'Socialized' or Not, We Can Learn from the VA

So why then did Republicans vote for Paul Ryan's budget when it cut the VA by $11 billion dollars when wounded veterans need it to be increased?

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) seemed to address that frustration indirectly on Thursday as he praised Ryan for putting forward a budget that represents a "real vision of what we were to do if we get more control here in this town."

This group along with Democrats voted against Paul Ryan's budget that cuts the VA

Republicans voting against the Ryan budget were Reps. Justin Amash (Mich.), Joe Barton (Texas), John Duncan Jr. (Tenn.), Chris Gibson (N.Y.), Tim Huelskamp (Kan.), Walter Jones (N.C.), David McKinley (W.Va.), Todd Platts (Pa.), Denny Rehberg (Mont.) and Ed Whitfield (Ky.).

'Socialized' or Not, We Can Learn from the VA
by Arthur L. Kellermann
The Rand Blog
August 8, 2012

In a recent post on the New York Times' Economix blog, Princeton economics professor Uwe E. Reinhardt addresses the common characterization of the British health care system as "socialized medicine." The label is most often used pejoratively in the United States to suggest that if anything resembling Great Britain's National Health System (NHS) were adopted in the U.S., it would invariably deliver low-quality health care and produce poor health outcomes.

Ironically, Reinhardt notes, the U.S. already has a close cousin to the NHS within our borders. It's the national network of VA Hospitals, clinics and skilled nursing facilities operated by our Veterans Healthcare Administration, part of the Department of Veterans Affairs. By almost every measure, the VA is recognized as delivering consistently high-quality care to its patients.

Among the evidence Reinhardt cites is an "eye-opening" (his words) 2004 RAND study from in the Annals of Internal Medicine that examined the quality of VA care, comparing the medical records of VA patients with a national sample and evaluating how effectively health care is delivered to each group (see a summary of that study).

RAND's study, led by Dr. Steven Asch, found that the VA system delivered higher-quality care than the national sample of private hospitals on all measures except acute care (on which the two samples performed comparably). In nearly every other respect, VA patients received consistently better care across the board, including screening, diagnosis, treatment, and access to follow-up.
read more here

Dr. Phil does it again against veterans with PTSD

Pretend 'Hero' Dr. Phil smacked down by military mom over PTSD show on Fort Worth Telegram

Why on earth would Dr. Phil resurrect the pain he inflicted on veterans with PTSD back in April?

Heroes in Pain
April 25th, 2012
by Dr. Phil


We’ve received a lot of response about last week’s show, “Heroes in Pain,” which focused on the epidemic of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), a condition that torments so many lives, including soldiers who’ve put their lives on the line serving our country. Some viewers expressed concern, and even disappointment, with the show’s original title, “Heroes to Monsters?”

Heroes in Pain August 9, 2012 Explosions, gunfire, violent death — these horrific images and sounds are the reality for soldiers on the front lines, fighting for our freedom. But what happens when that horror follows them home, making them feel like a stranger in the life they left behind, and often unrecognizable to family and friends? Dr. Phil delves into Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and how it can destroy families, dismantle marriages and leave its victims reliving a nightmare. You don’t have to be a soldier at war to suffer from PTSD — if you’ve survived a traumatic event, tune in!

The only possible reason to do this is so that he could get his name out there again. Veterans don't matter and their families don't but ratings must. Naturally people will tune in much like they run to see what happened after they hear cars crashing!

Wounded Times changes

There is a new banner to clear up some confusion.



Wounded Times Blog is independent of all the groups I am associated with. Being so involved in veterans issues, especially here in Central Florida, I wanted to make it absolutely clear that this blog is not connected to any group to avoid conflict of interest.

It is not a political blog so that I do not have to answer to any political party. Any advertising on this site is from Adsense and is tied to what they place here. Today there has been an ad up for Congressman Mica no matter what I think and you won't see what I think about any political party unless it is directly tied to veterans.

Eventually I hope to be able to control what ads are placed here, but if I spend time trying to find advertisers to put up, there is less time I have to track reports.

Remember I am only one person so if you see ten posts a day, that usually means I've read 100. Then there are the emails helping veterans and their families, events I have to go to, meetings I have to attend topped off with filming the local events, editing and uploading the videos. Taking phone calls from reporters wanting to make their lives easier takes up a lot of time too. Consultations with new groups starting out or wanting to change how they do things takes time and with all of this going on I am usually so tied by the middle of the day I have to take a nap!

It is not tied to the government and I do not take nor do I seek federal funding or I would have to feel obligated to the government and would not be able to post what I post and give an unbiased opinion.

The donation button is for the work I do as part of Point Man Ministries and not for what is done on this blog. I am in the process of developing a website and will have more news on this end in a couple of months but for now, this is the only place where I can put the link for donations.

The agenda of this work is to give veterans the information that matters to them since the major news stations won't. I was tired of turning on the TV and not seeing reports on what I was reading everyday. Veterans should matter enough that they have a place to go and find out what is going on.

If I post something you don't agree with, feel free to leave a comment just do not slam anyone hiding behind anonymous. If you want to leave a comment on a post older than 30 days, you'll have to wait for me to review it but 99% of the time I allow the comment if it is not spam for your site. If you want me to put up a link to what you are doing, email me and ask me. I'll check you out and then decide. If I see spam, it is gone.

Anyway, hope that clears things up. Time for a nap!

Afghanistan veteran, combat medic helped after shooting

3 Dead, Including Gunman, in Shooting Near Texas A and M
By MANNY FERNANDEZ and MICHAEL SCHWIRTZ
Published: August 13, 2012

COLLEGE STATION, Tex. — A gunman opened fire on police officers near the Texas A and M University campus shortly after noon on Monday, killing at least two people, including a local constable, and wounding four others, the police said. The gunman, who was shot by officers, died after he was taken into custody.

The police identified the constable as Brian Bachmann and said he was shot after approaching the gunman’s house on Fidelity Street about two blocks from campus. A 43-year-old man, Chris Northcliff, who was outside at the time, was also killed.

Rigo Cisneros, 40, an Army medic who served a tour in Afghanistan, saw the shooting from his home across the street.

Mr. Cisneros said he tried to administer CPR to the constable, who was immobile and had no pulse. When paramedics arrived, Mr. Cisneros said he began attending to Mr. Caffall, who had already been handcuffed. read more here

Vietnam Vet receives medal for USS Forrestal fire heroism

Vet receives medal for USS Forrestal fire heroism
The Day
Published 08/13/2012

Norwich - U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney presented service medals to Gregory Potts, a Vietnam veteran, in the Norwich District Office Aug. 6.

Potts, of Willington, received the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat "V," National Defense Service Medal and Vietnam Service Medal with one bronze star, medals he earned but never received when he left the Navy.
read more here