"Privatizing" VA Health Care? = Equals LESS care!

[Gimpy]

The VA has long had partnerships with teaching hospitals, like the University of Missouri and many other institutions of higher learning.

These relationships have always been viewed as positive by both parties.

But, as healthcare costs rise, as doctors and universities want more for their services, we see the problems associated with outsourcing or 'privatizing' VA healthcare.

Veterans end up waiting or not receiving necessary healthcare at all.

It's time for the VA to return to full staffing levels and end outsourcing that has increased these past few years.

Veterans should not have to rely on private care doctors for their care.

When the VA gives up control of healthcare services and hands it over to private doctors and institutions... it's OBVIOUS that veterans will lose in the long term!

You can find the article here.......

http://www.columbiatribune.com/2006/...415News004.asp


Story below:


-------START--------


MU defers vets? care in dispute

Hospital at odds with VA over orthopedics.


By LIZ HEITZMAN of the Tribune?s staff
Published Saturday, April 15, 2006

Two days before Army veteran Robert Ashbaugh was scheduled to have an orthopedic surgeon examine his bum knee at Truman Memorial Veterans? Hospital, he got an ominous letter.


The letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs said that his appointment at the hospital?s orthopedic clinic was canceled and that he should call a number for more information. Ashbaugh said he made the call and was told the clinic staffed by physicians from University of Missouri Health Care was closed until further notice.


"I haven?t been able to get any clear answers," said Ashbaugh, 53, who recently suffered a torn knee ligament and was told it could be surgically repaired. "I just happened to be in a situation where I needed this treatment, and apparently I picked the wrong time."


Representatives of the VA and MU Health confirmed yesterday that services for new VA orthopedic patients have been stalled since at least April 7. MU is continuing to provide orthopedic care to existing patients.


The two entities have been unable to come to terms regarding the rates the VA pays MU for orthopedic services.


MU is asking for increased compensation, although MU Health spokeswoman Mary Jenkins declined to elaborate on the amount of the requested increase. She described the discussions as routine.


"We have a long history with the VA, and periodically we have had discussions with them related to reimbursement rates," she said.


Jenkins said MU Health decided to ask for more money after reviewing orthopedic services provided to the VA and determined that a higher rate "would be fair and reasonable." (Yeah, right!.............Gimp )


Stephen Gaither, spokesman for the VA hospital, said negotiations have been going on for the past year.


Jenkins said the department?s chairman, Jason Calhoun, and School of Medicine Dean Bill Crist were unavailable for comment yesterday.


Gaither said that between 90 and 100 veterans have been sent for treatment to other medical facilities because of the ongoing negotiations.


"They made arguments that various things needed to be increased, and that?s been the sticking point in the discussions," Gaither said. "We remain optimistic we?ll come to an agreement and they?ll provide those services for our patients."


Orthopedics includes services such as knee repair and hip replacement.


Because the local clinic was closed, Ashbaugh said he was sent to an orthopedic surgeon in Jefferson City. He said he arrived at the time of his appointment but waited 2? hours to see a doctor.


Ashbaugh, who served in the Army during the 1970s, said he was told he could have the surgery done in Moberly but declined. He?s worried about any doctor who would keep a patient waiting so long, and he?s also concerned what would happen if he needed follow-up treatment.


"Based on my experience, if you need follow-up, it makes more sense to have it here" in Columbia, said Ashbaugh, who is unemployed.


Both Gaither and Jenkins said they expect to resolve the funding standoff soon.


Ashbaugh, who wears a knee brace and uses crutches to walk, said he doesn?t care how the situation is resolved. He just hopes it is resolved soon.


"This is a political situation," he said. "I?m just trying to get some help, and I don?t have anything to do with that."


That the interruption boils down to money angers him.


"It shouldn?t just be about making money," Ashbaugh said. "It should be about providing a service. This is an opportunity to give back to those who have served their country."


For now, Jenkins said veterans in need of orthopedic services will have to go elsewhere.


"We have stopped scheduling new surgeries", she said.


------END------

[Keith_Hixson]

The following statement is all encompassing without much of an explanation. Except in regard particular incidents privatizing might be a good thing if it were done right. But I also understand the paranoia we might have in releasing the authority to private sources and I'm sure there would be abuses by greedy institution and doctors but I can also see some positives to privatizing the VA.

