In march 2018, a pivotal moment unfolded in the ongoing debate over veteran healthcare. Then-President Donald Trump, seeking to reform the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), found himself more interested in the opinion of Fox News personality Pete Hegseth than his own VA Secretary, Dr. David Shulkin.
“Get Pete Hegseth on the phone!” Trump reportedly declared during a meeting with Shulkin, according to Shulkin’s 2019 memoir.
Hegseth, a vocal advocate for expanding veterans’ access to private healthcare, had long argued for policies that would allow veterans to bypass the VA system entirely. he believed veterans should have “full choice” in selecting their healthcare providers, a stance that resonated with Trump.
“We want to have full choice where veterans can go wherever they want for care,” Hegseth told Trump over speakerphone, as shulkin listened in.
This preference for privatization has continued under Trump’s successor. Doug Collins, Trump’s nominee for VA Secretary, has also expressed support for greater private sector involvement in veteran healthcare.Collins, echoing Hegseth’s sentiments, stated in a recent Fox News interview, “If veterans ‘want to go back to their own doctors, then so be it.”
For Shulkin, who had been working to improve the VA system from within, this emphasis on privatization was a source of deep concern. He believed that dismantling the VA would ultimately harm veterans by fragmenting their care and undermining the unique needs of those who had served their country.
The debate over privatization versus strengthening the existing VA system remains a contentious one.Proponents of privatization argue that it empowers veterans with greater choice and potentially reduces wait times.However, critics contend that it could lead to higher costs, fragmented care, and a decline in the quality of care specifically tailored to veterans’ unique needs.
As the discussion continues, the voices of veterans themselves will be crucial in shaping the future of their healthcare.
The potential appointment of Fox News personality Pete Hegseth as the next Secretary of veterans Affairs has sparked concerns among veterans’ advocates.Hegseth, a vocal critic of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), has long advocated for notable changes to the system, including proposals that could drastically reduce government health benefits for veterans.
David Shulkin, who served as VA secretary under President Trump, has publicly expressed his worries about Hegseth’s approach. In his memoir, shulkin recounts warning Hegseth about the potential consequences of his proposed reforms, stating, “Your version of choice would cost billions more per year, bankrupting the system.” Shulkin further criticized Hegseth’s lack of engagement with the practical realities of budget constraints and day-to-day operations, suggesting Hegseth prioritized sound bites over substantive policy discussions.
If confirmed, Hegseth, along with his potential deputy secretary, former Rep. Phil Roe, would have the power to implement sweeping changes to the military and veteran health care system. Hegseth has argued that veterans should not rely heavily on government benefits,stating in a 2019 interview with Fox News,“To me,the ethos of service is,I served my country because I love my country and I’m gonna come home and start the next chapter of my life. If I’ve got a chronic condition – mental, physical, otherwise – the government better be there for me, but otherwise I don’t want to be dependent on that.”
This stance has drawn criticism from veterans’ groups who advocate for comprehensive support for those who have served. The push for privatization of VA healthcare is not new, fueled by long-standing concerns about bureaucratic inefficiencies and delays in care within the VA system.
Hegseth has clarified that he is not explicitly calling for the complete privatization of the VA, but rather seeks to reform the system. However, his past statements and proposed policies have raised concerns among veterans and advocates who fear a significant reduction in essential benefits and services.
CNN has reached out to Hegseth and the Trump transition team for comment on this story.
The debate surrounding the future of veterans’ healthcare in the United States is heating up, with proponents of increased privatization clashing with those who advocate for preserving the existing Veterans Affairs (VA) system. At the heart of the controversy lies the question of whether veterans should have greater freedom to choose their healthcare providers, even if it means diverting funds away from the VA.
Fox News host Pete Hegseth, a vocal critic of the VA, argues that veterans deserve “unfettered choice” in their healthcare, allowing them to seek treatment from private doctors.”Effectively let the dollars follow the veteran” to their preferred doctor, Hegseth stated.
