HoCo, want to help Veterans? Here's an idea...

Lindsey McPherson wrote this article in Patuxent last week, and it's been too long for me to comment.  Too busy trying to get my miserable ass back on its feet.  That came out wrong.  How can an ass have feet?  Oh well... anyway, I digress.

Ms. McPherson wrote this article about the information meeting held recently by the new local Veterans and Military Families Commission.  They are looking for ways that veterans can be helped in Howard County.  Of course, it would be good to know exactly how many veterans (which has largely become understood to include active-duty military) exist in Howard County currently.

I have an idea.  And this idea sticks the military's chocolate into Howard County's peanut butter.

We know already that the American military accesses the greatest example of socialized medicine on the planet (well, OK, at least in this country).  That would be the VA hospital system.  And we also know that the county has a local health program called Healthy Howard that could certainly benefit from greater enrollment.  And we further know that the closest VA hospital is in Baltimore.  The VA Maryland Health Care System does not have a facility in Howard County.

So how about the HoCo entering into a partnership with the VA to help veterans and active duty military, and their families?  Many of the health needs of this population fall within the mission of what Healthy Howard provides.

This is just a ridiculous enough idea to make sense.  Let's see if it goes anywhere.

Comments

[Elizabeth]

The VA hospital system is not an example of Socialized medicine, numbnut. It's an example of all of the nation's taxpayers paying more medical care of a small select group. That's not a scalable concept.

Btw, Healthy Howard is a private program not connected to Howard County Government, other than that the HoCo gov't are the only ones dumb enough to fund it.

[Marshmallow Man]

First off, my nuts aren't numb!

Second, I have tried hard to respond to this assuming that you can equal or exceed my experience of actually having worked for the VA for 5 years, and in healthcare administration for 10. But I can't so I'll just talk to you like a refugee from the Explore Howard boards.

The VA concept would be the basis of any single payer system in this country. I didn't say one would ever exist. Nor do I advocate for same. But, look at the numbers of the agency's budget and the population it serves. It is a scalable concept. One the insurance industry will fight to the last drop of their blood to prevent. Not saying they should or shouldn't.

Don't call people stupid names if you have no clue of their position on something. Very disappointed in your tone. Always agreed with your comments.

[Elizabeth]

Lol, you of all people complaining about someone's tone. Since you have so much health care experience, please tell us what the VA's budget is and how many people it serves.

[Elizabeth]

Total budget for VA is $140.3 billion for 2013. Not sure how many people they are helping, but veterans are a small segment of the population. That hardly sounds scalable to me. Think before you speak!

[Marshmallow Man]

There are about 22 million veterans. That's about 7% of the population. Even to scale it straight line, that's $2.5 trillion for a national single-payer system. Not impossible, but I did tell you...socialized.

Think before I speak? Always.

And as for my tone... and yet, you keep reading. Think there's a connection? : )

[Jonathan K. Branch]

Hey MM, it is difficult to put an exact number on the number of veterans in the county, even through the VA system. Not all folks who serve for a couple of years and get out, register with the VA. There will be a series of these information meetings throughout the county to get a feel on how the commission can help veterans. If for no other reason, to let veterans and residents of the county know that we exist. We were appointed by the county executive and empaneled by the county council.....and we are here to help.