63SIERRA

The VA denied I had major back problems for abt 10 years, and denied an MRI request for 3 years.. After begging , kicking and screaming, they finally did one.... the radiologist is either mentally retarded,,,, blind ,,, or was trying to stick it to me. I paid for a real doctor and got the correct diagnosis . and there are many.. The VA will deny you have problems so they can deny you treatment and compensation. PLEASE... spend the 100, or 200 dollars and go get an outside opinion. because the VA will likely downplay and deny the problems. ..it will be worth its weight in gold a thousand times over. ALSO... the regs for Gulf war ilnesses and presumptive have changed/// TELL HER TO REQUEST A CURRENT GULF WAR EXAM, then add that to the evidence ..

FURTHERMORE !!!!! There is a regulation that baically states... that the VA must take the word of the veteran as truth and evidence of injuries or ilnesses they recieve while serving in a theater of war.. you dont have to have been in actua combat, just in support of combat operations.. You could have slipped on a bannana peel on a ship anchored 100 miles off the iraq coast, and if that ship was part of the battle force in theater, they must believe you unless they can prove otherwise. Also.. tell you wife to HOUND THE HELL out of the VA until they give her an MRI on her back.. Then once she gets it, pay a specialist to read it and give a report..I recommend a DO doctor of osteopathy.. they look at the body as a system and I like thier methology,.. . The VA radiologist will likely not give an accurate report, for many reasons.. Once she gets the report, send it to her primary thru my health e vet, AND hand deliver it to the primary doctor.. wait a few weeks and check myhealth e vet or go to the records release of information and request a copy of her entire medical records ... LOOK at the PROBLEMS LIST section and see if the added the outside docs diagnosis to her current problems list... if not,, HOUND THE HELL OUT OF THEM UNTIL THEY DO IT.. Then send that info in to support the claim, and get any treatment that can help you.

ive waited over 700 days since sending in NOD. almost 2 years and no SOC.. ITS IN WAITCO (WACO)

I didnt find out I could get it until abt ten years later.. Being they never told me, I had to push thru and eek out a living.. Like daddy used to say.,.. grin and bear it..

Back when I was recieving treatment for hepatitis, at the end of the 52 weeks of chemo, the NP who treated me, set up a CP inside the hospital.I was later awarded 40 percent,, I thought I was being done a favor until I found out years later She made me feel like I was very lucky to have it service connected and told me not to mess up againn... WTF ... I m positive I got the hep from either a jet gun or a tattoo in service. I could have recieved 100 percent temp until thew hellish treatment was over, and I wasnt puking like a drunk, pooping like a goose, sweating like a whore in church, mean as a rattlesnake, and depressed. It would have been nice to get treatment and no worry abt my bills, puking on the job, crapping my pant, going apeshit on a customer... ect/ I also had to hire a helper to drive my van, because I was too sick to drive most days. I had to pay him, and never got a nickel back of compensation for that.. that year was a real struggle \ The NP never told me,,,, look sir, this chemo is bad stuff and you are real sick, if you get so sick you cant work, you can be comped ar the 100 percent rate until you feel better or a year has passed.. Yet she was quick to escort me to the CP after the treatment was over... Just imagine feeling like you have a bad casde of the flu for 52 weeks, with deppression, anxiety, and several other things. There was documentation I contracted the disease in service, so she knew it was going on a long time... why did she wait till the treatment was over....

its ALL connected.. The CP docs at the hospitals communicate regularly with the regional office personnel. I bet I could review at least half the veterans medical files at the va and find malpractice, negligence, malfeasance, intentional deception , and failure to follow the standard of care . Once your doc figures out you have caught on, they try to get rid of you and dump you off on another doc.. I dont trust anyone at my VA at all anymore. lies lies lies.. Hell I called the records clerk and asked for a copy of my MRI, I was told they are.. 89.00 I called xray and they told me they were free. the records clerk just does not want to do her job... The VA needs to get rid of a bunch on trash.

