Friday, June 4, 2010 | 2:03 a.m.
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In Thursday’s Las Vegas Sun editorial, “Fixing the VA,” there was no mention of another real problem with the Veterans Affairs hospital system. Veterans’ ability to have claims processed in a timely manner is only the beginning of the problem.
It’s not so much the quality of care they receive as the availability of long-term health care. The VA hospital system is the largest hospital system in America, but it’s not the only system. This system is dwarfed by the sheer number of hospitals in America.
Why shouldn’t the VA hospital system be privatized? Do we really need 175 VA hospitals? How about supporting only 20 or 30 government-run regional specialty centers?
America’s privately run hospital system can handle nearly all of our veterans’ medical needs. Shouldn’t all military veterans be given immediate direct access to any quality hospital and doctor of their choice, not just the VA?
Privatizing the VA is a political hot potato. Think of the loss of votes from government employees at VA hospitals, and the inability of politicians to crow about how they brought to their local vets even more questionable quality and geographically rationed health care.
It’s time to give our vets a true choice of where they get their care. Regardless of their age, give our vets a Medicare card but, just like today, let the federal government pay the entire cost of care in this much-larger program.
It’s all about what our vets fought and died for — freedom of choice. Good hospitals and doctors are everywhere, not just at the VA.
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