[Lottoguy]

This week I had some interesting conversations at the VA clinic in The Villages. They are greatly understaffed and in the future will be cutting out certain testing at this location. Starting on January 1st, many tests will be done in Gainesville, radiology being my main concern.
After a visit on Monday I was later contacted to schedule an injection in my left shoulder. I was told the earliest they could get me in was in late October. Anything sooner would only be via a cancellation. The wonderful people working here are very dedicated and it is a shame what they are going through right now.
Just GOOGLE "VA has contracts cancelled" to get you educated on what is really happening behind the scenes.

[Topspinmo]

Most Everybody suffering under government debt especially the poor. At some point the can can’t be kicked further down road like it has been for 30 plus years. At least you have choice’s, most don’t. When I was young I had to drive my Grandpa 70 miles to VA facility. It was same problems back then.

[CoachKandSportsguy]

Originally Posted by Topspinmo

Most Everybody suffering under government debt especially the poor. At some point the can can’t be kicked further down road like it has been for 30 plus years. At least you have choice’s, most don’t. When I was young I had to drive my Grandpa 70 miles to VA facility. It was same problems back then.

well, the bold statement above is not true with international funds flow borrowing.
Global finance flows means that the US government debt is not entirely funded by US sources, which eases the percentage from domestic sources, as it was when you were driving Gramps.
The larger the international funds buying US treasuries, the less crowding out of US investment and spending. This virtuous cycle was created by a strong US Dollar, which enhanced returns with an FX gain portion

As the US dollar weakens, intl borrows lose interest and principle to FX rates, and will slowly pull back on buying US treasuries.

The moment when the US can't kick the can down the road is called a minsky moment, and that hasn't happened yet, so yes, the US can repay its debt just fine. . the corporate banking system had a minsky moment back in the GFC, when loans could not be paid off due to lax lending practices, and the borrowers could not pay their interest on the borrowing. . . all government spending issues are always on what the money is being spent and there is no shortage of opinions of that. .

however, the current economic activities are on a collision course, as the USD weakness discourages international Treasury buying, and the BBB allows for much higher borrowing by the government for new spending plans. . that collision will force more funding from the US economy which may create a government minsky moment, when the government can't pay its interest nor principle. . .

this is a revisit of the 1930s economic policies. . read up on your economic history. . my grad school economic paper. .

[kingofbeer]

Originally Posted by Lottoguy

This week I had some interesting conversations at the VA clinic in The Villages. They are greatly understaffed and in the future will be cutting out certain testing at this location. Starting on January 1st, many tests will be done in Gainesville, radiology being my main concern.
After a visit on Monday I was later contacted to schedule an injection in my left shoulder. I was told the earliest they could get me in was in late October. Anything sooner would only be via a cancellation. The wonderful people working here are very dedicated and it is a shame what they are going through right now.
Just GOOGLE "VA has contracts cancelled" to get you educated on what is really happening behind the scenes.

Call Congressman Daniel Webster Phone: (352) 241-9220

[Lottoguy]

This was never a problem until year started in 2025. The people working inside the VA will tell you the same thing.

[asianthree]

Originally Posted by Lottoguy

This was never a problem until year started in 2025. The people working inside the VA will tell you the same thing.

Since 2019 an VA appointment for injections has been 2-5 months for us. Only one employee that does the actual procedure. However can go to Gainesville in less than a month. After 30+ years of doing the same in office procedures, we never scheduled, just as the patient needed to prolong the end results of total, or partial. Drug company and insurance mandates the frequency.

My guess it 8 patients are scheduled on the days the employee is working. When he calls off, you get bumped to the next availability. They must have a half day scheduled and put cancellation in those spots.

At one point I actually joked and asked for the meds for self injection.. It didn’t go over well

[scubawva]

VA outpatient and inpatient is understaffed nationwide. Has been for years. Viet Nam era vets didn’t receive proper care in the 60’s & 70’s and that hasn’t changed. Ask people how much more they are willing to pay to improve the situation. Shameful.

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by CoachKandSportsguy

well, the bold statement above is not true with international funds flow borrowing.
Global finance flows means that the US government debt is not entirely funded by US sources, which eases the percentage from domestic sources, as it was when you were driving Gramps.
The larger the international funds buying US treasuries, the less crowding out of US investment and spending. This virtuous cycle was created by a strong US Dollar, which enhanced returns with an FX gain portion

As the US dollar weakens, intl borrows lose interest and principle to FX rates, and will slowly pull back on buying US treasuries.