what pisses me off is the powers that be had to know our guys would get shredded, just like the russians did when they went in for ground operations.. Yet they sent them anyway.. Now they are done with the warriors and want to just forget abt them.. WHAT A BATTLE concept.. Build outposts surrounded on all sides by higher ground full of caves, tunnels passageways and stone cover, and let the enemy shoot at you all day.. ( Korengal valley).. then do night patrols and walk into ambushes.. You cannot help people who do not want you in thier country !!!!! Veterans must resort to charitable gifts to try and recover and try to lead whats left of thier life. There are contractors who made millions and a veteran cant get some halls widened in his house or a modified crapper. Im sure a modified mini van is out of the question also. PATHETIC AND CRIMINAL.

The VA methology seems to be all about making someone else do the dirty work.. Take for instance the procedures for primary care.. Ok the primary doctor is the healthcare gate keeper.. Everything is supposed to go thru the primary doctor. you believe you have a major problem with your neck, report it to your primary and its thier decision to do further testing or refer you to a specialist or order tests such as Mri, X RAYS, Blood tests. ect.. From my personal experience and reports from a employee inside my VAMC I believe that data manipulation and denial of care to veterans has become an art form. Heres how things have unfolded in my personal experiences.. I go to my VAMC seeking specific care for an ailment and report it to the nurse on intake before seeing the primary doc,, usually that information is either immediately shrugged off by the nurse or if it is reported to the doctor, it is frequently not added to the medical notes. It seems no matter how many issues and maladys you are burdened with, the primary doctors try to keep your problems list quite scant.. Why??? Because adding major problems to the problems list will garner possibly more care, testing, compensation, more visits, and last but not least, OUTSIDE fee based health care... The VA certainly doesnt want that, because civillian doctors have no bone in the game.. Civillian doctors tend to be very truthful and comprehensive in thier healthcare.. I compare the methology of VA healthcare to the communist leader in north korea s tactics...Keep the people oppresesed and ignorant to control them..Ok lets continue on with our quest to get care... You do not agree with the diagnosis given and request further testing such as an MRI or to see a specialist... You will likely then be told that you do not meet the """"""" criteria..""""... why praytell do you not meet the criteria? because the primary is saying you dont, even though they dont really know.. Most primarys are INTERNAL MEDICINE docs... they are basically an extensively trained pharmacist and prescribe pills.. So moving right along... after being denied care for a LONG time, you finally get wise by either figuring it out as I did , or being put wise by a podna. you save your sheckels and go see an independant, unbiased, highly qualified specialist.. You are then informed that your "neck pain" is a hell of alot more that they were telling you at the VA. So you print the diagnosis and doctors notes and recommendations, and go straight to your primarys office and stick the diagnosis in his face.. You get a sheepish, shit eating grin from him or her, and the outside retained proof is handed off to the nurse to add it to your file.. Ok now surely they will give me the treatment I need, because they have verifiable proof from a reputable medical professional.. Ok the days and weeks start going by, with no action,.. you message and call your primary team asking what is going on,,, why havent you scheduled an appt with a specialist, or ordered tests, or something ? Well heres why... either the VA your going to doesnt have a specialist in the field required or they are so swamped with other patients they cannot see you.. Ok , now this is metastisizing into a real dillema .. The primary is hell bent on not reffering you to fee based care ( because he has no power and being told not to), and theres no slots open for you at the VAMC... So now what... you are likely ignored and put off and they hope you just give up.. If you are quite the stubborn hard headed jackass as I am, you dig in and hold the line..you call and message them... ( they dont like messages for some reason and I was actually told, dont message ,,, calll)... So after bugging the hell out of them, they pull out thier next bag of tricks.. They tell you they are putting in a request for authorization for fee based care... NOW were gaining ground. ...........WRONG,,!!!!!!!! A few weeks later you are promptly informed that they cannot authorize, because it is a service offered at the VAMC. ... hmmmmm... So now the primary must submit a request for care inside the hospital... if they cannot get to you within 30 days they are supposed to refer you to fee based care... to be continued.....

sometimes just a smidgeon of knowledge can change a situation and impact a life... were all brothers and sisters in Gods eves and should love and help one another...too much hate, violence and anger in this old world. Make sure and spend some quiet time alone in a quiet peaceful place regularly, so you can visit with the creator... he is always waiting on you.. always.

