Back in 2011, economics Nobel laureate and New York Timescolumnist Paul Krugman wrote that the Veterans Affairs healthcare system is a “huge policy success story, which offers important lessons for future health reform.”
It’s not hard to agree with the latter part of his statement, in the sense that it tells us what not to do. A VA Inspector General report last year found 307,000 records belonging to veterans who had died months or years in the past. Not all were seeking health services, but it shows just how inefficient the system is for veterans to get anything. There are a number of stories of veterans committing suicide in the parking lots of VA hospitals after being turned away for care.
The VA became a subject of scandal after news broke there was a systemic attempt to manipulate the data regarding their wait times to cover up their true length. They’ve continued to remain in the headlines since then, and wait ’til you hear their latest screw-up…
Via WEAU 13 News:
Nearly 600 veterans who received care at the Tomah VA may have been infected with several types of disease due to violations in infection control procedures. VA administrators made the announcement Tuesday afternoon at a press conference.
The Tomah VA says it’s in the process of notifying 592 veterans that they may be infected with Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, or HIV after they received care from one particular dental provider.
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source: http://www.allenbwest.com/matt-palumbo/va-accidentally-infects-hundreds-vets-hiv-thats-not-worst-part
