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HOW VA BUDGET CUTS HURT AN AVERAGE VETERAN -- Budget cuts,

underfunding and understaffing are taking a toll on the average veteran.

This means longer waiting lists and denied services. One example:

"...there is approximately a one-year wait for an appointment at the

hospital — no appointment means no medications. The three

medications that I take cost me approximately $250 a month."

 

 

The current batch of do-nothing politicians on Capitol Hill will rave about the money they are pouring into the VA budget.

But, what sounds like large increases in the VA budget is just smoke-and-mirrors.

With more new veterans coming into the system and older vets needing more medical care, the VA budget is NOT keeping up with the demand.

So, don't believe the "do-nothings" who tell you that all is well.

Below is a letter to the editor from a WWII veteran who is suffering because of budget cuts.  What is interesting is that the letter he received from the VA actually says that.  See the underlined portion of the story below.

This is happening all over the country.  In my area there are long waits for mental health care and even longer waits for orthopedic surgery.  And, if you are trying to enroll in the VA system for the first time, you can wait for more than a year to be assigned a Primary Care Provider.

Here is a request:  If you have received a letter from the VA that tells about delays in service, cuts in service or budget problems, please send it to me.  I'll make sure it gets posted so we can start tracking this problem.  If the letter has personal information in it, I will remove this before posting.  We need to share this information with other veterans.

The letter below was sent to the Rutland Herald in Rutland, Vermont by WWII veteran Richard Tannen.

Mr. Tannen's political message should be seriously considered.  The Republicans have had complete control of Washington for the past six years...and we have seen the disastrous results of underfunding the VA.

Story here... http://www.rutlandherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?
AID=/20061005/NEWS/610050320/1037/OPINION02

Story below: 

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GOP slashing veterans' benefits

October 5, 2006

There cannot be any loyal Americans who do not support our troops. Our soldiers have witnessed over 2,500 of their buddies killed and many thousands more maimed for life either physically or psychologically. However, once these heroes become veterans of the present war, the Republican Party dishonors their heroism by severely cutting the Veterans' Administration budget. One would think that the VA budget should have been increased if common sense prevailed. Haven't our new veterans sacrificed enough? Is there neither humanity, sensitivity nor honor left in politics?

I am a veteran of World War II. Since 2001, I have been receiving glaucoma medication from the VA satellite office in Bennington. This past April, I was informed that I would have to go to the VA hospital in White River Junction in order to receive any more medications. The kicker is that there is approximately a one-year wait for an appointment at the hospital — no appointment means no medications. The three medications that I take cost me approximately $250 a month.

The following quote is from a letter that I received from the VA: "This is to notify you that our Eye Clinic is currently experiencing long delays in scheduling new patient appointments. This is due to an increasing number of veterans seeking eye care for the first time. The wait time for an eye exam is indefinite. We cannot determine how long you may have to wait for an eye exam given the recent VA budget cuts."

Our Constitution provides us with a system of checks and balances, but the brilliant design our forefathers gave to us is broken. Vermont's citizens need and deserve a fair voice in Washington. Vote for Vermont's Democrat candidates.

RICHARD TANNEN
Manchester

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Larry Scott

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