When are we going to address problems with VA healthcare

[Flopper]

Time and time again we hear the same problems over and over again, poor quality care and long waits to get that care. It's been going on for years, yet no one really wants to address it. It seems to me that we owe our Vets at least the same level of medical care that we give to our seniors. Why not cut through all the VA bureaucracy and just allow vets to get the care they need from local healthcare providers and bill the government. This is in effect what we do for our seniors and we certainly can do the same thing for those who have put their lives on line to serve this country.

 

[OKTexas]

Most people aren't aware that VA has several different tiers and each tier carries a different priority. It all depends on the percentage of service connected disability you have, if any. So to put it simply, all vets are not created equal, some have long waits because that's the way the system is set up, it doesn't necessarily mean it's broken. If you want that to change be prepared for the VA Health system to double or triple in size.

 

[KNB]

Step 1: End the war to stop creating more wounded veterans.

Step 2: END THE ******* WAR!

 

[Howey]

Time and time again we hear the same problems over and over again, poor quality care and long waits to get that care. It's been going on for years, yet no one really wants to address it. It seems to me that we owe our Vets at least the same level of medical care that we give to our seniors. Why not cut through all the VA bureaucracy and just allow vets to get the care they need from local healthcare providers and bill the government. This is in effect what we do for our seniors and we certainly can do the same thing for those who have put their lives on line to serve this country.

On this one I must disagree.

The quality of care is excellent and rated the best there is. The problem is bypassing bureaucracy and lack of funding to get that care.

 

[OKTexas]

Time and time again we hear the same problems over and over again, poor quality care and long waits to get that care. It's been going on for years, yet no one really wants to address it. It seems to me that we owe our Vets at least the same level of medical care that we give to our seniors. Why not cut through all the VA bureaucracy and just allow vets to get the care they need from local healthcare providers and bill the government. This is in effect what we do for our seniors and we certainly can do the same thing for those who have put their lives on line to serve this country.

On this one I must disagree.

The quality of care is excellent and rated the best there is. The problem is bypassing bureaucracy and lack of funding to get that care.

On this one I must disagree.

Houston has on of the better VA hospitals and it still takes 3-4 months to get a priority MRI, so yes, there is much room for improvement.

 

[Publius1787]

Step 1: End the war to stop creating more wounded veterans.

Step 2: END THE ******* WAR!

Most of the VA's expenses do not come from war time injury, but training injuries. Now the advent of PTSD may have changed this. Then again, maybe not.

 

[asaratis]

Any system that is run by government will be inefficient, inadequate and costly. The only way to significantly improve the care our veterans get is to privatize it and let PROFESSIONALS run the system.

But, not to worry! All health care will deteriorate to the present quality of the VA system soon enough. We already have government in control of the health care system with that debacle we call Obamacare. Now all we need is government ownership and management of the hospitals...and for all medical personnel to become government employees. It is coming.

 

[Clementine]

Step 1: End the war to stop creating more wounded veterans.

Step 2: END THE ******* WAR!

Do you have any thoughts on the current problem? Is it okay with you that Obama hasn't cared about our veterans? He's being real good to illegal aliens, but our vets don't get the same consideration.

Even if there were no vets added at this point, the system needs improvement.

 

[KNB]

Step 1: End the war to stop creating more wounded veterans.

Step 2: END THE ******* WAR!

Do you have any thoughts on the current problem? Is it okay with you that Obama hasn't cared about our veterans? He's being real good to illegal aliens, but our vets don't get the same consideration.

Even if there were no vets added at this point, the system needs improvement.

What the **** have I told stupid ******* Republicans? SHUT THE **** UP ABOUT BENGHAZI AND PRESS CHARGES AGAINST OBAMA FOR THE ASSASSINATION OF AN AMERICAN TEENAGER WITHOUT CHARGES OR TRIAL.

