"Help is on the way"----YEAH RIGHT!

[Gimpy]

Even the American Legion is now understanding the horse$hit that GEE-W put out during his campaign is jusy that --- HORSE-PATOOTY! Things are getting WORSE at VA health care facillities instead of better!

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Veterans Leader Deplores Long Wait For Health Care
By GIL KLEIN Media General News Service
Published: Jul 17, 2003

WASHINGTON - The head of the nation's largest veterans group warned a Senate committee Tuesday that the Veterans Affairs health care system is ``being consumed by fiscal neglect.''
After touring more than 60 veterans hospitals in all 50 states, Ronald F. Conley, national commander of the 2.7-million-member American Legion, said he found ``staff shortages everywhere'' leading to long waits for care.

``Demand has soared and funding has failed miserably to keep up,'' Conley told the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. ``Staff shortages close beds, wards, emergency rooms, nursing homes and intensive-care units. ... Tens of thousands of veterans are waiting in line to see doctors.''

At the Veterans Affairs Medical Center at Bay Pines in Pinellas County, 14,000 veterans were waiting six months or longer for primary care appointments - and that was after improvements were made.

``Every ward I visited at Bay Pines suffered from nursing shortages,'' Conley said. ``Some wards reported only two registered nurses for 32 patients.''

At the Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center in Richmond, Va., ``it's not uncommon for a veteran to sit in the waiting room six hours for an eye appointment,'' he said.

Some VA facilities are suffering from the departure of health care professional serving in reserve units sent to Iraq. Others are having trouble competing with the private sector to hire workers.

He described a VA hospital in Cheyenne, Wyo., where doctors ``are forced to perform the kind of triage one might expect on a battlefield, but not in a VA hospital.

The problem, he said, is that in 1996 Congress extended VA health care, which had served primarily victims of war wounds and indigent veterans, to all veterans. Given the quality of care, he said, the number of patients more than doubled.

The VA is limiting care for veterans who have other health insurance and is aggressively seeking reimbursement from other insurance plans.


Legion Wants Funding Guarantee

Conley recommended that instead of competing each year for congressional appropriations, the VA's budget should be set at a certain amount per veteran, adjusted for inflation, much the way the government now pays for Medicare.

``Anything less than mandatory funding is a guarantee that congressional committees and VA officials will continue visiting and revisiting this issue ,'' he said.


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[HARDCORE]

GIMPY- Again, the budget that I saw showed $63 + Billion in VA funding for this year alone! How much of this is eaten up by the 400+ lawyers (not cheap) that the VA utilizes, mostly to battle the veterans that they are supposed to serve!

It is only my opinion, but I feel that this problem must be addressed from "THE VERY TOP", and then work its way down! "Shit does, after-all, roll down hill, and the forward motion must be initiated right from that little Oval Room at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue!"

The President (Dem or Rep) does help to initiate these mortal actions, and as such, he damned well should deal with the repercussions (ie -our hurting veterans)!

VERITAS

[the major]

I tried to enroll in our nearst VA, and was told ,"WHY BOTHER" by the receptionest. Seems thaey are so full of patients, and understaffed that it takes 8-12 months for any kind of appointment.

[sn-e3]

Just read in the local Rag that they want to close our VA hospital at American Lake thats near Fort Lewis and very close to tacoma. if they do that seattle is our destination. just adds too much stress to our stressers so it dosen't make since. OH by the way two months ago I signed up at the VA at american lake and was told the wait for a Doctor could take up too six month for first physical, I got a call last week and i'll be seen on the 8th of August. So the major don't let them scare you off you earned your benifits use them.