department officials have undermined the program with unneeded bureaucracy. 

During the campaign last summer, Trump promised to “ensure every veteran in America has the choice to seek care at the VA, or to seek private medical care paid for by our government.” Critics questioned how such a plan would work and what the potential costs would be.


Read more: http://www.militarytimes.com/articles/trump-considering-privatization-va-officials

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Veterans groups: 'We cannot afford to start over' with new VA leadership December 14, 2016

Last week, members of the six largest veterans groups met with Trump’s VA transition team and also pushed for serious consideration of McDonald to stay on in the role.

Bill Rausch, executive director of Got Your 6, said the latest letter is designed not to signal any dissatisfaction with the incoming administration, but to let Trump know that they see recent improvements as connected to his promises to clean up the department.

“We’re not sure (Trump) knows the current secretary shares many of the same goals,” he said. “Based on the criteria he put forward in his campaign, we’re trying to highlight to him that Bob McDonald is the right man.”


http://www.militarytimes.com/articles/coalition-letter-mcdonald-trump-va

[haele]

1. Those Vet groups are so delusional - Bob McDonald is going to go. He was an Obama pick.

No, I'd be tempted to put $100 on the table that the new head of the VA Medical division is going to be some hospital group CEO who managed to just get away with an investigation and maybe a fine after blaming some flunky for the Medicare scam his group was running - one whose sole qualification was that he might have been a Military Brat and Dad was a WWII or Korea era Vet.
Because running a critical non-profit Government Service for the public good as a for-profit private business with shareholders who require a major return on their investment is Smart Business, right?
The other divisions - Education, Financial, and other support services will be run by Wall Street types. They'll probably just get rid of the Burial and Records departments - no need for National Cemeteries, and the DoD already handle service and dependent's records, anyway.
The VA will probably be run by another Congressional flunky, or maybe a Neo-Nazi supporter as part of the spoils process that has permeated this "team".
.

Haele

[jimmil]

2. Republican administrations .....

Seem to look at the VA as something to cut costs and no one will scream about it.

[SunSeeker]

3. As anyone who uses private doctors knows, there are long wait times there too.

Last edited Thu Dec 29, 2016, 07:00 PM - Edit history (1)

I had to wait over two months to see a dermatologist--having to first go to my primary care provider who then put in a request for a referral to a dermatologist (which alone took 2 weeks). Once I got the referral, I called the dermatologist I was authorized to go to and of course, he was booked solid for two months, because that is where everyone is sent to by my medical group. He finally sliced off the mole, and now I've been waiting two weeks to hear what the pathology report said. I called his office on Monday and they said he'd call me, but still no word. Sheesh.

Same thing with my husband's knee surgery. It took months to get the approvals and appointments lined up before the surgery could be done.

[tom_kelly]

4. True

I was just speaking with my Stepmother regarding my Fathers care as he's in his late 80's and has begun to be shuffled from this Dr. office to that one and back. My suggestion was to get him enrolled in the Orlando VA where it's "one-stop-shopping" for all medical needs. "Well, I'm not driving an hour to Orlando just to be told that I need to go somewhere else" was her reply. I left it alone since it's her choice and she takes great care of him. For the last 12 years I've been happily enrolled in the VA healthcare system and couldn't imagine not having that benefit. If nothing else, this benefit alone is worth the 4 years I put in.