Americans will surely recall the scandalous Veterans Health Administration scandal several years ago: In many hospitals, there were long waiting times for appointments due to physician shortages, as well as squalid conditions in some facilities. That is why recent legislation and the accompanying proposed rule to significantly expand the number of patients eligible for private healthcare under the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) are an important step in the right direction.
As a veteran and a physician, I had the privilege to work alongside the dedicated doctors, nurses, and other clinical personnel who staff the VA during my 56-year career in medicine. Unfortunately, the reality is that the system too often fails our veterans. I have seen it firsthand as a physician, and this is why, even though I am a veteran, I use the private system.
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