Wednesday, September 16, 2015 6:27:57 AM
VA threatened by conservative privatization push
The Rachel Maddow Show 4/15/15
Rachel Maddow shows how right wing groups have worked to create a political environment where the previously radical
idea of privatizing veterans' health care can be presented as a viable alternative to the VA. Duration: 7:55
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/right-pushes-to-privatize-veterans-care-428863043838
Trump 'loves vets, hates the VA', Hasn't 'Sacrificed' a Dime For Either
byjimstaro Sat Aug 29, 2015 at 12:03 PM PDT
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/08/29/1416660/-Trump-loves-vets-hates-the-VA-Hasn-t-Sacrificed-a-Dime-For-Either?detail=hide
There was another guy then, who stood on an aircraft carrier. Victory was in the air. His brother now, is looking at privatization
Jeb Bush Calls for Privatizing Elements of Veterans Health Care
Apr 8, 2015 2016 1:27 pm ET
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2015/04/08/jeb-bush-calls-for-privatizing-veterans-health-care/
of some, while his chief combatant is stumping for more.
A day before the GOP debate, Donald Trump talks national security on board a battleship
By Katie Zezima September 15 at 11:01 PM
Trump has struggled in the past with foreign policy questions. EPA/MIKE NELSON
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/09/15/a-day-before-the-gop-debate-donald-trump-talks-national-security-on-board-a-battleship/
---
McDonald: Political fights set up VA to fail
By Leo Shane III, Staff writer 9:29 a.m. EDT September 2, 2015
(Photo: Robert Turtil/Veterans Affairs Department)
Talk of eliminating or scaling back Veterans Affairs Department services sets up the VA programs to fail and puts politics ahead of veterans’ best interests, the department’s top official warned on Tuesday.
In remarks to the American Legion’s annual convention, VA Secretary Bob McDonald conceded the need for reform and improvements in many facets of his department in the wake of a nationwide scandal in 2014 over lengthy patient wait times and records manipulation.
But he pushed back against the idea that VA’s problems are beyond repair, and also refuted recent suggestions from politicians about dismantling the $160 billion-plus agency.
“Some people in Washington are questioning the need for VA. Others have attempted to squeeze the needs of veterans within a ‘sequester' budget that artificially constrains the budget,” he said.
“All of this … leads to the same place: A place where the needs of veterans are secondary to ideology, scoring political points, and shortsighted budget policies. A place where VA is set up to fail.”
Veterans groups already have cautioned that the issue of privatizing VA health care will be a major discussion point in the 2016 election campaign, and that they will oppose plans that seek to remove safety nets for veterans in need of health care and support services.
Last week, Republican presidential hopeful Ben Carson suggested that VA operations should be folded into Pentagon programs, with health care vouchers for veterans to seek private care appointments instead of VA clinic services. Other GOP candidates have suggested similar, but not as far-reaching, changes.
Earlier on Tuesday, American Legion National Commander Michael Helm vowed his group “will not let someone step in and try to privatize health care for our veterans,” calling those plans “crazy ideas.”
But Helm acknowledged that VA officials must better adapt to the needs of veterans, in part by increasing the availability and ease of health care options for veterans outside the department.
McDonald — who has faced frequent criticism on Capitol Hill for not moving quickly enough to implement new outside care options — said VA is committed to providing the best care possible for veterans, whether inside or outside the department’s system.
He also said that will require adequate funding, and again criticized the House-passed budget for VA next year, which sits $1.4 billion below President Obama's fiscal 2016 request.
And he said the department needs more budget flexibility to shift money between accounts, to ensure the system can more quickly adapt to veterans’ needs and program usage trends.
The budget was a main concern at the convention, not only for McDonald and Legion members but also for Defense Secretary Ash Carter, who spoke a few hours before the VA secretary.
Carter called the lack of a long-term budget plan for national security “embarrassing” and chastised lawmakers for failing to reach a compromise on repealing budget caps set to go into effect in October.
“We need to come together and get behind a sensible, multiyear approach to the budget,” he said, eliciting loud applause from the veterans group.
But neither the Defense Department nor VA budget appear poised to be approved before the end of this month, when the fiscal year concludes. Republican and Democratic lawmakers remain far apart on key budget issues and are likely to adopt a short-term budget resolution while negotiations continue.
