VA Privatization

11/12/2019

Click here to view my presentation of VA privatization and persuasive approaches taken to increase its viewers and where the VA stands now.

11/12/2019

Solutions OTHER than Privatization.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6033449/

The United States Veterans Health Administration (VHA) serves more than 9 million enrolled Veterans each year. Although most of the care that the VHA sponsors is delivered within its own facilities, there has been a call for “privatizing” ...

11/12/2019

Finally, the truth is out!

https://washingtonmonthly.com/2019/09/13/the-trump-administration-is-sabotaging-veterans-access-to-health-care/

In its push toward privatization, the VA is actively thwarting Congressional oversight.

09/12/2019

Some proposals for reforming the VA healthcare system sound good, but could actually harm veterans if enacted. That's why DAV is Setting the Record Straight ...

09/12/2019

More options to give VA money to private health care companies!

https://www.aarp.org/home-family/voices/veterans/info-2019/mission-act-health-care.html

From urgent care to community care and caregiving assistance, the new bipartisan MISSION Act provides service members with more health care options.

09/12/2019

https://www.tampabay.com/data/2018/12/18/the-vas-private-care-program-gave-companies-billions-and-vets-longer-waits/

Trump wants to supersize a program that spent almost a quarter of its funds on overhead.

09/12/2019

"Privatizing the VA will deny veterans a healthcare system built for them."
https://youtu.be/_JPi0oDW_mo

Tell Congress to stop Trump admin plans to privatize the VA. 202-225-3121

09/12/2019

The VA knows what "veterans have been through."
https://youtu.be/idKVyrTEuSQ

Tell Congress to stop Trump admin plans to privatize the VA. 202-225-3121

04/12/2019

Visual representation of government handing over VA money to private health care entities.

27/11/2019

Imagine that
Imagine our veterans receiving their health care from the physicians and locations they prefer in a reasonable time frame. The movement to more frequently allow a veteran to choose their treatment at private clinics sounds simple, and it is exactly how the headlines are phrasing it, such as this one in the New York Times.

“Veterans Will Have More Access to Private Health Care Under New V.A. Rules”

What is not mentioned in headlines is the aftermath. Quietly following this positive change would be 1,600 VA medical treatment facilities shutting down and eradicating other benefits like the VA home loan, GI Bills, the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program, vocational rehabilitation, veteran’s life insurance and all the others provided by the Veterans Benefit Association.

This imaginary scenario and possible foreseeable future has deceiving traits, but will take effect if the risks of these benefits are not made apparent. More and more money is trickling out of the VA into private clinics, first with the VA Choice Act and now the MISSION Act. The headlines of these laws are bating veterans by overlooking the end-state. The shortcut these laws are on to give better health care leads to VA’s paying higher bills for veteran’s private care and ultimately desecrating the VA’s foundation and history.

Dating back to 1776, medical treatment was given to disabled soldiers, and in the 1900’s it began including their families, as well. Then came life insurance, programs like vocational rehabilitation and the GI Bill. Through wars and conflicts the VA has taken care of its’ injured service members and supportive families and have adapted to present-day facilities providing out-patient clinics to better serve the veteran population and all its’ diversity.

Before acting quickly like headlines and spending money outside the VA, there needs to be reform inside the organization and patients receiving their timely care. The advancements of the VA are keeping up with its’ generational requests and can flourish further if money is secured to improving and supporting the need for more employees. Solving the problems by diverting patients and money is not contributing to a permanent solution, but digging a hole for bankruptcy.

“Each time you’re taking resources out and putting them into the private sector, you’re leaving VA dying on the vine,” said Will Fischer, the director of government relations at VoteVets.org.

The VA Choice Act and MISSION Act are used as temporary fixes like duct tape on a window. And in this case, the temporary fix is damaging the problem further by reaching into the pockets of the VA. Similar to debt, one doesn’t become debt-free by charging more to their credit card, but by setting up a long-term and routine payment plan. More permanent and robust repairs are essential, and imminent funding will further the VA’s longevity to thrive.

