Questions regarding VA healthcare

Fellow Vets;    I am a Viet Nam Vet but had never even given any thought to utilizing the VA healthcare system.  A friend and fellow vet suggested I contact the VA regarding eligibility which resulted in my recent notification that I qualify as a priority 6.  I did a little research and found out that this qualification removes the requirement that I obtain private health insurance under the "Affordable Healthcare Act".  If I opt to utilize the VA and cancel my private insurance, I can save over $10K per year in premium costs.  My dilemma is:  Is the quality of care acceptable and comparable with what I have available in the private sector?  Living in Danville, the closest outpatient facility to my home is about 12 miles away.  The closest hospital is a little further.  I don't have any current medical care needs but you really can't predict what the future holds.  If any of you have any insight you can share, it will be greatly appreciated.  Just when I thought my health insurance issues were solved, I find out I have another option.

Thanks,

Martin

Presuming that Sue has health coverage, VA care at the Palo Alto facility has been good to me. Even though there is an outpatient clinic in Fremont, I choose to have my primary care doctor at the Palo Alto hospital, which means I don't get paid mileage for specific visits to my primary care doctor but do so for all other visits (eye, knee, rheumatology, orthopedics, pulmonary, podiatry, etc.). Palo Alto VA is a teaching facility (for Stanford grads)...I think new MD's keep more up-to-date than at local clinics where some doctors have been there for who-knows-how-long.

And, if should VA care not be available because Congress becomes stingy with budgeting, I can fall back on Medicare.

If you don't have a service-related disability, you will probably have, at minimum, a per-visit co-pay. Prescriptions would cost $24 per 90-day supply.

I believe the closest hospital to you is Livermore. Not familiar with the quality of care there. Not all services may be available there (that you might happen to need); so you may end up going to the Palo Alto facility.  Some vets travel from as far away as Hanford to Palo Alto.

Martin, greetings. I have used the VA Health system in Northern California for the last 7 years, and I could not be more pleased. My care has been excellent: professional, courteous, and efficient. I have had some serious heart issues, viewed by the VA as Agent Orange-related (I think genetics probably played the major role in that). The last procedure conducted at the VA hospital in San Francisco turned my life around for the better, after several years of struggling. Highly skilled professionals did an excellent job. PM me if you want to talk about anything. And, Welcome Home, Brother.

Been using the V.A. system since 1987. It's not what it use to be. Amazing care these days. Just had open heart surgery.
Martin large corporation like Kaiser and Stanford now use their patient outline for treatment. I'll set them against any other provider.