Comment: Actually, I worked for the VA for over 28 years.  I worked in Public affairs for twelve years in the middle of my career returning to Health Care Management the last five and retiring in late 2000.  I have confirmed with friends who still work there that older, moribund Veterans still apply for care.  I am a very informed commentator.  For example, if a person dies who is not under the care of a physician in all 50-states their death is referred to the local coroner.    If Veterans who were not receiving care from private physicians were creating coroner's cases in large numbers that would be widely reported.  It is not.  I cited, briefly, one example of the current Secretary's success.  Ask the caseworkers locally at the St. Vincent de Paul Society who are working with VA to get homeless Veterans and their families off the streets.  They will tell you that, since the Obama Administration changes, they house one Vet a day.  That is success, no matter what biases you hold.