Is it a valid comparison to use VA hospitals as a "model of failure" to argue

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CassandraM

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against health care reform? I realize health care reform is an inflammatory issue, with people on both sides of the fence with equally compelling arguments. I'm asking this question because a local pastor has taken it upon herself to campaign against health care reform using the VA hospital as the model of failure for government run healthcare.

Personally, I don't believe this is a valid argument - primarily because private hospitals are plagued with the same problems as the VA health care system. Also you have a different demographic between these two systems - there is a patient population unique to VA healthcare, which would affect mortality rates (etc). Statistically this variable can be adjusted, but it would make it difficult to numerically compare their performance against that of private health care.

I don't know whether the current proposals for health care reform are even comparable to the current VA system, if not then how can we use the VA as a model which presumes failure?

Obviously the health care system overall is flawed....and I'm certainly not opposed to viable reform. I just thought her approach was unique, and it led me to wonder what thoughts the Y/A community would have.

Please don't argue for the sake of argument. I'm hoping for insightful comments and feedback from both camps - I just ask that we show each other some respect here.

Thank you!
 
Well, here's the thing. The VA is government-run health care, and therefore it is a valid comparison. The points you bring up are correct, like the mortality rates issue, and it's also true that this system would be rather different than the VA. What that local pastor doesn't realize is that there's not a single veteran with the VA that doesn't want it, not one of them would give it up. The standard of care is actually better with the VA than it is in your average hospital. Compared survival rates may not be the best way to do it, but there's certainly other ways to look at the private system and the VA.
 
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