The moment when the US can't kick the can down the road is called a minsky moment, and that hasn't happened yet, so yes, the US can repay its debt just fine. . the corporate banking system had a minsky moment back in the GFC, when loans could not be paid off due to lax lending practices, and the borrowers could not pay their interest on the borrowing. . . all government spending issues are always on what the money is being spent and there is no shortage of opinions of that. .

however, the current economic activities are on a collision course, as the USD weakness discourages international Treasury buying, and the BBB allows for much higher borrowing by the government for new spending plans. . that collision will force more funding from the US economy which may create a government minsky moment, when the government can't pay its interest nor principle. . .

this is a revisit of the 1930s economic policies. . read up on your economic history. . my grad school economic paper. .

So if that what leaning in economic school somebody needs fired. Maybe that why we are in the pickle barrel cause the so called professors HAVE NEVER had to balance budget.


So explain how US government 37 plus trillion in debt? Somebody not paying off debt and yes it’s has been kicked down road and debt limit raised.

[jwatson]

Thank you. I didn't know the VA had a clinic to support The Villages.

[McClendons]

Originally Posted by Lottoguy

This was never a problem until year started in 2025. The people working inside the VA will tell you the same thing.

Not true. MANY VA clinics have had the issue for years, ones around DC and Tampa i expierenced first hand. Have talked with some in LA area, and around St Louis area. Maybe this area did not have issues, but can't blame this admin any more than all previous ones. And while some think we can kick the debt can down the road, it is clear we can't. You're k8ds will have no social security, medical, etc and pay even more outrageous taxes. Look at CA now.....spiraling into bankruptcy and raising taxes

[Marine1974]

In my case if a procedure , test or seeing a specialist is longer than 30 days or how far you live from the VA facility, community care is offered.
You can see your own private doctor or provider that excepts optum ( VA health insurance) . The VA pays the bill . Not sure where the disconnect is but I would reach out to a patient advocate.

[MCJEFE]

This is nothing new or due to our current administration or DOGE. I'm on my 3rd PCM at the clinic in less than 2 1/2 years. The bottom line is that the VA is an entry-level pay position or for DR'S who don't want to deal with the cost/headache of running their own practices. As a result they have a high turnover. Most of them really care about the Vet but unfortunately my recent experiences with my last 2 PCMs has left me underwhelmed and looking at using Medicare out in the community.

[Unruly]

DoGE may have had some impact, but the VA has always been shorthanded and overwhelmed. A few years back The Villages VA had federal money to expand the outpatient clinic and were waiting on the [I]"Developer"[I] to approve said expansion, the developer owns the building from my understanding. Well, the developer dropped the ball and never got back to the VA. The VA lost the federal money and now here we sit with a building only half the needed size. The problem isn't staff shortage, it's there isn't enough office space to accommodate the needed staff.

[TheDude]

The VA clinic may be understaffed, but much of the issue comes from seasonal residents.
1. Many book future appointments, then leave for the summer. Taking up the appointments block the yearly residents from care.
2. Workload is always much lower from late spring through late October. If they claim they are “too busy” now, it doesn’t make sense—because when the workload doubles during peak season, they still manage to get it done.
3. The Villages VA was originally set up as a simple clinic, but the need has grown significantly in the decade since. If you drive by at exactly 4:30 p.m., the parking lot is already empty.
4. Community Care is a mixed bag. Dental coverage works fairly well, but outside providers know the VA doesn’t pay in a timely manner. Trying to get local pulmonary or dermatology care is worse—Community Care often pushes patients to nurse practitioners instead of physicians, even for procedures like cancer screenings.

There’s more I could say, but one example is parking: why do disabled VA employees use the front disabled spaces all day, instead of the side lot designed for them? Appointment patients need those spots.

Maybe veterans who are in priority groups 7 and 8 (those not service connected and with a higher income) should have more limited access so those service connected can get care more timely. IMHO, if you are not service connected, and you have a high income, you should not be using VA, but that is a personal opinion, nothing more.

I’m grateful we have VA healthcare at all. But let’s be clear: the responsibility for understaffing lies squarely with Gainesville VA leadership. If the work truly wasn’t being completed to standard, changes would have already been made. They report to Congress, and frankly, you have to wonder—are the numbers being “smoothed out” so management looks better than reality?