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It is time to shut down the VA?
RP Members what do you think? There are some points that the author makes that really hit home with me. Just looking for your feedback on this one!
LET ME CLARIFY THAT I'M NOT PERSONALLY RECOMMENDING THIS COURSE OF ACTION - THIS IS AN ARTICLE ONLY TO CREATE DISCUSSION, IDEAS, AND RESPONSES.
http://nypost.com/2015/09/24/a-permanent-solution-to-the-va-problem/
There is only one guaranteed way to get fired from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Falsifying records won’t do it. Prescribing obsolete drugs won’t do it. Cutting all manner of corners on health and safety is, at worst, going to get you a reprimand. No, the only sure-fire way to get canned at the VA is to report any of these matters to authorities who might do something about it.
That, at least, is what the US Office of Special Counsel recently reported to the president of the United States. The Special Counsel’s Office is the agency to which government whistleblowers go to report wrongdoing.
“Our concern is really about the pattern that we’re seeing, where whistleblowers who disclose wrongdoing are facing trumped-up punishment, but the employees who put veterans’ health at risk are going unpunished,” Special Counsel Carolyn Lerner recently told National Public Radio.
Now, obviously, this shouldn’t happen. Everyone, except perhaps the managers at the VA, probably agrees with that. So by all means, let’s have some reforms and further protections for whistleblowers.
But that’s not a real solution. The real fix is to get rid of the VA entirely.
RP Members what do you think? There are some points that the author makes that really hit home with me. Just looking for your feedback on this one!
LET ME CLARIFY THAT I'M NOT PERSONALLY RECOMMENDING THIS COURSE OF ACTION - THIS IS AN ARTICLE ONLY TO CREATE DISCUSSION, IDEAS, AND RESPONSES.
http://nypost.com/2015/09/24/a-permanent-solution-to-the-va-problem/
There is only one guaranteed way to get fired from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Falsifying records won’t do it. Prescribing obsolete drugs won’t do it. Cutting all manner of corners on health and safety is, at worst, going to get you a reprimand. No, the only sure-fire way to get canned at the VA is to report any of these matters to authorities who might do something about it.
That, at least, is what the US Office of Special Counsel recently reported to the president of the United States. The Special Counsel’s Office is the agency to which government whistleblowers go to report wrongdoing.
“Our concern is really about the pattern that we’re seeing, where whistleblowers who disclose wrongdoing are facing trumped-up punishment, but the employees who put veterans’ health at risk are going unpunished,” Special Counsel Carolyn Lerner recently told National Public Radio.
Now, obviously, this shouldn’t happen. Everyone, except perhaps the managers at the VA, probably agrees with that. So by all means, let’s have some reforms and further protections for whistleblowers.
But that’s not a real solution. The real fix is to get rid of the VA entirely.
Posted in these groups: 
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
What Would You Do
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) What Would You Do
Edited 10 y ago
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 51
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Well let me ask this...Is it time to shut down the military??? Or just bring all our troops home and worry about our own country??? This would abolish ever having to deal with a wounded soldier again, unless we were attacked of course. This would also increase the amount of money that this country has since the military is 2nd to welfare only in this country, think of how much we could use towards our national debit!!! Of course my comments are absurd, just as absurd as this notion. Do you really think that a person is going to serve this country knowing that when they get all FUBAR serving their country they are gonna get tossed to the side?
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I think the VA does a good job at some locations. From the little I've seen it seems to have a lot to do with the amount of resources available
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SMSgt Lawrence McCarter
I would agree with that, the Boston area VA seems to do a good job but that's not always true in every area. Places things come up short certainly should be fixed.
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No it is not time to shut down the VA COL Mikel J. Burroughs.
I would like to see HHS and VA administrative executive positions right-sized though :-)
The points the author makes could apply to any executive branch secretariat agency. It is very difficult to fire civil servants who have not been charged and convicted. We all know people who were promoted out of a place where they were causing problems because of inefficiency, etc.
I would like to see HHS and VA administrative executive positions right-sized though :-)
The points the author makes could apply to any executive branch secretariat agency. It is very difficult to fire civil servants who have not been charged and convicted. We all know people who were promoted out of a place where they were causing problems because of inefficiency, etc.
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What people fail to understand is that in general Americans are unhappy with their medical system. Dealing with insurance companies absolutely sucks! The VA isn't any different. I know several retirees/veterans that use the VA, none are unhappy. I don't because I earn too much. Whatever, I think the bad press the VA gets is partly political and partly a bunch of whiners.
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MSgt Robert Gazy
I took my wife for a COVID test at the local urgent care (2 hours waiting, 15 minutes in office). They billed my insurance $413 for administering the rapid test and regular test, $225 from the lab, and $196 for the 30 second phone call notifying her she was negative 3 days later.
That's $834 for simple testing that really requires very little skill (and even less to make the phone call). No one should be happy with this distorted medical system.
