Well, there goes $2.4 billion that could have been better spent.
Last week the House of Representatives passed legislation that provides $2.4 billion in spending for construction and innovation of several VA (Veterans Administration) hospitals.
Some of the money will go toward reconstruction of two VA hospitals, in Biloxi, Mississippi., and New Orleans, damaged because of Hurricane Katrina. But hundreds of millions of dollars will also go to build new sites in Las Vegas and Orlando, and for reconstruction in Denver and Charleston, S.C.
Now, it’s important to ensure that our veterans have a place to go for their health care needs, but that isn’t the issue. The question is whether spending millions of federal tax dollars on new medical facilities is the most efficient way to provide veterans with high quality health care.
Everyone knows that congressmen fight to get a VA facility located in their district. It’s the “perfect pork,” because it allows congressmen and senators to pump millions into their local economies and claim they are doing it for the good of others—our veterans.
But is there a better way? After all, the vast majority of people who could qualify for VA health care benefits opt for private sector insurance if they have access to it.
First, let’s concede that it’s a tough population. Many of the veterans have acquired physical handicaps from their service and face long term care needs. And many have mental health issues.
So the most obvious private sector solution—have the government buy them a standard health insurance policy so they can go where they choose for their care—wouldn’t work for all vets. Though it likely would, and should, work for some.
While many vets use the VA because they are poor, those with pre-existing medical conditions might have trouble finding coverage in the private sector. So maybe they could enroll in the insurance program that covers about 8 million federal employees, or there might be a provision for them to enter Medicare.
Or, if the government didn’t want to mix those populations, it could, in essence, become an insurer for the vets.
While some of these are not the preferred private sector approach, they would at least get the government out of the hospital-building business.
When Congress decided to address seniors’ health care needs in 1965, it didn’t build a series of hospitals to provide them with care. Rather, it provided seniors with insurance coverage so they could go anywhere they chose to see a doctor or hospital. That means seniors can get the care they need close to home, rather than having to travel long distances, as veterans currently have to do.
We ought to take the same approach with our veterans.