Let’s think about those unsung heroes working on the front lines for the last few months all across America.
As we approach Memorial Day, let’s take the time to honor these incredibly brave men and women who’ve put their lives at risk — and who have sacrificed so much — to protect our country and our freedom.
American veterans deserve to be honored and supported every day. And their health care should be a top priority.
Last year, the Department of Veterans Affairs unveiled a new program that would allow servicemen and women access to private health care providers.
It was the biggest overhaul of the military’s health care system in three decades. And a great first step…
Known as the MISSION Act, it was signed into law by the president after a devastating statistic from the Department of Veterans Affairs was made public.
That report from the inspector general revealed that 307,000 American vets died while waiting for the VA to approve their health care needs.
It’s too soon to say if the changes are effective. In March, the program was put on a “strategic pause” for 90 days following the coronavirus outbreak.
Our men and women in uniform deserve healthcare that works for them…
I saw firsthand how dysfunctional our VA healthcare system is. I did my medical residency at the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital in Tampa, Florida. I also volunteered there before I went to medical school.
What I saw changed forever how I thought of medicine… And it made me realize more than ever that I wanted to be a different kind of doctor.
The patients at the VA hospitals were seldom more than numbers in a broken bureaucratic system.
In fact, VA hospitals have a term they use to refer to the patients who
came through their doors. These American heroes are known by their “last four.”That’s because our men and women in uniform are known simply by the last four digits on their social security card.
Brave patriots reduced to nothing more than a number.
Our VA medical centers are supposed to protect our veterans who depend on them for health care. Instead, their lives are put at risk by the very system that is supposed to protect them.
This Memorial Day I plan to honor our veterans who gave the ultimate sacrifice.
I am giving $1 of every purchase made this weekend to an organization called Flags for Vets. This charity’s mission is to raise our national flag on a lighted flagpole at as many veteran’s homes as possible.
And it applies to any Primal Force, Pure Radiance, Wellness Research, Pace Express or Sears University product.
For more information on this amazing charity, go to http://www.flagsforvets.us/About/.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD, CNS