Veterans Deserve Honor and Care
By Lisa Rutherford
I have not served in the military, but that doesn’t keep me from having great respect for those who do. That’s not to say that I support all military decisions made by our leaders. Indeed, I do not, but I respect the individuals, both men, and women, who devote time in their lives and some even their lives to carry out those decisions.
On November 11, 1919, Veterans Day, then called “Armistice Day,” marking the end of World War I, was established. November 11, every year, is a day to remember the veterans and honor them. It’s a day to reflect on what they’ve done for this nation and how we care for them after their service.
All veterans deserve to receive the best medical care we can provide for them. As far back as the early days of this great nation, direct medical and hospital care was provided to veterans by individual states and communities. Then in 1811, the first facility to house and treat veterans was authorized by the federal government. That was followed by expanding the veterans’ assistance program, which included additional benefits for veterans, their widows, and dependents.
Support for veterans continued to grow through the 19th and 20th Centuries, and in 1924 veterans’ benefits were expanded to cover disabilities, not service-related. In 1930 the Veterans Administration was created to consolidate and coordinate affairs. Following that, more benefits, including the GI Bill were added.
Although President Trump and some military websites assert that the Veterans Administration has been working better under President Trump than before, it’s important to remember that an effort began in 2014 with the Choice Program under President Obama following significant problems with some VA hospitals. The Choice Program was a temporary program established to help resolve issues, including wait times, inadequate care, and more.
In 2018 The Mission Act—the result of another piece of bipartisan legislation—was signed by President Trump to extend the effort to help veterans by providing more flexibility and secure more permanent funding. The Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP) under the Mission Act replaced the temporary 2014 Choice Program. Support in the form of a stipend, access to health care insurance, mental health services, caregiver training, and more was provided to eligible veterans—those injured in the line of duty on or after September 11, 2001. Coverage to eligible veterans wounded in the line of duty in any era was to be implemented in steps. Unfortunately, those injured between 1975 and 2001 will be last to be included leaving them at risk until October 2022.
But even as the ink was drying on the signed Act, veterans, their families, and veterans’ service organizations were torn about its future effectiveness. Although the Trump administration touts this new system, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported there may yet be questions around “maximum allowable wait times.” Additionally, Trump has pushed for budget cuts elsewhere, such as Medicaid, on which nearly 1 in 10 veterans rely.
Concerns about the new system include fears that the Act would replace the Veterans’ Choice Program with a new system that leans toward privatization. Former VA Secretary Shulkin voiced opposition to the move asserting that privatization supporters were waging a political war with the VA. At the same time, Concerned Veterans for America, backed by the Koch brothers, advocated for it. It seems the reforms in the Act may be leaning toward the Koch brothers and CVA. The change allows approximately 640,000 veterans to access non-VA health care each year, clearly aiding the private health care industry.
Studies have shown that although there is high variation in the quality of care across the nation’s VA facilities—which must be addressed!—the VA health care system generally provides higher-quality care than private systems on most measures, and that wait times are not substantially worse than non-VA waits. Aside from the Koch-backed group, veterans groups, including American Legion, generally support VA care. A 2017 Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) report found 92 percent of veterans support fixing VA’s problems over pushing toward privatization. There is no need to throw out the baby with the bathwater.
Comparing health care costs is challenging, but a Congressional Budget Office study found that veteran facility costs were generally less than equivalent private sector costs and found that enrolled veterans were already receiving about 70% of their care outside the VA system for a variety of reasons. This adds to the complexity of comparing VA versus private costs.
To be fair, just this year, President Trump also signed legislation that broadened legal options for veterans with substance abuse and mental health issues to help avoid jail time and ensure treatment and legislation that provides VA grants for home renovations for veterans with disabilities. However, in a press conference, the president seemed confused about which bills he’d signed; nevertheless, he signed them.
Given the tax dollars this nation spends on the military, where is the balance? While getting one’s arms around military budgets and spending can be tricky, it’s clear that the United States spends more on the military than the next seven highest-spending countries combined, including China. Military spending amounts to over 50 percent of our nation’s “discretionary” spending while total VA costs, including Veterans Health Administration, have been 6-8 percent.
We prepare for war better than we deal with the aftermath of those events. VA funding has increased by $20 billion over 2018 levels to help pay for the Mission Act’s VA health care upgrade, but will that be enough to care for our millions of veterans properly.
For over 200 years, our country has had some form of care for veterans. Our veteran numbers are going down yearly, but there are still over 17 million veterans. The VA is planning for 33,000 more veterans to enroll in VA health care in 2021 over 2020. Despite total veteran numbers going down, veterans’ costs through the VA have been rising but would also increase if care were privatized and perhaps even more.
As we celebrate Veterans Day and honor those who have served this country, let’s continue to support their health care needs and put that spending at the priority level it deserves.
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