Dump the VA and Better Yet
The Czar was loath to publish this on or just before Memorial Day, but cannot delay any longer. Some time ago, the Czar proposed eliminating the Department of Veterans Affairs, and rolling its functions into the Department of Defense—after stripping out all the civilian bureaucrats who serve little real function, of course.
Operative BJ wrote back in, admitting that the plan had merit, but suggested a better approach. A much better approach that only begins with dismantling DoVA. He reminds us:
| The problem with military medical services is that some vets may live hundreds of miles from the nearest base with any kind of basic medical care. Sometimes you need more than an aspirin. And converting the VA hospital network to the DOD might help, but even that isn’t enough to provide veterans the care they need regardless of where they live. Remember: civilian workers at VA hospitals are not subject to the UCMJ. But I have a slightly different idea. How about giving vets full-boat low/no deductible medicaid coverage from the time they leave the service until their death? That would allow vets to choose from medical providers close to home instead of having to wait for care at a VA facility. How to pay for it? Moving all of the administration of the VA medical system back to the DOD would reduce paperwork – only one set of records would be needed, and they would all be kept together – thus eliminating an entire bureaucracy. Veterans – as a general rule – won’t use medical services unless they absolutely need them, thus keeping the increase in costs to a controllable and probably predictable level. |
Since receipt of this letter, the Czar has spotted the same or similar proposals from such different individuals as total-reform Charles Krauthammer as well as establishment-prone George Will. But remember, you saw it here first, after the fact.
But hey, why not basically do the same for uninsurable Americans as well? Let the hospitals do their own record keeping, after all, but use a voucher system to receive discounted services at hospitals they otherwise could not afford? Why are all the good ideas coming from outside Washington these last few years?
Божію Поспѣшествующею Милостію Мы, Дима Грозный Императоръ и Самодержецъ Всероссiйскiй, цѣсарь Московскiй. The Czar was born in the steppes of Russia in 1267, and was cheated out of total control of all Russia upon the death of Boris Mikhailovich, who replaced Alexander Yaroslav Nevsky in 1263. However, in 1283, our Czar was passed over due to a clerical error and the rule of all Russia went to his second cousin Daniil (Даниил Александрович), whom Czar still resents. As a half-hearted apology, the Czar was awarded control over Muscovy, inconveniently located 5,000 miles away just outside Chicago. He now spends his time seething about this and writing about other stuff that bothers him.