Democrat Bernie Sanders proposes VA fix bill

[sportage]

Democrat Bernie proposes a bill to expand VA facilities along with funding for those new facilities. The same bill republicans blocked back before the VA scandal hit mainstream.
This will be interesting.
This time will the republicans show us the money?
Of just make up excuses to block this bill once again.
Any bet takers???

Republicans in the past have called our vets part of the TAKERS of society.
Let's just see if republicans in congress sing a different tune this time around.....

 

[TerryMathews]

Democrat Bernie proposes a bill to expand VA facilities along with funding for those new facilities. The same bill republicans blocked back before the VA scandal hit mainstream.
This will be interesting.
This time will the republicans show us the money?
Of just make up excuses to block this bill once again.
Any bet takers???

Republicans in the past have called our vets part of the TAKERS of society.
Let's just see if republicans in congress sing a different tune this time around.....

I wonder if there is even a funding issue, or if the funding "shortfall" is actually being caused by the fraudulent bonuses.

 

[DominionSeraph]

I wonder if there is even a funding issue, or if the funding "shortfall" is actually being caused by the fraudulent bonuses.

You're not very bright, are you?

 

[cabri]

The VA has had the funds to fill authorized positions.

They never filled them.

Build the facilities, but who will staff them?


http://news.yahoo.com/senators-reach-bipartisan-deal-veterans-healthcare-181527021.html

The proposed legislation, targeted for a Senate vote next week, would authorize leases for 26 new major clinics in 18 states and use $500 million in leftover funds to hire new VA doctors and nurses to speed veterans' access to care.

Note that they had the funding for staff; just never employed the people.
Another thing that needs to be looked at is why?

The bill would allow the immediate firing of VA executives responsible for the cover-ups and other deficiencies. It would offer them the opportunity to appeal within seven days, with a final decision due within 21 days.

The U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC), an independent watchdog agency, said on Thursday it was probing 37 allegations that VA whistle blowers who disclosed poor scheduling practices were unfairly disciplined

 

[TerryMathews]

You're not very bright, are you?

Do you understand the purpose of the secret waiting list, if you don't read about it and my comment will suddenly make sense to you.

 

[DeadFred]

This mess proves that the govt. cant run healthcare. Let the vets go to any hospital they choose, problem solved.

 

[NaughtyGeek]

This mess proves that the govt. cant run healthcare. Let the vets go to any hospital they choose, problem solved.

QFT

 

[fskimospy]

This mess proves that the govt. cant run healthcare. Let the vets go to any hospital they choose, problem solved.

The VA consistently matches or outperforms private hospitals in study after study in both quality and efficiency. Additionally, it is uniquely positioned to deal with injuries and illnesses that are quite common among veteran populations but quite rare in the general population.

I get the feeling you guys have not thought this through.

 

[HomerJS]

This mess proves that the govt. cant run healthcare. Let the vets go to any hospital they choose, problem solved.

I'll give you the 2nd half due to backlog.

As for the first half VA hospitals have a higher approval rating them the private sector. Problem isn't the healthcare, its getting in.

 

[smackababy]

I don't understand what the bill is going to contain. "Falsify records at VA hospitals to artificially boost stats and get tried for a capital offense?" Sounds like a bill I'd support.

It is sickening that people would do this to vets. Yeah, I get they want their numbers to look good, but if there is a problem and they hide it, it doesn't get fixed.

I'll give you the 2nd half due to backlog.

As for the first half VA hospitals have a higher approval rating them the private sector. Problem isn't the healthcare, its getting in.

A realistic fix would simply be to allow any overflow to be directed to an outside facility. If they can't schedule you to receive care in 2 weeks, let them go to an outside place.

 

[Matt1970]

The VA consistently matches or outperforms private hospitals in study after study in both quality and efficiency. Additionally, it is uniquely positioned to deal with injuries and illnesses that are quite common among veteran populations but quite rare in the general population.

I get the feeling you guys have not thought this through.

So there isn't a problem then.

 

[Jaskalas]

From the previous VA topic:

Sounds like another voting block / minority group in the making. Just promise to throw money at them and those "damn obstructionists" just gotta get out of the way.

There you go. Democrats know how to play the game.

 

[Matt1970]

From the previous VA topic:

There you go. Democrats know how to play the game.

Every problem is solved by throwing more money at the problem. If you disagree then you don't care about what the money is being thrown at. If you try to criticize the Government run VA you get informed it is the greatest thing since sliced bread, but it needs more money.

 

[NaughtyGeek]

The VA consistently matches or outperforms private hospitals in study after study in both quality and efficiency. Additionally, it is uniquely positioned to deal with injuries and illnesses that are quite common among veteran populations but quite rare in the general population.