Carter and McDonald both said their departments are in need of modernization and reform, but made clear those changes can come only with political and financial support from Capitol Hill.
http://www.militarytimes.com/story/veterans/2015/09/01/mcdonald-carter-legion/71528570/
See also:
'Take This Job And Shove It' writer owes IRS $466K
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=117006424
The Rachel Maddow Show 4/15/15
Rachel Maddow shows how right wing groups have worked to create a political environment where the previously radical
idea of privatizing veterans' health care can be presented as a viable alternative to the VA. Duration: 7:55
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/right-pushes-to-privatize-veterans-care-428863043838
Trump 'loves vets, hates the VA', Hasn't 'Sacrificed' a Dime For Either
byjimstaro Sat Aug 29, 2015 at 12:03 PM PDT
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/08/29/1416660/-Trump-loves-vets-hates-the-VA-Hasn-t-Sacrificed-a-Dime-For-Either?detail=hide
There was another guy then, who stood on an aircraft carrier. Victory was in the air. His brother now, is looking at privatization
Jeb Bush Calls for Privatizing Elements of Veterans Health Care
Apr 8, 2015 2016 1:27 pm ET
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2015/04/08/jeb-bush-calls-for-privatizing-veterans-health-care/
of some, while his chief combatant is stumping for more.
A day before the GOP debate, Donald Trump talks national security on board a battleship
By Katie Zezima September 15 at 11:01 PM
Trump has struggled in the past with foreign policy questions. EPA/MIKE NELSON
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/09/15/a-day-before-the-gop-debate-donald-trump-talks-national-security-on-board-a-battleship/
---
McDonald: Political fights set up VA to fail
By Leo Shane III, Staff writer 9:29 a.m. EDT September 2, 2015
(Photo: Robert Turtil/Veterans Affairs Department)
Talk of eliminating or scaling back Veterans Affairs Department services sets up the VA programs to fail and puts politics ahead of veterans’ best interests, the department’s top official warned on Tuesday.
In remarks to the American Legion’s annual convention, VA Secretary Bob McDonald conceded the need for reform and improvements in many facets of his department in the wake of a nationwide scandal in 2014 over lengthy patient wait times and records manipulation.
But he pushed back against the idea that VA’s problems are beyond repair, and also refuted recent suggestions from politicians about dismantling the $160 billion-plus agency.
“Some people in Washington are questioning the need for VA. Others have attempted to squeeze the needs of veterans within a ‘sequester' budget that artificially constrains the budget,” he said.
“All of this … leads to the same place: A place where the needs of veterans are secondary to ideology, scoring political points, and shortsighted budget policies. A place where VA is set up to fail.”
Veterans groups already have cautioned that the issue of privatizing VA health care will be a major discussion point in the 2016 election campaign, and that they will oppose plans that seek to remove safety nets for veterans in need of health care and support services.
Last week, Republican presidential hopeful Ben Carson suggested that VA operations should be folded into Pentagon programs, with health care vouchers for veterans to seek private care appointments instead of VA clinic services. Other GOP candidates have suggested similar, but not as far-reaching, changes.
Earlier on Tuesday, American Legion National Commander Michael Helm vowed his group “will not let someone step in and try to privatize health care for our veterans,” calling those plans “crazy ideas.”
But Helm acknowledged that VA officials must better adapt to the needs of veterans, in part by increasing the availability and ease of health care options for veterans outside the department.
McDonald — who has faced frequent criticism on Capitol Hill for not moving quickly enough to implement new outside care options — said VA is committed to providing the best care possible for veterans, whether inside or outside the department’s system.
He also said that will require adequate funding, and again criticized the House-passed budget for VA next year, which sits $1.4 billion below President Obama's fiscal 2016 request.
And he said the department needs more budget flexibility to shift money between accounts, to ensure the system can more quickly adapt to veterans’ needs and program usage trends.
The budget was a main concern at the convention, not only for McDonald and Legion members but also for Defense Secretary Ash Carter, who spoke a few hours before the VA secretary.
Carter called the lack of a long-term budget plan for national security “embarrassing” and chastised lawmakers for failing to reach a compromise on repealing budget caps set to go into effect in October.
“We need to come together and get behind a sensible, multiyear approach to the budget,” he said, eliciting loud applause from the veterans group.
But neither the Defense Department nor VA budget appear poised to be approved before the end of this month, when the fiscal year concludes. Republican and Democratic lawmakers remain far apart on key budget issues and are likely to adopt a short-term budget resolution while negotiations continue.
Carter and McDonald both said their departments are in need of modernization and reform, but made clear those changes can come only with political and financial support from Capitol Hill.
http://www.militarytimes.com/story/veterans/2015/09/01/mcdonald-carter-legion/71528570/
See also:
'Take This Job And Shove It' writer owes IRS $466K
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=117006424
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