Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Private Care For Veterans Touted As Solution To VA's Troubles, But Analysis Finds It Creates Longer Wait Times, Higher Costs
For years, conservatives have assailed the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as a dysfunctional bureaucracy. They said private enterprise would mean better, easier-to-access health care for veterans. President Donald Trump embraced that position, enthusiastically moving to expand the private sector鈥檚 role. Here鈥檚 what has actually happened in the four years since the government began sending more veterans to private care: longer waits for appointments and, a new analysis of VA claims data by ProPublica and PolitiFact shows, higher costs for taxpayers. (Arnsdorf, 12/18)
They said private enterprise would mean better, easier-to-access health care for veterans. President Donald Trump embraced that position, enthusiastically moving to expand the private sector鈥檚 role. Here鈥檚 what has actually happened in the four years since the government began sending more veterans to private care: longer waits for appointments and, a new analysis of VA claims data by ProPublica and PolitiFact shows, higher costs for taxpayers. (Arnsdorf and Greenberg, 12/18)