That's $834 for simple testing that really requires very little skill (and even less to make the phone call). No one should be happy with this distorted medical system.
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FIX it up the way it is supposed to be run, throw out the bureaucrats and put in only the most capable persons in the positions.
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This article is adorably naïve, and the proposed solution does nothing more than to pass the problem to the states at an individual level. I am never for the federal government cutting checks to individual states for their local elected officials to handle, primarily because while those local people may be able to hold those elected officials accountable; it is actually my money as well, and I do not vote for the governor of other states, nor do I have an elected representative in their legislative body.
The issue in the United States is there is a provider gap, it’s great to want to reduce wait times for veterans to get into see a doctor, but if there is no doctor to see them it doesn’t matter how well the department is administered. I wrote earlier about how I needed to be seen and my local private healthcare system was unable to see me for almost two months, while the VA was able to get me in within a week. This is because in my local area the VA has a smaller provider gap than the local private healthcare system.
The best way to put this is that per every 100,000 people in the United States in 2015 5.2 will go to medical school, in the year 1980 7.3 went to medical school. In 1980 the population was also significantly younger on average, think about this in terms of the Department of Veterans Affairs which is dealing with veterans from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, OIF, and OEF. So there are obvious reforms that need to happen, but the primary question that is not being addressed though is how do we get more doctors, physician’s assistants, and nurse practitioners as a ratio of our population. We see hospitals doing things such as hiring transcriptionists, using telemedicine, and some other things to extend the effectiveness of the provider, but it’s not enough we need more providers. Where I’m from people who complain the most about the VA have one of two things in common, they have never been to the VA, or they’ve never been somewhere other than the VA.
The issue in the United States is there is a provider gap, it’s great to want to reduce wait times for veterans to get into see a doctor, but if there is no doctor to see them it doesn’t matter how well the department is administered. I wrote earlier about how I needed to be seen and my local private healthcare system was unable to see me for almost two months, while the VA was able to get me in within a week. This is because in my local area the VA has a smaller provider gap than the local private healthcare system.
The best way to put this is that per every 100,000 people in the United States in 2015 5.2 will go to medical school, in the year 1980 7.3 went to medical school. In 1980 the population was also significantly younger on average, think about this in terms of the Department of Veterans Affairs which is dealing with veterans from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, OIF, and OEF. So there are obvious reforms that need to happen, but the primary question that is not being addressed though is how do we get more doctors, physician’s assistants, and nurse practitioners as a ratio of our population. We see hospitals doing things such as hiring transcriptionists, using telemedicine, and some other things to extend the effectiveness of the provider, but it’s not enough we need more providers. Where I’m from people who complain the most about the VA have one of two things in common, they have never been to the VA, or they’ve never been somewhere other than the VA.
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Sometimes I wondered are these people hired to screw over the veterans or to solve the problems. Why aren't they getting the pay cut first, don't they have some other budgets to cut better than our veterans' benefits, nowadays illegals are having better benefits than we are, I really hope that People that sitting in DC stop thinking veterans are the threats to America.
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Okkk so lets first be honest about how the VA started..a Medical physician in the military and he began to form partnerships with "local" hospitals to augment the service that couldn't be provided at the Military facility. The rep. also realized that the hospitals could continue to support in some capacity and that the DoD needed to have a institution in charge of he aftercare of that Vet. Long story short…the VA and its woo's are one of the main reasons why: Joint Ethics Regulations (JER) exist today. It's storied history includes testing on veterans (namely african americans). It establishes relationships with hospitals to support, provide services and yes "code" (before the latest scandal) for the VA. It is able to do this because the VA inherently has a 501c3 arm to establish those support relationships--through concierge contracts. It needs to REVAMPED and that is an understatement. Also, lets be clear about "College EDU" benefits…The dirty little secret is College should be free for all.. Yes, they too are Non-Profits (Trustee/board of directors/boosters) making billions and charging our kids/families millions in student loans etc. Then the biggest insult is the military/vet. benefit smoke screen. They get a gov. kick back in via grants or reimbursement of fees to do so. What a faces, self licking ice cream coneI want my tax dollars back… ALL Non-profit Public benefit organizations should be looked at and revamped and ESPECIALLY the VA. Want your own proof..easy a trust is a contract between corporations. It's required for each "corporation" that has a trust (i.e. Non-Profits) in each state to register their trust with the state attorney general. Secondly all Non-profits have to report income/payouts via IRS form 990. Now go on IRS sit type form 990, and you can search the database, type your state and look for your favorite institution. now when you see it in that list it means its a non-profit. Now ask yourself how much they make in endorsements through their "boosters"/trustees and how much they pay their coaches a year and what's the coaches bonus if they get to a bowl game…Then ask yourself if anyone especially you and your children should be paying the type of tuition they do to go to hat school. secondly why we should give them a kickback for giving 75% off (Active duty TA) for the he military members to go there…hmm very fraud waste and abuse to me. REVAMP them all START with the VA
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