Even VA Privatizers Warn of MISSION Act Harm

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Just did this new article for The American Prospect.

Putting Veterans at Risk

Suzanne Gordon

April 16, 2019

Even VA privatizers agree that the MISSION Act is likely to stumble.

A potentially costly and harmful experiment in veterans’ health care is scheduled to begin eight weeks from now. The Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP), created under the VA MISSION Act of 2018, will channel millions of the nation’s most vulnerable veterans to private-sector doctors and hospitals. VA leadership is determined to launch the program on June 6, in spite of federal reports and Capitol Hill testimony by both friends and foes of privatization that say it is not ready for rollout.

This was made abundantly clear at an April 10 Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs hearing. Chairman Johnny Isakson (R-GA), a leading proponent of outsourcing veterans’ care from the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to private doctors and hospitals, predicted, “We’re going to stumble before we walk.” It was a staggering admission: VA leaders and Republicans like Isakson seem willing to send waves of patients into the private sector where the care is likely to cause harm.

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