Don't act like you give a shit about veterans. Nearly half of homeless vets are leftovers from Vietnam. That's how far back this goes. You are spending $2b/wk to win a war in Afghanistan that the CIA specifically designed to be unwinnable. How many more decades do you want to keep going broke trying to kill Reagan's beloved al-Qaeda "freedom fighters"?

 

[Kondor3]

The VA has eight Priority Groups that they use to classify veterans to receive healthcare:

Priority Group 1
Veterans with VA Service-connected disabilities rated 50% or more.
Veterans assigned a total disability rating for compensation based on unemployability.

Priority Group 2
Veterans with VA Service-connected disabilities rated 30% or 40%.

Priority Group 3
Veterans who are former POWs.
Veterans awarded the Purple Heart Medal.
Veterans awarded the Medal of Honor.
Veterans whose discharge was for a disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty.
Veterans with VA Service-connected disabilities rated 10% or 20%.
Veterans awarded special eligibility classification under Title 38, U.S.C., § 1151, “benefits for individuals disabled by treatment or vocational rehabilitation.”

Priority Group 4
Veterans receiving increased compensation or pension based on their need for regular Aid and Attendance or by reason of being permanently Housebound.
Veterans determined by VA to be catastrophically disabled.

Priority Group 5
Nonservice-connected Veterans and noncompensable Service-connected Veterans rated 0%, whose annual income and/or net worth are not greater than the VA financial thresholds.
Veterans receiving VA Pension benefits.
Veterans eligible for Medicaid benefits.

Priority Group 6
Compensable 0% Service-connected Veterans.
Veterans exposed to ionizing radiation during atmospheric testing or during the occupation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Project 112/SHAD participants.
Veterans who served in the Republic of Vietnam between January 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975.
Veterans who served in the Southwest Asia theater of operations from August 2, 1990, through November 11, 1998.
Veterans who served in a theater of combat operations after November 11, 1998, as follows:
Veterans discharged from active duty on or after January 28, 2003, for five years post discharge

Priority Group 7
Veterans with incomes below the geographic means test (GMT) income thresholds and who agree to pay the applicable copayment.

Priority Group 8
Veterans with gross household incomes above the VA national income threshold and the geographically-adjusted income threshold for their resident location and who agrees to pay copays
Veterans eligibility for enrollment: Noncompensable 0% service-connected and:
Subpriority a: Enrolled as of January 16, 2003, and who have remained enrolled since that date and/ or placed in this subpriority due to changed eligibility status.
Subpriority b: Enrolled on or after June 15, 2009 whose income exceeds the current VA National Income Thresholds or VA National Geographic Income Thresholds by 10% or less
Veterans eligible for enrollment: Nonservice-connected and:
Subpriority c: Enrolled as January 16, 2003, and who remained enrolled since that date and/ or placed in this subpriority due to changed eligibility status
Subpriority d: Enrolled on or after June 15, 2009 whose income exceeds the current VA National Income Thresholds or VA National Geographic Income Thresholds by 10% or less
Veterans not eligible for enrollment: Veterans not meeting the criteria above:
Subpriority e: Noncompensable 0% service-connected
Subpriority g: Nonservice-connected

Priority Groups Table - Health Benefits

========================================

Some of these Priority Groups deal with Veterans who have service-related problems.

Some of these Priority Groups deal with Veterans who do not have service-related problems but whom qualify for healthcare based upon income and other circumstances.

Some of these Priority Groups deal with Veterans who do not have service-related problems and whom do not qualify based on income and other qualifications but whom would rather be treated by the VA than by private caregivers.

Some of these involve co-pays for office visits and hospitalizations and medications and some of these Priority Groups result in free services and no co-pays.

Every so often, Congress fine-tunes the VA budget, with an eye towards funding or de-funding various Priority Groups for the upcoming budget period; with the non-service -connected veterans rightfully at greater risk of becoming un-funded than those with service-related needs. Much appears to depend upon economic conditions at the time.

