As another Lame Cherry exclusive in matter anti matter.
There is a great deal to be disappointed with in Donald Trump breaking promises, but I desire to be fair in pointing out some exemplary points in one being VA Secretary David Shulkin, who does not run his agency like a fiefdom.
In important Senate hearings, unlike the James Comey whinefest, the Secretary told Senator Mike Rounds that the VA will immediately start reimbursing 370,000 Veterans who had been denied payment coverage.
Veterans Win: 370,000 Claims Formerly Denied Will Now be Considered for Payment
June 16, 2017During a Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing earlier this week, VA Secretary David Shulkin announced that the agency has taken steps to follow the law and begin covering the emergency care costs of veterans with third-party health insurance when that insurance doesn’t cover the full amount of non-VA emergency care. Currently, an estimated 370,000 claims are in limbo due to the agency refusing to pay them, forcing these veterans to cover the cost of emergency care services despite the VA’s legal obligation to do so.During our exchange, Secretary Shulkin told me that the VA has formally submitted proposed regulations to begin reimbursing emergency care costs to veterans. Those most affected by the VA’s non-compliance are our elderly veterans, many of whom are living on fixed incomes and have limited resources to pay medical bills. They can now breathe a sigh of relief as we are one step closer to rectifying this issue once and for all.
The above is on the heals of a May appearance where the Secretary listed a host of cost saving measures along with the necessary move of Veteran's Choice in expanding the private sector care for Veterans. For those not involved in the VA, it is a nightmare for disabled, poor and elderly Vets as their "free health care" is often hundreds of miles from their homes. The stress of travel to a Veteran's Hospital and being away from family who can not monitor their loved ones, has caused a number of problems in the worst VA Hospitals.
While President Donald Trump’s budget blueprint calls for a 6 percent increase in VA funding, Shulkin has made clear the government’s second-largest agency with nearly 370,000 employees will have to operate more efficiently and that budget increases should not be considered a given in future years. The department recently announced hiring restrictions on roughly 4,000 positions despite the lifting of the federal hiring freeze and also left open the possibility of “near-term” and “long-term workforce reductions.” Shulkin is also putting together a broader proposal by fall to expand the VA’s Choice program of private-sector care.
It simply would make sense to stop the redundancy in Veterans Care. Of course there should be rehabilitation centers for Veterans wounded in combat, but there also should be transition care locally. I would make more sense to place Veteran fundings where the Veteran chooses to be cared for, and this would include the private healthcare system to assist in funding for this system still in the throws of Obamacare.
Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin says his department is seeking to close perhaps more than 1,100 VA facilities nationwide as it develops plans to allow more veterans to receive medical care in the private sector. At a House hearing Wednesday, Shulkin said the VA had identified more than 430 vacant buildings and 735 that he described as underutilized, costing the federal government $25 million a year
$25 million dollars at 1000 dollars in physician care, would provide for 25,000 Veterans, instead of heating and lighting empty buildings.
The appointment of Secretary Shulkin was exactly what the VA needed for American Veterans care. It is not sexy headlines in governing, but that is what America needs is people who are governing for the People. Honestly, the entire Trump appointments of Trump Trans have been absolute disappointments. Except of Sec. Zinke firing all the Obama wackos at Interior, have we witnessed the USDA, Defense, Intelligence or the hosts of others doing anything but the same status quo?
That is the problem in this in we voted for thousands of Shulkin's and all we got is Ivanka bombing Syria or kicking little boys to the curb while spending more money which America does not have.
Maybe the fix in this is, when Secretary Shulkin fixes the VA in the next year, President Trump can appoint him to fix the other agencies who have nothing but high salary do nothing suits repressing Americans in more deep state status quo.
agtG
