“The Department of Veterans Affairs includes the largest health system in the United States and the second largest agency in the federal government. The system, which accounts for close to $200 billion in federal spending and has more than 350,000 employees, covers the health-care needs of 9 million veterans.”
“The idea of doing away with the entire system and turning it over to the private sector is not only frightening, it’s morally reprehensible. And yet, if some high-level VA officials in the Trump administration get their way, that’s what would happen…”
“The private sector today is simply incapable of delivering such organized care for veterans, and it does not have the capacity or the sophistication in rehabilitation or mental-health services to meet their complex health-care needs…”
“I believe our national leaders should focus on thoughtful reform and transformation, fully utilizing the work of my commission to guide a long-term process of change.”
“Here are four things that can be done…” Read the full opinion piece here.
Source: We can fix veteran’s health care without privatizing it. Here’s how. – By Nancy M. Schlichting, April 2, 2018. The Washington Post.
