GUEST,pdq: I never heard that Mr. Clinton said anything about closing down the VA medical care system. In fact, the number of points of care expanded tremendously...about tripled...because his administration instituted the satellite clinic program. Many individual facilities did have mission changes, because what they were doing just wasn't effective. For example, having a cardiac surgery program at a hospital that did 2-3 a year didn't provide enough cases for the surgeons to keep in practice.

The thing that the Clinton administration did do that had a negative effect on wait times was to open up the system to all veterans, regardless of income or service-connected status. A large number of vets who could afford to go elsewhere, and have their care paid for by their health insurance, promptly signed up for the VA. The only explaination for this is the quality of care provided. I have good medical insurance, and I wouldn't go anywhere else.