Letter | VA care in Myrtle Beach is excellent; I prefer it to Medicare

The VA does good work

Even though - like the vast majority of veterans - I have no medical issues from my military service, I feel fortunate to have had access for the past 12 years to the Myrtle Beach Veteran’s Affairs clinic. With more than 15,000 patients, the one-month wait time is reasonable for an appointment.

If you are willing to wait, you can usually be seen at the end of the day. The care is excellent.

For urgent issues, all veterans are referred to the emergency room or an urgent care clinic. The VA is a big, complicated system; for Rep. Tom Rice to depend on anecdotal evidence is foolish. He must only hear from the usual complainers.

The VA doesn't need more buildings; it already leases extra office space in Market Commons. Major procedures are done in Charleston.

If you open up the VA to private care, you will get millions of additional customers. Most vets already have a doctor and a health plan they like. The VA is very efficient.

My blood test take five minutes, and my doctor visit averages 45 minutes and is always on time. I prefer this to Medicare.

There is very little socializing, but there is a polite atmosphere. I have often wondered where the black veterans are and how people get there without a car. I have never seen anyone who appeared to be sick or injured. It's mostly a bunch of old guys getting checkups for their medications.

We may have problems in this country, but the VA and care for veterans is not one of them.

This story was originally published May 18, 2015 at 1:19 PM with the headline "Letter | VA care in Myrtle Beach is excellent; I prefer it to Medicare."