Kaine hears concerns from vets about healthcare, jobs
Sen. Tim Kaine came away from his swing through Hampton Roads on his latest in-state working week with a shopping list of veterans issues to watch.
After a 90 minute sit-down with two dozen Hampton Roads vets, Kaine said he's going to dig into concerns that private physicians may be loathe to accept TRICARE patients.
It's a particular concern now, Kaine said, because proposed reforms meant to carve away at the Veterans Administration's huge waiting lists include allowing the VA to pay private physicians for care. Having that alternative should help cut back the waiting lists -- but Washington needs to be sure doctors are willing to provide the care, whether that's a question of red tape or fees paid, Kaine said.
Kaine heard, too, about concerns that VA doctors have to spend too much time with paperwork. In response, he said he plans to ask if in addition to hiring doctors, the VA needs to hire clerical staff.
Other big concerns from the roundtable included the difficulties veterans still have connecting with the businesses that say they are eager to hire vets, differences in healthcare and other benefits between active duty personnel and reservists and National Guard members who were called to active duty in recent years, Kaine said.
Kaine, like all the veterans at Monday's roundtable at Old Dominion University, was moved by Jennifer M. Collins' story about her Navy SEAL husband's death after many months of suffering a traumatic brain injury that had not been diagnosed.
She said she was concerned that other veterans with such injuries might be misdiagnosed with PTSD, and said she hoped Congress would consider more research in the area.
Kaine said such research was vital. He also asked her if as a military wife, she felt she had enough information and help as she sought care for her husband. She said she sometimes felt as if she had be a medical quarterback for her husband, and hoped there might be a way to help other families get what they need more easily.
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