Fyi

[David]

This was in my e-mail this morning...thought I`d pass it along........ DAV Washington Headquarters Executive Director David Gorman sent the following letter to VA Secretary Anthony J. Principi on Friday, March 8, 2002:

March 8, 2002

The Honorable Anthony J. Principi
Secretary
Department of Veterans Affairs (00)
810 Vermont Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20420

Dear Secretary Principi:

I am writing to you concerning the inability of our nation?s service-connected disabled veterans to receive timely access to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care. Based on a record number of calls from Disabled American Veterans (DAV) members over the last several months, we fear this situation has reached a critical point with no sign of abatement.

Access to priority health care for our nation?s disabled veterans has been seriously eroded over the years due to insufficient health care funding. I know you are aware of the extreme stress being placed on the system at this time and VA?s difficulty in reducing waiting times while maintaining the highest standards for quality of care. Based on your comments to DAV members at our Mid-Winter Conference it is clear you intend to ensure that veterans with service-connected disabilities and poor veterans are afforded priority for care without sacrificing the excellent quality of care VA is now known for, or restricting health care to other deserving veterans. We appreciate your strong commitment to service-connected disabled and poor veterans, however; we know it will take more than good intentions to correct this serious problem.

It is difficult to believe that health care for veterans, especially those with combat or other service connected-disabilities, is not an entitlement. As you are aware, veterans? health care is discretionary and the level of VA health care funding is judged in light of competing priorities. It is disingenuous for our elected officials to promise health care to veterans and then make it unattainable because of inadequate funding. Rationed health care is no way to honor America?s obligation to the brave men and women who have, and continue to unselfishly put our nation?s priorities and defense in front of their own needs. In Florida, there is a record number of veterans waiting for access to the system, with more than 3,500 service-connected veterans waiting just to be scheduled for an appointment, which, in many cases, will not be scheduled for more than a year.

One way to address this growing problem is to make veterans? health care an entitlement. By making veterans? medical care funding mandatory rather than subject to annual discretionary appropriations, will ensure VA?s ability to care for all veterans who require care. Veterans should not have to beg year after year for adequate funding to receive timely and quality health care services they have earned through their honorable service to this country. Likewise, VISN directors should not be forced to make decisions based on repeated budget shortfalls that negatively impact sick and disabled veterans. It is unconscionable to make you, Mr. Secretary, choose between accessibility to care or maintaining the quality care standards VA has worked very hard to improve over the last several years.

We appreciate your serious consideration of our proposal to make veterans? health care an entitlement and giving service-connected disabled veterans a priority to health care once they are enrolled in the VA system. Given VA?s own estimates of significantly increasing numbers of veterans seeking VA health care, mandatory funding is a reasonable solution to meeting the growing backlog for care.

Thank you for your strong commitment to America?s sick and disabled veterans and your willingness to consider our initiatives to address this challenging situation.

Sincerely,

DAVID W. GORMAN
Executive Director
Washington Headquarters.
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War is fear cloaked in courage...... Westmoreland...Peace..Griz