Idea about the VA, need opinions

[quietmike]

I'm not a vet, have never dealt with the VA, so I don't have first hand experience, but looking for opinions.

I was thinking, what if instead of a VA, with duplicative facilities, staff, etc., vets were given vouchers to use at any hospital or healthcare provider they choose, and the government simply pays the bill?

If you're unhappy with your provider, simply go to another one.

I see no difference in treating traumatic brain injury whether it was caused by an IED or a car crash. PTSD is the same whether it came from childhood abuse or watching a buddy die.

If this happened, the VA, and its cost, would be eliminated, and the money spent for actual care, instead of overhead and bureaucracy. Maybe have a military liason assigned to each area to verify eligible vets, and process the paperwork.

What do you think?

 

[2ndamendfan]

I would think that is a good idea.
I would think that the VA is a government entity with to many regulations and red tape.
I would think that any Doctor worth a shit could make more $$$ in the private sector. This doesn't mean all the VA doctors are shit, just that I could see a high turn over rate.

 

[ken4570tc in WY]

I kind of like the idea but the thing the VA system offers that the voucher system would make more difficult is travel. The VA brings in outside specialists on specific days to a centralized location cutting down unnecessary travel for vets, many of whom still work and can't be on the road every week.

 

[fx77]

Vets should get a Medicare Card with no deductibles...go where and to whom they want...the bureaucracy os a;ready set up.
Reserve the VA for special combat specific conditions the civilian medical centers cannot handle.

 

[Mike Casselton]

Vets should get a Medicare Card with no deductibles...go where and to whom they want...the bureaucracy os a;ready set up.
Reserve the VA for special combat specific conditions the civilian medical centers cannot handle.

^^^^^^
This

 

[pmclaine]

That idea has been floated and generally received good press but govt being govt is glacial in moving toward a positive result.

 

[Mike Casselton]

A couple of years ago they beta tested this in the Tampa area. I got the card in the mail and put it in my wallet. Forgot about it until three months ago. I just tossed the card and never looked back.
My coverage takes care of my needs with no caps or co-pays.
Not sure how the program worked out for them.

 

[Redmanss]

The dems will never allow that to happen. The VA is the precursor to your national medical administration when we go to a single payor system, only it's on a micro scale as to how bad it will all be once it goes full blown.

 

[cav has been]

Simple solution; Make the Congress critters use the exact selfsame VA health care . We would have world class health care in a matter of days.

 

[ArmyJerry]

shut it down and give all vets government paid insurance to be funded by not paying for college loans. Let the vets buy their own insurance send bill to gov.

 

[Rthur]

I'm not a vet, have never dealt with the VA, so I don't have first hand experience, but looking for opinions.

I was thinking, what if instead of a VA, with duplicative facilities, staff, etc., vets were given vouchers to use at any hospital or healthcare provider they choose, and the government simply pays the bill?

If you're unhappy with your provider, simply go to another one.

I see no difference in treating traumatic brain injury whether it was caused by an IED or a car crash. PTSD is the same whether it came from childhood abuse or watching a buddy die.

If this happened, the VA, and its cost, would be eliminated, and the money spent for actual care, instead of overhead and bureaucracy. Maybe have a military liason assigned to each area to verify eligible vets, and process the paperwork.

What do you think?

Perfectly reasonable solution.
Government isn't interested in these results.

R

 

[308pirate]

I would rather die inside a cardboard box under a bridge than submit to VA medical "care"

 

[Strykervet]

quietmike, you hit the nail right on the head. We have the "Choice" program but choice is in quotes for a reason. I'm still waiting on my dentist to get approval --and I've missed my appt. that I've had scheduled since March. The idea of the program is so we can see a doctor without waiting over 30 days. Yes, I wanted single payer healthcare, but no, not in US because it can't be separated from corruption and greed and will be worse than VA, and yes, it would have been modeled on the VA so I advocated no. Now thanks to Obama I'm fucked on both sides and get the VA on one hand, and I get to change insurance every single year now because it changes every year and gets worse on the other.

More and more it makes me think that damn flag can't stand for what we claim and also fly over abominations such as our government offices, like VA.

