Veterans For Veteran Connection Inc.

 March 26, 2004

To: The Supporters of the Armed Forces and the Veterans of the United States

From: Gene Simes President/CEO
Veterans for Veterans Connection

Re: Pending CARES Commission Plan Implementation

Dear Friend and Ally;

As you already know in February of this year the CARES Commission, under the directions of the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs formulated what can only be described as the broadest series of changes to the VA Healthcare System since its inception.

Its intent was to examine the current structure of the VA and its services and re-align its assets to better meet the needs of our nation’s veterans, now and in the future.

The Veterans to Veterans Connection has joined you and thousands of other veterans and their supporters who feared that the resulting plan would not meet its original charge of improving veteran’s healthcare, but would utilize the opportunity to close facilities that are needed to meet the needs of our veterans and the veterans of tomorrow nationwide.

It has been our observation and the observation of many others that the decision-making process within the Veterans Administration has not always been guided by an assessment of what is truly in the best interest of veterans, but rather by the VA's desire to generate maximum cost savings or revenues.

Likewise we were alarmed to see that VISN plans propose closure, consolidation or relocation of several domiciliary or psychiatric facilities, despite the absence of market data to support such decisions and without regard to Congressional mandates that the VA maintain or expand capacity in these and other specialized service areas.

During this process we joined with our partners to insure that the needs of our fellow veterans are indeed addressed in the CARES process and its final plan which is now in the hands of Mr. Principi.

Since it was delivered in February we have actively lobbied all of the parties at the Department of Veterans Affairs and those involved in its oversight. We and the thousands of other veterans impacted by the plan have been very vocal in insuring that our dissatisfaction with the CARES process and its plan is clearly understood.

While we have made clear inroads to stopping the changes recommended in the CARES Plan through our partnership with the you, we are growing deeply concerned with information we have received from the veterans and veterans organizations we are in contact with from across the country.

Despite Mr. Principi’s reluctance to release his analysis of the CARES Plan and the changes he expects to be accomplished for the future of this nations veterans. Despite his failure to meet any of the three deadlines he had set for unveiling his master plan, it seems that planning for the future of a national healthcare delivery system is going forth on a local level.

We can only assume this is being done without his knowledge, without his guidance and without his blessing, otherwise we would have seen the plan he endorses and it would have been released under his signature.

Here in New York at the Canandaigua VAMC programs are being stripped of employees, programs are being downsized and bed censuses are being reduced. Across the nation medical centers are preparing to move programs to other facilities, close buildings and scramble to meet the intent of the CARES recommendations before the final plan has even been released to Congress.

As you know none of these changes will improve the quality of care to our nations heroes, none of these change will improve their access to care, none of these change will benefit our nation’s veterans in any way.

And none of these changes have been sanctioned by the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs Mr. Principi.

Moreover since these changes are being orchestrated on either the Network Level or on a Local Level, it is clearly an attempt by the Department of Veterans Affairs and its subordinates to circumvent Congressional oversight of the department. By removing it from the CARES process the leadership of the Department of Veterans Affairs will deprive those officials of the review process they have been guaranteed for a period of sixty days after the plan is released and before it is implemented.

While the Network Directors and the Local Directors are attempting to justify the changes as necessary for a variety of reasons including unforeseen budgetary shortfalls. It has becoming perfectly clear that the changes being initiated by the affected Medical Centers are an attempt to backdoor the changes veterans have already vehemently condemned during the CARES planning process.

Therefore the Veterans for Veterans Connection, its members and its affiliates are demanding that all planning currently being designed and implemented cease and desist immediately.

Moreover any changes that may have been initiated by the organizations involved be halted and returned to its original structure prior to the CARES Committee inception.

As a champion of the Veteran and his needs we are calling on our political partners to do the same. This blatant insult to this great nation’s political system can not be tolerated. This blatant insult to the Armed Forces and this nation’s Veteran’s can not be allowed to continue.

On the behalf of our nations heroes and in anticipation of your support.

