Veterans groups back health care system proposal

The federal government's recently announced plan to modernize and consolidate its Veterans Affairs health care system has received strong backing from veterans groups, but a mixed reaction from local leaders whose communities will be affected by closed hospitals.

The Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services plan, known as CARES, was announced Friday by Veterans Affairs Secretary Anthony Principi. It calls for VA hospitals to be shut down in Pittsburgh, Pa., Brecksville, Ohio, and Biloxi, Miss. Under the CARES planning, VA officials will ask Congress for billions of dollars to build new hospitals in Florida and Nevada, along with 156 outpatient clinics.

Veterans groups supported the plan, and praised Principi for promising that no facility would be closed until its replacement was fully operational. The plan is "an unprecedented initiative that moves the VA health care system into the 21st century," said Edward Banas, national commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. "The VFW fully understands that the closing or consolidation of some facilities may inconvenience some veterans … but the VA has offered reassurances that no veteran will be denied or have their health care delayed during the transition."

Lawmakers in the districts affected by the closings were more circumspect about the decision.

"I can be supportive of this plan as long as the VA ensures that all of the new and expanded facilities are up and running before the shutdown of the Highland Drive [Pittsburgh] facility, which is scheduled for 2007," said Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Pa. "I plan to hold the administration accountable for its commitment to all of the components of the planned transition."

Rep. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, was more critical. He said he is "not convinced" Principi will keep his promise that no veteran will experience a lag in health care.

"President Bush and Secretary Principi have chosen to close this hospital and two others in addition to the cuts in veterans' health care and education in the past two years," Brown said. "They have broken their promises to veterans in the past; a lot of veterans don't trust them."

Brown also said he was concerned that mentally ill veterans would be moved from a facility in a bucolic setting to a replacement in inner-city Cleveland.

Even veterans groups that backed Principi's plan said they were supporting the effort based on the promise of uninterrupted health care. David Autry, deputy national communications director for the Disabled American Veterans, said that "overall, it's a good plan."

The CARES plan "addresses one of the goals that we've all had, I think, which is to bring health care to where veterans live," according to Autry. "[Principi] gave everybody his assurance that there would not be any realignment or closures unless and until" replacement facilities are available.

"We're trusting that is what he will actually do."