VA Secretary Hints At More Changes
Coming In Early 2019
Since his swearing-in ceremony on July 30, Veterans Affairs
Secretary, Robert Wilkie has demonstrated his leadership style by getting out
and about - continuously. From visiting the VA Medical Centers, to attending the Military Family Summit, Wilkie is making sure
he is visible and hears all voices in VA. Last month, Wilkie attended a VA
Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs meeting with veteran service
organizations, including MOAA, where legislative priorities were shared.
Wilkie reflected on his first months as secretary and the progress
that has been made thus far. He also hinted at upcoming changes. Wilkie's
overarching commentary focused on the fact that VA is an enormous organization
and that changes must be made in phases. These changes would then only be
implemented after Wilkie is convinced that the outcomes to veterans will be
free of glitches, errors, and problems. Towards that goal, VA's new Electronic Health Record is being
tested in Washington and Alaska to work out any glitches before it goes
nationwide.
Wilkie made clear VA must undergo what he termed “business
transformations” in order to better serve veterans. One example he provided is
improving supply chains to VA Medical Centers. In 2017, VA made 4 million
purchases using credit cards for items such as medical supplies. Wilkie has
started reviewing DoD supply practices to determine if there is a more
efficient system.
During the October meeting with Wilkie, MOAA representatives took
the opportunity to stress the importance of VA and DoD collaboration in
addressing matters of toxic exposures to current conflict veterans,
specifically when it comes to their healthcare and benefits.
Electronic Health Records should alleviate challenges
servicemembers face in proving toxic exposures. As documented by MOAA in
previous articles, Blue Water Navy Veterans from Vietnam have struggled to
prove their exposure to Agent Orange. With the EHRs, a servicemember's records
could easily transition as he or she leaves service.
Wilkie expressed a desire to make Vet Centers, which offer
counseling and referral services for combat veterans, more robust. He also
wishes to “widen” the Veterans Choice Program, which enables veterans to
receive care from a community provider instead of the VA (provided they have VA
authorization).
Hinting at more transformations to come, Wilkie said that he is
working with the President and more changes will be announced in January at the
next State of the Union address. One issue that might be addressed by the
President is access standards for VA and DoD being shortened to seven days for
primary care appointments. MOAA will remain engaged with VA and its continued
efforts towards transformation.
MOAA-Backed Study
Shows Health Risks Remain for Those Who’ve Served
A MOAA backed study in generous partnership with the United Health
Foundation on the health of those who've served shows they are more likely to
report their health as “good” or “excellent,” than their civilian counterparts
but they're also more likely to suffer from a litany of chronic diseases and to
engage in unhealthy behaviors.
The America's Health Rankings Health of Those Who Have Served
Report compiled responses from more than 1 million participants
from 2015-2016.
Some of the findings:
·
Those who've served are more likely to have cancer (10.9 percent,
compared with 9.8 percent of civilians), cardiovascular disease (9.8 percent to
7.2 percent), and arthritis (24.7 percent to 22.8 percent) than their civilian
counterparts.
·
Those who've been in uniform have higher rates of excessive
drinking (21.4 percent, compared with 18.6 percent of civilians), smoking (19.9
percent to 16.6 percent) and insufficient sleep (42.5 percent to 34.6 percent)
than civilians, as well as more than double the rate of smokeless tobacco use
(8.7 percent to 3.5 percent).
·
Despite the above, 56.3 percent of those who've served reported
being in good or excellent health, compared with 51.1 percent of those who
didn't serve.
Those who've served also show a tendency to engage in preventative
health care services at a greater rate than their civilian counterparts, with
more of them visiting the dentist (69.6 percent, compared with 65.2 percent of
civilians), getting a flu vaccine (50.6 percent to 37.0 percent), and
undergoing a colorectal cancer screening (72.4 percent to 66.0 percent).
The report compared its survey findings with a similar survey from
2011-2012. Those comparisons showed some improvements in key health areas among
those who've served: Declines in drinking and smoking, for instance, and
greater access to health insurance.
It also showed some troubling trends, particularly among women
who've served - their rates of suicidal thoughts more than tripled, for
example, from 1.8 percent in 2011-12 to 7 percent in 2015-16. The rate of
depression rose 9 percent (15 percent to 16.4 percent) among all survey-takers
who have served, and rose 32 percent among those ages 26 to 34 (14.8 percent to
19.5 percent).
These and other mental health findings from the report “are
concerning,” said Kathy Beasley, USN (Ret), director of MOAA's government
relations health affairs. “We will continue to highlight these and others to
officials in both the DoD and the VA and with Congressional policymakers on the
committees and in testimony.”
MOAA has partnered with the United Health Foundation for nearly
four years, Beasley said, with the goal of determining how the unique demands
of military service may affect long-term health “so that research and public
policy can be directed toward understanding and improving these factors and
conditions.”
A key MOAA goal is to strengthen DoD and VA collaboration and
services to support wounded warriors and an expanding population of women veterans.
This study demonstrates the need for MOAA's continued advocacy and provides key
indicators for lawmakers and the government to use in implementing needed
changes and improvements.