Do You Think A Bipartisan Taskforce Can Get The Job Done, Fixing Veterans Health Care?

2015-09-16T19:53:07-04:00

In a recent report: (please click on the hyperlink--READ REPORT) it's a lot of topics to fully understand the thread!
http://taskforce.cv4a.org/#i9MsCu2IA60qw82ML5Az5A

From September to February, Concerned Veterans for America (CVA) convened the Fixing Veterans Health Care Taskforce with the mission of isolating existing challenges to veterans’ health care, identifying systemic solutions, and proposing concrete reforms that can dramatically improve health care delivery for our nation’s veterans. This bi-partisan taskforce included, and is co-chaired by, a top-notch list of former VA leaders, health care experts, and leading congressional voices.

The Taskforce issued its final report with a concrete set of policy recommendations—the Veterans Independence Act—at our policy summit on February 26, 2015. Both the report and video of the summit are available here. We will continue working with reform-minded legislators to propose legislation for the 114th Congress.
http://taskforce.cv4a.org/#Taskforce

Fixing Veterans Health Care

Join Concerned Veterans For America's effort to fix veterans health care!

Response by SMSgt Tony Barnes made Sep 16 at 2015 7:53 PM

2015-09-16T19:53:39-04:00

They must...it's imperative!!!

Response by SMSgt Tony Barnes made Sep 16 at 2015 8:04 PM

2015-09-16T20:04:33-04:00

Ask for an appt with Evans CSM.

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Sep 16 at 2015 8:04 PM

2015-09-16T20:04:52-04:00

If they are serious about improving Veterans healthcare and have the latitude to affect all aspects from HHS through VA to DoD then I think they could make significant progress SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL.
I hope the legislators don't focus on grandstanding and posing for pictures until well after they have hammered out an approach.

Response by SGM Mikel Dawson made Sep 16 at 2015 9:03 PM

2015-09-16T21:03:53-04:00

I think anyone who really cares about the problem no matter the party will get the job done. It just needs some one who really cares.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Sep 16 at 2015 9:28 PM

2015-09-16T21:28:30-04:00

Bipartisanship is dead. (That's a period at the end of that sentence and I mean it - Dead Period) The art of Log Rolling ended when civility departed the halls of Congress. To be sure, there has always been a degree of uncivility in Congress. There was even one famous case of a Senator caning (beating the crap out of) an opponent. Even so, the vast majority of members of Congress recognized that little could be accomplished without some give and take. Sadly an ideological divide has replaced collegiality and anyone who straddles the fence is only making a better target of themselves. Interestingly, President Johnson sits at the hub of this transition. As a "log roller" he prevailed on the GOP minority to join with a few of his fellow Democrats to pass the Civil Rights Act (no majority of Democrats could be assembled to get the job done even though they held a significant majority in Congress) Later, Johnson used that Democratic majority to create the War on Poverty thereby enslaving minorities and binding them with the government teat. Ever since that time the divide between ideologies has grown into an abyss. It's not really a GOP vs Democrat thing. A good many GOP members of Congress are almost as left-leaning as their opponents (which has become clearly evident since the GOP won a majority in both chambers and have been legislating like Democrats). With the White House occupied by a radical leftist, little will get done except when the GOP Congress abandons their base and enact progressive legislation. Where does that leave the VA? So far, not very favorably...

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 16 at 2015 10:26 PM

2015-09-16T22:26:29-04:00

https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/1677514/fixveteranshealthcare.pdf

Response by COL Mikel J. Burroughs made Sep 17 at 2015 9:21 AM

2015-09-17T09:21:41-04:00

SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL I hope they can!

