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A Kew H DENVER COLORADO Mac Cleland Administrator tor of Veterans Affairs said in Washington that he has strongly recommended to Congress that the Veterans Administrations Administration's health care system remain intact The recommendation was contained in a response to a study by the National Academy Academy Academy Acad Acad- emy of Sciences NAS which suggested the VA medical system be merged with the private sector The NAS report does not document a need for action of this kind or show that it could be accomplished to the advantage advantage advantage ad ad- vantage of Americas America's veterans veterans veterans veter veter- ans Cleland said Terming the Ute recommendation recommendation recommendation dation unfounded and unrealistic unrealistic unrealistic un un- realistic Cleland said I have reported to Congress that such a move would be tragic both for the veteran and the American people we would be irresponsible if we agreed to it Cleland added We also oppose any such change because because because be be- cause it would cost the taxpayers taxpayers taxpayers tax tax- payers substantially more to care for veterans in the i private sector A new cost comparison study by the VA shows that on the average acute medical and surgical care costs 10 percent more in private hospitals than in the VA The rhe NAS study ordered by t i t the Congress in 1973 took three years to compile and cost 6 million Legislation Legisla Legisla- tion authorizing the study gave the VA 90 days to respond respond respond res res- res- res pond t to recommendations of the NAS study committee The NAS made na l i its report J last June Nowhere in the NAS report report report re re- re- re port Cleland noted is there information that manifests clearly le an ability or a desire on the part of the private sector to provide the comprehensive comprehensive comprehensive compre compre- care that American Veterans need and deserve The NAS study made 37 major recommendations In its response VA concurred with 13 NAS recommendations agreed in a limited way but not in specifics with 10 and disagreed with the re re- re- re The recommendations included included included in in- several proposals addressing addressing addressing ad ad- dressing ma matters tt rs of policy These VA found are not supported supported supported sup sup- ported by data collected during dur dur- ing the NAS study effort but butare butare butare are conclusions based on subjective observation or personal opinion Other highlights of the VA response included the finding that the NAS study did not provide de the expected guidance guidance guid guid- ance in ascertaining the VAs VA's needs for staffing and resources resources resources re re- sources for operation of the r J. J VA system as Congress had mandated in the legislation calling for the study Instead the VA response noted the NAS report over- over generalized on the basis of limi limited ted data VA also said it believes no reassessment of the need for construction of eight new VA A hospitals approved by President President President Pres Pres- ident Ford in 1976 is required required required re re- re- re because there has already already already al al- al- al ready been an adequate re re- re- re view The NAS study called for a new review The VA with an anNAS anNAS anNAS NAS recommendation that it should provide more outpatient ent surgical care but noted that many VA patients come from some distance to clinics clinics clinics clin clin- ics and provision would have to be made for some type of living arrangements for them The VA also concurred with five recommendations on the delivery of mental health care in the VA system tem The VA response noted however that tha t there are no easy solutions to problems in this field and the NAS recommendations must be approached realistically An NAS recommendation on the of surgical care in psychiatric hospitals is based on obsolete information information information mation the VA said VA has already aheady closed surgical l ser- ser vices in five such hospitals Throughout the VA system there are now only four psychiatric psychiatric psychiatric hospitals with l surgical surgical cal services opera operating ting a total of 97 beds and in one of th these se hospitals outside surgical consultants perform all surgery sur sur- gery The VA concurred with an anNAS anNAS anNAS NAS recommendation that VA should be reimbursed by third-party third insurers as a necessary necessary necessary essary first firs t step to prepare the VA to participate as a full provided under any program of national health insurance The VA did not agree though that tha t this should be a astep astep astep step toward phasing out the separate te VA health care t tem m. m With a total of veterans veterans veterans vet vet- erans and servicemen in training at the end of September September Sep Sep- usage of the current GI Bill Bill which took effect in 1966 has exceeded seven million individuals the Veterans Veterans Veterans Vet Vet- erans Administration said to to- day VA Administrator Max Cleland Cleland Cleland Cle- Cle land said the new figures mean that more than 17 million million million mil mil- lion Americans have taken advantage of the G GI I Bill since the inception of the popular popular popular pop pop- ular program in 1944 I 4 11 1 40 I 0 t To date in the life of the current or Vietnam Era G GI I Bill more than 7 million individuals have taken education education ed ed- ed- ed training under its provisions More than four million of these were enrolled in college college college col col- col- col lege VA said This is approximately approximately approximately twice the number of men and women who took college level training under the World War II legislation The agency said Septembers September's Septembers September's Septem Septem- bers ber's enrollment of is down by about from the more than 11 million GI Bill students enrolled in September September Sep Sep- a year ago During all of Fiscal Year 1976 VA said 28 million servicemen servicemen servicemen ser ser- ser ser- and veterans took advantage of the educational benefits In Fiscal Year 1977 the total enrollment had decreased decreased decreased de de- de- de creased to While the current G GI I Bill enrollment stands at less than one million the agency said it estimated that approximately approximately approximately six million Americans Americans Americans Ameri Ameri- cans are currently eligible for such training Eligibility extends for ten years after discharge from the armed services but VA said approximately individuals allowed their entitlement entitlement entitlement en en- to expire in the last year year alone 1 |
