Problems With VA Medical Care

[guido911]

[guido911]

The inevitable "blame" poll:

Americans are split in their thoughts over who is most to blame for the problems at Veterans Affairs Department medical facilities, which involve allegations that VA hospitals kept delays in treatment off the books and that patients may have died waiting for care.

Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki and the VA (33 percent) receive more blame than either local VA hospitals (28 percent) or President Obama (17 percent). About a quarter of Americans have no opinion.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/who-do-americans-blame-for-the-va-scandal/

Shut up and fix it.

[Gaspar]

Hey, look what I found.  Not only was he informed of the issues, but he also vowed to improve the VA system back in 2008.
http://change.gov/agenda/veterans_agenda/

I wonder how fast this old website will disappear now?

[AquaMan]

Cynic. The VA does well once the vets get into the system. And will do even better when the system is properly funded. Too bad congress has spent so much time on obamacare and gotcha stuff. There was a time when VA hospitals were abysmal.

[Hoss]

Hey, look what I found.  Not only was he informed of the issues, but he also vowed to improve the VA system back in 2008.
http://change.gov/agenda/veterans_agenda/

I wonder how fast this old website will disappear now?

Explain why the previous 10 presidents did nothing also then.  Can't blame the current one without spreading it to the others.

[Townsend]

Explain why the previous 10 presidents did nothing also then.  Can't blame the current one without spreading it to the others.

His point was he was able to find a link and post it.  Feel good for him

[Conan71]

Explain why the previous 10 presidents did nothing also then.  Can't blame the current one without spreading it to the others.

The point isn't excusing anyone else.  The point is, Obama acted like problems with the VA was news to him when this broke a few weeks ago.  At least that's been the White House line.  Apparently he knew all about these deficiencies back in 2007 or earlier.  This not only was not the priority he claimed it would be if he were elected, he claimed ignorance of deficiencies in the system until now.  Why wait until the light was shone on this, if it were such a priority.

I really don't care about excuses that "All people make big promises in their campaigns..."  How about holding people accountable to their promises.  Why should we accept any less?

[Gaspar]

Explain why the previous 10 presidents did nothing also then.  Can't blame the current one without spreading it to the others.

True. All presidents are to blame for the shortcomings of their executive leadership, but lets look back at a few of the most recent presidents. Reagan, Clinton, Baby Bush.  They all acknoledged that there were issues with the VA just as Obama did when he took office. The difference is that they actually took action and got results with the VA issues of their time.  They did not claim no knowledge of the issues, or make up some story about how they heard about it in the news.

Reagan acknowledged a lack of oversight in the VA system when he was president so he created The Department of Veterans Affairs, to provide a cabinet level position that would report directly to the president.  At the time the VA had a very high surgical mortality rate, and he signed a bill that required the VHA to research and report mortality rates in comparison to the general population.  This greatly improved patient care and led to a host of expanded services in the 90's.

Clinton apponted Dr. Kenneth Kizer to modernize and improve the system and he mad sweeping changes, including decentralizing the system which lessened the bureaucracy and greatly increased the efficiency of VHA operations. The VHA was split up into 22 regions and directors were hired from the private sector instead of from within the system. This lead to some amazing results. http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMsa021899

Baby Bush allocated an additional $1.4billion to mental health services at the VA called the Mental Health Strategic Plan because of an uptick in mental health issues as a result of soldiers coming back from war.  This lead to a dramatic increase in the quality of VHA mental care, elevating it above civilian care in 7 out of 9 categories. http://www.rand.org/pubs/technical_reports/TR956.html

Obama gave lots of speeches about veteran's care and pledged to make improvements during and just after his campaign in 2008.  Finally in 2013, under guidance from the administration, the VHA embarked on an initiative called the PARIS program  to "repair veterans' crumbling intimate relationships" http://issuu.com/pairs/docs/va_support  http://fatherhoodchannel.com/2012/10/20/relationship-retreats-warriors-to-soul-mates-120/  As far as addressing issues related to falsified wait times and deaths as a result of lack of care, the administration has yet to announce an initiate, but they are looking into it and I'm sure there will be a series of speeches, an investigation, and a blue ribbon panel.

Perhaps the president will take some time on Memorial Day to outline his initiatives?

[heironymouspasparagus]

Cynic. The VA does well once the vets get into the system. And will do even better when the system is properly funded. Too bad congress has spent so much time on obamacare and gotcha stuff. There was a time when VA hospitals were abysmal.

Good friend - neighbor across the street - VietNam veteran - got shot 3 times while in country (Sgt of infantry platoon).  3rd was the "million dollar" ticket home.  He had great care while still on active, then got spun out and into the VA system.  Spent some time (several events) in VA hospital in mid/late 70's.  Kind of a snake pit, but at least they didn't kill him.  By 80's, he was back in state into the Muskogee system, and not on waiting lists.... he said it was ok at that point... slow, but sure.  After fully healed up, he did ok.  

It has always been about proper funding.  We are thrilled to death to buy a jet fighter at $3 billion + per plane (several per year!)...keeps the CEO's of the aerospace industry very happy.  And keeps tens of thousands employed - can be good stuff.   BUT - and you knew there had to be a but - we can only spend $120 million per year to provide services to over 9 million veterans**...??  And yet, Inhofe sees nothing wrong with this picture....he has been around for decades and has been his normal ineffective self on the topic - as in not doing anything real to help.  And which committee is it he is on....oh, yeah....US Senate Committed on Armed Services....

