Medical Malpractice

Future of VA hospitals after universal health care?

Could it be possible that there is a plan in the works to eliminate the V.A. hospital program? John McCain has said that veterans should be able to go to any hospital for treatment, that they shouldn't have to wait and wait in line at the veteran hospitals. Could this be a first step in closing down V.A. hospitals? Perhaps V.A. hospitals will be converted to "Universal Health Care" hospitals? With universal health care for all, what good are exclusive hospitals for veterans? Is it just for treating PTSD and performing amputations? What is the role of the V.A. hospital in a world with universal health care? Is it time to eliminate the V.A. hospital? http://www.thevillager.com/villager_134/politiciansonlyoption.html

Public Comments

1. VA's will stay the same, after all it's already universal health care for veterans! http://theinternetassassin.com/
2. There won't be universal health care. The majority of people are against it. The VA will continue to have the best health care for veterans.
3. Universal Health Care for ALL those in need has been supported tenaciously by Hillary Rodham Clinton! And hasn't Obama said that though he votes for pro-choice, he REALLY is against it?
4. No I dont think they will eliminate them. Although I had thought about the same thing a week ago and was even talking about it with one of my doctors at the VA clinic. I think they will keep them becuase treating veterans a lot of the time is very specific to Veterans. Sure they get colds and need regular treatment, but there are a lot of things we veterans suffer from that a normal doctor wouldnt see on a day to day basis. You have to figure it to be cheaper to keep VA hospitals and VA doctors to deal with the service connected Vetrans otherwise you end up with civilans deciding the disability rating for wounded vets and the cost owuld go way up just for that.
5. McCain is correct that vets should NOT have to wait and be able to go anywhere--why should they not be able to get the care they need, where they need it? We actually do NOT have that many VA Hospitals--many vets have to go quite a distance AND that means it's harder on the families as well. Plus when there are waits to get in, that's not good for the vet. I can't see McCain ever limiting options for vets (and BTW, though the media doesn't say much, BOTH of his sons are in the military so it's not just about PAST service.) I don't know why you'd eliminate a VA hospital any more than you'd say no to children's hospitals, teaching hospitals, Catholic hospitals, Jewish hospitals, community ones, etc. There ARE different focuses for different reasons. NOT all hospitals have Trauma I level designations. Few hospitals can handle burn victims. You wouldn't see a push for euthanasia at a Catholic or a Jewish hospital, but you will in some others. (See Texas and "futile care theory" if you doubt that.) Some places specialize in transplants, cancer, etc. Nothing wrong with having specialties and vets in need of a hospital frequently do have extraordinary needs. It's time to better VA hospitals, but I can't see a rationale for closing them or "converting" them--at some point we have to keep our promises and vets signed on the dotted line (or responded to their "greetings" to serve us. We OWE them.)
6. I don't know, but good question.