- Jul 2, 2003
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https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...aries-soon-four-including-david-sh/470573002/
But year after year, critical deficiencies remain and veterans are bearing the brunt of the failures. Here are some key, seemingly intractable shortfalls that continue to plague the system
“In interviews, leaders frequently abrogated individual responsibility and deflected blame to others,” the investigation report says. “Despite the many warnings and ongoing indicators of serious problems, leaders failed to engage in meaningful interventions of effective remediation.”
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The most perilous and important controversy involves decisions on privatizing veterans’ healthcare.
Powerful unions and veteran service organizations, such as the American Legion, oppose a radical change, and they are supported by most Democrats on Capitol Hill. But Republicans and key advocacy groups, such as Concerned Veterans for America, are demanding a system that would let veterans decide whether they go to the VA for care, or get private treatment subsidized by the government.
Trump suggested that Shulkin was dismissed because he was not aggressive enough in promoting the private-care option.
The existing Choice Program, which ate up billions of dollars and had to be re-funded, promises to be even more expensive if expanded. And those costs already have included tens of millions of dollars in improper payments to contractors.
Veteran enrollment for healthcare has skyrocketed, and Congress continues to expand benefits for those already in the system, with care for Agent Orange victims and high-cost medications for hepatitis patients. Bringing in enough funding to meet that demand also requires political aplomb.
But year after year, critical deficiencies remain and veterans are bearing the brunt of the failures. Here are some key, seemingly intractable shortfalls that continue to plague the system
- Veterans are still waiting
- Quality of care
- Bureaucratic breakdown
“In interviews, leaders frequently abrogated individual responsibility and deflected blame to others,” the investigation report says. “Despite the many warnings and ongoing indicators of serious problems, leaders failed to engage in meaningful interventions of effective remediation.”
- Vetting failures
- Hiding shoddy care
- Politics
Obama care looks real good I bet compared to this fiasco.
==========
The most perilous and important controversy involves decisions on privatizing veterans’ healthcare.
Powerful unions and veteran service organizations, such as the American Legion, oppose a radical change, and they are supported by most Democrats on Capitol Hill. But Republicans and key advocacy groups, such as Concerned Veterans for America, are demanding a system that would let veterans decide whether they go to the VA for care, or get private treatment subsidized by the government.
Trump suggested that Shulkin was dismissed because he was not aggressive enough in promoting the private-care option.
The existing Choice Program, which ate up billions of dollars and had to be re-funded, promises to be even more expensive if expanded. And those costs already have included tens of millions of dollars in improper payments to contractors.
Veteran enrollment for healthcare has skyrocketed, and Congress continues to expand benefits for those already in the system, with care for Agent Orange victims and high-cost medications for hepatitis patients. Bringing in enough funding to meet that demand also requires political aplomb.