I am having a discussion with someone who claims, "Here’s another report on the VA’s transformation of medical care from our private sector approach, where the doctors make money when we are ill, to a system that is designed to avoid needless medical procedures.
Until the early 1990s, care at VA hospitals was so substandard that Congress considered shutting down the entire system and giving ex-G.I.s vouchers for treatment at private facilities. Today it’s a very different story. The VA runs the largest integrated health-care system in the country, with more than 1,400 hospitals, clinics and nursing homes employing 14,800 doctors and 61,000 nurses. And by a number of measures, this government-managed health-care program–socialized medicine on a small scale–is beating the marketplace. For the sixth year in a row, VA hospitals last year scored higher than private facilities on the University of Michigan’s American Customer Satisfaction Index, based on patient surveys on the quality of care received. The VA scored 83 out of 100; private institutions, 71. Males 65 years and older receiving VA care had about a 40% lower risk of death than those enrolled in Medicare Advantage, whose care is provided through private health plans or HMOs, according to a study published in the April edition of Medical Care. Harvard University just gave the VA its Innovations in American Government Award for the agency’s work in computerizing patient records."
Anyone have some resources on VA hospitals or have a response to this? I found this surprising as nobody I know has had anything good to say about working or receiving care at VA hospitals. A search on Mises for anything related to the system came up empty.
Our current system isn’t free market. And certain area markets are going to have different quality hospitals. There most certainly can be exceptions to the rule. I don’t know much about VA’s hospitals.
Insurance basically doens’t pay for preventive care. There’s a 2 year statute that says they aren’t liable for crap that happened 2 years ago. So when you get in a car accident, they don’t send you to a chiropracter because if you need freaking spinal surgery 5 years from now, they don’t have to cover it.
Also you can find anecdotal evidence to prove anything. That this guy who drinks orange juice no longer has aids, or that some 10 year olds are more mature than adults, or that gambling caused some people to be rich. Its intellectually disohonest not to look at general trends. There will always be exceptions to the rule in a large study…
Private corporations being paid by the government per customer have no more incentive to do a good job than a private individual being paid by the government per customer to do a good job. They only have an incentive to maximize the number of customers. Because the customer is not paying there is little for him to complain about.
Be very careful about the content of the survey. Many veterans, my fathers being one of them, are satisfied with their care at the VA. Of course like any other socialized health care system, you need to have the ability to wait for appointments, even scheduled ones. And like any other socialized health care system you get a certain amount of care and no more. This no more part is what irks me. Socialized health care limits the right to life by not providing care beyond a bureaucraticly determined amount. I want more care. I want to see a doctor when I have my blood pressure and heart checked. I do not want the PA or nurse practicioner as these folks may be qualified for a lot of stuff, I do not consider them qualified to judge my heart issues.
So when people tout the greatness of the VA they better not want or need something beyond what the VA declares it will do.
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants are capable of judging heart issues, but if you need surgery or something of that nature you definitely want a doctor
Good responses. I was hoping someone had links to good research on the subject. I did find one Cato piece, but it was done in 1994. I need something more recent when these supposed improvements have occurred.
That person should come to South Florida where thousands of vets not have HIV and Hep B as of a result of endoscopes not being properly sterilized for colonoscopy’s at the VA.