Response by MCPO Roger Collins made Sep 17 at 2015 10:20 AM

2015-09-17T10:20:07-04:00

Is the VA a Government agency funded by the taxpayer? Has there ever been a Task Force/Summit/Committee/Commission that has ever resulted in anything positive being done? I am pessimistic regarding anything to do with one of our agencies that is so buried in bureaucracy and political influence, as all the others. It is now the 2nd largest agency in the Federal Government. How do you change the culture that is so detrimental to those who serve? The only way to get the attention of the hundreds of thousands working at the VA is to run it more like a private industry (no, not P&L) and reward those who perform well and eliminate (yes, fire) those who do not. A couple of years ago that was discussed and a bill submitted to free up McDonald of many of the restrictions. If anything has happened, I seem to have missed it.

Response by SPC David Hannaman made Sep 17 at 2015 10:56 AM

2015-09-17T10:56:41-04:00

Depends... is there a special interest that contributes to both parties and stands to make a ton of money fixing it?

Sorry, I'm feeling a little cynical this morning. As you were.

Response by MSG Brad Sand made Sep 17 at 2015 11:07 AM

2015-09-17T11:07:18-04:00

Can they or will they? They can, of course. Will they? Bipartisan 'Taskforce' is still a bunch of politician who have decades to make corrections? Sending bureaucrats to fix bureaucracies does not seem to be the best use of resources, but any movement in the right direction is better than nothing?
We have had reports in the past. The Government has the power to to fire executive who are failing in their jobs...and three were let go, well if they lose their appeals? I need to see more than reports.

Response by SSG Warren Swan made Sep 17 at 2015 11:42 AM

2015-09-17T11:42:14-04:00

SFC with all due respect to you and this board of professionals, all they can do is the same as you or me; provide solutions based off long standing problems. What needs to be done is less of a healthcare issue but more of a workforce issue. The ability to fire, fine, and incarcerate individuals that have proven to go above and beyond in their dereliction of duty in government. This is NOT slanted towards a political party, but against the cronyism running rampant in the halls of the Veterans Affairs. When we can really put the fear of God in them with the knowledge that your medical license can/will be/ and never renewed, you will face substantial fines or incarceration if not both based upon reckless performance that leads to injury or death, we would have the first step in VA reform. After that is clearly established with a few examples (always gotta have one), and another to make sure that the message is heard LOUD and CLEAR, folks are either going to rodger up and Charlie mike with their correct mission, they'll leave loudly and be publicly embarrassed by the reviews given by those who were under their care, or they'll be sued into oblivion to where they're worthless to both the VA and to civilian hospital management or practioners. How many time are we going to reinvent the wheel at VA without addressing the core issues with senior administrators and piss poor doctors who know they cannot be held responsible, let alone sued for their actions and that federal workplace laws and unions protect them? The Feres Doctrine needs a serious overhaul also. No more shielding doctors from malpractice. If they screw up, they pay up the same way I'd hold a Soldier accountable for their actions.
1. To fire someone - in a position where they cannot satisfy the required duties even with additional training.
2. To Fine someone - someone who has committed an act that is bad enough to warrant firing but to also warrant taking a chunk of their check, severance pay, or deletion of pension
3. Incarcation - This is important being that it's the last step but can be the first. This should be reserved for anyone who's conduct on the job has resulted in serious injury, death, the "cooking" of books to show a status that isn't there. This would include of course the first two.

Response by FN George Woodruff made Sep 17 at 2015 3:30 PM

2015-09-17T15:30:26-04:00

A bipartisan task force can investigate problems and make all the recommendations it wants but nothing will change. The major problem in the VA consists of mid level management by people who do not have the capacity to manage. In the VA people rise according to the Peter Principle and cronyism. Congress makes a big fuss about fixing problems and passes legislation that either contains loopholes to make it unenforceable or simply doesn't do the intended job. Bipartisan committees have been tried before and rarely produce anything of consequence. The VA is what it is and until someone with sufficient power to chage it comes on the scene nothing will change.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Sep 17 at 2015 5:37 PM

2015-09-17T17:37:51-04:00

What I think is the major problem is the leadership and the lack of values. Crap rolls down hill, therefore much of the forest gets infected with cancer. I have seen this personally when my wife was fired from the VA. Nobody would see her, not personnel, not IG, not EO, nobody. They were an evil government entity that fired a person with heart problems. They completely stressed us mentally and financially. We decided to spend $25,000 of which we did not have to pay an attorney. This was about my wife and all the employees they have wronged. This was about a VA Hospital for wrongful termination due to a heart condition and the whole hospital at every level was complicit.