The VA operates over 1700 hospitals and community outreach clinics nationwide, divided into 23 regional networks, with integrated electronic records. Many VA regional hospitals are more like college campuses; huge, with their own power and heating plants, dining facilities and commissary stores, transportation hubs, normal and valet parking, etc., and more full-spectrum care packed onto their campuses than most private sector hospital campuses.

An additional Wiki-caliber overview of the VA healthcare system maybe found at...

Veterans Health Administration - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[OKTexas]

The VA has eight Priority Groups that they use to classify veterans to receive healthcare:

Priority Group 1
Veterans with VA Service-connected disabilities rated 50% or more.
Veterans assigned a total disability rating for compensation based on unemployability.

Priority Group 2
Veterans with VA Service-connected disabilities rated 30% or 40%.

Priority Group 3
Veterans who are former POWs.
Veterans awarded the Purple Heart Medal.
Veterans awarded the Medal of Honor.
Veterans whose discharge was for a disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty.
Veterans with VA Service-connected disabilities rated 10% or 20%.
Veterans awarded special eligibility classification under Title 38, U.S.C., § 1151, “benefits for individuals disabled by treatment or vocational rehabilitation.”

Priority Group 4
Veterans receiving increased compensation or pension based on their need for regular Aid and Attendance or by reason of being permanently Housebound.
Veterans determined by VA to be catastrophically disabled.

Priority Group 5
Nonservice-connected Veterans and noncompensable Service-connected Veterans rated 0%, whose annual income and/or net worth are not greater than the VA financial thresholds.
Veterans receiving VA Pension benefits.
Veterans eligible for Medicaid benefits.

Priority Group 6
Compensable 0% Service-connected Veterans.
Veterans exposed to ionizing radiation during atmospheric testing or during the occupation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Project 112/SHAD participants.
Veterans who served in the Republic of Vietnam between January 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975.
Veterans who served in the Southwest Asia theater of operations from August 2, 1990, through November 11, 1998.
Veterans who served in a theater of combat operations after November 11, 1998, as follows:
Veterans discharged from active duty on or after January 28, 2003, for five years post discharge

Priority Group 7
Veterans with incomes below the geographic means test (GMT) income thresholds and who agree to pay the applicable copayment.

Priority Group 8
Veterans with gross household incomes above the VA national income threshold and the geographically-adjusted income threshold for their resident location and who agrees to pay copays
Veterans eligibility for enrollment: Noncompensable 0% service-connected and:
Subpriority a: Enrolled as of January 16, 2003, and who have remained enrolled since that date and/ or placed in this subpriority due to changed eligibility status.
Subpriority b: Enrolled on or after June 15, 2009 whose income exceeds the current VA National Income Thresholds or VA National Geographic Income Thresholds by 10% or less
Veterans eligible for enrollment: Nonservice-connected and:
Subpriority c: Enrolled as January 16, 2003, and who remained enrolled since that date and/ or placed in this subpriority due to changed eligibility status
Subpriority d: Enrolled on or after June 15, 2009 whose income exceeds the current VA National Income Thresholds or VA National Geographic Income Thresholds by 10% or less
Veterans not eligible for enrollment: Veterans not meeting the criteria above:
Subpriority e: Noncompensable 0% service-connected
Subpriority g: Nonservice-connected

Priority Groups Table - Health Benefits

========================================

Some of these Priority Groups deal with Veterans who have service-related problems.

Some of these Priority Groups deal with Veterans who do not have service-related problems but whom qualify for healthcare based upon income and other circumstances.

Some of these Priority Groups deal with Veterans who do not have service-related problems and whom do not qualify based on income and other qualifications but whom would rather be treated by the VA than by private caregivers.

Some of these involve co-pays for office visits and hospitalizations and medications and some of these Priority Groups result in free services and no co-pays.

Every so often, Congress fine-tunes the VA budget, with an eye towards funding or de-funding various Priority Groups for the upcoming budget period; with the non-service -connected veterans rightfully at greater risk of becoming un-funded than those with service-related needs. Much appears to depend upon economic conditions at the time.