Make sure you have anything bothering you documented before you get out, it can make all the difference.. once you leave active duty and go to the VA you are a liar until proven otherwise and are just looking to get on the dole. thats how they will treat you. Have you been tested for sleep apnea? have u had a hearing test. ? go to the home page of had it, and look at the 38CFR. It is the laws the va is supposed to use to give you your ratings.. it lists everything from skeletal system, to mental issues. Being you already have alot of in service documented evidence. the VA s usual move would be to service connect the issues but down play and lowball. if you have a specific back injury, neck injury, ect. and they just list it as " neck pain"" you should smell a rat.. neck pain is a symptom,, but they do that to lower your rating. Once you start going to the VA make sure your primary care doctor list ALL of your problems on your problem list..... they seem to not want to list alot of your problems... ( no problem,, no treatment, no money spent on vet.... more to squander.... TRY LIKE HELL TO GET AN MRI BEFORE YOU LEAVE ACTIVE SERVICE.. if you cant get one, when you get to the VA chain yourself to the flagpole and tell them you aint leaving until you get an MRI... once you get it, request a copy and go to a private specialist, pay to have it read, then go stick the evidence in your primary cdocs face and INSIST they add it to your problems list... Also once your done with your appts at VA you can download the doctor notes from myhealthevet.. you just need to set up a free premium acct. STAY ON TOP OF THINGS. DONT BELIEVE ANYTHING THEY SAY,, CHECK OUT EVERYTHING.. The VA has lied to me so many times it isnt funny, .. Stay on HAD IT ... it is your best friend .... The va will take advantage of your ignorance if you let them.. educate yourself and read, read, read, this forum.. listen to the radio shows...ask questions... theres ALOT to learn... Keeping up with things will be a lifelong endeavor, because everything keeps changing. thanks for your service, and welcome.!!!!!

are you selecting ALL information when you are on myhealthyvet? and are you doing the updates?

im going to lather up good with BEN GAY and OLD spice,,, that should make thier eyes water... they will want to get me out of there quick!!!

True dat ,,, !!!!

HELL waco has had my NOD for 2 years and not even a SOC. so just imagine how long it will take if it goes to appeals.. First we would have to rebutt thier SOC, and then they would send a SSC, then file another NOD, AND A FORM 9, and wait until they jack around with the claim pencil whipping the facts to make some sort of sense. THEN ship it to Appeals to get in line for possibly another 2 to 5 years.. Its pathetic... Its all stall tactics.. the Govt just doesnt want to pay us.. They want to keep a static amount of funds being paid so that they have more control of the budget.. Ok from that budget that we do get, theres fleecing from private contractors and back room dealings... its a system of scabs, pus, and turds... We should start a petition to abolish the VA and put the congress in charge of us.. an ELECTED official not a powerless appointed figurehead.. Regional directors should also be elected officials, by vets and spouses in thier region.. if they aint cuttin the mustard, shitcan them.. make it a 2 year term with one possible re election.

thats an automated message, dont even worry abt it.. thier system triggers different messages when they do different things. it is always ATFU