Response by CPL Timothy Lane made Sep 17 at 2015 6:14 PM

2015-09-17T18:14:39-04:00

For twenty years IHave been called a fat liar by the VA. While the VA St Louis RECORDS MANAGEMENT CENTER has continued to lie to the world.They are hiding documents sent to them by W.P.A.F.B. in June of 1999.employees and Supervisors have refused me my Military Medical Records because the guy who claimed to be a supervisor was not. He stated in front of his sleeping Junior Chief of Customer No Service Division and repeated himself that he thinks he knows me from Ft. Ord artillery unit during Panama invasion. He they have done this for ten years. They have threatened to password redact erase shred delete my Military Medical Records for the next ten years their boss the Chief of Customer No Service and her boss refuse me my Military Medical Records because the chiefs boss is friends with her two IDiots. So here I am today with primary secondary etc Injuries and my U.S. Representative tells me he knows he was lied to by these public servants. Unfortunately he said he is not allowed to do more me. In all fairness he did get me the proof that I was treated by a Ltc C. Jennigs? On January 5 1997. He did get me documents that prove my Company Commander knew I was injured. Yet after twenty years the V.A. care providers are still not allowed to give me proper treatment because that V.A. R.MC. in St. Louis is still HIDING the needed documents. On September 20, 2013 the Chief of Customer No Service told me she sent the Black employee from St. Screwy RMC to Ohio just to See thatcI am NOT the Black guy he thought I was. The jerk rolled his window down in a car worth more than my house asked me if I was me. I said yes he drives off calling me a fat liar. NOW remember they have Line of Duty Document stating injury was in line of duty and he calls me a liar and faker.Next I have been trying to get Medical Treatment since injury happened. I was already xrayed at a Military facility . To this day the Chief of Customer No Service says that if I want my Medical Records I have to have her two IDiots arrested. They have caused me to write the White House and plead and beg for the Records . Still being held hostage at VA. St. Louis Records Management Center.

Response by Sgt Spencer Sikder made Sep 18 at 2015 9:54 AM

2015-09-18T09:54:47-04:00

Interesting that CVA, an organization passing itself off as a "Congressionally" recognized veterans group (which it is not), like the Marine Corps League, American Legion, VFW, DAV, etc. is focus from the conservative position. They have advocated the closure of VA due by placing their focus on the negative stories. We see little from the CVA highlighting the accomplishments of veterans and the VA. The "Congressionally" recognized groups balances the good and the bad so that veterans can make an informed decision. We seem to forget that the first prosthetic foot was developed in conjunction with VA, known as the "Seattle Foot." The first Alzheimer cocktail to delay the onset of the disease was developed in partnership with VA. There are many stories like this. We seem to forget that upwards of 70% of doctors in this country do a rotation through VA during their training/education. This gives them the exposure to a medical science world with infinite possibilities. With over 300,000 employees at VA, I know many who are dedicated people trying to do the right thing for us veterans. Unfortunately there are leaders in this organization, like many other organizations, that are failures to the cause. We need to root them out.

