HEADLINES: VA Seeks to Redirect Billions into Private Care — Koch Brothers Happy Dance

Trump fired *VA Sec. Shulkin (on March 28, 2018) 

over VA Budget & VA care issue

* F/N to Shulkin’s firing:  Following his dismissal in March 2018, Shulkin highlighted the political pressure from the Trump White House to dismantle VA healthcare and send veterans to the private sector. 

In a New York Times editorial, Shulkin warned that “privatization is a political issue aimed at rewarding select people and companies with profits, even if it undermines care for veterans.”

Shulkin's removal from the head of VA has renewed concerns among veterans that the Trump administration will privatize VA healthcare.

Main post follows:

Following post based on the main NY Times article and posted locally in the Watertown (NY) Daily Times – my local paper, BTW.

Below are my comments in the WDT forum section – FYI:

A critically important and serious problem with only a few good options and untested solutions that impact our most-deserving citizens: Our Vets (and yes I am one).

Depending on numerous factors for each Vet (e.g., their age, their illness, income, their former military status (e.g., if retired with pay, age, with or without military care (Tricare) and Medicare, or both), their residence and whether or not they live near or reasonably close to a VA clinic or hospital, doctors in their immediate area available to treat them, or even if those doctors accept Tricare-Medicare or any other government lower rate plans, etc. That all factors in.

Based on the article is seems to always boil down to money as the easy (or not) solution to this lingering VA/Vet-care problem. Then to see the billionaire Koch brothers involved with their “private care Vet-care angle with few details,” really concerns me.

Taken in sum, most Vets are content with the VA and care they get.

I'm lucky as many like me are: I am military retired under both Tricare and age-related Medicare. I can get good treatment nearly and all paid for via both those benefits, and with very little traveling away from home. Others are in remote areas and not so lucky and may have different circumstances, too – therein lies the heart of their Vet care problems.

That is a concern and focus for us all. I don’t think we need a widespread loss of VA facilities – improvements and private care supplement depending on each individual’s circumstances, but not wholesale tossing aside the VA on a whim of businessmen looking to pad their bottom line.

So, we shall see what unfolds, but my gut says the Trump administration will not solve any aspects of this problem ... my hunch.

Speaking of “fold / or unfold” Trump’s crossed arms pose above has one of two meanings. When someone crosses their arms, it usually means:

(1) They're closed for arguments. By crossing the arms, a barrier is put in front of the body, as some sort of protection. Putting an object in front of you may be the same signal.

(2) Or, crossing their arms may mean they are feeling vulnerable or insecure.

Finally: “Lest we forget” this pledge – the foundation of the VA:

Thanks for stopping by.