{"id":1004185,"date":"2019-04-10T15:52:00","date_gmt":"2019-04-10T19:52:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/democrats.org\/?p=1004185"},"modified":"2024-05-23T20:04:02","modified_gmt":"2024-05-23T20:04:02","slug":"wilkie-charges-forward-with-va-privatization-that-would-reduce-access-to-care","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/democrats.org\/news\/wilkie-charges-forward-with-va-privatization-that-would-reduce-access-to-care\/","title":{"rendered":"Wilkie Charges Forward With VA Privatization That Would Reduce Access To Care"},"content":{"rendered":"

Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie is dead set to implement the biggest VA privatization plan ever by June 6, despite concerns that the Trump administration\u2019s implementation plan could tremendously reduce access to veterans\u2019 care. The Trump administration\u2019s rushed \u00a0push towards privatization coincides with an unprecedented increase in lobbying from special interest groups. The Trump administration need to stop putting special interest over our nation\u2019s veterans.<\/p>\n

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The VA\u2019s plan for implementing the VA Mission Act puts convenience over quality of care and transfers much needed funds for the VA to the private sector.<\/p>\n

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Military Times<\/a>: \u201cBut critics are unhappy with more than just the rules as written. They say that Trump\u2019s team is working to undermine VA health care as a viable enterprise, by promoting outside care as a better solution for veterans\u2019 medical needs. Groups such as Veterans of Foreign Wars and Disabled American Veterans has voiced concerns that the messaging of the changes emphasizes convenience of care over quality. Outside doctors, they note, don\u2019t necessarily have experience diagnosing post-traumatic stress disorder or burn pit illnesses. They\u2019d rather see efforts put into improving VA access options.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Congress has called on the VA to halt implementation of the new program over IT issues that could leave many veterans unable to access medical care.<\/p>\n

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Stars & Stripes<\/a>: \u201cHouse lawmakers suggested Tuesday that Department of Veterans Affairs officials postpone a major expansion of veterans\u2019 access to private-sector doctors, following warnings that its information technology system is flawed and could disrupt patient care\u2026 The U.S. Digital Service \u2013 a White House team of software developers that helps federal agencies improve their technology \u2013 recommended last month that the VA stop developing its IT system for the new program, which it described as flawed, with the potential to create confusion and disruption for veterans and VA doctors.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Trump\u2019s VA pushed for an accelerated privatization process at the urging of a Koch Brothers-backed group while cutting major veterans organizations out of rulemaking process.<\/p>\n

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Politico<\/a>: \u201cThe VA\u2019s then secretary, David Shulkin, was at the previously undisclosed meeting, along with a contingent of conservative thinkers on veterans policy, including current and former members of Concerned Veterans for America, known as CVA, an advocacy network largely backed by conservative donors Charles and David Koch. Also present were \u2018Fox & Friends\u2019 host Pete Hegseth, a former CVA executive repeatedly floated to be Trump\u2019s pick for VA secretary, and David Urban, a right-leaning CNN commentator who served as a senior adviser on the Trump campaign. According to emails obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, the group drafted a strategy to \u2018echo\/amplify\u2019 Trump\u2019s \u2018priorities\/initiative\u2019 for accelerating the privatization process. According to three people who were there, the participants discussed how best to respond to expected resistance from traditional veterans advocates, who historically have opposed privatizing key agency services. Representatives from \u2018the Big Six\u2019 major veterans organizations, including the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars, were not invited.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Hill<\/a>: \u201cCritics have expressed concern that expanding private health care could drain resources from improving the VA system itself, undermining the system and ultimately leading to full privatization. Some veterans groups and lawmakers have also said the VA did not consult them during the process of drafting the new rules.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Veterans groups criticized Trump\u2019s VA budget proposal for failing to include sufficient funding for implementing the VA Mission Act.<\/p>\n

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Stars & Stripes<\/a>: \u201cThree large veterans organizations criticized President Donald Trump\u2019s fiscal year 2020 budget proposal for the Department of Veterans Affairs, arguing the historically high amount still falls short of meeting veterans\u2019 needs\u2026 Specifically, they argued there\u2019s not enough to implement the VA Mission Act, major reform legislation Congress approved last year. The new law aims to expand veterans\u2019 access to private doctors and extend benefits to more veteran caregivers.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Wilkie\u2019s rushed push towards privatization coincides with unprecedented lobbying from special interests looking to profit from privatization efforts.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Politico<\/a>: \u201cAn analysis by Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting of publicly available federal lobbying reports found that 20 years ago, fewer than two dozen corporate interests lobbied the agency. … In 2018, the year after Trump took office and [former House Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee Chairman Jeff] Miller entered the lobbying force, it was 230. Reveal\u2019s lobbying analysis found Miller has facilitated a gravy train of government largesse to his clients\u2014a list that includes a disgraced hedge fund magnate pushing unproven treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder and a trade group for proton beam therapy, an expensive radiation application.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie is dead set to implement the biggest VA privatization plan ever by June 6, despite concerns that the Trump administration\u2019s implementation plan could tremendously reduce access to veterans\u2019 care. The Trump administration\u2019s rushed \u00a0push towards privatization coincides with an unprecedented increase in lobbying from special interest groups. The Trump administration […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":263,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1004185","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-press-release"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWilkie Charges Forward With VA Privatization That Would Reduce Access To Care - Democrats<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/democrats.org\/news\/wilkie-charges-forward-with-va-privatization-that-would-reduce-access-to-care\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Democrats\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2019-04-10T19:52:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-05-23T20:04:02+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Claire DePree\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Claire DePree\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/democrats.org\/news\/wilkie-charges-forward-with-va-privatization-that-would-reduce-access-to-care\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/democrats.org\/news\/wilkie-charges-forward-with-va-privatization-that-would-reduce-access-to-care\/\",\"name\":\"Wilkie Charges Forward With VA Privatization That Would Reduce Access To Care - 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