DebbieSue212

Last March, we had a Navy vet pour gasoline over his head and set himself on fire, on the lawn of the local VA clinic (Northfield, NJ). He lived for a few hours afterward. Horrible.

I'm 100% disabled due to agoraphobia/panic disorder. I was totally housebound years ago, but made it back out with a lot of work, though I couldn't drive far. I've had to travel to a different state to go to a VAMC, accomplishing it by downing a bunch of prescription Xanax, headphones on Brainwave Entrainment relaxation software, and hubby doing the driving. Hubby had a stroke recently and is unable to drive the distance any more, so I had to move to the Choice program. Ever since, the VAMC is noncooperative with me. I even had to contact my Congressman to get them to make appointments, recommended by the Medical center which performed my operation. I wound up going by ambulance to the local ER last November, due to an inability to breathe (I had a foot-long tumor in my abdomen which was putting pressure on my asthmatic lungs). Hubby called 911, and they sent an ambulance. VAMC refuses to pay the bills involved, declaring it was not an emergency. The local hospital refused to even treat the tumor (I think because VA told them they would not pay), discharging me from the ER, after telling me to be careful the tumor doesn't explode. I eventually wound up at an obgyn office where they freaked out and started calling all over the state to try to get me help (even trying the governor's office). They eventually suggested an immediate ride to a major Med center, where I was refused treatment, but hubby refused to take me home, so they eventually did operate and removed the tumor. Choice takes months to make me an appointment anywhere, sometimes pretending to be working on approval, for months, for a follow-up visit with a local pulmonologist, only to inform me right before the appointment that they were unable to get 'approval' from my primary. Like huh? My primary never refused me treatment before, and they could have told me 4 months before (or even during any phone call I made to them every two weeks in attempting to get authorization #, while they put me off by telling me they were sending it over to scheduling). I absolutely HATE dealing with them any more!!! I've put in NODs on their refusal to pay the bills. They claim non-emergency. I received 3 notices from VA refusing to pay the bills of that ER visit. I put in NOD's on all 3. I only heard back on one. It stated it was overturned. But they only listed the one bill collector on the overturned notice (yet I was told by billing that if the 'non-emergent' was overturned on the one refusal, it applied to all bills for that visit???). Yet today I received another denial from VA of a bill from that day, this time involving the ambulance bill. I've tried billing, and gotten nowhere. I ask to speak to a supervisor. They laugh, tell me I can call their supervisor, but the supervisor isn't going to answer the phone. I've tried every person who is supposed to be in charge at the VAMC. They tell me whatever they think I want to hear, just stringing me along, and nothing changes. I finally got hold of the supervisor, but it got me nowhere - just shining me on. I'm going to put in another NOD on this denial of the ambulance bill. But it appears to be hopeless. There is no one willing to fix the problems here. I'm frustrated and disgusted. Afraid of needing any emergency treatment, afraid of the bills. I've now fallen backwards with my agoraphobia, due to the stress of it all. I've lost a lot of ground, afraid to leave the house again. I need to force myself out, trying to drive a few blocks on my own, despite the fears, trying to gain back some ground. It's hard. ? Does anyone else have these problems dealing with these people?? It's just impossible...

I would just like to thank everyone on this forum for the help I have received here. I found this forum 1 1/2 years ago when I had to consider putting into the VA for compensation, and started researching how exactly to do so. I filed the paperwork (with info I found on this forum on VSO's and applications, etc.) based upon having been diagnosed 35 years ago, while in the military, with agoraphobia/panic disorder. I have suffered from it since, unable to work. I received no treatment from the military and was eventually honorably discharged, due to my problem. (Actually, I received a 10-day light duty chit when diagnosed, and a 20-minute appointment with a military psych who kept insisting that I MUST have had the problem BEFORE I entered the military.) I went without care for 15 years after discharge (no money, no insurance), until I became completely housebound 20 years ago. I then connected with a doctor who came to my home and treated me with medications. I've been receiving treatment since, paid for with hubby's earnings. (Hubby had recently become disabled himself, unable to work, and no unemployment due to having been self-employed. Thus, my need for compensation.) I eventually received a denial from VA - the letter stating that I had NO such diagnosis of agoraphobia in my military paperwork. They stated I did, however, have a diagnosis of SCHIZOID (personality disorder) in my paperwork. HUH??? The letter also denied that I had been receiving care for 20 years for the problem. I requested a copy of my military records (with the help of this forum and the VSO I now had). My military records eventually arrived and I was shocked at the info put in there by the military psych 35 years ago. He stated he had given me an MMPI (not true) and a battery of psychological tests (not true) and medication (not true) and that I was doing fine (not true). He stated I had the problem before joining the military (not true). He then concluded, based on all his 'testing', that I had a schizoid personality disorder. There was no evidence in my military records of an MMPI, nor a battery of psychological tests, nor medication dispensed. However, my Sick Bay records did show a light duty chit was dispensed for a diagnosis of agoraphobia, exactly as I had stated. I came back on your forum and researched diligently. (I particularly noted the suggestion that I take responsibility for my case, not depending upon others to do the work for me.) I then provided my VSO with an IMO (written with suggestions from links found here) from my current psych (after he had requested and examined my full military records), a copy of my SS work history since discharge, a copy of a medical note signed by my doctor of 20 years ago stating that I was 'extremely agoraphobic' (he had since passed away and I was unable to access my full medical records, as his office no longer existed), copies from my military records showing the diagnosis of agoraphobia (highlighted in yellow) 35 years ago. My current psych also noted the fact that he was unable to examine the results of the 'alleged' MMPI and battery of psychological as they did NOT exist in my records. He also stated that, in his opinion, if I had been a schizoid 35 years ago, I would STILL be a schizoid today, which he emphatically stated I WAS NOT. In my opinion, the psych was just 'damage control'. At the point at which I was discharged, I had less than 1 year to go left in my enlistment. I believe it was determined that I was not worth treating. (The military pysch didn't even have his dates right. His paperwork was dated one year previous to the date I actually had my 20-minute appointment with him.) I recently received 100% compensation, due to unemployability (70%+). I was very surprised, based upon my treatment by the military 35 years ago. I was actually expecting a very long fight, and might have received one had it not been for the excellent advice and suggestions offered by you guys. I met my VA psych yesterday, and she appears to be very willing to work with me, and very helpful. I am now receiving full care by the VA. I would suggest vets make full use of the great resources on this forum. Thank you all for providing these resources. To all those still pursuing their cases, don't give up. Research diligently and take responsibility for making your case. Good luck to all. Debbie