The VA promise

The Veterans Administration has been in the news. Not much of it has been good.

In response to complaints about the difficulty of getting proper care at the various VA hospitals and clinics, the VA has tried to start a new service.

It is called Choice.

It allows veterans qualified for medical care at VA centers to seek that medical care with local providers. Reportedly, Choice has not been very successful, even though it gives veterans who live more than 50 miles from a VA hospital or clinic the possibility of getting care closer to home. The program has been funded with about $10 billion. More billions have been allocated to expanding services at the VA hospitals themselves.

The VA has long been criticized for its service. Some of the criticism is fair, some is not.

The VA is a massive organization and has massive expenses. From all reports, it is overwhelmed. Some vets, however, are happy with what they get. Some are not.

The Choice Program, as it is structured, relies upon contractors, not the VA, to qualify veterans and arrange for local services. It is cumbersome and complicated.

Part of the problem is that many aging veterans seek VA care. World War II vets still use the VA. Korean vets and Vietnam vets use the services. As a result, some younger veterans are not getting the care they need. The plethora of non-profit agencies trying to provide care for these younger veterans speaks to the need for some dramatic changes.

A solution might be that older vets, those qualifying for Medicare because of their age, be transferred to civilian services. This could be done without the loss of any benefits, since both are government controlled and funded. It would be simply another step in the Choice program.

With aging vets out of the system, the younger veterans could get the specialized care they need.

Adequate reimbursement for private health care providers could make the services readily available. Proper reimbursement would avoid the problem of health providers not accepting patients on the program.

It would not be a breach of faith or promise. It would simply be a means of getting all those who served the care they have been promised. It would also allow the VA to concentrate on those suffering from more recent service related needs rather than the ailments of age.

Gordon Forgey

Publisher