ptsd Va Is A National Disgrace

[pacmanx1]

VA is a national disgrace: "They are routinely denying our military veterans benefits that we have earned on the battlefield"

September 11, 2010 posted by Michael Leon ·

Vietnam veteran James Davis, 59, of Willis has been trying since 2003 to get an increase in his VA disability benefits, but all he gets is a letter every six months saying he is being evaluated

- Houston has highest appeals rate in the U.S. as benefits claims set records -

Borrowing for war and not paying the service members who fight

By Lindsey Wise at the Houston Chronicle

Despite an influx of funds and staff at the Department of Veterans Affairs, the backlog of claims for benefits continues to grow at a record pace in Houston and nationwide.

VA received 1 million claims in 2009 for the first time in the department's 80-year history. In Houston, the situation has worsened since the Houston Chronicle first reported on the local impact of the backlog more than a year ago.

The number of veterans waiting for the Houston VA Regional Office to process their disability compensation claims jumped from about 19,000 this time last year to nearly 24,000, an increase of 25 percent.

Almost half of those claims have been pending for more than four months, compared to 37 percent nationwide.

"Clearly Houston is suffering under significant strain, and their office needs attention from Washington so our veterans can get accurate and fast claims decisions," said Paul Sullivan, executive director of the nonprofit Veterans for Common Sense.

"So many veterans in Houston have been waiting too long," Sullivan said.

He's particularly troubled that Houston has 12,060 claims in appeal, the highest number in the country for the second year in a row.

"The high number of veterans' claims awaiting an appeal decision — which often takes four to five years – indicates the Houston office may still have serious and significant quality and accuracy problems," he said.

The Houston Regional Office, which serves almost 760,000 veterans and their dependents in 90 Texas counties, is dedicated to the timely and accurate processing of disability claims, VA spokeswoman Jennifer Heim said in a written statement.

"We are steadily reducing the inventory of pending claims, while continuing to address the appeals," Heim said. "We have seen a significant increase in productivity within the existing workforce."

In August, for example, the office completed 3,898 disability compensation claims, up from 2,862 in the same month last year.

Waiting since 2003

Heim attributed the significant increase in claims and appeals in Houston to outreach efforts to communicate VA's mission and the type of benefits available to veterans. She said the Houston VA Regional Office recently hired 50 veteran service representatives and promoted nearly 40 others to help reduce the backlog. The office also continues to outsource some of its claims processing to other regional offices, she said.

Vietnam veteran James Davis, 59, of Willis has been waiting since 2003 for a final decision on his request for increased disability benefits.

Davis, his wife, and his disabled mother barely scrape by on the $845 disability check he gets from the VA monthly for post-traumatic stress disorder and shattered knees.

"All I get is a letter every six months explaining to me that they are still evaluating my status," Davis said.

"I've been waiting for what, seven years now," he said. "Hell, I'm 59 years old. They'll wait till I'm dead till they finally make up a decision. And even then it probably won't be in my favor."

Sullivan said the growing backlog is the cumulative effect of new VA rules about PTSD, Agent Orange and Gulf War-related illnesses, a tidal wave of new claims from half a million Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, and the nation's economic crisis, which left many veterans without private health insurance to treat their military-related medical problems.

"That's five different things that all slammed VA at the same time," Sullivan said. "VA has some initiatives, to their credit, that they hope will mitigate the disaster."

More workers hired

VA Secretary Eric Shinseki recently touted the department's efforts to reduce the backlog at the annual American Legion National Convention in Milwaukee, according to American Forces Press Service.

"We intend to break the back of the backlog this year," Shinseki said at the convention last week.

VA hired more than 3,500 claims workers this year to deal with the backlog. The department also invested hundreds of millions in a computerized claims process and electronic records system.

Shinseki said the goal is to reduce the time it takes the department to process a claim from the current average of 160 days to 125 days by the end of the year.

Does anyone care?

Vietnam veteran Bain Slack, 68, of Houston, isn't holding out too much hope that VA will become more efficient. He's been waiting more than two years for VA to decide on his appeal for increased disability benefits.

Slack, who flew almost 800 combat missions as a Marine Corps helicopter pilot in Vietnam, became disabled in 2004 after suffering stroke and aneurism of the aorta. He's also been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, ringing in the ears and hearing loss.

Slack said he's submitted extensive medical and military records that connect his health problems to his service, so he can't understand why his appeal is taking so long.

