The Northampton City Council is certainly on the right path to enforce state law that seeks “Medicare for All.” (Gazette, June 10). But it is instructive to consider that we already have a form of Medicare for All. Well, not quite “All” but at least for our veterans at VA Medical Centers across this nation.
Still, despite examples of superb care and ground-breaking research, the VA is beholden to, and hobbled by, the congressional budgetary allocation/approval process. Thus, the reality of budget politics creates problems at the VA.
At one California center there is not enough housing so some veterans who receive care there are homeless and sleep in the streets. In Wenatchee, Washington, a veteran was denied timely VA mental health care and thereafter allegedly killed his three daughters. Sadly, we have seen horridly incompetent care given at some VA facilities which usually stems from management and budgetary deficiencies.
Just as is true at civilian facilities, the VA cannot staff all the medical specialists needed to provide total care for veterans at their own facility. Thus, just as for civilian Medicare recipients, these VA patients are referred to other facilities.
Sometimes the veterans can receive the needed care from civilian doctors in their own communities, or in larger nearby VA medical centers. Sometimes the VA refers veterans to some of the very best hospitals in this entire nation, even in the world. For example, veterans at our own Leeds VA may be referred to one of the Boston hospitals for care not available locally.
VA care – government care -has an irregular performance record. So before we demand “Medicare for All,” no matter how carefully, conscientiously, competently or comprehensively our state law is written, we can examine our current “Medicare for All”-VA system to see what kind of health care Medicare writ large, especially in his new era of DOGE budgetary oversight, could provide.
Paul M. Craig
Northampton