GET BACK TO.
>> YOUR STATUS AS A V.A.
WHISTLEBLOWER HAS BEEN AT THE STATUS OF YOUR CAMPAIGN.
YET SOME OF THE PROBLEMS REPORTED THAT THE V.A. ARE SAID TO HAVE STARTED WELL BEFORE IT WAS REPORTED PUBLICLY.
I WAS WONDERING WHY YOU DID NOT COME FORWARD SOONER.
MR. LEVENSON: I WORKED WITH INTEGRITY IN THE SYSTEM.
THAT IS WE DON’T TRY TO DO.
WHEN -- WHAT WE ALL TRIED TO DO.
WHEN THE V.A. TRIED TO COVER THINGS UP, THAT IS WHEN I GOT OFF.
IF ANN KUSTER DID HER JOB, I WOULDN’T BE HERE TONIGHT.
THE FIRST WORDS OUT OF HER MOUTH WAS, THE V.A. WASN’T IN HER CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
NEVER MIND SHE IS THE RANKING DEMOCRAT ON THE V.A. OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
AFTER SHE BECAME BORED WITH US BRINGING COMPLAINTS TO HER, SHE SAID I HAVE TO GO TO A FUNDRAISER.
IF YOU HAVE TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION, YOU CAN GO THERE WITH ME.
SHE IS SHAKING DOWN HER CONSTITUENTS RATHER THAN DEALING WITH PROBLEMS.
AS SOON AS I WAS ABLE TO DEAL WITH THE SYSTEM, I BEGAN A WHISTLEBLOWER.
RARELY DO THEY WORK IN THEIR PROFESSION AGAIN.
THIS NEEDED TO BE ADDRESSED.
>> HAVE DECADES OF EXPERIENCE WORKING IN THE HEALTH CARE FIELD AS A NURSE, AS AN ADMINISTRATOR IN THE MILITARY.
WHAT SPECIFIC POINTS OF THE VISION DO YOU SEE BEING INCREMENTED FOR THE V.A. IN THE NEXT FIVE MONTHS?
MS. BLANKENBEKER: WHERE VETERANS GO TO GET CARE SHOULD BE A PRIORITY.
THE CARE FOR VETERANS GOES ON IN PERPETUITY.
WE PROMISE THEM CARE FOR LIFE.
THEY DESERVE THE BEST CARE WE CAN GIVE.
THEY SHOULD NOT GET SECOND-RATE CARE.
SOME PEOPLE LIKE TO GO TO THE V.A.
WE WANT TO KEEP THAT SYSTEM GOING FOR FOLKS THAT WANT TO BE TREATED BY THAT SYSTEM.
WE KNO HOW OUTCOMES ARE BETTER IF PATIENTS ARE CLOSE TO THEIR FAMILIES.
IT IS CERTAINLY THE TRENCH WAS.
-- CERTAINLY VETERAN CHOICE.
MR. BELOIN: I HAD TWO BROTHERS WHO ARE VETERANS OF THE VIETNAM ERA.
ONE IS A SHORT WALK FROM THE VA HOSPITAL IN COLBERT.
HE HAS TO DRIVE TO WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, A SIX SEVEN-HOUR TRIP AND BACK.
I AM NOT DISPARAGING THE HOSPITAL IN WHAT RIVER JUNCTION.
HE SAID HE GOT GOOD CARE THERE.
IF YOU JUST GAVE THE VETERANS A CAR.
WHEN YOU PUT YOUR LIFE ON THE LINE FOR THE COUNTRY, GIVE THEM CARD WITH A CAN DO WHATEVER THEY WANT.
LET THEM BE WITH PRIVATE HOSPITALS.
I AMURE MY BROTHER IS NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THAT TYPE OF PROBLEM.
MR. BELANGER: I BELIEVE VETERANS SHOULD BE ABLE TO GO TO ANY HOSPITAL TO GET THEIR ISSUES TAKEN CARE OF.
OUR LOBBYISTS ARE CROOKS.
THEY MAKE A LOT OF MONEY.
THEY MAKE IT HARD FOR AN INDIVIDUAL TO GET HEALTH CARE.
THEY MAKE IT HARD FOR A VETERAN TO GET CARE, EVEN IN THE V.A..
WE HAVE SO MANY LOBBYISTS IN THE POCKETS OF THE SENATORS IN THE POCKETS OF LOBBYIST.
WE NEED TO NATURE THINGS ARE ON A FAIR PLAYING FIELD.
ONCE WE THAT, EVERYTHING ELSE WILL GFALL IN LINE.
JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE DOING WORK FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOESN’T MEAN THE COST CAN BE ASTRONOMICAL.
MR. BURNS: GOVERNMENT FAILS AT DELIVERING HEALTH CARE.
I SUPPORT FULLY FUNDING VETERANS CHOICE AND LEAVING THE V.A. TO DEAL WITH MORE TIME -- WAR TIME WOUNDS.
THE VA.A HAS FAILED.
THERE IS A RECENT STUDY THAT V.A . INFECTIONS ARE UP, CUSTOMER DISSATISFACTION IS UP, AND EMPLOYEE DISSATISFACTION IS UP.
FULL VETERANS CHOICE.
THEY HAVE A CARD, YOU CAN GO TO ANY HOSPITAL THEY WANT.
THE V.A. WILL CONTINUE TO TREAT WAR TYPE WOUNDS.
MR. NEGRON: THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION.
THAT IS CENTRAL TO MR.
LEVENSON’S CAMPAIGN.
DR. LEVENSON PUT OUT THE NUMBER ONE REASON TO VOTE FOR HIM IS HE TOOK ON WASHINGTON AND WON.
I DON’T THINK ANYONE HAS WON.
WE HAVE 400,000 BACK LOANS IN THE V.A. -- BACKLOGS IN THE V.A.
THE PEOPLE FIGHTING IT HAVE BEEN VETERANS ORGANIZATION.
THEY ARE THE ONES TURNING THIS TIDE.
WE ARE THE ONES ON THE OUTSIDE TRYING TO GET IN.
WE NEED TO TAKE OUR HATS OFF TO THIS VETERANS TRYING TO MAKE THIS RIGHT.
THE PRESIDENT SIGNED AN ACT TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR THESE VETS TO GO ANYWHERE.
THAT IS WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
>> WHAM! SECRETARY SHULKIN GOT NOTICE OF WHAT WE WERE DOING, HE REMOVED BAD LEADERSHIP.
MEASURES IN NEW HAMPSHIRE WENT UP.
CLEARLY MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE.
THE PROBLEM IS ANN KUSTER.
SHE WOULD NOT HELP NEW HAMPSHIRE.
I SAID WE HAVE TO SPEND THIS MONEY WISELY, AND HER RESPONSE IS CALIFORNIA