I retired in 2000. But, I can explain why people die waiting for care. They are not in a high priority group and already under the care of another doctor/health care system. VA is not funded or required to provide care to all Veterans. It has a finite budget and must first make sure that all Veterans with "Service Connected," disabilities receive care, before admitting "Non-Service Connected," Veterans for care. Patients who apply for care but are never admitted usually are in the last priority group. The VA can care for them, if they have treated all Veterans from priority groups 1-7. These priority group 8 Veterans fail the "Means Test," for care in Group 7. That means their resources, usually including private health insurance, are above the Group 7 levels. If VA resources are sufficient to provide care, and they agree in writing to pay co-pays, they can receive care. If you want to triple the VA's budget, I am sure they will gladly accept responsibility for the health care of all Veterans.
The VA is not allowed to turn away anyone who is emergently ill, no matter their status. I have seen this first hand when I was the Administrative Officer of the Day, at the VA Hospital in Sepulveda, California. I had to OK the admission of otherwise ineligible people, based on the severity of their conditions. One time a young couple brought their Apartment Manager to our ER while he was having a heart attack. They said he mentioned that he had fought in WWII. We were unable to get any information from him, but admitted him to our Cardiac Intensive Care Unit. When I was able to interview him a few days later, it turned out he fought for Germany. When he was medically stable, he was transferred to a private hospital.
You could find out the truth, first hand, by volunteering at your local VA Medical Center or Clinic. I have met many caring conservatives who were VA Volunteers.
