Obama touts strides in veterans' health care
WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama is touting strides in reducing homelessness among military veterans as his administration reaches the halfway point in building a massive database on veterans' health.
Overall veteran homelessness has been cut nearly in half, by 47 percent, although that's still short of Obama's long-held goal of getting it to zero by 2015. Credit also goes to first lady Michelle Obama and Vice President Joe Biden's wife, Jill, for using their initiative on military families to challenge mayors and county officials nationwide to end veterans' homelessness, the White House says.
A half-million veterans have voluntarily given blood samples and health data for a long-term government research program that seeks to enroll 1 million veterans as part of an Obama initiative to make "precision medicine," or tailored treatment, a reality.
Those two milestones were announced Monday when Obama addressed the annual convention of the Disabled American Veterans in Atlanta. The appearance before the service organization was a valedictory address by Obama, who ends his eight years in the White House in January.
"Every once in a while, it's good to remember the progress we have made," the president said, after touting multiple advances, including increases in funding for veterans during his tenure.
At the address, Obama said getting ex-military members the health care and benefits they've earned is a "sacred covenant" that is a "moral imperative." He talked about his administration's efforts to help veterans, since the scandal over lengthy wait-times for veterans seeking medical care that led to the firing of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki.
The president even alluded to political tension surrounding Republican Donald Trump during his speech address saying, "I'm tired when people trash our military ... Let's get our facts straight. We have the most capable fighting force in U.S. history, and we're going to keep it that way."
Care for America's veterans is a top issue in the presidential campaign, with the nearly 21 million veterans in the U.S. making up a critical voting bloc. Trump has repeatedly blasted the VA under Obama; Democrat Hillary Clinton has been less harsh.
Both candidates promise to overhaul the department, including its health care delivery. Trump has proposed allowing veterans eligible for VA health care to take their ID cards to any doctor or facility that accepts Medicare to get immediate care. Clinton would make changes to the existing system.
Despite the problems and bad publicity, demand for VA health care continues to grow, increasing 13 percent in the past year, said DAV Executive Director Garry Augustine.
"We know that even though the access is a problem, health care in the VA is very good," Augustine said in an interview.
The health care side "remains to be fixed," Augustine said, and noted the recent conclusion by a congressionally mandated commission that the department continues to have "profound deficiencies" in delivering health care to millions of veterans. VA already has been making changes in line with the commission's recommendations. Augustine said he'd like veterans to be allowed to seek outside care from an approved system of private doctors who know how to treat veterans.
Augustine also expressed concern, shared by the White House, over a backlog of appeals.
While a backlog of disability claims that neared 610,000 in 2013 has been whittled to below 80,000, more than 450,000 appeals are pending. Veterans wait an average of three years for a decision, which the White House called "unacceptable."
Overall, though, Augustine said veterans appreciate the support they have received from Obama. He cited increased spending on veterans, expanded and better health care for female veterans, tax credits for hiring veterans and strides toward reducing veterans' homelessness, among other issues.