VA Health Care - A Rant

[Kanewpadle]

As seen in the news, our nations veterans are not being taken cafe of properly. "Somebody" should be ashamed of themselves.

I applied for VA care. It took over a year for them to respond!

Things are so bad that vets have to seek assistance from a third party. And private organizations such as Wounded Warriors and others have to beg the public for money just to take care of our vets!!

And then there are people like this fine gentleman who has seen and experienced our veterans health care system.
'God, Get Me Home to My Girls': Navy SEAL Shot 27 Times by Al Qaeda Tells His Amazing Survival Story | Fox News Insider

Veterans are dying because they can't get care in a timely manner.

And my dad who is dealing two potential live threatening conditions is in the same predicament. The VA can't figure out why his colon is full of ulcers. So they referred him to the nearest military hospital. He walked in to make an appointment.
The sergeant behind the appointment desk finally got off her three foot wide behind and informed him that " We got no appointments for three weeks. Active duty come first".

I understand active duty is important. But try telling that to a 78 year old man that served his country honorably for 22 years, survived a plane crash and three tours in Vietnam.

Just ain't right. And the worse part is, he has talked to VA and hospital administrators will no luck. They were too busy talking about their accomplishments instead of caring enough to help him.

Thankfully he can afford health care at a civilian hospital.

Veterans buried around the world are turning in their graves.

 

[mojave30cal]

That's what your Congressman/woman and US Senator are for.

 

[amazingflapjack]

Join a service organization-go to the patient advocate at the hospital- and then your congressman/senator in that order-does not take long. Start by telling the rep at whatever service org you join the problem, and enlist their help. Stay on it. Do not raise your voice-use profanity-or threaten. Stay calm, and carry a note pad and pencil with you at all times. When you have not gotten the desired results you sought from the VA person you are speaking with, thank them for "the information" and conclude by looking them in the eye and asking, "now, what is your name and title."

 

[Kanewpadle]

That's what your Congressman/woman and US Senator are for.

Thanks. But that's my point. Why does it have to come to that?

 

[1sg]

A quick internet search show the 2017 DVA budget is 183B; a nearly 5% increase from 2016 levels. With such significant resources I simply cannot understand why some Vets are waiting over a year for care

 

[H Richard]

One of the biggest problems in the system is the lack of specialist physicians throughout the country. As government employees their salary isn't the greatest, and those good doc's deserve applause for their dedication. Hopefully the increases will help the VA recruit qualified physicians throughout the country, and not just at specialized locations.

 

[pharman]

My VA experience

Back in 1986, my Father was a patient at the VA in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He was semi-comatose at the time. He was scheduled for a bronchoscopy to see how far his lung cancer had progressed. My brother and I were there with him to see what the procedure found. Much to our dismay, a male nurse came in and started shaving my Father's chest. I asked him what that was for. He stated my Father was going to have open heart surgery! I said you better check his wrist band. He said Oh my God, I've got the wrong patient. This man is scheduled for a bronchoscopy. Talk about incompetence! I reported it immediately to his supervisor. They apologized. Dad had the bronchoscopy and we took him home. NEVER again did we take him to the VA. He passed away 10/86.

 

[amazingflapjack]

The whole medical community is rife with mistakes-we have to be actively involved in our health care.

 

[federali]

Service may Vary

Apparently, VA healthcare varies by location. I'm a disabled vet and I usually go to the Northport NY VA center. Frankly, they have been very good to me and I have no issues with them.

 

[diamonback68]

Apparently, VA healthcare varies by location. I'm a disabled vet and I usually go to the Northport NY VA center. Frankly, they have been very good to me and I have no issues with them.

I'm with you. I've had a couple major problems and I receive my care for those from the West Palm Beach FL VA Hosp. They have been outstanding and better care than I ever received previously at civilian facilities. Don't knock all of them.

 

[bountyhunter]

That's what your Congressman/woman and US Senator are for.

They won't do jack. They see retired vets as a used up expendable that's no longer of any value. It's a national disgrace and it's been going on for many decades. It was the same back during my time when the Viet nam vets couldn't get care.

