VETERANS CORNER: Where did the money go for long-term care facility?

by Gary Kennedy

I’m sure many of you veterans out there are dealing with subjective as well as objective data, when you not only view, but experience the Veterans Administrations, Medical administrative as well as its physical plant. I have spoken with many of you both as fellow vets, friends and as an advocate on issues which affect us in all related ways. When we look at VA those of us who are not new to the physical plant can see changes that have been carved out of an established bastion of safety and well being to, “What’s going on”?

Several years ago funds were allocated to build an extended care facility for veterans. Many veterans were excited about the fact that a possible long term home would become available to them. I guess we all know many vets who have left us since that promise was made. It’s so sad that they never had the chance to enjoy that promised haven. It is wonderful sharing time with those who have served our country.

I do hope the new National Administration takes a good look at where these dollars, which were paid in taxes, went. Then we have the issue of the gym and swimming pool which was built more than a half century ago and used for our veterans. This was not only given for recreational purposes but for physical therapy. It was a wonderful plus to our VA which no other facility had.

Covid reared its ugly head from China it is believed and that gave opportunity for the administration to close those veterans assets down to never reopen, at least not to disabled veterans. That hurt many of us deeply. Of course it is non-veterans who rule the roost. I personally made many objections in many places and in many ways but to no avail. There was a plan in the works forged by the top administration to use the gym, for a small fee for employees only. I guess that was the beginning of the obvious loss of employee population and VA’s new transitional period to the 21st century. The swimming pool became a storage locker for derelict hospital beds and other trash. What a shameful disgrace and slap in the face to our veterans!

Then and now the attrition rate has reached unsustainable proportions. We have lost great doctors from most, if not all departments. The advent of allowing veterans to use outside doctors became the thing. It was meant originally to circumvent the problem we had getting care to veterans located in remote areas. That was a great idea on its face but control was lost and politicians became involved due to the complaints of their constituents. It became a political football with a very short lived life expectancy.

It seems so simple just to avail ourselves to the outside world, to take the slack, thus saving time and money. The one thing they didn’t consider and don’t want you to know is; how do we pay for this? This doesn’t fit on the balance sheet of our true capitalistic way of life. I belong to groups who say, “you don’t want to go near socialism”. In socialistic states you can’t get the financial credit for your work as you can in a federalistic form of government. Republicans and Democrats both realize this but either they really don’t care about you and I or they have an agenda of their own.

So now the quality of care is at an all time low because of employees being overworked and under paid. We all know that most physicians make a considerable salary. The USA average is $372,283 annually. However, a high end orthopedic surgeon can bring home $745,000 and family medicine hone in at around $289,000. The government has rules, if applied, which states, federal employees can’t earn more than the President of the USA.

Don’t take me wrong, VA has many pluses as a career goal but money isn’t one of them. The reason I am discussing Capitalism with you is not political; it is trying to protect the quality of care we use to have. Doctors receiving their first financial statement regarding veteran fees are agast at what the government is paying them to care for our veterans. I personally have already had two doctors refuse to see me anymore because the VA only paid them less than a third of the bill.

One doctor’s manager told me that the service I received was specialty medical and that the government wasn’t realizing that this particular office paid exceptionally high salaries as their employees were all specialists and the amount the VA paid didn’t even cover their expenses. That is a sad truth about millions who are thanked for their service. I do hope the new federal administration will take some hard looks at what lies ahead. This problem at this level begins at administrations door. Now we are hiring some non veteran employees who are very young with no veteran experience. Take a look next time you visit Togus VA. How many do you remember from five years ago? The limitations will continue to grow.

I am getting very tired and time is running out for me.

I pray constantly for all my brother and sister veterans. I am sure there is an answer. I hope this new administration in Washington will listen to we, the least of us because the answers have just begun to show us the obvious and it’s now that the problem can be solved. Talk to us now as you did when you first needed us. We are more than eager to help solve our problems. Don’t let the Peter Principle lodge itself in one of our most needed institutions.

If you would like to share your thoughts privately go to garyek55@gmail.com. God bless and keep you and yours safe.