Keith

[When the VA gives up control of healthcare services and hands it over to private doctors and institutions... it's OBVIOUS that veterans will lose in the long term!]

[Packo]

Gimp and Keith,

For years I've been an advocate of us just being able to use our VA Service Connected Cards at any certified facility. This is another one of those issues that is so GREY. I see the pros and the cons and have no idea, anymore, where I stand on it. After what I've been through with these bastards...and you too Gimp, I say screw the VA hospitals. But I also see waiting and mistakes, big ones, on the civilian side too. Here's a first......for once...I do not have an informed opinion. (Boy, hope Deb doesn't see that!)

Gimp...thanks as always for posting this stuff.

Pack

[tamariki]

I live in New Zealand. There are no returned servicemen's hospitals here. The few who served in Vietnam are having an ongoing battle with the government trying to get compensation for the effects of agent orange.

We read about troops being killed in Afghanistan and Iraq, but there is not much information given about those who have been wounded in those wars or previous wars.

My "fighting" uniform, as an infantryman, was mainly a tin helmet. We had 303 rifles, bren guns and mortars. We envied the American automatic rifle and their helmets. Their catering was better than ours, but apart from those differences, we didn't have the same protective gear modern soldiers have to wear.

Modern equipment troopshave doesn't reveal much of the person wearing it. Civilians tend to forget how young most of the troops are. They also tend to think that a wounded soldier has been hit by a bullet. They don't realise the affects close quarter combat can have on any normal person, which can be worse than a bullet wound and take longer to cure.

I didn't mean to write so much, but I accidentally came across a site which gives details of American Veteran's Administration areas. I thought it may be of interest to you.

http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwash...ages/veterans/

[Packo]

Kiwi reports are always welcome here and thanks so much for the website.

I am surprised that New Zealand does not have a "veterans administration", with hospitals etc. Does Austrailia and Great Britian?

Our system has been hosed up for years. I worked for the VA from 1980 to 1992 and could tell you stories that would make your hair stand on end. The ones I heard on the web site you provided were bad but minor compared to some of the stuff I could tell you. My own experience has been one of frustration and most of the guys on this site will agree that their's also has been awful. Not everything in our VA system is bad but definitly the benefits/adjudication section is horrandous and a slap in the face to all American Veterans.

Glad to have you with us Tamariki. Thank you for your service to your country.

Pack

[Keith_Hixson]

Tom the Paco Man,
I to see pluses and minuses on both sides of the issue.

I just thought the statement:

[When the VA gives up control of healthcare services and hands it over to private doctors and institutions... it's OBVIOUS that veterans will lose in the long term!]

is such an all encompassing statement that it can't be totally correct. I hate all encompassing statements. Very seldom are things totally black and white.

If you live in a rural area such I do, it would great to have a "card" the veteran could use at the local hospitals. Traveling over to Seattle which is over 100 miles away and in the winter a major mountain pass to cross should not be a requirement for VA care. Yet I know several men who have to travel that route in order to get medical services.

You are a wise man or a politician, Sir Tom of Paco, "Here's a first......for once...I do not have an informed opinion." No opinion from Paco.

Keith

[Packo]

Keith,

I do agree that that is an "all encompassing" statement and got just awful treatment at the Charleston VAMC and was treated and got treated wonderfully at our small hospital here, so I know that "veterans losing in the long term" just may not be true. It's just such a grey issue for me. I'd kinda like to see if we could have a choice and then see how many leave the VA and how many come back. It might make the VA have to compete for veteran money so to speak and competition may make them better.

Weird, me not having an opinion...isn't it?

Pack

[Gimpy]

Fellas, here's my "take" on the subject.


I agree, these "rural" vets need some help. But, the VA already HAS a program set up for the majority of these folks now, as we speak. Currently, VA may use private health care providers outside VA when its own facilities cannot provide suitable care. The program is there, it's just that most vets don't KNOW about it because the VA does NOT tell them unless they ASK about it!


And, my dear suthern brother Paco is right..........he AND I have had some terrible experiences at our respective VA hospitals. But, I've had some pretty terrible experiences in PRIVATE hospitals also. In 1980 I had to be rushed to a private hospital in my old home state of Georgia with kidney failure related to my old gunshot wounds from Nam. And, the doctor at that hospital had me in surgey for NINE (9) HOURS and I came very, very close to 'buying the proverbial farm' and nearly lost my left kidney. I was hospitalized for 32 days and had to undergo ANOTHER operation during that time (after 21 days) on the same kidney!