 

[bountyhunter]

A quick internet search show the 2017 DVA budget is 183B; a nearly 5% increase from 2016 levels. With such significant resources I simply cannot understand why some Vets are waiting over a year for care ��

The system is overloaded and it's also run by the government staffed with workers who can't be fired even when they commit actions that should require immediate termination if not jail. That pretty much defines the problem.

 

[bountyhunter]

One of the biggest problems in the system is the lack of specialist physicians throughout the country. .

IMHO, the core problem is the lack of good physicians which is a result of low pay, overloaded staff, terrible conditions etc compared to civilian service. There was a time when the government got its docs by paying somebody's med school tuition and in return they had to do X number of years service for the military. Those guys knew the number of months, days and minutes until they were free......

 

[moosedog]

The Vet's have a reason to be mad. Poor service for those who help protect us and free bee give a way's for those who never earned anything.
A recipe for disaster. My heart goes out to our Vet's.

 

[mauser9]

Sounds disgusting in most cases. After they get out of you what they want they could not care less about the vet's health. Tragically I am not surprised.

 

[amazingflapjack]

persevere...

Thanks. But that's my point. Why does it have to come to that?

There's the way it could be, the way it should be, and then there's the way it is. The system is adversarial-it's designed that way-just like social security, medicare, and all other Gov't entitlements. But I must tell you as one who has been in the va system for over 45 years, that it has improved greatly. Most of the problems come from the folks "up stairs" at va, who are more concerned about money and their bonuses than they are Veterans. They frustrate the lower level employees that we interact with; limiting their ability to do what is needed for the Veteran in a timely manner. Bob McDonald's corporate approach that sees the Vet as a customer is a large step in the right direction IMO. He has fired a bunch of folks that needed it. I hope he stays, and they let him do the job they hired him to do.

 

[Kinman]

I will keep it very simple by stating that the VA has been very good to me. I am very fortunate in that I live within four miles of a modern updated facility. As a disabled vet I am grateful to my country for the care that I receive but as I stated I am fortunate. I have been treated kindly and with professional care for over five years by many fellow veterans who continue their careers in the medical field by working at VA hospitals. It is true that doctors are a rare sight but they are there when needed or you are simply sent off to the local hospitals where they are on duty.
In this country most medical business professionals (doctors) would not consider a VA hospital as the kind of place to hang their hat. One good reason for bringing over a few kind doctors from foreign countries interested in making an honest buck.

 

[STCM(SW)]

They can't get any DR to work at the VA here in Spokane....

I don't have to go there and am glad.
Between Medicare and Tricare I don't have any problems so far...

 

[ladyT]

I can't speak for others or about other VA's but my observation is at my local VA clinic is there are not enough doctors to handle the workload. As a result veterans healthcare is delayed or fall through the cracks. To ensure that your health care is timely is you have to be on top of it.

Sadly you have to fight for it but doing so brings another set of problems. If you fight for your care and utilize the Patient Advocate office when your Primary Care Doctor fails or any other doctor you are seeing you will be retaliated against.

Without consultation my doctor tried to pawn me off on home based health care when I'm healthy enough to get myself to the doctor and back home. Such a service needs to go to those veterans in need of that service and frankly I know several personally that need that service but have not been offered that service. I of course said no. They the VA then switched me to another doctor without consultation which I'm entitled too and my VA doc cancelled a surgery follow up appointment without securing another doctor to follow up on my leg surgery. I was scheduled to be seen within 5 days but they cancelled and finally made contact (old doc) by phone 17 days after surgery and to get that I again had to use the Patient Advocates office and Chief of Staff.

I will say that I have met my new doctor and within 15 seconds I was reassured that I had not only an experienced doctor but one with a good bedside manner. She took the time to review MRI's and point things out to me on them. With this doctor I feel reassured that my medical care will get better than what I was receiving from the other doctor.

 

[e3mrk]

I cant go into detail but My Brother refuses to go to the V.A. Hospital in Cleveland or Lorain Ohio because of His experiences with Them.