Veterans healthcare - improvement can be expedited

Letter opinion echo published in the Massachusetts The Patriot Ledger newspaper

Veterans deserve access to quality health care available close to their homes

To the editor:

The chance of dramatically improving health care for veterans by giving them the opportunity to use medical services close to their home has been kicked around for a long time and, sadly, nothing ever happens. It’s really quite simple: the Veterans Administration would pay the provider the same a s Medicare pays for its insured members. No additional staff or medical facilities would be required. Essentially, there is no downside.

This one change could improve the VA’s performance level significantly and allow them to finally provide the level of service that is required for our veterans.

Every article written on this subject has strongly recommended that this change be made as soon as possible. I have written on this subject three times in the past. 

Continue to push this issue with local politicians to see if we can get the ball rolling faster.

William D. Chapman
Captain, US Navy (retired)
Scituate MA