Trump floats ideas to transform VA, focusing on a private option

President-elect Donald J. Trump could make big changes to the Veterans Affairs medical care, according to the New York Times.

After meeting with private hospital system executives earlier this week, Mr. Trump made it known that he wanted to change medical care options for veterans, who traditionally received care at VA hospitals. One of Mr. Trump's officials described the potential changes, which would allow veterans to seek care at a VA facility or private physician in a "public-private option."

According to the report, Mr. Trump's official did not provide details about how the "public-private option" would work or cost details. The president-elect did not discuss unintended consequences of privatizing the VA, although his official reported that Mr. Trump's thinking on the matter was "advanced."

While campaigning for Mr. Trump's opponent in the general election, President Barack Obama spoke against privatizing the VA, stating it would "dismantle the VA healthcare system" that veterans depend on.

According to the NYT, Mr. Trump is considering forming a committee to reshape the VA that could include several of the private hospital leaders he met with earlier in the week: Mayo Clinic President John H. Noseworthy; Johns Hopkins Medicine CEO Paul Rothman; Chief Executive of Partners HealthCare David Torchiana; and Chief Executive of Cleveland Clinic Delos Cosgrove.

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