Veterans deserve dedicated health care

Congress passed the Choice Act in 2014. It provided that veterans who lived more than 40 miles away or couldn’t get an appointment within 30 days could get care at a private provider approved by Veterans Affairs. Approval is necessary because VA needs to know what treatment was provided for the next time the veteran gets treatment at a VA facility.

It turns out that few veterans have sought private treatment because they are so satisfied with the treatment they get at VA.

Of course, there are dissatisfied veterans, just as I am not happy waiting for hours to see my private doctor when I had an appointment. Anyway, many private providers of health care would like to treat veterans as long as VA pays for it, like the current choice program allows. But, veterans over whelmingly prefer VA care, the care they earned by their ser vice, the care that is given often by other veterans in the company of fellow veterans and by people who understand the now all-too-complicated multiple problems veterans have due to their difficult ser vice.

If you are a veteran and like the care you have gotten, I hope you will contact the offices of U.S. Rep. Steny Hoyer (DMd., 5th) (hoyer.house.gov) and Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) (Cardin.senate.gov) and tell them how pleased you are to have a dedicated health care system. William Wetmore, Waldorf