VA has basically crippled my feet. No, they have. If I knew where that surgeon was, I'd beat the fucking piss out of him and I'm not joking, he's physically lucky he retired. What he did was criminal and that's the purpose the VA has --to provide a place of employment and protection from malpractice to otherwise shitbag doctors. Most of the good ones are run off in no time, only the bad ones or ones that are retiring stay; neither give a fuck and both are poorly informed. Most haven't cracked a book or looked a patient in the eyes since 1956. There's a handful of good ones that stick around and I don't know why. They could make more elsewhere but I have to admit to them I'm grateful. I make damn sure I let them know too and write letters to the administrator (they actually go in their employment record, the good ones anyway, so you can at least keep the shitbags out of important positions, well ones not appointed by elected criminals anyway, by preventing them from being promoted because there are only so many positions). If you go to VA, don't forget to do this!

The fucking place is a crime and needs to be shut down though, the good ones won't have problems finding work and the shitty ones, well, I'm sure they'd be welcome in Zanzibar or some other shithole they're qualified to work in. They had me on high BP meds way back when. Even when I had my BP under control. See, everytime they checked it, it was high. Everytime I checked it, it was normal. Of course something must be wrong with my results though (there wasn't but at VA you will always be wrong, narcissistic, a computer hypochondriac, etc.). Fact is they can't be told a goddamn thing and it doesn't matter if it's written by the world authority on (x) YOU will still be wrong.

God forbid you're a pain patient and depend on the VA. Talk about fucked. You're better off converting your disability into bitcoins and going on heroin. Not kidding either. I had to go to a civilian doctor just to get the same damn prescription in two consecutive months without some kind of hassle and surprise. Look, all the VA is good for is writing prescriptions, if you can't even do that then get the fuck out of the way.

Truth is, VA is a full time job for patients and it has no benefits.

 

[CJS-6.5]

The government is like a baby. Until it gets diarrhea the caretakers will just put off the crisis. In the political world diarrhea is public feedback. It will take a very strong rally by all vets to make a change. And most vets are old and tired like me. So we need to rally the young to rally for us under the position that their inheritance will all be gone if they don't act now.

 

[ken4570tc in WY]

OK Guys,
Here's my rant in favor of the VA. In rural Wyoming where health care facilities can be 'far and few between,' it just plain makes sense. Many good specialty clinics are made available once or twice a week with quality physicians from private practices. Physicians do there best with the limited information we sometimes provide them. Health care is an ever evolving science, there's no magic one-size-fits-all solution for the variety of problems people have. My interactions with the staff at the Cheyenne VA Medical Center, have been every bit as positive or perhaps better than with civilian health care providers. Once, one is in the VA system, there is almost no hassle with not being able to verify you insurance or eligibility each time you visit. We sometimes go to our appointments expecting a bad experience and as a result of our 'bad' attitude guess what we get. For those who would prefer to see someone in a private practice, that should be a provided option via the voucher system. However, in order to justify the cost of operating a VA clinic or medical center, a certain amount of use has to be required. Thus, a voucher system would make the most sense for those having to travel beyond a certain distance or otherwise on a case by case basis. I do agree, that like most government run institutions, the administration is over bloated and costs too much. I would like to see a system where the care providers have more input into the size of the auxiliary and administrative staff, instead of the bureaucracy. Yes, for those wondering, I had a very good checkup Tuesday and I feel much better than I have in several years. Hopefully, that statement won't come back to bite me.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

So many critics. I listen to the ones who have actual experience with the VA, the rest of you are just a bunch of rowdy kibitzers.

And yes the VA is huge and cumbersome and gets a lot of things wrong.

Some of the things they got right, for me:

They saved my life with cancer care I couldn't get anywhere else, after my insurance policy got entirely used up in the middle of treatment for a second bout with lymphoma.

They saved my life (twice) with heart attacks.

They provide my healthcare, every single bit of it, at no cost. NO cost, since 2004. They pay my Wife's copays through CHAMPVA. They have since 2004, when insurance became no longer attainable for me. I can get it now, but Obamacare? Now there's your abomination...

