Via Reason:
On the campaign trail, he blasted the Obama administration’s handling of the VA, and promised repeatedly to address problems in the system. This is an issue he’s stuck with since the election, declaring as recently as Wednesday of this week that “we’re working on something to make it great for the veterans.”
So what’s his plan? On Trump’s website, there’s a 10 point VA reform “vision.” But that plan basically amounts to firing bad managers, hiring better ones, and then taking some other unspecified steps that fall under the heading of “modernization” while maybe putting more money towards providers. Or just shifting existing money around. Who knows, really?
Like a lot of Trump’s policy ideas, the particulars were mostly unclear. Now that Trump is headed for the White House, however, we can presumably expect more details. Or maybe not.
Trump met with hospital executives in Florida yesterday, and then called out to nearby press, indicating that he wanted to talk about his plans to reform the VA, according to The New York Times. After the reporters gathered, however, he directed them towards a senior aide, who would only speak under condition of anonymity.
Here is how the Times described the Trump aide’s responses: “The official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, provided no details about how the plans would work, how much they would cost, or the possibility of unintended consequences from privatizing part of the V.A.’s sprawling medical system.”