Veterans Care

[XShipRider]

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/03/10/dems.radio.ap/index.html

We're all aware of the Walter Reed debacle.  I'm wondering what people think of the care at VA hospitals and clinics.

Just last year the VA received a prestigious award from Harvard and was mentioned in Time magazine for innovations in government and "The Best Care Anywhere" respectively.  The article above feigns just the opposite.  Now, which is it?  It can't be both.  Did care regress that badly in just one year?  I think not.

This article sounds like political posturing to gain the vet' vote in '08.

Thoughts? 

[BuoyJumper]

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/03/10/dems.radio.ap/index.html

We're all aware of the Walter Reed debacle.  I'm wondering what people think of the care at VA hospitals and clinics.

Just last year the VA received a prestigious award from Harvard and was mentioned in Time magazine for innovations in government and "The Best Care Anywhere" respectively.  The article above feigns just the opposite.  Now, which is it?  It can't be both.  Did care regress that badly in just one year?  I think not.

This article sounds like political posturing to gain the vet' vote in '08.

Thoughts? 

  There may be some political postering here by Pelosi and the democratic party, but I do not think Harry Mitchell can be accused of that.  Having done some digging on Harry Mitchell when he ran for Congress , he ran on a platform that was strong in support of U.S. military vets.  (http://harry2006.com/Issues.asp) 

He has said, "I'll work to honor America's veterans, and I will support the passage of a GI Bill of Rights for the 21st Century. This Bill of Rights would improve veterans' health care and will meet the health care needs of returning soldiers, would improve mental health care for returning soldiers, would stop increases in prescription drug co-payments and enrollment fees for veterans, would reduce waiting times on disability claims and expand outreach to veterans, would end the Disabled Veterans' Tax and the Military Families Tax, and would protect the income of activated National Guard and Reservists.

  Looks to me like he is just following through on what he promised when he ran and seems genuinely concerned for the welfare of our military veterans.  That's my thoughts on the Walter Reed situation and Harry Mitchell.

[EX-CG-GM]

Its also important to remember that Walter Reed is an Army hospital, not a VA hospital.

[MarkW51]

It would be dangerous to generalize all VA medical facilities or, for that matter, military medical facilities as the same.  Some are fantastic while others fall through the cracks, operating at below par.

Living in this part of northern California, we're quite lucky to have one of the best VA hospitals - San Francisco and one of the best military hospitals - Travis Air Force Base's David O. Grant Medical Center.  There is also a nifty VA outpatient clinic on Travis AFB.

The problem is that the federal budget provided has not met the increased demand for either Veterans or active duty military medical services.

Planning for Military Members and Veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan was sorely lacking due to the speculation that the liberation of Iraq would merely be a short term event where it was thought that our forces would be in and out in no time.  Unfortunately, that was not the case.

Still, there is no excuse whatsoever for the conditions at medical facilities such as Walter Reed.  Part of military leadership is that the cadre should regular material inspections of all facilities on a regular basis, at least monthly.  It is appearant that this was not the case, at least at Walter Reed.

I seem to remember that just a few years ago, our National Guard troops returning from Iraq were receiving the same sort of shabby treatment at assorted Army posts nation-wide.

We should have learned from that. But appearantly, we did not.

Mark

[ThadsBoy]

I've been in the VA medical care system for a while.  They are good as far as getting meds like anti-chlorestoral meds as well as giving you an annual checkup (i.e., blood test, etc.).  Don't know if they are that good if you need major surgery. 

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[EX-CG-GM]

Don't know if they are that good if you need major surgery. 

It probably depends on the doctor and the hospital, just like private care.  My brother had quad bypass surgery at the VA hospital in Portland, OR. several years ago.  His doctor said they do about 30 a month there.

Practice makes perfect!