Perspective moment -
3 billion....120 million...
Tens of thousands....9 million.


** I heard Chuck Hagel this morning state we have over 9 million vets to provide services for - I thought it was higher, but will go with his number.  One would hope he would know.

[heironymouspasparagus]

True. All presidents are to blame for the shortcomings of their executive leadership, but lets look back at a few of the most recent presidents. Reagan, Clinton, Baby Bush.  They all acknoledged that there were issues with the VA just as Obama did when he took office. The difference is that they actually took action and got results with the VA issues of their time.  They did not claim no knowledge of the issues, or make up some story about how they heard about it in the news.

Reagan acknowledged a lack of oversight in the VA system when he was president so he created The Department of Veterans Affairs, to provide a cabinet level position that would report directly to the president.  At the time the VA had a very high surgical mortality rate, and he signed a bill that required the VHA to research and report mortality rates in comparison to the general population.  This greatly improved patient care and led to a host of expanded services in the 90's.

Clinton apponted Dr. Kenneth Kizer to modernize and improve the system and he mad sweeping changes, including decentralizing the system which lessened the bureaucracy and greatly increased the efficiency of VHA operations. The VHA was split up into 22 regions and directors were hired from the private sector instead of from within the system. This lead to some amazing results. http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMsa021899

Baby Bush allocated an additional $1.4billion to mental health services at the VA called the Mental Health Strategic Plan because of an uptick in mental health issues as a result of soldiers coming back from war.  This lead to a dramatic increase in the quality of VHA mental care, elevating it above civilian care in 7 out of 9 categories. http://www.rand.org/pubs/technical_reports/TR956.html

Obama gave lots of speeches about veteran's care and pledged to make improvements during and just after his campaign in 2008.  Finally in 2013, under guidance from the administration, the VHA embarked on an initiative called the PARIS program  to "repair veterans' crumbling intimate relationships" http://issuu.com/pairs/docs/va_support  http://fatherhoodchannel.com/2012/10/20/relationship-retreats-warriors-to-soul-mates-120/  As far as addressing issues related to falsified wait times and deaths as a result of lack of care, the administration has yet to announce an initiate, but they are looking into it and I'm sure there will be a series of speeches, an investigation, and a blue ribbon panel.

Perhaps the president will take some time on Memorial Day to outline his initiatives?

Now how cool is that...!!??  I planted a little "earworm" in your head - Baby Bush!!!


But, you need to look at those funding levels I posted the other day - they can TALK about all those glittering generalities as much as they want - NONE of them did anything REAL other than talk.

Spending has trended up in the last few years - to the range I mentioned earlier.

[RecycleMichael]

Actual facts about Obama programs and funding for Veteran's Administration...

http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/budget/fy2012/assets/veterans.pdf

Obama's funding...

Provides $61.85 billion, a 10.6 percent increase over 2010 to meet increased demand.

• Prioritizes the specialized care needed by veterans with post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury, and other psychological and cognitive health needs.

• Provides advance appropriations for VA's Medical Care in 2013, which requires a multi-year budgeting approach to effectively manage medical care resources across multiple fiscal years.

• Dramatically expands benefits and medical care for veterans' caregivers.

• Increases the historic funding level for the Administration's ongoing efforts to combat veteran homelessness.

• Improves VA responsiveness and efficiency by beginning the implementation of a new paperless system that will provide faster and more accurate benefits claims processing and improve veterans' access to benefits information.

• Reduces spending for construction to focus resources on providing timely, high-quality care and benefits to veterans.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Actual facts about Obama programs and funding for Veteran's Administration...

http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/budget/fy2012/assets/veterans.pdf

Obama's funding...

Provides $61.85 billion, a 10.6 percent increase over 2010 to meet increased demand.

• Prioritizes the specialized care needed by veterans with post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury, and other psychological and cognitive health needs.

• Provides advance appropriations for VA's Medical Care in 2013, which requires a multi-year budgeting approach to effectively manage medical care resources across multiple fiscal years.

• Dramatically expands benefits and medical care for veterans' caregivers.

• Increases the historic funding level for the Administration's ongoing efforts to combat veteran homelessness.

• Improves VA responsiveness and efficiency by beginning the implementation of a new paperless system that will provide faster and more accurate benefits claims processing and improve veterans' access to benefits information.

• Reduces spending for construction to focus resources on providing timely, high-quality care and benefits to veterans.

That shows the breakdown the one I linked to was missing... about half is pensions and disability - about $53 billion.  (And yeah, I slipped some zeros in verbal description....which still is shown by the graph to be stagnant for the vast majority of the last 60+ years.)

[guido911]

It's Bush's fault.  

http://washingtonexaminer.com/nancy-pelosi-blames-george-w.-bush-for-veterans-affairs-scandal/article/2548784

And the CJS is back.

[Townsend]

It's Bush's fault.  

http://washingtonexaminer.com/nancy-pelosi-blames-george-w.-bush-for-veterans-affairs-scandal/article/2548784

Must be true then.

No way a politician says anything that isn't 100% true.

[Conan71]

It's Bush's fault.  

http://washingtonexaminer.com/nancy-pelosi-blames-george-w.-bush-for-veterans-affairs-scandal/article/2548784

And the CJS is back.

How does that old crone still have a shred of credibility?