How to Improve Health Care for Veterans - Letter to the NYT Editor from New York State Health Foundation's David Sandman
To the Editor:
Re “A Move That Will Hurt Veterans” (Op-Ed, March 30):
The former Veterans Affairs secretary, David J. Shulkin, lays out a number of compelling reasons it’s a bad idea to privatize medical services for veterans. One more obvious reason is that veterans themselves don’t want it.
About half of veterans want to get their care at the V.A., while the other half prefer community-based options. For some, the nearest V.A. facility is too far away from home. Others want to get their care in the same place as their spouses and children. These preferences are practical, not partisan.
Rather than battling about where veterans get their health care, policymakers should focus on improving the quality of care for veterans, wherever they choose to get it. The next V.A. secretary can best serve veterans by supporting a strong, accessible and high-quality V.A. that works in tandem with community-based private care. Veterans should not be asked to sacrifice their health for an ideological agenda.
DAVID SANDMAN, NEW YORK