The VA operates over 1700 hospitals and community outreach clinics nationwide, divided into 23 regional networks, with integrated electronic records. Many VA regional hospitals are more like college campuses; huge, with their own power and heating plants, dining facilities and commissary stores, transportation hubs, normal and valet parking, etc., and more full-spectrum care packed onto their campuses than most private sector hospital campuses.

An additional Wiki-caliber overview of the VA healthcare system maybe found at...

Veterans Health Administration - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is exactly what I was talking about, thanks for posting it.

 

[g5000]

It isn't just the VA that is fucked up. Congress has been ******* us vets with Tricare for quite a long time now.

The stories I could tell you. Boy oh boy.

 

[OKTexas]

It isn't just the VA that is fucked up. Congress has been ******* us vets with Tricare for quite a long time now.

The stories I could tell you. Boy oh boy.

Yep, I get my care from VA, my wife from Tricare, they have almost reduced their provider network to near zero.

 

[Fishlore]

The VA operates a huge medical care system with almost 2,000 separate facilities. It is one of the largest socialized medicine operations on the planet and like GB's National Health, the VA owns its own hospitals and hires its doctors directly. It is not an insurance scheme like Tri-Care or Medicare. It is pure socialized medicine.

For this reason, the GOP has been on the warpath to privatize the VA, hoping to channel the hundreds of millions of dollars it spends into the for-profit hospitals and Big Pharma (the VA negotiates its drug prices, saving millions over Medicare which is specifically forbidden to do so) which bankroll the Republican Party.

The strategy to privatize the VA is a cynical effort to starve the organization into collapse. This is playing politics with the lives of our veterans. Cynical and shameful. Check out the VA funding for the past 15 years. The GOP has blocked every effort to bring the system up to what is required to meet the heavy demands of Baby Boomer vets of the Vietnam era and the millions of Iraq-Afghanistan vets with long-term TBI and PTSD. Remember the scandal about neglect of Walter Reed under the Decider? Nothing has changed since in the Republican plan. At the same time, under Obama, the VA waiting time has been cut in half in the past year.

There is an additional motive in the GOP demands for the head of Gen. Shinseki. This was the guy who told America that the Decider's invasion of Iraq was not going to be over in a matter of weeks and would take hundreds of thousands of US troops, who were not going to be showered with flowers and candy as Rummy and Vice so disingenuously predicted. He was kicked out for telling us the truth. Disgusting.

The hypocrisy of the GOP with its "support the troops " hoorah and behind the scenes sabotage of the VA is disgusting to the point of treason. Shame, shame, shame!

 

[zeke]

Step 1: End the war to stop creating more wounded veterans.

Step 2: END THE ******* WAR!

Most of the VA's expenses do not come from war time injury, but training injuries. Now the advent of PTSD may have changed this. Then again, maybe not.

Be interesting to know if that is true. We have had thousands of soldiers injured in our two recent wars that would have died of their injuries on any other battlefields we have fought on.

Double. triple amputees, horrific burns, brain injuries that any triage nurse would have passed by as to injured to survive, we have been able to save because of technology and response times.

The initial treatment and more importantly the ongoing treatments for these terrible injuries are very expensive. Very,very expensive.

We seem to be seeing what we were warned about; a huge, ongoing cost to the Iraq war that will be paid far into the future.

But training injuries as the number one cost? I'd be surprised.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Time and time again we hear the same problems over and over again, poor quality care and long waits to get that care. It's been going on for years, yet no one really wants to address it. It seems to me that we owe our Vets at least the same level of medical care that we give to our seniors. Why not cut through all the VA bureaucracy and just allow vets to get the care they need from local healthcare providers and bill the government. This is in effect what we do for our seniors and we certainly can do the same thing for those who have put their lives on line to serve this country.

