Dems slammed JD Vance over VA privatization comments but frustrated veterans are interested

Earlier this month, Republican vice presidential hopeful JD Vance suggested a bigger role for private healthcare at the Department of Veteran Affairs — and it drew swift backlash from Democrats.But for some veterans who have had headaches in the past dealing with the VA, bringing in more of the private sector is sparking interest.

“I’ve spent hours on hold, waited weeks for appointments, and driven over an hour to another state for a 15-minute visit, using my own PTO,” Marine veteran Shelby Anderson, who suffered an on-base injury and lost a leg, told The Post.Anderson described Vance’s remarks as “a breath of fresh air to hear.”Recent surveys have indicated that the VA’s approval ratings continue to improve — a dramatic shift from a decade ago when the agency was mired in a waitlist scandal.Still, there are lingering issues.

While down considerably from the over 400,000 claims last year, the VA’s backlog sits at more than 240,000, according to the department’s most recent figures.“I think that there are areas where the VA actually works very well,” Vance said in a recent interview on the “Shawn Ryan Show” podcast.

“So I would not say, ‘get rid of the whole thing.’ But I would say, ‘give people more choice.’ I think you’ll save money in the process.”Kate Monroe, a Marine veteran and the CEO of Vetcomms.us, an organization that is dedicated to helping fellow vets navigate the VA, argued that any move further in the direction of more private sector care must be done carefully.“If we’re considering privatizing portions of VA healthcare, we must first ensure that the funds don’t end up in the hands of the same people mismanaging the system today,” she said.Jon Perry, a veteran of the Army’s elite Special Forces, recounted waiting “over two months just to get the necessary appointments scheduled” while transitioning out of the military.

“Privatizing parts of the VA and allowing veterans to choose their own d...