So, imagine our vets being cared for by the VA’s own providers, with reasonable wait times and continuing to receive their current benefits and supportive programs. This is possible by internally developing solutions and securing VA’s money for VA facilities.

https://www.va.gov/about_va/vahistory.asp
https://healthpayerintelligence.com/news/president-trump-signs-bill-to-expand-privatization-of-va-healthcare
https://www.healthcaredive.com/news/the-va-privatization-debate-5-things-to-know/520618/
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/30/us/politics/veterans-health-care.html
https://www.militarytimes.com/veterans/2018/04/11/vets-groups-and-lawmakers-say-theyre-against-it-but-what-does-privatization-of-veterans-affairs-really

Apply for and manage the VA benefits and services you’ve earned as a Veteran, Servicemember, or family member—like health care, disability, education, and more.

27/11/2019

Veteran's make up 5% of the U.S. population!

18/11/2019

VA Privatization =VA Bankruptcy

18/11/2019

VETS say NO to Privatization

18/11/2019

Privatizing the VA will ultimately close VA facilities one by one from forking over VA money to the private sector. Denying privatization will save VA funding and its programs.
https://prospect.org/health/va-privatizing-veterans-health-care-launching-campaign-deny/

Acutely aware that its privatization plan has little support among veterans, the VA has launched a PR blitz to obscure what it's doing.

22/10/2019

What does VA Privatization mean?

The Department of Veterans Affairs is protected by the federal government and includes healthcare, burial services and benefits for military veterans. Prior to this year, the Veterans Choice Act (VCA) was in place to give those who live over 40 miles from a Veterans Affairs (VA) facility or in a waiting window more than 30 days, the freedom to choose their own healthcare facility.

This year the VA Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks (MISSION) Act replaced the VCA, to allow veterans to be seen by other healthcare facilities or private clinics if
a. A VA is over 30 minutes away
b. A VA is over 60 minutes away for specialty care
c. Wait times are over 20 days
d. Wait times are over 28 days for specialty care

This is not solely closing VA clinics but is a solution to treating our service members with quality care within a reasonable amount of time. Until VA facilities are staffed, equipped and funded to manage the veteran population, the MISSION Act is giving our service members the support they earned while wearing the uniform.

Controversially, many are opting for VA privatization or as I call it, total privatization, which would mean the Veteran’s Health Association (VHA) closes facilities, and service members would begin to automatically enroll with private organizations. Immediately, this would drastically change VA employment, which is now said to be at 385,233 members, and put money in private pockets other than public government organizations, like the VA. Private clinics and government officials are promoting privatization to downsize the VA budget and its’ programs in order to divvy money away from veteran services.

The VA consists of resources other than healthcare. It is support services, benefits, programs, job counseling, educational rehabilitation, and so much more to assist our veterans and their family members. It is a positive program for our military community and must be supported and boosted to accommodate the need to care for all veterans. As of right now, the U.S. has over 18.2 million veterans. Those and future members are in need of these services and it is vital the government continues to provide them with help such as education and employment. These tasks may sound ordinary to those who were not in the military, but without the VA’s support for guidance, veterans will have even more difficulty with their transition.

Veterans, just as nonveterans, want quality and fast health care, and until the VHA has the manpower and funds to meet their needs, the MISSION Act is in place to justify that those needs are met by granting veterans with their wish of faster healthcare. In return, their wish is suppressing their other benefits and sending the VA on the path to total privatization, which would lead to a devastating loss of employment, and VA funds and programs.

https://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=4034
https://www.ruralhealth.va.gov/aboutus/structure.asp
https://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=5264
https://prospect.org/health/va-privatizing-veterans-health-care-launching-campaign-deny/?fbclid=IwAR08yAd_hVPIgDjfTkPLAJK0f9Dy4GxmI7SD7E4WfYl5Z6_Dbl2Cclso1yI

08/10/2019

https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2019/04/09/va-secretarys-health-care-fight-could-affect-the-department-for-decades-to-come/

Only eight months into the job, VA Secretary Robert Wilkie's moves now could define his department for generations to come.

08/10/2019

Vets pigeonholed into a 30-day wait, 40 mile radius to receive medical care and remain unsure of quality healthcare
https://va.org/privatization-of-veteran-healthcare/

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