David J. Shulkin, President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs, vowed that he would reform, but not privatize, veterans’ health care programs in the United States. The announcement is a stark contrast to Trump’s campaign promise to offer privatized options for veteran healthcare options.
Shulkin has spent the several years reforming health care systems. He has lead several private health care systems, such as Beth Israel Medical Center in New York and the University of Pennsylvania Health System. He has a proven track record of improving the veterans’ health care system and has personally overseen the hiring of 10,000 doctors and nurses during his 18 months in the role.
Many of Trump’s cabinet pics have been regarded as controversial. Dr. Shulkin, on the other hand, has received non-partisan support and has been generally accepted as a consensus candidate. Shulkin has been praised by both Democrats and Republicans for his expertise in the field and dedication to proving high-quality healthcare.
Despite his popularity, Dr. Shulkin remains dedicated to putting high-quality healthcare of veterans above politics. Shulkin said he and President Trump had discussed the issue, but there were no preconditions to his nomination.
“He knows I would have to follow my values,” Shulkin told the NY Times.
Shulkin has criticized Trump’s plan to privatize veteran healthcare. He claims it could add up to $100 billion to the cost of veterans healthcare over the course of several years. Shulkin believes that the decision to go private should be placed on the doctors, not veterans.
[revad2]
