James Gelbmann (left) met with local veterans on behalf of Senator Mark Dayton Friday. Pictured at right is Gaylord Keck, Luverne, who was one of about 14 who participated in the round-table discussion.By Sara StrongRock County veterans gave voice to a critical upcoming U.S. Senate vote Friday, during a special round-table discussion with Democratic Senator Mark Dayton’s staff member, James Gelbmann. Gelbmann is Dayton’s state director and met with veterans in the Rock County Law Library about the Veterans Administration health system.Dayton is attempting to amend a bill to include $1.8 billion more for the VA system."In order to make the case, he’s looking for testimony of need," Gelbmann said. "I come here today to get those anecdotal stories for Mark [Dayton] to take to the floor."Gelbmann has heard of veterans waiting for a year to get into a VA clinic for an appointment. That story was echoed by Luverne veterans.Warren Herreid, Luverne, said he knows a veteran who had to make an appointment a year in advance and then had to reschedule because of travel plans. In the end, it was 2 1/2 years from the time he first made an appointment to the time he actually saw a physician."The bureaucracy is very difficult to get through," Herreid said, "and it’s disheartening."The VA health system lost $1.8 billion in allocation in July, when the House made some cuts. In Minnesota, that would mean about $84 million in cuts from the previously agreed upon funding.If the funding is restored VA medical care will have an appropriation of $27.2 billion.Another issue in the VA system is how patients are classified under different "priorities." Middle-income veterans are no longer allowed to enroll if they haven’t been in the system before and have alternative health care sources, such as Medicaid or health insurance. Dayton and 27 other senators asked for that to change. The middle income category includes those making an average of $24,000 a year. Many veterans want to use the VA system just for the prescription benefits co-pay, which, at $7, Medicaid and private insurance companies can’t match."It’s not supposed to be a system for last resort — it was supposed to be a promise for lifetime care," Gelbmann said.Care for old and new veteransLuverne’s Eddie Deutsch said that his private insurance is better to work with than the VA. As part of the Paralyzed Veterans of America, he knows others whose only option is the VA and they have a more difficult time with services than he does through his private company.Only about half the veterans at the Friday meeting use the VA for their medical services. Gelbmann said, "As I’m traveling, I’m amazed at how many veterans aren’t using any VA system. Once people get in, they say their treatment is very high quality, but getting in is the problem."Johnny Johnson, Luverne, earned a Bronze Star and has been in the VA system since 1945. He said he’s had no complaints in all those years about his medical services.That isn’t the same for everyone, especially Vietnam-era veterans and younger who have exceptionally low percentages of using the VA.Bill DeBates, Luverne, said he has been in the VA system for longer than some of his fellow soldiers. Now that some are just trying to get in, they’re hitting roadblocks . DeBates wonders what will happen to young veterans who need to access the system.Service-related injuries are treated with priority, but the numbers of new veterans, even without injuries, could put pressure on the system."We’re going to have a lot more vets coming back if we expand in Afghanistan or end up in North Korea, or who knows where we’re going next?" DeBates said. "First of all, we need to recognize them as true soldiers. We have to have the resources to treat them when they get back."DeBates said funding for something like medical treatment for vets shouldn’t be up for question. "We have these signs all over town that say ‘We support our troops.’ Does it say underneath, ‘Only if money isn’t involved’?"Gelbmann said he had confidence that Dayton’s amendment would pass.
