Howard Dean to Guest Anchor MSNBC's 'Countdown'

It was sad to watch Howard Deans false commentary about the VA. Getting one author to write somethning and showcase him is great but lets look at facts. First which year was the data collected. Is it relevant to the new significantly trimmed down VA system

I have worked in cities in Colorado, NYC , NJ where I have interacted with multiple VA patietns.

The VA cost is low because like UK or Canada the VA patietn does not have the right to the best therapy. There is NO CHOICE. That exactly is the criticism against the government plan. Doctors work from 9 to 4 . Patietns mainly see PA not doctors. lots of VA have no ERs. ER is a huge cost center.

Also please recollect the episode of wrong implantation of radioactive seeds in 40 or so prostate cancer patients in the Philadelphia VA - that is the glaring example of the incompetence that also plagues the VA system

So please lets us not sell politics but facts

1. MOST VA'S after President Clinton reformed the sytem- does not have ERs so again cost is low - patietns end up in local hospital ER which does not show up as cost per patient.

2. Active Military uses local hospitals for soldier care not Walter Reed. Eg Fort Dix in NJ uses the local Virtua System and Deborah Hospital. This does not show up as cost per patiient of the system

2. VA have a chronic problem of patietn indifference - shar e the statistics how many Medicare pateints would rather pay the 20% deductible and see a local doctor and NOT THE VA DOCTOR

3. VA Specialists have a long wait period to get appointments to. Local specialists are used - again costs look less but that is only to the untrained person who chooses not to see the picture in its enterity

4. VA formualry is restrictive they use mainly generic - one statin ( ZOCOR) not able to get the much better drug Crestor- is that what the American people want- it is always cheaper to have one drug only through the entire system - so no new drugs, no advances - is that what America is about

5. VA sees only male patients - some cost of womens disease excluded

6. Well do not beleive it - do a national opinion poll of VA users who do not reside in big cities and see how much they use the VA and their level of satisfaction.

WALTER REED

Remember the leaking roofs, wet beds, no choice news reports that came out during President Bush second term 3 rd year- It was MSNBC that featured the story - now it is conveneinetly forgotten

Just review the protocols in the Walter Reed system- does any patient easily get a second opinion.

Well again that is restrictive medicine and saves cost. So lets accept the truth. Nothing wrong but do not cover restricted access by using state of the art and best and efficient.

Again - which segment of the population costs most health care dollars - the last 5 years of life in the above 70 year old

Walter Reed does not even deal with this demographics

PLEASE MR DEAN HAVE SOME RESPECT FOR THE FULL FACTS

YES HEALTH CARE NEEDS REFORMED

BUT LETS DO IT WITH PROPER DISCUSSION, KNOWLEDGE OPENNESS, TAKE DUE COMMENTS . SET UP A NATIONAL INTERNET DISCUSSION FORUM

DO NOT TRY THIS SHOOTING FROM THE HIPS QUICK FIX FOR POLITICAL REASONS.

LETS NOT RUSH INTO IT AS THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION RUSHED INTO THE IRAQ WAR. THIS WILL AFFECT EACH PERSON IN HIS WORST DAYS

DEVISE A QUALITY AND SATISFACTION BASED SYSTEM

INFORM PATIENTS ABOUT THE COST OF HEALTH CARE CHOICES, INVEST IN PREVENTING OBESITY, LACK OF EXERCISE

INVEST IN SPONSORING EVIDENCE BASED MEDICAL STUDIES WHICH WILL TRY OUT A METHOD AND SEE IF IT HELPS CUT COSTS

HEALTH CARE IS REALLY NOT THAT SIMPLE

FIRST RESPECT THE PROBLEM, THEN REVIEW IT WITH HARD COLD FACTS , THEN OPEN A NATIONAL DEBATE BASED ON INTERNET BLOG SITE OR DISCUSSION FORUM , THEN GET BUY IN AND THEN CHANGE

IT WILL TAKE TIME BUT WORK

PLEASE STOP MAKNG THIS A PLOTICAL ISSUE!!!

