The VA Mess: Is This What the Future of US Medicine Looks Like?

[Valandil]

I'm somewhat following all this mess with the VA (Veterans' Administration) Hospitals in the US. It seems to be a system-wide, endemic problem that has been with us for years.

When the Affordable Healthcare Act (informally: "Obamacare") was first discussed, my take all along was that if people wanted to see how government controlled medicine in the US would be - all they had to do was look at the VA. And the VA was a joke already, and has been for some time. It's the last resort for most veterans. So - I wondered if this was what we were ALL heading for, if the government would take a greater role in administering our health care.

I don't get just what it is - but somehow many of these programs that work so well in other parts of the world - I'm thinking especially Europe and maybe Canada - and I've gathered that most of our European Mooters are happy with the programs they have - anyway, they just don't seem to work here in the US. Somehow our people - when they get guaranteed, safe, jobs - become poor workers and do a bad job.

I really think - government-wide, federal and state - we in the US need to make it much easier for government employees to be fired or laid off. It should not be the case where those who get a job like this - or even a job of any kind - are set for life, whether they work hard or not. It basically just robs the rest of us - in one way or the other.

Well - I've about managed to go two different directions with the opening post of this thread. Maybe we'll have to split it up. But what do the rest of you think?

[Earniel]

I haven't quite followed the VA's mess. Is this related to the rumours that at least in one hospital a lot of veterans are specifically put on long (often non-existant) waiting lists in the hope they die before they get to see a doctor?

Originally Posted by Valandil

I really think - government-wide, federal and state - we in the US need to make it much easier for government employees to be fired or laid off.

This is not necessarily only an American problem.

[Insidious Rex]

Im not so sure about directly connecting Obamacare and the VA mess. At least Obamacare, for all its technical glitches and issues, was initiated as a computer based system. And technically it seems to be running fine now. Whereas the VA has run a rogue department using a pre-legacy paper based system that would cost an unthinkable amount to suddenly change all over to a new computer based system and theyve been doing that for decades largely immune from any oversite authority. I was told that when representatives have issues with different departments (because of things that may have happened to constituents and very much needed to be addressed) and they contact said departments (EVEN when that department was the IRS) that the powers that be in that department responded, sometimes slowly, often quickly and at least semi-satisfactorily to their complaints especially if the demand was angry and public. With the VA, they just dont care. Theyve even outright ignored people like veteran and former prisoner of war John McCain when he's demanded they address certain issues. Clearly this shows a culture in need of change. Not really fair to make this an issue about Obama though as some are doing now for political points considering how long this has been going on (pre-Vietnam?) and how immense a task it is to get things updated and catch up to their backlogs. It is unacceptable however to have what amounts to criminal activity going on that causes the deaths of veterans as we've heard with these secret lists. Thats something that needs to be investigated and heads need to roll. And the president needs to make it clear that the head of the department (if they are going to keep him in place) must have full authority to clean house as needed. It seems that even the head of the VA has limited ability to make change! And thats ridiculous.

At the same time, republicans cant keep screaming about the problems at the VA and then turn around and constantly try to cut funding to veterans. You cant have it both ways. Our veterans should not have any limit on what it takes to maintain their health considering what theyve sacrificed for us as american citizens. Yes, this doesnt mean throwing money down a hole. But CUTTING money at this time from veteran programs seems ridiculous and two faced.