Senators Announce Accord on Improving Veterans’ Care

[DonViejo]

Source: New York Times

Senators Bernie Sanders, Independent of Vermont, and John McCain, Republican of Arizona, have struck an accord on legislation to give the acting secretary of veterans affairs more authority to fire senior officials but also to expand access to health care for veterans on long waiting lists

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/06/us/politics/senators-announce-accord-on-improving-veterans-care.html?emc=edit_na_20140605

[nilram]

1. Go Bernie!

[sinkingfeeling]

2. Does it include a step to 'privatization'?

[silvershadow]

3. If you talking about the "let them go to private doctors" option that i have seen floated,

I do not know. I wonder too. A best option would just be to ramp up services significantly to match the need, plus some extra to clear out the backlog, without giving anything up to the privatization junkies).

[CTyankee]

4. Of course, if we had single payer there wouldn't be a problem.

They would get the medical help they need...

[silvershadow]

5. Agreed. nt

[former9thward]

6. Yes.

At the link: In the short run, the agreement would authorize veterans to seek care from private doctors, paid for by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

[moondust]

7. IF they

"live 40 miles or more from one of the department’s medical centers."

[former9thward]

8. The question was 'Is there a step towards privatization?'

Yes, there is a step. Next it will be 20 miles, then 10, then ....