Should there be more or less privatization of veterans’ healthcare?

Should there be more or less privatization of veterans’ healthcare?

“Trump administration is determined to expand the private sector’s role in veterans’ health care. Privatization will allow veterans to choose from a broader range of individual health care specialists. Many of these offer lower fees than other options available. With a private system, veterans could pick from a wide variety of in-network physicians and are more likely to receive care in a fast and efficient manner.
However, with a privatized system, veterans would be subject to fluctuating payments based on many different criteria. In a private network, various doctors and hospitals have varying rates for the same procedures and services. If care is shifted to the private sector, it is likely that patients will be cared for by a doctor who might be inexperienced in treating specific ailments.
What are your thoughts? Should there be privatization of veterans’ healthcare?

Today is the day. Now is the moment. Vote for change.

  • Should there be more or less privatization of veterans’ healthcare?

    • Yes
    • No
    • Can’t Say
22 Comments
  • John Russell
    Posted at 19:25h, 09 November Reply

    I have been trying o reschedule 2 appointments.. I’ve called the 888 number 6 times. Cancelled same appointment all 6 times. Appointment still shows up. Called rescheduling number. What a joke. No one answers. Called my local VA clinic. Was on hold for 3.5 hours. Not all at one time as I was disconnected twice. Never got anyone. Drove there today to deliver a written request. Drove there in the sunshine, mind you. I got to clinic and it was CLOSED for inclement weather. This is November 9, 2020 in Port Charlotte, FL. Had a little wind and rain early this morning but iclosed for inclement weather; Really? Shoved letter trough locked door with my pen knife. Do not know if anyone will find it. PRIVATIZE, PRIVATIZE, PRIVATIZE. At very least I would be able to get in touch with someone.

  • Donna Lee Casper
    Posted at 09:28h, 31 October Reply

    I have been treated horrible at Marion Illinois VA!! It is one of the worst in the nation!! I have called the Whitehouse hotliine and gone to my congressmen to help to no avail. Because of how I have been treated I refuse to go back. I am 1110 percent for privitatiztion! Because if President Trump i was able to get help last year from a civilian orthopedic. When I was refused treatment from the VA ER! Fire all the useless people wasting taxpayers money!!!

  • L. Manning
    Posted at 03:06h, 11 January Reply

    I like the idea that Vets take care of Vets. By doing so, they’re more inclined to recognize issues that are routinely suffered by military personnel that would require many visits to a civilian care provider. This is one of the primary reasons I prefer this. However, I like that President Trump realized how bad the care became under Obama and paved the way for Terminations within the VA for mistreatment of my fellow Vets AND instituting being seen by Private Physicians if someone can’t be seen in a reasonable amount of time. President Trump has done so much for the military and the Vets than any other President, in my lifetime. That includes Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Both Bushes and Obama, which is shameful. I know this because at least one of my family members has fought in every war since 1776, the Revolutionary War…subsequently the family tree is full of VETS!

  • Patty
    Posted at 15:28h, 05 December Reply

    Retired military should No Longer be denied VA benefits. My husband has again been denied VA benefits and he is retired Navy who went to Vietnam.

  • Michael K. Love
    Posted at 02:47h, 30 November Reply

    Instead of farming us out, hire more Doctors and staff, BUT give them better incentives to stay. We lost most of our specialty care doctors in just a couple of years at my hospital. But they have been doing millions of dollars in renovations that most of us can’t see were warranted. I have been at my VA hospital over 12 years now and you hear alot from the employees, Doctors as well. I personally would like to have the same Doctors for longer than a year or two at a time and have the VA staff reap the rewards NOT the private sector. I wouldnt have health Insurance I could afford If not for the VA. I do not know how some people survive.

  • David Moore
    Posted at 21:12h, 22 November Reply

    Since I live more then a two hour drive to the closest VA facility, I can use the choice program. So far it has been a disaster or wait wait wait and wait some more. Failed authorizations from Triwest, and then authorization for a 30 day period. Triwest has sent me to a provider that doesn’t even have a person to handle what I was going there for. So far to me the Choice program has been a waste of money and time, maybe I should say Triwest is the problem.

    Right now I have mixed feeling about Privatization of the VA

  • Caleb
    Posted at 18:16h, 19 November Reply

    No More Privatization. Big business, the pigs of Industry already have their fingers into too much. And with this thing in the WH bull dozing more and more into the already overflowing coffers of the greedy bas***rds, even using our soldiers to turn a buck… It does not just have to stop, it needs to BE stopped, like so many things of this administration and its base of Fascist Nationalist offal lean towards… it has to BE stopped by any means necessary if it continues.

  • Frank Kent
    Posted at 15:28h, 28 October Reply

    As a 100% DAV I can say without a second thought the benefit of using a private physician of my choice would be so much better. I have had a wide array of care in the VA system. From very good to very bad. It seems over the past few years the effort has been made to improve care but if you hang in long enough you will run into those who worked under the old system. I mean those who care less, it’s a government job and by any other means they would not be employed. This covers the range of admin, nurse, technicians and yes physicians. I can not see how using a private physician who accepts VA terms in payment could be worst. Many veterans say a short drive and less wait time would be nice. I never remember any of us waiting to attend a fire fight so why should we have long spans of time between a primary care visit, lab tests and just basic care needs.

