Scrap the entire VA and start over. Give Vets healthcare credit cards till you can get it right.

I've been being seen by the VA in Pennsylvania since I retired and was referred to a surgeon about a month and half ago. Haven't heard from anyone until today when I was called and told another appointment I didn't know about was canceled because the doc had an emergency. When I asked about the other appointment they looked it up and told me it had been referred to a non-VA doctor. I told them nobody had contacted me. They transferred me to the person handling the case. Answering machine was what I got. Left my number. Still waiting for the call back. Mind you this is for surgery. A month and a half is a short wait time from what I understand. The system is broke and nobody is fixing it.

Scrap the VA? Really? The VA is more than just Medical...Yes there are problems but they will get fixed. I am a proud Veteran and Patient of the VA and employee.

I think it needs to be seriously overhauled. I am not sure one can scrap an entire bureaucracy and start over. I agree there needs to be a criminal investigation, people died because of someone else gross negligence and greed.

The problem wont be solved by starting over when the same people who have allowed this are still in charge. I think the problem with the VA goes much higher than the VA leadership. Until the administration in charge starts holding people accountable, a new VA will have the same old problems.

only corrupt Koch brother corrupt politicians say this since we as Vets cant find anybody who will take our med care!!!!

There is no perfect health care system. I work at the Portland, OR VA and am a vet. First, I'd like to thank you for wanting to put me and my hard-working coworkers in the unemployment line. Our families thank you, too. Second, not all VA hospitals are as problematic as Phoenix. Portland VA is an award-winning hospital, one of the best both in the VA system, and in the greater Portland metro. Third, having worked for several years with the largest element dependent on the system, the Vietnam vets, I am extremely skeptical how many of them will go elsewhere if the rules suddenly change. Its all we can do, sometimes, to get many of these people to seek care at the VA in a timely manner. Change the rules in a sudden, massive way, and many will fall through the (really large) cracks that will open up. That is no better a solution. Also, you better make sure the rest of the nation's healthcare systems are ready for such a large influx of new patients. It is extremely unlikely they are. Patients of many other healthcare plans already complain of long wait times for specialty care. It would only get worse. Give the VA a little time to fix the problems.

If there was a black or white answer it would be resolved. I think it's like a beer with to much foam, you can see it happening, you can wipe some of it up, suck some of it up and even use a napkin but no matter what you do it's gonna spill over, get all over your hands, the bartop and generally ruin your day. I think it's a beast that got itself to big for it's own infrastructure. You can't scrap it, you can't throw money to Vets (as much as I would love to do so), you got to put people into it that have passion, professionalism and the ability to work as a team. Tackle it from the inside out, chew it up and spit out the bad stuff....get someone who can give you a beer free of foam.

I'd rather see the current secretary leave, and bring in someone who has experience managing an HMO out of the private sector. I was never a fan of the current VA Secretary, but you have to give the next secretary the power to remove people who can't or won't do the job.

I'd issue a stop loss for medical personnel and have them work in the VA system until things are straightened out. Even bring in college medical students to learn and get hands on experience to at the very least reduce the work load and get things sorted.

I'd also give veterans access to private sector medical care while all this is getting started out, I wouldn't issue credit cards because I fear the politicians will screw up the solutions by putting limits on the spending.

The system is not a failure, but leadership has failed. Find the problems and Correct it. ASAP.

The healthcare cards are a good idea but somehow it would get tied into Obamacare. Next thing you know Republicans would want to have hearings and then somehow the rollout of the cards will be flawed only causing another huge mess. The Secretary is going to have to resign fire those individuals who are in the thick of this mess and fire those whose records [evaluations] show sub-par performance. It's sad to say but the VA is going to be marginalized. Can't wait for the next election and watch each candidate's two minute response

Scrap the entire VA, sell the hospitals and issue cards to Vets so they can get the help that they need. Vets will benefit and the country will save money to boot. We do not need all those people working for the Federal government, get rid of them!