"Should the Dept. of the VA be Privatized: If the VA is ever Privatized; what would come about of it?"
(Warrior Blog Entry 16)
While I was living in the U.S. and very active in the Veteran Community through the Dept. of the Veterans Affairs Administration in Topeka, KS-US back in the late 2012 to 2013, there were talk about the VA becoming no more and to be privatized down the road because of talk being discussed by some lobbyist, VSO (Veteran Service Organizations), and Politicians on Capitol Hill in D.C., and among others, but the discussion really got nowhere until a few years later the discussion became a reality again of entertaining the idea because of the VA Scandals broke daylight during former President Obama's presidencies, and many from Capitol Hill were being pressured by VSO groups, and other entities to address the possibilities of not just reforming or transforming the VA, but to actually get rid of the VA as a whole or atleast to get rid of the medical side by privatizing the VA, and just keep the VA just for Administrative purposes.
Now, since President Trump has been President, but when you actually think about it, President Trump has mentioned to privatize the VA, and he is not against entertaining the idea of maybe making that a possibility, and President Trump has not changed his mind on that maybe being explored, and there are still politicians on Capitol Hill that do not disagree to explore that idea or to even actually make it a reality such as these folks (Check this link out by clicking on it to get more info on what I have just mentioned): https://www.govexec.com/management/2018/05/house-chairman-unveils-bill-overhaul-va-funded-private-care-and-shutter-department-facilities/147950/
So, as you can see there is going to happen very big with a believe a lot of radical changes that will either cause a backlash or cause something better for the Veteran Community; but only time will tell if the change will benefit the medical field/ pharmaceutical companies, and the US Gov. gets a kickback that will not benefit the Veteran Community, but only the Corporations.
There is a huge outcry in the Veteran Community, but not by all there are some in the Veteran Community that think the VA should go away, and never come back, and there are those who think that it would be a mistake if the VA was closed permanently, despite the scandals and issues and that the VA can be reformed to be transformed into a better VA, but many who support that know there will be a long drawn efforts and time and money to put forth to make that a reality, and to do that it would probably mean that the VA would have to downsize in the near future to be able to make the necessary changes to accommodate to the reforming process to transform the VA to better care for the Veteran Community (Click on the link below for more info on that aspect): https://www.militarytimes.com/veterans/2018/04/11/vets-groups-and-lawmakers-say-theyre-against-it-but-what-does-privatization-of-veterans-affairs-really-mean/
Okay, are you confused? You should be because both articles are conflicting itself a bit, but Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tenn, he is the one who has introduced a bill to privatize the VA by giving Veterans a choice to have care outside of the VA, and in essences the Bill will actually cause some of non-essential VA's to close, but you do know that gives the green light to eventually close the medical part and other VA campuses located around the U.S. to shut down, and that concerns many of the VSO's and some of the Lawmakers, but honestly it seems the Lawmakers are singing a different tune, and are actually going not just considering to oppose a Bill that Privatize the VA, but actually make it a reality.
My insight in this very controversial Bill or any Bill of Privatising the VA, would impact the civilian medical field in a very profound way, because the civilian medical sector are already overwhelmed, and under staffed, and if the Lawmakers Privatise just a little bit for now; it could cause an inflation of the the medical cost for being treated to increase, and it would be felt by the pockets of the Taxpayers. If the civilian medical field think they are having problems now; just wait until when the Bill is past and Lawmakers make it a reality; there will be such chaos with transferring the Veteran Community to the private/ civilian sector of the medical area, because there are already issues with what was going on with the Choice Program; just think what a nightmare that became.
There are no easy quick fixes on reforming or for that matter of transforming the VA, but the idea of the past of privatizing the VA is becoming more of not if it will happen, more about how it will happen and when will it happen.
I think the government should start with downsizing, and focus on giving Veterans Free-Healthcare, and start with the basics of caring for our Veterans, but before you do that you have to clean house, and make it easier to fire those who work for the VA who are not doing their job and are actually the problem of a failed system to have it where you can no longer work for the government if you have too many complaints or you are not performing at a standard that is not cohesive to the mission of the VA of caring for the Veteran Community; but you got to get rid of the Union that is keeping their members from being fired or if so with being able to keep their benefits or have pay an option while on Administrative Leave in some cases, and get rid of any bonuses to any who is on the Executive side to the bottom of Totem Pole.
There is so much to consider, but only time will tell if the Lawmakers do privatize the VA how will that look for the Veteran Community or for that matter for the Taxpayers; will it be good for America or will it be bad for America?
What are your thoughts on this matter of privatizing the VA or not, and what do you think should happen with transforming or reforming the VA?
Warrior Blog Author's Note:
I encourage those to keep the conversation going with finding out through a forum of doing Town Hall Meetings at your VA's if they are still doing them or in the community, get with your Representatives in your District, and put the pressure on them to find out what they are going to do with the Bill that might become a reality of Privatizing the VA, and of course get with the VSO's to see where they stand and what they have heard or have come up with as an option or as a proposal for the Lawmakers on how a Bill affect the Veteran Community and if there is no sight of ending a Bill that will privatize the VA; what could be amended or put into the Bill that will not impact the Veteran Community in such a negative way that will cause a lot of chaos of inconveniences. But, I do think Veterans should have the choice to seek outside care of the Dept. of the VA, and there should be a Universal Healthcare program that will give Veterans care outside of the VA if they choose to go outside of the VA.
Like I have said there is no easy/ quick fix on the problems coming out of the VA, but either way if there is no hope in site to making the best course of direction that will benefit everyone involved; then expect that our Veterans will suffer more, and the Taxpayers as well in the long while but the Corporations will win big regardless of how the Bill that will be passed will transpire of the repercussions of a very negative impact in the Veteran Community.
Please, check out the videos below that will give you some more to think about!
Thank you for taking the time of reading Blog Entry 16!
-Warrior Tim
Additional Links Related to the Topic of Privatizing the VA (Ask through Google.com search engine the following: Privatizing the Dept. of the VA (To get other articles/stores on Privatizing the VA) : https://www.google.com.ph/search?rlz=1C1CHZL_enPH804PH804&ei=UIN9W4_BLZuqoASskbVo&q=Privatizing+the+Dept.+of+the+VA&oq=Privatizing+the+Dept.+of+the+VA&gs_l=psy-ab.3..33i160k1.13426.32022.0.33305.75.21.9.0.0.0.524.2811.0j13j2j5-1.16.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..56.1.216....0.96Zonlnt_Z4
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