Veteran's Administration Overhaul

Unfortunately, at times the Veteran’s Administration (VA) is characterized by inferior medical services at inferior facilities administered by a medical staff unable to provide better services. The time has come to change the way we provide healthcare to our true American heroes.

The Fiscal Year 2008 VA Budget topped $86 billion dollars, which represented more than an 83% increase in healthcare spending since President George W. Bush took office in Fiscal Year 2001. The ‘08 Budget also represents an increase of more than 77% of the entire VA budget, which was in effect when the President took office.

The VA provides healthcare to an estimated 5.8 million patients, which includes more than 250,000 veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
In the last 5 years, capital improvement costs have amounted to more than $3.7 billion dollars (including $750 million dollars this year) or almost $640,000 per patient. Obviously, the new capital expenses do not account for older capital expenses and improvement costs and annual maintenance costs of existing facilities. The ‘08 Budget includes funding for the completion of a new $600 million dollar facility in Las Vegas.

Isn’t it time to operate the VA Healthcare differently and more efficiently? How many times have family members or family friends been challenged with the time and travel problems of getting a Veteran to a VA facility for medical attention? In the last year, the country has been made aware of the poor maintenance issues at the U.S. Army’s Walter Reed Army Medical Center, the flagship of the VA hospital system. The time has come to overhaul the Veteran's Administration and the way it provides medical and/or healthcare services.

As the next U.S. Senator from South Carolina, I propose we replace outdated and often-times overworked and understaffed VA hospitals and clinics with a system that guarantees the well-being and comfort of our veterans. Veterans would be issued a Hero Card that would enable them to receive medical care from doctors and specialists of their choosing; doctors in their hometowns who know them and their families. These true American heroes deserve to be treated as such, not as numbers. This would greatly reduce the time, stress, anxiety and difficulties of obtaining VA medical care. Under the VA medical overhaul, substantial savings will be recognized by the elimination of new capital improvement costs, new construction costs, maintenance costs from existing “brick and mortar” facilities and employee costs including doctor’s, doctor’s assistants, technicians, the administrative staff, etc.

The VA Healthcare is an example of how we can reduce the size of government and provide a better level of service to its customers, the American Veteran.

Mr. Graham's Senate Committee assignments include a seat on the The Veterans’ Affairs Committee, whose members are assigned with oversight responsibility for veterans’ benefits and providing for the health and welfare of the men and women who served our nation in uniform. The committee has jurisdiction over the Department of Veterans’ Affairs and its 172 medical clinics, more than 600 outpatient clinics and 134 nursing home care units.

Video #1 | 02.28.07 - Walter Reed Patients Told To Keep Quiet

Video #2 | 03.5.07 - Walter Reed "Tip of the Iceberg"