Dismantling VA---Piece by piece VA is disappearing

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Sat, 1 Oct 2005 20:59:34 -0500

Dismantling VA---Piece by piece VA is disappearing

 

 

 

 

 

September 21, 2005

 

Dismantling VA

 

Piece by piece VA is disappearing

 

http://www.vawatchdog.org/milcom/dismantlingva.htm

 

The Senator's aide chuckled rather loudly and said, " What VA? By the

time this administration is done there won't be a VA. " Our

conversation had begun with a discussion of VA's healthcare budget and

quickly came down to a single, simple point. VA is being dismantled.

 

Three reasons why the administration would want to dismantle VA

immediately come to mind.

 

VA is a large-scale, publicly-funded healthcare system that works.

And, VA works so well it has been used as a model to push the case for

nationalized healthcare, something that strikes fear in the heart of

every Republican.

 

Recent studies by the Rand Corporation and the University of Michigan

working with UCLA and Rand prove the point that VA is efficient and

provides healthcare that meets the highest standards. If it can work

for millions of veterans, it can work for millions of Americans. That

concept is antithetical to current administration thinking.

 

In the aftermath of hurricane Katrina we learned that VA was the ONLY

healthcare organization that managed to save ALL patient records.

This is because VA uses a computerized system that was backed-up on a

regional level and put back online in a matter of hours. Now that

system is under attack by Rep. Steve Buyer (R-IN), Chairman of the

House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Rep. Buyer wants to eliminate

regional control of the system under the guise of saving money.

 

VA is ripe for privatization. And that spells profits for private

corporations. The latest move in this direction happened last week on

Capitol Hill where the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs approved

S. 1182 (see Sec. 10) which would spend money from VA's healthcare

budget to study outsourcing the jobs of VA healthcare workers. The

study, with VA healthcare funds going to private consultants, could

cost over $140 million and lead to the loss of up to 36,000 VA jobs.

Democrats opposed it but Republicans pushed it through.

 

VA is part of BIG government. And that's something this

administration abhors. GOP strategist Grover Norquist says he wants

the government shrunk down so he can " drown it in the bathtub. " The

problem with this is that smaller government means fewer services as

well as the much touted lower taxes. And, the jobs that are spared

are outsourced and cost more to maintain because private corporations

have to build in a profit margin.

 

So, while the concept of smaller government appeals to many, the

economics fall into the " voodoo " category and the social ramifications

spell disaster for those who need the programs that are cut back or

eliminated. In fact, smaller government gives less but costs more per

person served. And, I should remind Grover that 24.6 million veterans

won't fit in a bathtub and the ones that do surely WILL drown.

 

Dismantling and privatizing VA is a big job. But the administration

has enlisted like minds to sell the concept to the public.

 

Last year we had the CARES commission that recommended closing VA

hospitals and clinics and urged making VA's primary mission outpatient

treatment. This while the number of aging veterans, especially those

from the Vietnam era, demands that more inpatient space be made

available at VA facilities.

 

Then add the wisdom of Dr. David Chu, a DoD undersecretary, who said

that the government is spending so much money on veterans' benefits

that it is hurting the country's ability to fight current wars. Rep.

Steve Buyer is pushing for massive changes in VA benefits. The

Veterans' Disability Benefits Commission is studying ways to

completely rewrite the book on veterans' benefits at the request of

the administration.

 

To add to the above insults, VA has instituted a review of 72,000 PTSD

claims that have already been awarded to veterans. Why? To increase

their benefits? I don't think so! Also, VA has instituted the Second

Signature Required policy for veterans filing claims for conditions

that have the highest level of monetary award. Again, why? Again, I

don't think so!

 

While VA represents a lifeline to veterans it is an ideological anchor

to an administration that has gone out of its way to portray veterans'

benefits as something akin to welfare. This assault on VA and

veterans' benefits will not stop. The major service organizations

know it yet all they do is go before a committee and testify that

veterans are good guys and deserve benefits while their dues-paying

members are waiting months for treatment at a VA facility or getting

no treatment at all.

 

It's time for veterans to realize that the current administration has

failed them. Smaller government and lower taxes are wonderful phrases

and paint a glowing picture. But, the reality is much different than

the painted picture. VA's chronic underfunding has led to hiring

freezes, layoffs and the closing of healthcare facilities. Meanwhile,

hundreds of thousands of veterans are forced to go without healthcare.

 

Those in Congress who realize this are shouted down and voted down

along party lines. Smaller government and lower taxes are obviously

more important than veterans' lives. I pray for a change and urge my

elected representatives to work for a change.

 

I don't look forward to a dismantled VA that puts veterans out on the

street instead of in a hospital room. But, if the administration is

successful, maybe we can chat about it while we share Grover's bathtub