Military.com article from Larry Scott at VA Watchdog dot Org 

 

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July 26, 2005

 

 

 

Clueless in Committee

 

Waiting lists grow - Rep. Buyer blames VA

 

Opinion by Larry Scott

 

 

 

There?s lots of ?I told you so? going around Capitol Hill these days.  With good reason.  Those politicians who?ve long criticized the ongoing underfunding of VA healthcare have been proven right.  And, those who have consistently voted down more funds for VA healthcare still remain clueless.

 

Chief among the clueless is Rep. Steve Buyer (R-IN), Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans? Affairs.  The following shows why.

 

On July 21, the HCVA learned, from a VA IG report, something that comes as no surprise to veterans.  The report showed that waiting lists for healthcare at VA hospitals all over the country are getting longer and longer.

 

As of July 15, the number of new enrollees and established patients waiting more than 30 days for appointments in Cleveland was 1,638 -- in San Diego, 621 -- in Indianapolis, 287 -- and in Tampa, 2,650.  And this is just a quick look at four VA facilities.  These lists grow longer every day.

 

Rep. Buyer?s response to this information?  Blame the VA!  In a July 26 press release, Buyer said, ?To provide the best care possible to veterans, VA must more efficiently handle the basics.?  ?I want VA to resolve these problems with appointment scheduling, eliminate these waiting lists, and improve access,? Buyer added.

 

Wait a minute!  This information came to light in a hearing about FUNDING shortfalls in VA healthcare.  But, Rep. Buyer turns it around and tries to pin the blame on the VA.  Since when is the VA responsible for its own underfunding?  The White House and the OMB set VA funding levels and Congress passes the legislation that provides the funding.

 

Here?s the simple math for Rep. Buyer.  Veterans are on waiting lists to receive healthcare because the VA hospitals don?t have the doctors to treat them because the White House and Congress haven?t properly funded VA healthcare.  I can?t make it any simpler.  Even a Congressman should be able to understand that.

 

I have been writing about this on Military.com for nearly a year now and this is the most blatant attempt I?ve seen to take the blame off the White House and Congress and lay it on the VA.  But, this is what we can expect from Rep. Buyer whose intention it is to rewrite the VA benefits handbook.  Rep. Buyer is being helped in his mission by the Veterans? Disability Benefits Commission, a politically stacked group, whose legality has been questioned by major veteran?s service organizations.

 

Adding to the confusion, veterans have been waiting for healthcare inside and outside the system.  In Northwest Arkansas the VA is refusing to enroll eligible veterans.  But, in other VA facilities, like Portland, Oregon, veterans continue to be enrolled but are put on a waiting list inside the system because there are not enough primary care providers.

 

The VA policy, at this time, requires that any veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 50 percent or more and veterans who need care for any service-connected disability will be scheduled for care within 30 days of the desired appointment time.  If they cannot be, VA must provide for their care at another VA facility or through a non-VA provider at VA expense.

 

It is obvious that this is not being done.  And it comes back to the simple matter of VA healthcare funding.  No money equals no doctors equals no healthcare for veterans.

 

This week compromise legislation should be worked out to add more funding for VA healthcare.  One thing we know is that it won?t be enough.  Confusing and contradictory budget numbers have been thrown from House to Senate and back again.  None of the budget proposals realistically address the major issue of underfunding.

 

More veterans are waiting longer for VA healthcare while the clueless look to take the blame off themselves.  Blaming the VA for inefficiency when they don?t have the funds to be efficient doesn?t cut it.  And veterans, caught in the middle of the political blame-game, are the losers.  Healthcare delayed is healthcare denied.