Non VA health care passes in House

[Berta]

"WASHINGTON (AP) - The House voted Wednesday to give veterans more freedom to see doctors outside the Veterans Affairs health system, a major shift aimed at reducing wait times and improving medical care despite the concerns of some Democrats who cast it as a risky step toward dismantling the struggling agency.

The plan seeks to fulfill President Donald Trump's promise to expand private care to veterans whenever they feel unhappy with VA health care.

The long-awaited bill would change how veterans receive their medical treatment by allowing them to go to a private physician when they felt government-run VA medical centers couldn't provide the care they needed, with the approval of a VA health provider. Veterans could access private care when they endured lengthy wait times, or the treatment was not what they had expected.

The VA would decide in many cases when a veteran sees an outside doctor, based on conditions it sets that determine what is inadequate care.

The House passed the bill by a 347-70 vote, with the program to be implemented later next year as the VA works to add private doctors to its network of outside referrals."

http://www.theitem.com/stories/house-oks-expansion-of-private-care-for-vets,308463

That is GREAT except for the codicil-----

'The VA would decide in many cases when a veteran sees an outside doctor, based on conditions it sets that determine what is inadequate care.'

That still gives the VA a lot of control as to who care get private care.

Some VA docs I am sure would go for that, but many probably won't ,because they think all VA care is 'adequate'.

[broncovet]

Yea...the VA decides when the Veteran thinks the medical care at VA is adequate.  I guess the VA does not have enough control over our lives as it is....or maybe I should ask the VA if its okay if I think that???