I get the feeling you guys have not thought this through.

Yes, as stated, they are better qualified to deal with military medical problems. However, most military members who are needing care from the VA aren't "military sick," they're regular ol' sick which hospitals and physicians in the local area are more than capable of handling. Staff the VA facilities appropriately to deal with military related illness and outsource the rest to the private sector.

 

[kage69]

This mess proves that the govt. cant run healthcare. Let the vets go to any hospital they choose, problem solved.

Actually, no it doesn't.


Also, vets getting care at private hospitals isn't exactly new, and most hospitals don't usually have the military centric expertise that Vets need either. Not the fix you think it is I'm afraid.

 

[nageov3t]

Yes, as stated, they are better qualified to deal with military medical problems. However, most military members who are needing care from the VA aren't "military sick," they're regular ol' sick which hospitals and physicians in the local area are more than capable of handling. Staff the VA facilities appropriately to deal with military related illness and outsource the rest to the private sector.

close to 25% of vets are receiving care for diabetes, for example (http://www.va.gov/health/NewsFeatures/20111115a.asp)... no real reason I can think of that something like this (or most cancers) require VA hospitals specifically rather than any convenient hospital to the patient.

 

[fskimospy]

Yes, as stated, they are better qualified to deal with military medical problems. However, most military members who are needing care from the VA aren't "military sick," they're regular ol' sick which hospitals and physicians in the local area are more than capable of handling. Staff the VA facilities appropriately to deal with military related illness and outsource the rest to the private sector.

From my understanding hospitals and facilities for this sort of thing can often have high initial and fixed costs, so making just special 'military sick' facilities would be prohibitively expensive as compared to the number of patients served.

Additionally, studies show that care from the VA is as good or better than private sector care and that it is usually more efficient as well. What would outsourcing this to the private sector accomplish?

 

[TerryMathews]

A realistic fix would simply be to allow any overflow to be directed to an outside facility. If they can't schedule you to receive care in 2 weeks, let them go to an outside place.

That might have been the original intent of the EWL, to determine if they needed to second source some care.

 

[FerrelGeek]

The VA consistently matches or outperforms private hospitals in study after study in both quality and efficiency. Additionally, it is uniquely positioned to deal with injuries and illnesses that are quite common among veteran populations but quite rare in the general population.

I get the feeling you guys have not thought this through.

How about a compromise solution? I get your point that some things could very well be best treated by VA 'specialists', for lack of a better name. But vets also get have very common health issues that the civilian health care facilities are more than adequate to handle. Provide some form of voucher / payment scheme similar to standard health insurance for the common items and let the specialists do what they do well. This could decrease the load at the VA facilities and could possible cut down the administrative overhead. Just a thought. Find ways to serve the vets without the need to build / staff the facilities, or at least reduce that need.

Looks like others responded while I was typing this.

 

[Jaskalas]

From my understanding hospitals and facilities for this sort of thing can often have high initial and fixed costs, so making just special 'military sick' facilities would be prohibitively expensive as compared to the number of patients served.

Additionally, studies show that care from the VA is as good or better than private sector care and that it is usually more efficient as well. What would outsourcing this to the private sector accomplish?

It's self evident that they are attempting to address the wait times and lack of service.

Not restricting the places they can receive medical care seems like a good idea.

 

[NaughtyGeek]

What would outsourcing this to the private sector accomplish?

Elimination of secret waiting lists I suppose. Maybe that's me being all "pie in the sky" though.

 

[fskimospy]

It's self evident that they are attempting to address the wait times and lack of service.

Not restricting the places they can receive medical care seems like a good idea.

I agree that in the case of excessive wait times that care should be moved to private hospitals. Outsourcing all VA care of that type doesn't seem to be a very good idea though.

 

[Genx87]

The VA consistently matches or outperforms private hospitals in study after study in both quality and efficiency. Additionally, it is uniquely positioned to deal with injuries and illnesses that are quite common among veteran populations but quite rare in the general population.

I get the feeling you guys have not thought this through.

I'm sure they do as well as the private sector when they aren't deleting your records or putting you in a cockroach infested building.

 

[fskimospy]

I'm sure they do as well as the private sector when they aren't deleting your records or putting you in a cockroach infested building.

Just like I'm sure those private hospitals do as well when they aren't dumping homeless paraplegics out of the back of a van onto the street, deliberately attempting to avoid giving vital care, etc.

 

[CitizenKain]

Every problem is solved by throwing more money at the problem. If you disagree then you don't care about what the money is being thrown at. If you try to criticize the Government run VA you get informed it is the greatest thing since sliced bread, but it needs more money.

Its almost like things cost money. Are you not smart enough to understand this simple concept unless it is repeated to you by Foxnews?