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SECRETARY PEAKE IS OPPOSED TO "VA CARD" CONCEPT --

Says Sen. McCain's "VA Card" idea is "yellow-page

medicine" and "potentially dangerous."

Although the main concern of the following story is that the Manchester, NH VA facility will most likely not become full-service...VA Secretary James Peake spoke his piece about the concept of a "VA Card."

The "VA Card" has been proposed by Sen. John McCain and others.  Story here...
http://www.vawatchdog.org/08/nf08/nfFEB08/nf021108-1.htm

Basically, the "VA Card" could be used by a veteran at any healthcare provider.  Bad idea.  It would dismantle the VA and cost the government many times more than VA funding. 

The "VA Card" would privatize the VA.  For more about privatizing the VA, use the VA Watchdog search engine...click here...
http://www.yourvabenefits.org/sessearch.php?q=privatize+privatizing&op=or

The AFGE (union) has been fighting this proposal.  That story here...
http://www.vawatchdog.org/08/nf08/nfMAY08/nf051308-1.htm

Although Peake cites valid medical and not financial reasons for opposing the card, he is right on target about this.

Story here... http://www.boston.com/news/local/new
_hampshire/articles/2008/06/24/nh_va_hospital_u
nlikely_to_be_made_full_service/

Story below:

-------------------------

NH VA hospital unlikely to be made full-service

By Clare Trapasso
Associated Press Writer

MANCHESTER, N.H.—U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs James Peake does not foresee returning New Hampshire's V.A. hospital into a full-service facility -- even though some veterans are traveling to Boston or Vermont for care.

Peake toured the Manchester Veterans Administration Medical Center Tuesday and spoke with veterans and staff to learn more about the hospital.

The secretary also said he is against allowing veterans to show a medical card and receive treatment at non-V.A. facilities.

"That's called yellow-page medicine," Peake said. "I think that potentially is dangerous, because I'm not sure the individual is necessarily the best consumer. It's hard to be an educated consumer of health care."

Hospital officials would prefer veterans seek care at the V.A. hospital first. If the hospital does not provide the services needed, it can refer patients to out-of-state V.A. facilities or to local providers the hospital has contracts with.

They said it doesn't lead to good patient care to provide specialized services that would be used by only a few veterans.

"That's a lot of infrastructure to only manage about 10 patients a day," said hospital Chief of Staff Dr. Andrew Breuder.

The hospital doesn't provide acute inpatient care or services like radiation treatments for cancer patients.

Hospital officials said their biggest need was more space. The facility and its four outreach clinics across the state have seen more than 22,000 veterans since October.

They are adding 26 exam rooms in Manchester and expanding services for female veterans.

Peake was invited to the veterans hospital by Republican Sen. John Sununu, who spoke with him at the hospital earlier Tuesday. Sununu said he talked about returning the hospital to a full-service facility and the need for a veterans' center in Keene.

Peake also met with U.S. Rep. Carol Shea-Porter, who asked the government to turn the Manchester hospital into a full-service facility in October.

She said previously that it isn't fair to New Hampshire's veterans and puts them at serious risk.

New Hampshire is one of three states without a full-service veterans hospital. The hospital was downgraded from a full-service facility seven years ago and discontinued many of its inpatient and outpatient care services.

Hawaii and Alaska do not have full-service V.A. Medical Centers. But veterans there can receive medical treatment through hospitals at military bases.

-------------------------

posted by Larry Scott
Founder and Editor
VA Watchdog dot Org

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