Thank you

Respectfully;

Gene D. Simes President, CEO (GDS)
Veterans for Veterans Connection
P. O. Box 77303
Rochester, New York 14622

Veterans For veteran Connection Inc.

March 26, 2004

To: Department of Veterans Affairs
Network and Medical Center Directors

From: Gene Simes President/CEO
Veterans for Veterans Connection

Re: Pending CARES Commission Plan Implementation

Dear Sirs;

In February of this year the CARES Commission, under the directions of the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs formulated what can only be described as the broadest series of changes to the VA Healthcare System since its inception.

Its intent was to examine the current structure of the VA and its services and re-align its assets to better meet the needs of our nation’s veterans, now and in the future.

The Veterans to Veterans Connection joined thousands of other veterans who feared that the resulting plan would not meet its original charge of improving veteran’s healthcare but would utilize the opportunity to close facilities that are needed to meet the needs of veterans nationwide.

It has been our observation and the observation of many others that the decision-making process within the Veterans Administration has not always been guided by an assessment of what is truly in the best interest of veterans, but rather by the VA's desire to generate maximum cost savings or revenues.

Likewise we were alarmed to see that VISN plans propose closure, consolidation or relocation of several domiciliary or psychiatric facilities, despite the absence of market data to support such decisions and without regard to Congressional mandates that the VA maintain or expand capacity in these and other specialized service areas.

During this process we joined with our partners to insure that the needs of our fellow veterans are indeed addressed in the CARES process and its final plan which is now in the hands of Mr. Principi.

Since it was delivered in February we have actively lobbied all of the parties at the Department of Veterans Affairs and those involved in its oversight. We and the thousands of other veterans impacted by the plan have been very vocal in insuring that our dissatisfaction with the CARES process and its plan is clearly understood.

While we have made clear inroads to stopping the changes recommended in the CARES Plan through our partnership with the House and Senate we are growing deeply concerned with information we have received from the veterans and veterans organizations we are in contact with from across the country.

Despite Mr. Principi’s reluctance to release his analysis of the CARES Plan and the changes he expects to be accomplished for the future of this nations veterans. Despite his failure to meet any of the three deadlines he had set for unveiling his master plan, it seems that planning for the future of a national healthcare delivery system is going forth on a local level.

We can only assume this is being done without his knowledge, without his guidance and without his blessing, otherwise we would have seen the plan he endorses and it would have been released under his signature.

Here in New York at the Canandaigua VAMC programs are being stripped of employees, programs are being downsized and bed censuses are being reduced. Across the nation medical centers are preparing to move programs to other facilities, close buildings and scramble to meet the intent of the CARES recommendations before the final plan has even been released to the public.

None of these changes will improve the quality of care to our nations heroes, none of these change will improve their access to care, none of these change will benefit our nation’s veterans in any way. And none of these changes have been sanctioned by the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Moreover since these changes are being orchestrated on either the Network Level or on a Local Level, it is clearly an attempt by the Department of Veterans Affairs and its subordinates to circumvent Congressional oversight of the department. By removing it from the CARES process the leadership of the Department of Veterans Affairs will deprive those officials of the review process they have been guaranteed for a period of sixty days after the plan is released and before it is implemented.

While the Network Directors and the Local Directors are attempting to justify the changes as necessary for a variety of reasons including unforeseen budgetary shortfalls. It has becoming perfectly clear that the changes being initiated by the affected Medical Centers are an attempt to backdoor the changes veterans have already vehemently condemned during the CARES planning process.

Therefore the Veterans for Veterans Connection, its members and its affiliates are demanding that all planning currently being designed and implemented cease and desist. Moreover any changes that may have been initiated by the organizations involved be halted and returned to its original structure prior to the CARES Committee inception.

Any attempt to bypass the Congressional Oversight delineated in the bill introduced into law by Senator Clinton and Senator Enzi in October of 2003 is a direct attack on all of the Veterans of the United States and the freedoms they have paid for with their lives and will not be tolerated

Respectfully;

Gene D. Simes President, CEO (GDS)
Veterans for Veterans Connection
P. O. Box 77303
Rochester, New York 14622