The VA is where this country is headed if we allow the federal government to gain total control of health care. The reason Medicare marginally works is that people can supplement the coverage with private insurance, not because the government just manages to get something right.

 

[Flopper]

The VA operates a huge medical care system with almost 2,000 separate facilities. It is one of the largest socialized medicine operations on the planet and like GB's National Health, the VA owns its own hospitals and hires its doctors directly. It is not an insurance scheme like Tri-Care or Medicare. It is pure socialized medicine.

For this reason, the GOP has been on the warpath to privatize the VA, hoping to channel the hundreds of millions of dollars it spends into the for-profit hospitals and Big Pharma (the VA negotiates its drug prices, saving millions over Medicare which is specifically forbidden to do so) which bankroll the Republican Party.

The strategy to privatize the VA is a cynical effort to starve the organization into collapse. This is playing politics with the lives of our veterans. Cynical and shameful. Check out the VA funding for the past 15 years. The GOP has blocked every effort to bring the system up to what is required to meet the heavy demands of Baby Boomer vets of the Vietnam era and the millions of Iraq-Afghanistan vets with long-term TBI and PTSD. Remember the scandal about neglect of Walter Reed under the Decider? Nothing has changed since in the Republican plan. At the same time, under Obama, the VA waiting time has been cut in half in the past year.

There is an additional motive in the GOP demands for the head of Gen. Shinseki. This was the guy who told America that the Decider's invasion of Iraq was not going to be over in a matter of weeks and would take hundreds of thousands of US troops, who were not going to be showered with flowers and candy as Rummy and Vice so disingenuously predicted. He was kicked out for telling us the truth. Disgusting.

The hypocrisy of the GOP with its "support the troops " hoorah and behind the scenes sabotage of the VA is disgusting to the point of treason. Shame, shame, shame!

It was a OMG moment for the Republicans when they realized VA healthcare was fully socialized medicine, delivered by government employees, funded by the government, and controlled by the government. Before republicans decided that the federal government should be privatized or just abolished, you could always count on them to defend the VA.

However, I belief much of the healthcare delivery done by the VA could be privatize so local healthcare providers could delivery the needed care.

 

[Flopper]

Time and time again we hear the same problems over and over again, poor quality care and long waits to get that care. It's been going on for years, yet no one really wants to address it. It seems to me that we owe our Vets at least the same level of medical care that we give to our seniors. Why not cut through all the VA bureaucracy and just allow vets to get the care they need from local healthcare providers and bill the government. This is in effect what we do for our seniors and we certainly can do the same thing for those who have put their lives on line to serve this country.

The VA is where this country is headed if we allow the federal government to gain total control of health care. The reason Medicare marginally works is that people can supplement the coverage with private insurance, not because the government just manages to get something right.

Having been on Medicare now for 15 years, I can say it has worked better for me than private insurance. Supplemental or Medadvantage plans pick up the 20% coinsurance and deductibles which is great for financial planning because you will know about what your medical cost will be from year to year. However, they add an additional monthly premium.

Despite widespread claims that doctors are fleeing Medicare, more than 9 in 10 still accept new Medicare patients and fewer than 1 percent have quit the program. The vast majority of seniors have regular access to a doctor and can find a physician when they need one. And Medicare patients are no more likely than others to have to wait for a timely appointment.

Conservatives often claim that Medicare is socialized medicine but in fact it's not. All healthcare services are delivered by the private sector not the government. Medicare like all health insurance companies set reimbursement rates which puts pressure on healthcare providers to keep their rates low. However, healthcare providers can charge whatever they want for their services and bill the patient for whatever the insurance company or Medicare does not pay. Supplemental plans usually pickup the difference.

 

[regent]

I don't think some posters still understand the VA system of medical care. I have the feeling that some believe if a person served he was a vet and eligible for medical care. But all vets are not equal in the eyes of the VA for medical care. At one time the VA would treat a vet if a bed was available and no other vet had a higher priority, and that raises a question, should all vets be eligible for the same medical care?