$145B bill with spending for VA passes House (credit, veterans, insurance)
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The lack of details in that article begs the question of exactly what the VA bill contains. I know it had a bunch of riders, too, but again, lack of facts and details, you know.
Basically, the VA Choice program is expanding with the ultimate goal of creating a private veteran HMO system. It also establishes a nationwide "clinic" concept (think those small clinics in Walmarts and drug stores) that will replace traditional VA primary care physicians. You will have the freedom to see any of those clinic staff whenever you like with no need to coordinate with a VA Primary Care Physician. The intent is to give you back control over your health care. Look of it the same as medicaid but for veterans with no copays or coinsurance. If you don't like how they treat you at Walmarts clinic, go over to the clinic at Safeway. If you don't want any of them, find a private physician who will accept the plan. The choice will be yours!
The bill also includes funding for the phase out of VA clinics, essentially closing all CBOCs. The VA Medical Centers will ultimately change more towards long term care and hospice. Although there are several mandates for additional services the VA must directly provide, the bulk of the money is to go towards programs and services to Veterans by the private sector. It will also allow for faith based health services to bid on certain portions of the nationwide veteran health services, something currently prohibited.
The best analogy I heard is the current system is like government housing projects where everyone is shoved in together, while the new system is more like Section 8 housing where you the Veteran will have the freedom to make all your own choices. You have the freedom to be your own person with nobody holding your hand. You can go to any contracted clinic for routine care, see any health care professional, use any lab you like, see any specialist and use any emergency room in the USA who has agreed to accept what the VA pays for the service. Freedom is a great thing.
The bill provides increase spending on veteran's caregivers, both family and private. It also modifies the GI Bill and the VA Voc Rehab to allow greater use at unaccredited private educational places.
The VA MISSION Act: Enhancing Healthcare for Veterans
On Wednesday, June 6, 2018, President Trump signed into law the “John S. McCain III, Daniel K. Akaka, and Samuel R. Johnson VA Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Networks Act” a.k.a. the VA MISSION Act of 2018 (“VAMA”), a $52 billion reform bill aimed at improving access to, and the quality of, medical services provided to veterans by the Department of Veterans Affairs (“VA”).
Increase Veteran Access to High-Quality Healthcare Services
In brief, VAMA has two essential components. First, it extends comprehensive caregiver benefits to veterans injured or made ill prior to Sept. 11, 2001. As described by Washington Headquarters Executive Director, Garry Augustine, VAMA takes major strides to bring equality into the VA’s coverage of family caregiver services for both veterans insured before 9/11 and veterans injured on or after 9/11.
Second, VAMA directs the VA to combine a number of existing private-care programs, including the “Veterans Choice Program,” to improve veterans’ access to healthcare services and to improve the quality of such services. More specifically, VAMA’s quality and access provisions:
Okay, now! The title up there says $145 billion. Now, is it just $1.1 billion added? Is that only for the Choice Program or what? Which is the amount of new spending allowed in this bill? That last url said the bridge funding needed is $50 billion and they'll be $10 billion in the hole if it's left as is. Now, I may not be an expert, but even I know that just expanding the Caregiver Program by itself is a very expensive additional expense.
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