Veteran Healh Care is not a "new" issue - it has failed for many years

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

Despite all of the recent publicity regarding military health care problems, this is not a new issue. As a disabled veteran, I know first hand how broken this system is for the people who need it the most. The problems shown on television are from Walter Reed Army Hospital. If you think conditions are bad there, the system gets worse the further you get away from Washington, D.C.

The whole health care system for veterans is a disgrace to our country. When you are "at war" you must surely realize there are going to be a large number of injuries and casualties. The system was overloaded before the war, and yet no thought has been given to planning for current and future health care needs.

The good news is that with proper attention, this is a problem that can be fixed. I used to think that the VA didn't have enough money. The funding isn't the problem, it is the wasteful use of the funds that is the problem.

The VA has made a lot of progress, such as using electronic medical records, and reducing their expenses by using open source software. Where they fail the most is during their interaction with the veteran. Half of the people who work at the VA are rude and never helpful. The patients are a "captive audience" because it isn't like they have any other alternatives. They are stuck with the care they get from VA.

The good news is that the system isn't yet broken beyond repair. The lack of prior planning has made this issue into a crisis, and the veterans (and their families) are having to pay the price. As a taxpayer, you should be concerned about the efficient use of our tax money. As an American, we owe the best to the people who have literally sacrified their lives to protect our nation.

Unfortunately, this has been an ongoing problem for years. Many soldiers and sailors will not come forward with their complaints for fear of retailiation. I can only hope our leaders fix this ASAP, because each day that goes by affects our veterans. A day is really a long time when you are disabled!

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