Thanks

It was sad to watch Howard Deans false commentary about the VA. Getting one author to write somethning and showcase him is great but lets look at facts. First which year was the data collected. Is it relevant to the new significantly trimmed down VA system

I have worked in cities in Colorado, NYC , NJ where I have interacted with multiple VA patietns.

The VA cost is low because like UK or Canada the VA patietn does not have the right to the best therapy. There is NO CHOICE. That exactly is the criticism against the government plan. Doctors work from 9 to 4 . Patietns mainly see PA not doctors. lots of VA have no ERs. ER is a huge cost center.

Also please recollect the episode of wrong implantation of radioactive seeds in 40 or so prostate cancer patients in the Philadelphia VA - that is the glaring example of the incompetence that also plagues the VA system

So please lets us not sell politics but facts

1. MOST VA'S after President Clinton reformed the sytem- does not have ERs so again cost is low - patietns end up in local hospital ER which does not show up as cost per patient.

2. Active Military uses local hospitals for soldier care not Walter Reed. Eg Fort Dix in NJ uses the local Virtua System and Deborah Hospital. This does not show up as cost per patiient of the system

2. VA have a chronic problem of patietn indifference - shar e the statistics how many Medicare pateints would rather pay the 20% deductible and see a local doctor and NOT THE VA DOCTOR

3. VA Specialists have a long wait period to get appointments to. Local specialists are used - again costs look less but that is only to the untrained person who chooses not to see the picture in its enterity

4. VA formualry is restrictive they use mainly generic - one statin ( ZOCOR) not able to get the much better drug Crestor- is that what the American people want- it is always cheaper to have one drug only through the entire system - so no new drugs, no advances - is that what America is about

5. VA sees only male patients - some cost of womens disease excluded

6. Well do not beleive it - do a national opinion poll of VA users who do not reside in big cities and see how much they use the VA and their level of satisfaction.

WALTER REED

Remember the leaking roofs, wet beds, no choice news reports that came out during President Bush second term 3 rd year- It was MSNBC that featured the story - now it is conveneinetly forgotten

Just review the protocols in the Walter Reed system- does any patient easily get a second opinion.

Well again that is restrictive medicine and saves cost. So lets accept the truth. Nothing wrong but do not cover restricted access by using state of the art and best and efficient.

Again - which segment of the population costs most health care dollars - the last 5 years of life in the above 70 year old

Walter Reed does not even deal with this demographics

PLEASE MR DEAN HAVE SOME RESPECT FOR THE FULL FACTS

YES HEALTH CARE NEEDS REFORMED

BUT LETS DO IT WITH PROPER DISCUSSION, KNOWLEDGE OPENNESS, TAKE DUE COMMENTS . SET UP A NATIONAL INTERNET DISCUSSION FORUM

DO NOT TRY THIS SHOOTING FROM THE HIPS QUICK FIX FOR POLITICAL REASONS.

LETS NOT RUSH INTO IT AS THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION RUSHED INTO THE IRAQ WAR. THIS WILL AFFECT EACH PERSON IN HIS WORST DAYS

DEVISE A QUALITY AND SATISFACTION BASED SYSTEM

INFORM PATIENTS ABOUT THE COST OF HEALTH CARE CHOICES, INVEST IN PREVENTING OBESITY, LACK OF EXERCISE

INVEST IN SPONSORING EVIDENCE BASED MEDICAL STUDIES WHICH WILL TRY OUT A METHOD AND SEE IF IT HELPS CUT COSTS

HEALTH CARE IS REALLY NOT THAT SIMPLE

FIRST RESPECT THE PROBLEM, THEN REVIEW IT WITH HARD COLD FACTS , THEN OPEN A NATIONAL DEBATE BASED ON INTERNET BLOG SITE OR DISCUSSION FORUM , THEN GET BUY IN AND THEN CHANGE

IT WILL TAKE TIME BUT WORK

PLEASE STOP MAKNG THIS A PLOTICAL ISSUE!!!

Thanks