The Va Never Forgets

[Missouri_Vet]

Something interesting that could raise some eyebrows... Many of you that go to the VA like I do watch the doctor, nurse, tech or whomever open your records on the computer screen in front of you. On mine there is a box that is surrounded by aterisks * and it says in the box that it is sensitive or secure. I asked one day what all that was about and the person told me that the only reason the box is there is because if you have ever been violent or a problem, or if you have ever worked for the VA. She asked me jokingly "which one i was"? which I replied " Which one do you think i am"? Truth be known ive worked at a va before and ive been a problem so both i guess but, dont you think this is kinda a violation of rights as a patient? I mean i have been to several VA's and it shows up on everyone one of them, and everytime i get that look from em....and i just say ive worked at a va before and then they are nice again. They already have a predetermined outlook on my visit that it is going to be bad or that they have to be wary of me or something. I worked for VA 20 years ago, and the inccident prob happened 10 yrs ago... The VA never forgets and I think it affects outcomes of VA care, CNP's etc....

[jbasser]

They ask me the same thing. I worked at the Va as a student back in the 1980's, and they still have me on their "black list". I wonder how much of the stuff that went wrong with my claim was attributed to me being on the "black list" and how much of it was just plain VA incompetence.

Broncovet, thanks for bringing that subject up. Blacklists are a serious isue and there is a future plan to do a SVR radio show on the very subject.

If anyone has experienced this , shoot me a PM.

J

[carlie]

I have not been able to prove that I have

been blacklisted or that my file has been flagged.

BUT...............

It most likely has since it states very clearly in

multiple VA documents,

"Veteran has stalked ENT doctor with a loaded weapon

on VAMC Federal Property"

and

Carlie Federal Tort Lawsuit against The United States Goobermint, Bay Pines VAMC.

carlie

[jerrbilly]

ah, ok....thanks

I've never been actively abusive or threatening but I have had fire boiling under my skin. I was the first person to my appointment and the lady kept calling people in front of me that had come in later than me. I waited 40 minutes and brought it to her attention. I was nice even though I was angry underneath. She told me to "be patient."

That was the only time I about lost it completely. I definetely would have been red flagged.

jerr

Read a post by Wings at this link - it's down at the bottom.

http://www.hadit.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=29156

From VA Web Site

http://www4.va.gov/vdl/application.asp?appid=156

[carlie]

jerr,

It's also for current or past employees I believe.

carlie

[john999]

The VA pain management nurse put in my records that I have "anger issues". This was because she proposed to discontinue my6%$$#$$% pain meds. What the &^%$ is her problem. I would like to get my hands around her &^^%%^& neck. What anger problem? Some *&(()&)+_ people are so *(&*)*)) sensitive. You think I am on the *&^&^&^*%^ black list maybe?

[free_spirit_etc]

Social Security can tag you too.

That is one thing that caused me lots of trouble in my claim.

When I reported my husband's death to SSA, they filled out an application for lump sum death payment. I was told I should go to the local office to file an application for survivor benefits. But when I went, they told me I wasn't eligible to apply for mother's benefits (They said that was only for caring for a physically disabled child; not a mentally disabled one).

Since the notice I received for the lump sum death payment said I wasn't entitled to any OTHER benefits (except the lump sum payment) - and said I had 60 days to appeal, I submitted an appeal - and said I wanted to be given the opportunity to apply for mother's benefits before a decision was made that I was not entitled to them.

They called me and let me apply - but the worker told me I was only being allowed to apply because I insisted on it - and denied my claim the SAME day, without even asking one question about my son being in my care.

I appealed that decision too.

The following month he sent a letter telling me that no appeals had been filed in my claim because there was nothing to appeal before they took my claim for mother's benefits.

I went to the local office and talked to him. He insisted I could not appeal the initial decision, even though the letter said I could. He also didn't file my second appeal.

AND it was entered into the Master Query Screen:

SP MSG1 trans dt- 07/07 - “xxxxxx Complains about any action taken by SSA Plays Offices and 800 # off each other and tries to refute policy.”

I did not know that this was on my file, until I saw it in the file at the Hearing Office, but I began to suspect I was "tagged" long before I discovered the record.

I could think of no other reason why everyone started being mean to me. I had dealt with SSA since my son went on SSI in 1993 and never had any problems.

But suddenly the 800 number wouldn't answer any of my questions, and the people at the local office were generally rude and acted like they were mad at me.

Once when I took my son to the office to get copies of some medical records - the woman was real nice - and THEN she pulled up the screen, ran to the back, came back out front and started being downright hateful. She was pointing to my son and saying "We will send them to HIM! NOT to YOU!"

I showed her the form my son had signed appointing me as his representative, and she said it didn't matter - that they would send them to HIM!

Not that it mattered that much where they sent them - we live together - But to outright refuse to let my mentally disabled child to be represented on his claim - is kind of discriminatory. And to make me take him with me (since they wouldn't honor me as his representative) and then treat me so badly in front of him - that was just "WRONG."

She started shooing me away with the back of her hand and the security guards started coming up behind me.

Geez. I didn't do a thing. SHE was the one getting all irate - and I was about to get escorted out of there like it was me who was the problem.

The my appeals were dismissed as untimely, because Mr. "I will enter nasty notes on the query screen about you instead of filing your appeal" did not ever indicate on my record that my appeals HAD been timely filed - and dismissals of appeals as untimely are not subject to appeal with SSA. (There were a lot of games with how they dismissed them too).

Luckily, though I couldn't appeal the decision, I was able to appeal to the Appeals Council that there was an "error on the face of the evidence." The Appeals Council made them give me a Reconsideration and so I could have a Hearing.

But I had already started wondering if I had been tagged, because of how people were acting toward me. In the 14 years I had been dealing with them, I had found them to be pretty nice and helpful. But boy - had they changed!

When we asked for our Hearings, I took them to another Field Office to get them date stamped because I was afraid our worker wouldn't file them either, and then dismiss our appeals. It is SO good that I did this, because when they sent my son a letter dismissing his appeal and telling him that he had not asked for a Hearing - I had the date stamped copies. So I sent those directly to the Hearing Office.

For some reason they really seemed to be trying to block us from having Administrative Review of our claims.

But anyway, when I took them to the other Field Office, the worker there was downright hateful, and was snapping at me and telling me it was all my fault my claim was messed up because I shouldn't have appealed in the first place! I had to BEG him to take our appeals and left there sobbing.

When I found out it was noted on the screen that I played the offices against each other - I imagine that is why he was so hateful. But the ironic thing is - that was the ONLY time I went to another office - and that was several months AFTER the worker had ALREADY wrote that in my file.

When we finally got our Hearings - it was a whole DIFFERENT matter. EVERYONE at ODAR was NICE to us! It was SO nice!!!!!! They treated us just like we were humans.

I have asked that the notation be removed from my record. I THINK it may have been, but I am not sure yet. The Supervisor asked where I got the copy of it - and I told her it was in my file. She said claimants weren't supposed to see those - they were private.

I am appalled that a worker can put such notations in a claimant's file (regardless of how accurate the notation is) and cause all the other employees to treat the claimant poorly - and there are no checks and balances in place to protect the claimant from prejudice and discrimination - and the claimant is not even supposed to know that they have labeled them as a trouble maker.

Free