Jon Tester

I think we, as a Department, need to do a better job of managing some of our contracts, and our program, really.

The things that you are citing are absolutely unacceptable.

Your testimony indicates you believe you have all the tools you need.

The end result is a compromise in which none of us got all that we wanted.

It is a pleasure to work with you, which is a fact.

It is critical that the Members of this Committee hear from you and other women veterans.

This is before they even get the appointment set up. Then, when they get the appointment set up it is a hell of a lot longer than if they just went to the VA to begin with.

You are a hell of a lot smarter than the people up here.

But the sanctions are a tool that you are in charge of.

Wouldn't it be smarter to do that than put boots on the ground or drop bombs?

I appreciate you having this hearing today, and I appreciate how you run this Committee.

I think a fair number of folks around here want to see private capital go in to take the risk off the taxpayers.

I think you have less control over that.

The veterans I have talked to like the VA.

The cost of that to the budget would be incredible, number one.

I think that if we walk in and say to a veteran, 'You are not getting quality care, so we are going to ship you to the private sector,' without addressing those challenges that those healthcare facilities have, that would be a huge mistake…

Is there--could this telehealth replace one of those--and I do not mean replace by replace, but replace it so that that person would be dealing with the same provider?

I would ask if you have any plans to--I would ask that if you have a document that shows your plans for expansion in telehealth across the country--in my case, Montana--I would love to see that document.

The question is what is the VA going to do to help meet those veterans who live in those frontier areas

My opinion on telehealth has changed over the last 10 years.

Are there any plans for taking telehealth to the home?

It takes too long, too much paperwork, too bulky, too different, and too bureaucratic.

These are small companies. These are not less than 500; these are less than 50 employees. But nonetheless, they are doing some good stuff.

You do not need this committee to do anything to enable you to be able to touch those smaller companies in a realistic way?

Are there any other tools that we need to give you to be able to attract more people to help our veterans?