Anyone been to the VA lately?

The wife's grandmother got treated at the one in Alexandria last year while she was going through multiple bouts of, ultimately, terminal cancer.

It seemed like she was getting decent care and enough coverage from the doctors and nurses, but it's the Alexandria, LA, one... not a lot of call for care there as opposed to a major metro one.

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for a PTSD related issue

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Dont do it, they will load you up with drugs, its how they "treat" ptsd.

I use the VA for all my testing and a yearly physical. No way I would have a surgery at a VA hospital.

He was waiting a good 6 months for the surgery.

Many of the clinicians that see you at the VA are contractors. Most notably, affiliate contractors who are employees, residents, and fellows of research institutions.

Virtually every physician in this country has at least rotated through a VA.

Not sure it's fair to compare the VA with what will become "government run healthcare". My experience with the VA is that it is filled with FMGs that don't speak the good English or physicians that can't cut it in private practice, i.e., they just aren't very good, have a horrible bedside manner, etc., etc. If the government does eventually take over healthcare, you will still have the practitioners that you have today - aside from those that say to hell with it and quit.
The rest of the VA workers come on the job the first day wanting to know about the retirement benefits.
All that being said, there are some really good people working at the VA but the system does not allow one to be creative and such.