The VA is a National Disgrace...It has been that way for many years. They all know it.

These Politicians standing up there pretending the VA is good Healthcare.

Have you ever been in one of the pathetic hospitals ?

Every one I have been in smells like urine or worse.

The VA killed my Dad. I would of yelled at the Doctor but he didn't speak English.

A large portion of these Doctors do not speak the language.

Not saying these Doctors are not good. But, if the can't communicate what good are they.

So these liars can stand up there and try to blame Obama. They knew...

The VA should be ended. It would be way cheaper to allow the Private Sector to do it.

To any Politician that wants to pretend the VA is anything other than a huge disgrace.

I know you are lying. The Vets know you are lying. The Vets just don't complain.

One more example that politicians really only care about themselves. They are there to look out for #1 and take advantage of the insider trading laws, maybe make a book deal, or a couple of deals under the table. Troops have been used as guinea pigs to experiment on for years by the government and then sent out to die for some cause that nobody really understands. I really believe that many politicians view soldiers as 'things' not people, to be used and taken advantage of when they need them and then thrown out when they are done with them. Maybe take a few photo ops with them to make it appear that they care. Or in the words of messed up men like Henry Kissinger, “Military men are just dumb, stupid animals to be used as pawns in foreign policy.” I think more people in politics must feel the same way or they would treat them better all the time and not just when they are useful.

a reply to: whyamIhere
Some brave doctor in Saint Louis became a Whistleblower and demoted, harassed recently...
Going private with subsidies is the right solution.

The VA system is crap, because the only thing the docs care about is their bonus. Taking good care of the hospital's reputation is what earns you a bonus ... Not ... taking care of the patients.

originally posted by: Granite
a reply to: whyamIhere
Some brave doctor in Saint Louis became a Whistleblower and demoted, harassed recently...
Going private with subsidies is the right solution.

I learned today they have 600 lawyers on staff.

The cost of running the VA has to be ridiculous.

Give it to the Private sector where bonuses are not more important than our Vets.

a reply to: whyamIhere

The VA should be ended. It would be way cheaper to allow the Private Sector to do it.

We heard this before when it came to hiring private sector to do things the military could do for themselves in this war on terror and look at how much that is costing us. The VA is a civilian department it should be placed under the DOD and staffed by military personnel. This would also get rid of all the bonus BS.

originally posted by: whyamIhere
These Politicians standing up there pretending the VA is good Healthcare.

Have you ever been in one of the pathetic hospitals ?

Every one I have been in smells like urine or worse.

The VA killed my Dad. I would of yelled at the Doctor but he didn't speak English.

A large portion of these Doctors do not speak the language.

Not saying these Doctors are not good. But, if the can't communicate what good are they.

So these liars can stand up there and try to blame Obama. They knew...

The VA should be ended. It would be way cheaper to allow the Private Sector to do it.

To any Politician that wants to pretend the VA is anything other than a huge disgrace.

I know you are lying. The Vets know you are lying. The Vets just don't complain.

i completely disagree with your assessment.

i am a vet. i go to the va. my hospital is very nice. my doctor, though hindu with an accent, was a high ranking member of the army and has some rather prestigious degrees and awards.

i dont want the va to go private. i didnt serve in a private army, but a public one. my healthcare should be the same.

also, private and cheaper does not equate to better.

the problem with the va is that its understaffed and underfunded. remember, it was the republicans, the ones yelling loudest against the va, that blocked a bill that would have increased funding and built 27 more clinics and hospitals back in feb. i loathe republicans with it comes to the military and the va, ask and ill tell you why.

originally posted by: whyamIhere

originally posted by: Granite
a reply to: whyamIhere
Some brave doctor in Saint Louis became a Whistleblower and demoted, harassed recently...
Going private with subsidies is the right solution.

I learned today they have 600 lawyers on staff.

The cost of running the VA has to be ridiculous.

Give it to the Private sector where bonuses are not more important than our Vets.

you have got to be joking!

private means a business, and a business is about the bottom line and only the bottom line.

look at our private hospitals. they charge more than double the rest of the world, yet have middlin results at best.

originally posted by: buster2010
a reply to: whyamIhere

The VA should be ended. It would be way cheaper to allow the Private Sector to do it.

We heard this before when it came to hiring private sector to do things the military could do for themselves in this war on terror and look at how much that is costing us. The VA is a civilian department it should be placed under the DOD and staffed by military personnel. This would also get rid of all the bonus BS.

agreed.

when i was down range, i made about 30k a year. a blackwater merc made 150k. we had aviation mechanics making 30k, yet we were forced to take on private aviation mechanics at over 180k a year.

the military used to be self sufficient. now its nothing but private sector guys getting rich.

I have been to three

I did not like Jesse Brown, I like Hines and I LOVE Illiana

I have had almost all 100% good experiences with the three I go to

I was treated well, top of the line care and the staff was usually pretty nice to me

I have had a hernia surgery, kidney stone removal and carpal tunnel release and not a single issues

My psychiatrist and psychologist are fantastic, my neurologist is great and the nurses have always been kind to me

Don't lump every VA in with the bad ones...there are good and great ones out there

I absolutely do NOT want my VA care to go private...screw that

If you guys are happy...

I have never had a good VA experience.

I realize each facility is completely different.

I think it should be a choice VA or Private.

originally posted by: whyamIhere
If you guys are happy...

I have never had a good VA experience.

I realize each facility is completely different.

I think it should be a choice VA or Private.

from your op, you made it sound like your only experience was with your dad.

are you a vet under va care?

originally posted by: whyamIhere
If you guys are happy...

I have never had a good VA experience.

I realize each facility is completely different.

I think it should be a choice VA or Private.

It IS a choice

I can walk away from the VA right now and get private care if I chose to

I'm a Vet and I use VA. It's free and I think they do a great job. It's fairly low cost for prescriptions and co pays. And for the most part it's a free service for Vets. I pay 20.00 for Prescriptions but I don't have to pay the money up front like normal people do. My medical bills are miniscule compared to my friends who pay CRAZY fees for insurance every month. I do however see a lot of whiny jerks at VA expecting everything and complaining all the time about the service they get. If you have to wait for hours on end its due to the fact that there are so many of us then I'm sorry. The employees and the doctors do a great job for you and you need to stop whining. Compared to my civilian friends I do pretty well. I appreciate it. Welcome to free medication. I'm a fairly healthy person but I do suffer from high blood pressure and gout. I get annoyed with VA because they WONT leave me alone and they do their job to well checking up on me! I hate going to the doctor for checkups. They assign me checkups when I don't want them because they care. I work a lot and I don't have a lot of free time to go to the doctor. I like VA and I thank god I have the benefits. I earned them after all. And I never claimed a disability as a compensation for my military service. I hate the GIMMIE GIMMIE GIMMIE mentality. My father has also had 4 cancer surgeries done by VA all successful. Some facilities might not be up to par because some people live in the middle of nowhere and the hospitals/clinics are subpar. Move somewhere where you can get the care you need. Other than that is it perfect no. Neither is insured medical coverage. I'm more worried about the government taking the care away from us than anything else. I find it sad you will send us out to war and cut benefits but I blame politicians not the VA. The S$%^# rolls downhill from Washington. Blame them.

People and politicians can only demand and enact budget cuts for so long before there is a negative impact on service at some level. When it impacts health services for veterans, said negative impact is appalling.