For just this month that copay came to $41,000. Insurance picks up the rest of $59,000. No VA, and we'd be out of pocket for the $41,000. Maybe some of you recall how she fell and got burned in June? She got treated at UMC Banner in Tucson, probably one of the three best in AZ. The VA had her back despite her going to a place that can provide what they can't.

Do they light my fuse? Frequently.

But a lot of folks think all they have to do is walk in and make demands. Tell me some other place where you could expect to pull that horseshit and get positive results.

You think you get a brainstorm and it's the absolutely perfect solution to problems you don't even rightly understand. A lot of damned fine folks are actually working the problem, and have been for decades.

But you can do better.

Right...

Ya'know, some of you folks are complete and total assholes. When it comes to pissing on folks and bitching about stuff that isn't even in your own wheelhouse, you're the very best.

You want opinions? You got mine. When you actually know what you're talking about, talk. Otherwise, can it.

Done here.

Greg

PS 'Scuse me, I suspect I'll be taking one of my VA-supplied tranks right about now, some of you...

 

[308pirate]

So many critics. I listen to the ones who have actual experience with the VA, the rest of you are just a bunch of rowdy kibitzers.

And yes the VA is huge and cumbersome and gets a lot of things wrong.

Some of the things they got right, for me:

They saved my life with cancer care I couldn't get anywhere else, after my insurance policy got entirely used up in the middle of treatment for a second bout with lymphoma.

They saved my life (twice) with heart attacks.

They provide my healthcare, every single bit of it, at no cost. NO cost, since 2004. They pay my Wife's copays through CHAMPVA. They have since 2004, when insurance became no longer attainable for me. I can get it now, but Obamacare? Now there's your abomination...

For just this month that copay came to $41,000. Insurance picks up the rest of $59,000. No VA, and we'd be out of pocket for the $41,000. Maybe some of you recall how she fell and got burned in June? She got treated at UMC Banner in Tucson, probably one of the three best in AZ. The VA had her back despite her going to a place that can provide what they can't.

Do they light my fuse? Frequently.

But a lot of folks think all they have to do is walk in and make demands. Tell me some other place where you could expect to pull that horseshit and get positive results.

You think you get a brainstorm and it's the absolutely perfect solution to problems you don't even rightly understand. A lot of damned fine folks are actually working the problem, and have been for decades.

But you can do better.

Right...

Ya'know, some of you folks are complete and total assholes. When it comes to pissing on folks and bitching about stuff that isn't even in your own wheelhouse, you're the very best.

You want opinions? You got mine. When you actually know what you're talking about, talk. Otherwise, can it.

Done here.

Greg

PS 'Scuse me, I suspect I'll be taking one of my VA-supplied tranks right about now, some of you...

I'm glad you like it. I don't need to ever get VA care to know how fucked up they are. The facts are in plain sight for anyone who cares to know.

Ever hear of a dentist reusing gloves and unsterilized instruments from patient to patient? Yeah, happened right here in my town.

I work hard to have good benefits including health care. And when I retire my goal is to fund myself so I don't need to depend on the government for it.

I prefer a higher standard of care.

 

[MK20]

I happen to live near a really good VA and I would still advocate for the OP's idea. When I was in the military a buddy of mine had a dentist fill the wrong tooth once. From what I hear from vets around the country the VA is not much better. I just happen to live near a really good VA and have few personal complaints.

 

[Schroedernd]

The OPs idea has already been out for a few years https://www.va.gov/COMMUNITYCARE/programs/veterans/VCP/index.asp
My coworker has it and its 10x better than the care I get at the VA though it ends at the end of this month. The one thing that sucked with it is the VA made him get a referral for everything through them and couldn’t just make an appointment when he needed one.

 

[MK20]

Yep. I have the community care deal and getting any referral for specialty care is a nightmare because the community doc's system and paperwork doesn't interface well at all with the VA system.

 

[Sniper266]

The PROBLEM with the government footing the bill at any institution is that institution will raise its rates to collect on easy government money. Though it sounds nice to allow vets to go to any hospital they choose. There would have to be a lot of cost regulation in the healthcare system to ensure the cost of medical care does not rise.
Example “A” for this is our college system amd federal grants.