 When it comes to veterans' health care reform, it's hard to separate the noise from the truth. So DAV is setting the record straight. Some politicians, political and veterans groups have suggested VA should be transitioned into merely an insurance program, paying for services in the private sector rather than providing direct health care to veterans. So why is this such a bad idea? And how could it possibly hurt veterans? Turning VA into an insurance provider would shrink or shut down the nation's largest fully integrated health care system. This means millions of veterans could lose access to the specialized, veteran-specific experience and expertise that currently exists within the VA's 150-plus medical centers and 1,000-plus outpatient clinics. Veterans would have to deal with new government insurance regulations, lifetime limits on care, and more red tape in order to access health care. Additionally, veterans would be forced to assume more of the financial cost of the medical care they receive by paying premiums, copayments and deductibles. So what's a better solution? The answer is to improve access to care, not eliminating VA care. We should create veterans' health care networks in every local market to seamlessly integrate community care into the VA system. VA would remain the coordinator and principal provider of care to include primary care, more effectively allowing doctors to prevent and treat conditions that are unique to or more prevalent among veterans. These newly formed local community networks would ensure veterans get the highest quality care, when and where they need it. Don't get lost in the noise. Learn more and get involved in the effort to reform veterans' health care at dav.org slash setting the record straight.