Lawmaker looks outside VA to fill mental care gap

January 29, 2013 by Kevin Freking in Health

(AP)—The head of the House panel that oversees veterans' issues says patients who have trouble getting timely mental health care from Veterans Affairs hospitals and clinics should have another option: access to the thousands of health care providers who care for military personnel and their families.

The proposal by Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., borrows from the playbook of Republican Mitt Romney. He raised the idea of tapping into the military's Tricare network of providers during the presidential campaign.

Miller said the proposal would double overnight the number of psychologists and psychiatrists available to veterans who need .

Some veterans groups and a key senator say they're open to exploring the idea. However, they are wary of undercutting a VA system that health experts agree provides quality care.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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dalpayphred
Jan 30, 2013

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Rep. J. Miller fails to mention; these measures are not necessarily unselfish concern for the welfare of others .

The V.A. system of healthcare is a model for eligibility within patient centered healthcare products. After initial screening the veteran is consulted in each phase of therapy.

Behavioral Scientists and Psychologists, who are anything but "Altruistic", see access to veterans as a cash cow for billing hours. A Psychiatrist, on the other hand, is a medical doctor able to be able to join behavioral science with existing medical conditions.

Rep. J. Miller would better serve the public, by using the VA model to deliver healthcare to another sector of social need. The AMA and others are pushing for streamlined access to patient histories while still respecting the privacy measures demanded by H.I.P.A.A. This enrollment is often viewed as a Draconian measure. "Mental Hygiene", however, is often dependent on variables such as diet and living conditions, and physical hygiene
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