Im seeing a trend wheras the VA seems to want to decide what ailments THEY want to approve.. Why? likely to try and take it back from you later on.. If you dont disagree, and let them deny,, you are basically ageeing that they are right. Giving up on a claim now may not seem so important, but later on, that 10 percent for a scar might mean ALOT/ Heres one example... who ever thought they would find a 95 percent cure rate for hepatitis C?? Well guess what the VA is doing now, they are scouting out Hep C patients who are still suffering from the residuals of hepc and trying to lower that to a big fat GOOSE EGG/ zero percent!!! Some veterans have had thier livers being eaten for decades and suffered major damage, and also damage to thier bodies at a cellular level, and will never be vibrant and energetic again, because of the side effects of powerful sometimes deadly drugs previously and sometimes still administered drus like Ribavarin/interferon.. some folks took these cocktails for 52 months . some went thru this 2, 3 times So to wrap things up, from my perspective, I would say... DO NOT GIVE UP ON ANY LEGITIMATE CLAIMS!!!! Get every claim approved and assigned its proper rating. Dont let the VA swindle you with the old carrot and stick treatment. They will let you nibble on the carrot for a little while, until your not paying attention.. THEN THEY WILL WHACK YOU WITH THE STICK!!!!!

yep Halliburton made billions in the wars,,, Dick Cheney recieved a no bid contract ( while in office as a sitting vice pres)... It was all part of the Bush war machine.. Saudi arabians knock the towers down, so we attach Iraq.. They made so much money the first time, they went back.. 3 times... what a haul!!! By now Cheney and Bush must be wiping thier asses with gold lined toilet paper..

I got that also , im not playing guniea pig no more, they want to study us, but not compensate us.. DOD is even studying us now, because they fear a chemical attack is on the horizon..

Ranger they did the same thing to me, make sure you write a letter of disagreement and point out the errors and request another exam.. I have had 3 exams for 1 scar, and they have just scheduled a 4th.. They like to play games and try to wear you down. Call bullshit on thier exam and dispute any and all errors .. if you end up going to board of appeals it will be great evidence showing how they were screwing you over

do you have a dog in the house? if not get one.. maybe a german shep// they are very territorial, and if anyone tries to get in your house they will tear them a new ass. chiuahauas have supernatural hearing, if you want a yapper that can hear a knat fart.. this will at least give you time to grab your iron and flashlight.

its easier to divert funds when they are in house. robbing veterans of healthcare in order to make backroom contracts for kickbacks seems to be SOP that is why they dont want vets going outside the VA ....Outside docs will be truthful and cost the VA money . The directors of these VAMC s need to get thier crap together and make the veterans a priority, and not have contactors out front planting rose bushes , when the MRI machine has been broken for months.. Its not hard to see whats going on ,

Thats because people are afraid of the man.

watch what im telling you,, the VA will soon be ushering in thier cannibis derived ptsd pills ,,, big contracts, big money, the same hustle they had with the zillions of opiates they used to prescribe/. I would bet that patents for cannibinoids in pill form have already been in the works. They are likely dreaming up names for the pills. CHILLONOID ?? COPASQUAT SOFADAZE

theres way too many politics involved.. heres what will happen.. Ok pharmacuetical companies have enormous influence in this country. They lobby congress and usually get whatever they want such as grants from the govt to test and approve THIER meds, exclusion from class action lawsuits, ect. First, big pharmacy will " convince" congress to authorize and pay for research.. Then the pharmacuetical companies will quickly get patents on a pill for of cannibis derivative drugs. The Govt will then reclass cannibis, make it prescription only, the private growing of cannibis will continue to be banned by the federal govt, and penalties will increase. The govt IS NOT going to let all that money skate by them. In colorado, the first legal shop that opened banked 57.000 dollars the first day and ran out of ganja. that alot of tax revenue for a county and state in a years time, maybe 2 mill? And the Fed and big pharmacy gets naught? It isnt going to happen. The govt doesnt give a rats ass abt the people, just thier power and wealth. Marijuana is an ancient medicine. From menustrual cramps to cancer, to depression to nausea it has been used as far back as our country can trace. How it ever was determined to be harmful escapes me. The alchohol, meth, bath salts, heroin, spice, ect is what they should be worried about, I think if the whole world just took a break, went sit under a nice shade tree and fire one up, it would be an awesome world to live in.. People who claim marijuana is harmful dont have a clue.

the RO have a policy of dont call us we will call you.. you can send in an IRIS request though.