There is a new program being considered by Congress and is evidently the brainchild of Nebraska?s 3rd District congressman, Republican Tom Osborne and Indiana Congressman, Republican Steven Buyer.

It will be called: Project "HERO"------Healthcare Effectiveness through Resource Optimization (HERO).


There are lessons' in political manipulation, especially if we pay close attention to the past, and truly understand the "motives" of those who try and promote "outsourcing" or "privatization" of VA health care......

This "new" program was presented to the House Committee on Veterans Affairs just this past week. There were several high ranking VA officials and other government officials giving testimony before the Committee regarding the initial phases of the program. Also of note: Testifying was the CEO of Humana Military Healthcare Services, a private provider who stands to make BILLIONS of $$$ on this deal over the coming years.


First, give your program a compelling sense of purpose that on the surface appears to be an answer to the problems many rural military veterans have in getting health care.

Then tell people that it will NOT do what it is really DESIGNED to do: Which is Privatize VA healthcare.

Then, sit back and watch people buy into it.

We all know that veterans who live in rural areas need access to VA healthcare. That's a given.

So, rather than building VA outpatient and specialty clinics and providing new jobs for rural areas that would help their faltering small town economies by staffing them with VA doctors and nurses......the VA, with the help and blessing of House Veterans New Chairman Rep. Steve Buyer, is offering this "new" program that will set the stage to privatize the system by providing healthcare from private doctors at private hospitals.

With all the info I've posted on this forum it's obvious (and factual) that the current VA health care system, as it is presently organized and structured, is MORE "efficient", LESS "costly" and SUBSTANTIALY MORE "safe" than nearly all the "private" health care providers in this great country of ours. So says the prestigious Institute of Health & Medicine, the AMA, the APA and many, many other private and public institutions and public 'watchdog' associations.

This "new" program will be a pilot program set up in Nebraska. If all goes as "planned"............The VA plans to conduct Project HERO demonstrations at four Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs) by the end of this year: VISN 8, VA Sunshine Healthcare Network; VISN 16, South Central VA Health Care Network; VISN 20, Northwest Network; and VISN 23, VA Midwest Health Care Network.

Sure, rural vets won't complain...not now anyway......because they will have healthcare close to home.

Service organizations are not complaining..............yet.......... because their rural members will have healthcare close to home.

But if everyone will stop for a minute and take a deep breath and ANALYZE what is happening here........this is exactly what happened to military retirees.

Not very long ago, when military hospitals closed during the 80's and 90's as the DoD cut back to save money.........retirees were shuffled into private healthcare systems.

And now they are stuck in TRICARE, a HMO that costs them plenty in fees. And, if the current bunch in charge of our government gets their way...... and as recent news reports indicate, these "fees" are in line for some dramatic increases very shortly!

The way health care costs are increasing in the "private sector", it won't take long for The VA to say that the private, contracted healthcare they will be providing is costing too much...and start asking for fees to pay for this....... Guess WHO will be paying those "fees"??

If they built VA clinics, where the associated "costs" of health care is MUCH LESS than the "private sector"........these "fees" would most likely NOT NEED to be increased.....or at least not as much as "private" providers would charge!

Stay tuned...If Chairman Buyer and his co-horts in pushing this agenda have their way.........we will see more and more of this...and in a very few years you may have to cough up annual fees for VACARE.....(like TRICARE for retirees) in the all new and improved HMO for veterans.

You can say the old Gimpster told you about this first!

Adios Amigos'!...........

[Rebelwitho]

Mississippi is in Visn 16. We have two V.A. hosp. (has 3 but Katrina took care of the one in Gulfport. Mississippi has 3 V.A. outpatient clinics in ruel areas and plans are to build more. The V.a. hosp in jackson is expanding and will keep getting bigger.

Yea I could also tell you stories that would make you sick about the V.A. I don't even use the one in Jackson and I work there, not because the heath care is bad. I don't use it because I have a good job and so does my wife (she does not work for the V.A.) I have real good heath Ins. I would rather pay a civ. hosp. than take a bed away from a fellow Veteran that has not been as blessed,to some Veterans the V.A. is all they have and the beds are limited. So to me using the V.A. in my case would be taking a bed away from someone who needs it worst than I do, but thats just me.

[Gimpy]

your comments Rebel...............