Response by PO1 Glenn Boucher made Sep 18 at 2015 1:55 PM

2015-09-18T13:55:12-04:00

Honestly I do not think that politicians are the answer to this because they cannot come to a consensus on even simple matters. And they will not move on anything that will benefit them.
I firmly believe that we need an array of active duty, retirees and veterans from all pay grades to be on a panel to review and analyze the situation and come up with fixes.
We service members are not just infantry, administrators, logistics, tactical, operations or any other job specialty, we throughout our service are put in a multitude of positions to help us grow as leaders and team members.
I know as a cook I had to be well rounded in all aspects of cooking, I was a great baker, but I also had to be proficient in using the steam jacketed kettles, grills, ovens, fryers and other food service equipment. I also learned administrative duties, writing evaluations, point papers, creating jobs in the shipboard maintenance database and more. I also was stationed at the barracks so I had to learn housing management, dealing with Public Works staff who fixed broken items in the barracks. I also was assigned to augment the base security force where I had to learn how to stand watch with a weapon at the base gate, patrol the base perimeter and be familiar with handguns, shotguns, M-16 and of course the ever wonderful Pepper Spray.
So I know that all of us would be much better and more impartial at finding solutions to the problems with the VA instead of career politicians who really don't give a rats ass about us.

Response by PO3 Steven Sherrill made Sep 18 at 2015 2:03 PM

2015-09-18T14:03:50-04:00

Both of the mainstream parties are two sides of the same coin. They are both in the pocket of the lobbyists that fund their campaigns. We the people do not matter to the politicians. Veterans are only important when it is time to pander for votes. So to answer your question, I do not think any politicians are capable of fixing the veteran health care system. They aren't capable of fixing their own bureaucracy. Until we the people vote for change by not re-electing the bastards, no real solutions are going to be forthcoming.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 18 at 2015 6:22 PM

2015-09-18T18:22:06-04:00

Only if there is something for them in it. Unlike new drug companies & tech companies with stocks valued at a high price. The VA on the other hand only has low cost health care with high wait times. They can't add to their profile and after the election cycle you will be lucky if you can even get in touch with them. You will most likely get a letter with an auto-signature on it. Not impressed with the current group in the Senate or Congress.

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Sep 18 at 2015 6:42 PM

2015-09-18T18:42:13-04:00

I think a task force with veterans would included would be a good start...

Response by CPO Andy Carrillo, MS made Sep 19 at 2015 1:19 AM

2015-09-19T01:19:44-04:00

If history is any indicator, the answer is Not For A Very Very Long Time...and possibly requiring more veterans being elected to Congress. Good luck with that. http://bipartisanpolicy.org/history-of-bipartisanship-2/

History of Bipartisanship | Bipartisan Policy Center

Discover the bipartisan compromises that have shaped out nation. 1787: The Great Compromise In debating a new model for self-rule that would

Response by Sgt Kelli Mays made Sep 19 at 2015 1:46 PM

2015-09-19T13:46:45-04:00

Bi partisan or not....everyone needs to work together...figure it out...implement a plan and fix it!
What they need to do...is go the VA Facilities that are working...like the one here is SA...It's a well oiled machine...at least for myself and everyone I know that goes to it and even people I've met while sitting and waiting to get my blood drawn, or sitting in Xrays waiting to get zapped with radiation...I speak to people....and find out they come from all over South Texas and some further away...WHY? because even though they have a facility closer to them...they get what they need from this VA and their are treated fairly and NOT dropped through the cracks.

Those people up there who are trying to figure out only need to look at the facilities that are working and then implement the same in other facilities. Seriously! It's a No BRAINIER!

Response by Sgt Tom Cunnally made Sep 19 at 2015 3:18 PM

2015-09-19T15:18:45-04:00

It probably would not hurt ...I have noticed changes at the VA Hospital in West Roxbury MA since I transferred there 2 years ago. 1..Co-Pay Requirements have changed 2..Veterans Choice Program is ongoing now. 3. A few Administrative Clerks were fired for incompetence. 4. Wait times has improved 5. MyhealtheVet has been updated.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 26 at 2015 3:00 PM

2015-09-26T15:00:47-04:00

Bipartisan=Republicans do whatever Democrats want. So, I don't think this is feasible.

Response by SPC Sheila Lewis made Oct 29 at 2015 5:43 PM

2015-10-29T17:43:43-04:00

I think Veterans can fix issues for fellow Veteans.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Nov 5 at 2015 7:51 PM

2015-11-05T19:51:15-05:00

The first task I would do is to eliminate the bad leaders and managers, corruption, inefficiency, and criminal behavior. The VA is a third world country organization.