text: alesia asks: "Do you think that the 30% that you mention will then be returned to the taxpayers/economy?"
  No. It will stay with the taxpayers/economy.
  
  I would much rather have government bureaucrats between me and my physician than insurance company bureaucrats.
  
  BTW: I have been going to the VA for almost 20 years, and they are great here in Denver anyway. Also, while visiting my daughter and her family in Washington state, I went to the VA there, got right in and had good treatment. I don't have first hand knowledge of any other VA facilities anywhere else so can't comment on the whole system. If you know of any veterans who are not using the VA, tell them to check it out. There are no monthly premiums or fees, only a small co-pay for the treatments. And the wait time is no different from what I have experienced with a private physician. Certain people who don't like big government try to denigrate the VA when they don't know what they're talking about.