Monterey, CA Veterans Administration Has A Long Road To Regaining Health

View From A Nonprofit Serving Carmel, Carmel Valley, Gonzalez, Greenfield, King City, Marina, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Salinas, Seaside And Soledad California

Problems at the Veterans Administration have plagued the Obama Administration, but the general public likely doesn't understand the depth and the breadth of how hard it will be to fix.  Since 2000, the agency has tripled in size and now represents $85 billion in government expenditures.  Running an agency of this size is a daunting task.  There are now 22 million veterans eligible for benefits, and many of them are older with myriad health problems.  Of the 22 million veterans, 13 million served in Korea, Vietnam or World War III.  And the number of veteran patients which visited a VA health center has grown from 3.4 million in 2000 to 5.6 million in 2012.  "The VA has without question received more increases than any other federal department or agency, but it hasn't kept pace with demand, Joseph Vilante, legislative director for Disabled American Veterans," told The Wall Street Journal.  "When you combine the older population with a more severely disabled younger population, you are going to need more money," he said.  Although the problems at the VA are many, until they do a significant enhancement to the software system, the agency has little chance of serving our veterans.

Please note that this blog reflects my personal opinion and may or may not reflect the opinion of Hands to Help Seniors and the individual members comprising the Board of Governors.