However,critics contend that this “unfettered choice” narrative is a veiled attempt to privatize and ultimately dismantle the VA system,which boasts a budget exceeding $300 billion. They argue that such a move would undermine the VA’s mission of providing comprehensive care to those who have served their country.
Hegseth,in a conversation with Shawn Ryan,asserted that the VA “hates” discussions about expanding private options because it could lead to budget reductions.”It’s a typical swampy feedback loop,” he claimed, adding that during his consideration for VA secretary in 2016, he received overwhelming support from veterans for his privatization ideas.
Amy McGrath, a retired Marine fighter pilot and former Kentucky Senate candidate, offered a contrasting perspective. In a conversation with CNN, mcgrath emphasized that while the debate over VA privatization has been ongoing for years, there hasn’t been widespread demand from veterans to dismantle the system. “I’m not saying the VA is perfect, it’s certainly not,” McGrath, a Democrat, acknowledged.”But I don’t think there’s this huge outcry to privatize it.”
A senior Biden administration official expressed concerns about the potential impact of privatization on VA employees. They highlighted the dedication of career civil servants within the VA who have devoted their lives to the well-being of veterans. “Those civil servants are now deeply worried about ‘the continued health care and earned benefits of the veterans they serve,'” the official revealed.
The potential appointment of Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense has sparked controversy, especially regarding his views on veterans’ healthcare. As head of the Department of Defense, Hegseth would oversee the Military Health System, separate from the Veterans Health Administration. However, his past statements raise concerns about his commitment to providing comprehensive care for service members and veterans.
hegseth has openly expressed skepticism towards government-provided healthcare, advocating for significant cuts to benefits for both active duty personnel and veterans. In a 2014 op-ed for the Wall Street Journal, he argued that such cuts would allow the Pentagon to allocate more resources towards ”war-fighting capability.” He warned, “If this continues, the Defense Department will eventually be a health care and pension provider that also happens to fight wars.”
This stance has drawn criticism from veterans’ advocates who fear privatization of healthcare could lead to diminished quality of care.”Health care is expensive, no matter how you go about it,” stated rep. Kathleen McGrath. “And I fear, and I think a lot of people fear, you will lose quality of care, because now you’re switching over veteran care to the private sector, the private sector has an incentive to make money…health insurance makes money by denying care. Is that what we want?”
As CEO of Concerned Veterans for America, a group supported by conservative billionaires Charles and David Koch, Hegseth has lobbied for limiting VA healthcare to veterans with service-connected disabilities and specialized needs. This proposal would drastically reduce the number of future veterans eligible for VA care.
Hegseth’s skepticism towards the breadth of government benefits available to veterans has ignited outrage among veterans’ organizations. His potential appointment has ignited a debate about the future of veterans’ healthcare and the government’s responsibility to those who have served.
A new book by former Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin sheds light on the behind-the-scenes battles over veterans’ healthcare during the Trump administration. Shulkin’s memoir reveals the significant influence wielded by conservative activist Pete hegseth, a Fox News personality and former executive director of Concerned Veterans for america (CVA), on Trump’s approach to veterans’ care.
Shulkin, a physician who served as VA secretary from 2017 to 2018, recounts Hegseth’s push for a dramatic overhaul of the VA system, advocating for increased privatization of veterans’ healthcare. This stance drew sharp criticism from veterans’ advocates, including Max Rose, an Army reserve officer and former Democratic congressman. Rose, who now serves as a senior adviser for the progressive veteran organization VoteVets, called Hegseth’s remarks “massively disrespectful” to veterans.
“To go to war, to protect the homeland, defend our rights, and our way of life – and then we think they will come home and be abusers of health care services?”
While Shulkin acknowledged that some of Hegseth’s ideas, such as allowing veterans access to private care when VA wait times are excessive, held merit, he expressed concern that Hegseth, lacking experience in healthcare or the VA system, didn’t fully grasp its complexities.
“At the time,I was telling him,‘I’m here on the ground,I know the reality,’” he told CNN in an interview on Wednesday. “I see the patients, the veterans with PTSD. I’ve been a doctor my whole life in the private sector. I know my hospitals that I ran didn’t have the capability to care for these patients. I’m not just going to give [veterans] a voucher and say, ‘Good luck.’”
