Patient Advocate Ignores You? What To Do?

[dav_marine72]

Hey Everyone,

So I recently recently lost my outside insurance. I still had been seeing the VA for primary care, most meds, etc. I only went outside for pain management because I don't like to beg. Last month I had to pay $450 out of pocket to cover a visit to a civilian provider and my meds. This was because my primary care doctor refused to write me a script and or contact pain management to get them to write a script for me without doing what I consider some degrading things. Mind you I was in the pain clinic at the VA 2009-2011 and with my back being service connected they have all my VA and civilian medical records showing I have been on opiates since 2006.

I went to the patient advocate who is usually helpful. She said she would make some calls and call me back. It's been 3 weeks. They finally get me a pain clinic appointment and it's two weeks after I'm due for meds again. I'm 100% P&T. I don't know who to contact or what to do at this point. I am tired of screaming at people working at the VA. I can't afford the $450 this month out of pocket but can't go 2 weeks without meds and detox. I don't want to rack up credit card debt I can't pay off. Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks in advance.

[Navy04]

Sorry bud,

You have to go thru there steps or pay out of pocket. The problem is that too many Vets have Paid Drug Addictions and the VA has taken a lot of heat the last few years for overprescribing. If you have severe pain that is SC, and well documented then the VA should prescribe with no issues. You are lucky, I have had a lot of surgeries in the last few years, and I just had a foot procedure today. I am in severe constant Pain, yet due to my Crohn's Disease, I can not even take Tylenol or anything. So, I have been suffering for 5 years with nothing. Good luck to you and sorry to hear of your troubles. God Bless and keep us posted.

[63SIERRA]

you can try to request a different doctor, and start fresh. I will tell you now, the patient advocate is a waste of time. They work for the va. Doctors are all diffrent. The first doctor I spoke with abt pain meds told me,. ARE YOU NUTS, THEY WILL KILL YOU, YOU HAVE SLEEP APNEA/ The second doc told me, hell that dont matter, you use your machine right? The third doctor didnt even know why he was prescribing me the opiates until I informed him abt my bad back. He has kept prescribing them, so you see, it ebb and flows. I would change docs and re request. If they refuse ask them why you cant be prescribed pain relief, when it was found perfectly ok by a civillian doctor?

always remember this. THE PATIENT ADVOCATE IS NOT EVEN GOING TO QUESTION A DOCTOR AT THE VA. PATIENT ADVOCATE IS A FIGUREHEAD POSITION. JUST SO THEY CAN SAY,, LOOK WE GOT SOMEONE SITTING RIGHT THERE, FOR ALL THE VETS CONCERNS, ..

Can you imagine someone who has no real credentials or medical training to speak of, calling the doctors office, and questioning thier practice? It aint happening. Patient advocate is for dirty restroom, buildings too cold, seats are too hard, ect. They arent going up against the doctors .

Edited February 22, 2014 by 63SIERRA

[Navy04]

63,

Is on the Money, even the nice workers at the end of the Day work for the VA!

[63SIERRA]

dont know abt your necks of the woods but va commercial begging for docs daily on my tv. Guess its not easy to find professionals willing to shaft it to the vets. I think a doctor could show up drunk in his drawers at the va and they still would fire them.

[dav_marine72]

Great advice everyone. I did get my primary care and mental moved to local clinic which was actually closer to my house. Who knows what that will bring. Seeing the VA pain clinics versus civilian it's a crime. I understand the liability issue but when you have a clearly documented history of opiate use and 2 failed back surgeries and a spinal stim implanted you'd think they would say maybe this guy needs these poisons. Dreaming guys.....dreaming