  • Maria
    Posted at 14:10h, 22 October Reply

    Only in certain aspects of health care. My husband died by a horrific mistreatment in a nursing home contracted by the VA. I have seen a lot of terrible situations in those places that seem to be branches of hell.

  • Charles A. Craig
    Posted at 19:22h, 16 October Reply

    I think about the veteran(s) that is/are 40 miles away from a V.A. medical treatment facility. What about them?

  • Terry Curtis
    Posted at 04:09h, 11 August Reply

    My right leg had to be amputated up to my hip because of a staph infection given me at a VA hospital due to careless medical practices. I feel sure I would still have my leg and a normal life had I been allowed to go to a private doctor and hospital. Enough said.

  • John
    Posted at 18:12h, 09 August Reply

    I would be nice to be able to go and see a doctor without needing to drive an hour or more just to get to a clinic or hospital. It would also be nice to be able to have a dedicated doctor and not have a different doctor every six months or even every three years. Just as I get to know my doctor and he or she gets to know me the VA changes my doctor. The doctor before last started talking to me like she never even looked at my medical records. She didn’t last a year and I ended up with another doctor who sounded like he was trying to get caught up on knowing everyone. I have no specialized treatment needs so for me to see a civilian doctor closer to home, who I can continue to see for the next 20 years or so would be nice. A doctor who stays with his or her patients will get to know their needs, be better able to help, and know if and or what health problem are causing other health problems.

    • mark
      Posted at 19:57h, 29 October Reply

      I have experienced the same scenarios. Aside, the community care processing companies like Triwest are simply for overflow processing for what the local VHA staff could do. The local VHA can process authorizations quickly given time. The company overinflates their purpose. Regardless, a person on medicare for example, does not need to go through a pcp just to see a specialist. Its old school HMO type mentality. If a veteran needs to see, say a neurologist or podiatrist or rheumaologist or hematologist, etc…then they should be able to find one of their choosing in the community on their own! period. Really end of discussion. Alot of the current and ongoing frustration is the administration flubbing their need for control of veterans health care. Eliminate that roadblock and (i repeat) let the veteran choose their own!!’. costs will stabilize.

  • Andrew L. Harrison Jr.
    Posted at 15:22h, 23 July Reply

    As a Vietnam Veteran there should be far more less privatization of veterans healthcare. All it does is put more money into private doctors that don’t care about us veterans. All they want to do is get rich off of our problems from a war that was a money making war from the beginning. Just like all the wars since Vietnam. Who is better equip to care for Veterans are the personnel & doctors in the V.A. Health system that has gone through the trauma of war.It’s all about making money for the top 2% in this country, and you know who I’m talking about .Just like some of the private prisons in this country. Who owns them the top 2%. They don’t care about prison reform, or the pharmaceutical company’s all they care about is fattening the CEO’s pockets. I fought for this country and I don’t want no one taking care of me but the GOVERMENT I fought for. I’m tired of seeing homeless veterans who fought for this country sleeping on the streets, under bridges, even in cardboard boxes This should not bein the riches country in the world. It’s time the politicians to get off there fat money making butts stop cutting funds for the V.A. and start pouring money into the V.A. Hospitals for your veterans that fought and died for this country The United States of America.

    • Corby Enochs
      Posted at 02:51h, 18 September Reply

      I agree with everything you said. And you said it well.

  • Jerry Barnett
    Posted at 21:14h, 27 June Reply

    For years the VA has been a training ground for very young and inexperienced doctors. The private sector gives the Vet a choice and an opportunity seek out the best care ( doctors) available. Entirely too much bureaucracy at the VA. Time to give vets the best care possible. Unfortunately it’s not found at the VA.

  • Chuck
    Posted at 20:04h, 25 June Reply

    Keep VA inside the federal government. No outsourcing. Privatization will give ceo s more $$$$$$$ and cut service. The general medical field was better organized when it was non for profit.

  • Dale Kenel
    Posted at 20:09h, 24 June Reply

    Corporate-controlled healthcare with 40-50% overhead in profits and payouts to shareholders and multimillion-dollar CEOs, vs single-payer with 3-5% operational overhead for the same services? It’s all insurance!

  • Salvador Rivas
    Posted at 14:39h, 30 May Reply

    Tough one. Everything has a pro and a con. Services need to improve, but cost is also something to consider as a taxpayer.

  • Dean Haggerty
    Posted at 19:39h, 28 May Reply

    The VA health care system is not prepared to handle the additional service members added to it. More privatization will allow fellow brothers and sisters in arms to be seen and not just avoided as is happening now.

  • Dennis rone
    Posted at 08:38h, 20 January Reply

    Most of the docs at VA or students, the actual doc supervising them the patient rarely sees unless there’s a serious problem or a goof up by one of the student docs. I’ve been enrolled since 2008 and I’ve talked to the main doc twice when the students screwed up with my care. So I’m glad we have choice and I pray we keep being able to decide where to get our healthcare from.

  • Steve Beacon
    Posted at 00:33h, 18 January Reply

    More privatization is better because it gives a chance for better heathcare and more timely healthcare. Better and more timely is the best of the worlds.

Post A Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Log in

Forgot password?

Don't have an account? Register

Forgot password?

Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password.

Your password reset link appears to be invalid or expired.

Log in

Privacy Policy