Shulkin’s memoir highlights the considerable influence Hegseth and CVA exerted on Trump’s thinking about veterans’ healthcare. Trump even considered appointing Hegseth as VA secretary in 2016, according to Hegseth himself. Despite stepping down from CVA amid allegations of financial mismanagement, frequent drunkenness, and sexual harassment – all of which Hegseth denies – the organization maintained a strong presence in the White House, according to Shulkin.
“CVA was at the White House on a regular basis and showing up at meetings when I hadn’t invited them,” Shulkin wrote. ”At every turn, White House staff made sure CVA was given a strong voice.”
The debate over privatizing veterans’ healthcare in the United States continues to spark controversy, with experts weighing the potential benefits against concerns about access and equity.while some argue that shifting certain services to private providers could improve efficiency and patient choice, others warn that it could disproportionately impact vulnerable veterans.
kate Kuzminski,director of the military,veterans,and society program at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS),acknowledges that there’s room for discussion about moving non-service-related healthcare services,such as routine checkups and vaccinations,outside the VA system and into communities. Though, she raises crucial questions about how veterans with limited resources would access care if the VA is no longer a readily available option.
“There is a potential for individuals who need access to care, either being delayed in accessing that or not being able to access it at all … and we as a nation have philosophically said, yeah, that is our responsibility,” Kuzminski said.
This debate echoes concerns raised about the military health system, which has also seen a push towards privatization in recent years. A Pentagon review initiated this year aims to re-evaluate a decade-long policy of reducing costs by cutting staff at military health facilities and outsourcing care to private providers.
This shift towards privatization has faced criticism, with a DoD inspector general report last year highlighting challenges faced by service members in accessing doctors due to staffing shortages at military facilities and limited acceptance of TriCare, the program allowing troops and their families to access private care.
“I can appreciate that it sounds good to advocate for people to have the most freedoms and abilities to choose,” former VA Secretary David Shulkin said. “There’s no
The ongoing debate underscores the complex challenges of balancing cost-effectiveness with ensuring equitable and accessible healthcare for those who have served the nation.
The potential nomination of former Fox News host Pete Hegseth to lead the Department of veterans Affairs (VA) has sparked debate among veterans’ advocates and former VA officials.While some express concerns about Hegseth’s past criticisms of the VA, others believe his outsider perspective could bring needed change.
Hegseth, a vocal supporter of privatizing parts of the VA system, has previously argued that veterans could receive better care from private providers. This stance has drawn criticism from those who believe the VA’s specialized services, particularly for combat-related injuries and mental health, are crucial for veterans’ well-being.
“You have to have a system you can send them to that knows how to deal with toxic exposures and post-traumatic stress, and the injuries that were happening to our young men and women who were coming back after IED explosions, and needed that type of complex prosthetic care.”
Dr. David Shulkin, who served as VA secretary under President Trump, emphasized the importance of the VA’s specialized expertise. He highlighted the unique challenges faced by veterans,stating,”Being able to walk into an institution and speak to someone who understands not just the experience of combat,but the experience of just being in the military – a private health care facility couldn’t replace that.”
Though, some argue that advancements in electronic health records have bridged the gap between military and civilian healthcare, allowing for better coordination of care.
“There has been ‘a lot of progress’ in the last decade on electronic health records, which would allow military and civilian health providers to have a more well-rounded image of a veteran’s health care needs.”
Shulkin, while reserving judgment on Hegseth’s nomination until his confirmation hearings, expressed hope that Hegseth’s views on the VA have evolved. He stressed the importance of adaptability in leadership, stating, ”I do believe that what any good leader needs to do is to be able to recognize when their opinions should change or need to change, and then to be able to articulate and express what their vision for leading the agency actually is.”
The debate surrounding Hegseth’s potential nomination underscores the complex challenges facing the VA and the ongoing discussion about the best way to provide comprehensive care for America’s veterans.
