As an eligible veteran I usually choose to receive the majority of my medical care at the VA Medical Center. I work and have private health insurance so if I so chose I could go wherever I wanted to for my care but have become fairly comfortable with my doctors and the VA. I realize that many people don’t have the option of private medical care which leaves them with the VA as their only option. In my opinion it’s a pretty good option, especially since the alternative is either paying high costs out of pocket, or no insurance at all which is an enormous risk these days. Of course the VA is not perfect, no system is, but given their mission and the resources they have available to them I have always been satisfied and I feel as though they do a good job.

As I am sure most people are aware there has been an enormous spotlight on the VA hospitals and other VA programs as of late. I suppose that’s because it’s a publicly funded hospital and there is a lot of attention given to veterans because they have a very loud voice. The main complaint at this point that I have heard and experienced on some occasions is the length of time that it takes to get in to see your doctor. I personally have experienced this with certain services within the VA, mostly with specialty services in a busy clinic that many people want to utilize within the VA. This can certainly seem like a long time, but when I then consider the cost of going elsewhere the wait doesn’t seem so bad. And the medical centers also have emergency and urgent care as well so should there be an urgent and unforeseen medical problem you can be seen the same day. As an injury prone person I’ve been to both VA and private hospital emergency rooms and they are essentially the same.

I think that what some people may tend to forget is that while in recent history there has always been a VA hospital system, that hasn’t always been the case. This is just my own personal opinion but I’m very thankful that there is a VA health care system at all. Again, my opinion, I feel like some of the gripes and complaints come from the old adage that people aren’t happy unless they have something to complain about. The biggest reason for wait times is that the VA works on a budget set by congress and a patient base of veterans that is growing much faster than the available budget for caring for us. I think the easiest way to combat the waiting periods for certain appointments is to hire more doctors and build more hospitals, but nothing is free. So to build hospitals and hire doctors, congress needs more money to appropriate to the VA, which would then give us something else to complain about since the money they use comes from tax payers.

I personally loath going to the doctor. If I am able to avoid it or talk myself out of it I’m probably going to, but when I do go I am glad the VA is an option. While I like to think that I’m special and unique I’m certainly not the first veteran to encounter whatever medical conditions I have and I know that when I go to the VA I will get some of the best care available.

So, I’m just fine if I have to wait a few weeks to get it.