“For years, conservatives have assailed the United States Department of Veterans Affairs as a dysfunctional bureaucracy. They said private enterprise would mean better, easier-to-access health care for veterans. President Donald Trump embraced that position, enthusiastically moving to expand the private sector’s role.”
“Here’s what has actually happened in the four years since the government began sending more veterans to private care: longer waits for appointments and, a new analysis of VA claims data by ProPublica and PolitiFact shows, higher costs for taxpayers…”
“The winners have been two private companies hired to run the program, which began under the Obama administration and is poised to grow significantly under Trump. ProPublica and PolitiFact obtained VA data showing how much the agency has paid in medical claims and administrative fees for the Choice Program. Since 2014, the two companies have been paid nearly…” Read the full article here.
Source: Increased Privatization of the VA Has Led to Longer Waits and Higher Costs for Taxpayers – By Isaac Arnsdorf & Jon Greenberg – December 31, 2018. Pacific Standard.
