Panel weighs closing all VA health care — vets' groups raise conflict of interest

I would argue that civilian physicians have a broader knowledge base because they see a wider variety of patients, and that if they saw veterans more often, they'd become even more familiar with issues common to veterans. We can't forget that with perhaps the exception of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, physicians are trained by civilian institutions from the ground up.

There would be growing pains with such a shift and I'd prefer to preserve the VA, but this is a viable alternative.

I know to many people that have had the VA screw up their diagnosis or surgery and they have zero recourse. The Civilians have more on the line to get it right than the VA. Add in the VA is an administration nightmare with over paid P.O.S who are only interested in collecting their pay check and not helping Vets. This would create a free market system and improve Vet care.

SSG Derrick L. Lewis MBA, C-HRM , You are welcome. I knew something was coming, but this is not exactly what I expected....though with the national health care system in a mess, folding the VA into private health care and removing the glaring blight that the VA represents of what government does when it runs health care - well, this is not unexpected.