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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe VA Is Privatizing Veterans' Health Care While Launching a Campaign to Deny It
The VA Is Privatizing Veterans Health Care While Launching a Campaign to Deny It
Suzanne Gordon
March 11, 2019
Acutely aware that its privatization plan has little support among veterans, the VA has launched a PR blitz to obscure what it's doing.
The Trump administrations multipronged effort to privatize the VHA and push millions of veterans out of the VA system remains deeply unpopular among American veterans. But rather than adjust its proposals to meet the needs and wishes of veterans, the administration has a better idea: deny that the changeswhich include funding private care at taxpayer expenseamount to privatization at all.
Over the past several weeks, VA Secretary Robert Wilkie and his advisors from the Koch brothers-funded Concerned Veterans for America (CVA) have launched a PR offensive refuting critics who contend that the agencys plan to funnel money to private care will lead to VHA privatization. In multiple press releases, Wilkie adamantly denied that channeling millions of veteransand billions of taxpayer dollarsto private-sector health care providers amounts to VA privatization. Wilkie even convinced four former VA secretaries, including one who served under President Obama, to publish an op-ed at FoxNews.com echoing the VA party line. The VAs Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs followed up with a press release reasserting that, The former secretaries also pushed back strongly against predictable and false claims that the new standards amount to privatization of the VA.
VA leadership has also sent out a number of directives instructing VHA public affairs officers and staff to refute veterans concerns about VA privatization. A document entitled Veteran Community Care (VA MISSION Act)Eligibility and Access Standards, obtained by the Prospect from several sources who preferred to remain anonymous, has a long section advising how to counter any questions from veterans uneasy about privatization. Staff are directed to respond with, There is no effort underway by anyone or at any level to privatize the VA.
In yet another set of talking points delivered to VA staff and public affairs officers, VA leaders claim that outsourcing more and more VHA care doesnt constitute privatization because privatization only occurs with the transfer of ownership, property or business from the government to the private sector. It goes on to say, There has never been a proposal to do this, not from the Administration, Commission on Care or from any Veterans organization, including Concerned Veterans for America.
more...
https://prospect.org/article/va-privatizing-veterans-health-care-while-launching-campaign-deny-it
CurtEastPoint
(18,668 posts)Is it just malice? Hate? What? Do they REALLY think they're helping..in this case...veterans?
TreasonousBastard
(43,049 posts)been outsourcing some tests and care. Not all of it, but rather than buying a million bucks worth of specialized equipment, they send us to outside specialists who are usually better than anyone the VA could hire.
Since I live about 50 miles from Northport, but a half mile from an excellent hospital, I would be perfectly happy to have all, or most, of my care outsourced locally. I already use a local ophthalmologist and gastroenterologist, and would use the local hospital for emergency care. Why not just cut the cord entirely?
Corgigal
(9,291 posts)on how easy this is for you but the cost will go up yearly. More things won't be covered on a yearly and every year it wil, get worst.
This is not to help you or me. It's to destroy the program. It won't be there in ten years.
Kaleva
(36,360 posts)I'm not sure what you mean when you say costs will go up yearly.
Edit: I do pay a co-pay on prescribed medications.
Corgigal
(9,291 posts)That will change. They are killing from within.
TreasonousBastard
(43,049 posts)there will be very little support for a huge VA that largely duplicates other available services.
We, as a country, must at some point agree that health care is a basic human right, and veterans are but one of several special groups that may have additional needs.
I do, however, suspect that I will die off before that happens.
Kaleva
(36,360 posts)I personally wish VA care was like Medicare which would allow me to use the local hospital just 12 miles away.
TreasonousBastard
(43,049 posts)podiatry, mental health, bloodwork, phys therapy and a few other things are done in them, but radiology and most other specialties are in Northport.
I did have a special MRI done locally when Northport didn't have the equipment, and they are playing around with more local service.
My biggest complaint is that VA doctors are the only ones who can prescribe for the VA pharmacy and are not allowed to prescribe for a CVS pickup. I get all the diabetic test strips I need for a small copay, but I can't get them at WalMart or CVS without a local prescription. I just had to pay a hundred bucks for that icky prep stuff for a colonoscopy because I don't have Medicare D and the local guy didn't have the blessing of the VA.
(WalMart does sell it's own brand of meters, though, and test strips for them are only $15, not $95)
JHB
(37,163 posts)He wouldn't be able to do this without their backing.