Slack and his wife, a schoolteacher, recently had to put their house up for sale. He hasn't been able to work for six years because of his disability, and money is tight. Sometimes he doubts anyone at the VA cares.

"The VA is a national disgrace," Slack said. "They are routinely denying our military veterans benefits that we have earned on the battlefield, and it's gotta stop."

[Notorious Kelly]

I don't have a Bachelor's degree, but I predicted this in 2001 Before we went to war.

[Pete53]

Its not what the VA says that matters; its what they do. Its been a mess since I first walked in the door in 1991 and yet it also has been good at times.

My Grade for VARO is F and for VAMC B -

[COOL BREEZE]

VA is a national disgrace: "They are routinely denying our military veterans benefits that we have earned on the battlefield"

September 11, 2010 posted by Michael Leon ·

Vietnam veteran James Davis, 59, of Willis has been trying since 2003 to get an increase in his VA disability benefits, but all he gets is a letter every six months saying he is being evaluated

- Houston has highest appeals rate in the U.S. as benefits claims set records -

Borrowing for war and not paying the service members who fight

By Lindsey Wise at the Houston Chronicle

Despite an influx of funds and staff at the Department of Veterans Affairs, the backlog of claims for benefits continues to grow at a record pace in Houston and nationwide.

VA received 1 million claims in 2009 for the first time in the department's 80-year history. In Houston, the situation has worsened since the Houston Chronicle first reported on the local impact of the backlog more than a year ago.

The number of veterans waiting for the Houston VA Regional Office to process their disability compensation claims jumped from about 19,000 this time last year to nearly 24,000, an increase of 25 percent.

Almost half of those claims have been pending for more than four months, compared to 37 percent nationwide.

"Clearly Houston is suffering under significant strain, and their office needs attention from Washington so our veterans can get accurate and fast claims decisions," said Paul Sullivan, executive director of the nonprofit Veterans for Common Sense.

"So many veterans in Houston have been waiting too long," Sullivan said.

He's particularly troubled that Houston has 12,060 claims in appeal, the highest number in the country for the second year in a row.

"The high number of veterans' claims awaiting an appeal decision — which often takes four to five years – indicates the Houston office may still have serious and significant quality and accuracy problems," he said.

The Houston Regional Office, which serves almost 760,000 veterans and their dependents in 90 Texas counties, is dedicated to the timely and accurate processing of disability claims, VA spokeswoman Jennifer Heim said in a written statement.

"We are steadily reducing the inventory of pending claims, while continuing to address the appeals," Heim said. "We have seen a significant increase in productivity within the existing workforce."

In August, for example, the office completed 3,898 disability compensation claims, up from 2,862 in the same month last year.

Waiting since 2003

Heim attributed the significant increase in claims and appeals in Houston to outreach efforts to communicate VA's mission and the type of benefits available to veterans. She said the Houston VA Regional Office recently hired 50 veteran service representatives and promoted nearly 40 others to help reduce the backlog. The office also continues to outsource some of its claims processing to other regional offices, she said.

Vietnam veteran James Davis, 59, of Willis has been waiting since 2003 for a final decision on his request for increased disability benefits.

Davis, his wife, and his disabled mother barely scrape by on the $845 disability check he gets from the VA monthly for post-traumatic stress disorder and shattered knees.

"All I get is a letter every six months explaining to me that they are still evaluating my status," Davis said.

"I've been waiting for what, seven years now," he said. "Hell, I'm 59 years old. They'll wait till I'm dead till they finally make up a decision. And even then it probably won't be in my favor."

Sullivan said the growing backlog is the cumulative effect of new VA rules about PTSD, Agent Orange and Gulf War-related illnesses, a tidal wave of new claims from half a million Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, and the nation's economic crisis, which left many veterans without private health insurance to treat their military-related medical problems.

"That's five different things that all slammed VA at the same time," Sullivan said. "VA has some initiatives, to their credit, that they hope will mitigate the disaster."

More workers hired

VA Secretary Eric Shinseki recently touted the department's efforts to reduce the backlog at the annual American Legion National Convention in Milwaukee, according to American Forces Press Service.

"We intend to break the back of the backlog this year," Shinseki said at the convention last week.

VA hired more than 3,500 claims workers this year to deal with the backlog. The department also invested hundreds of millions in a computerized claims process and electronic records system.

Shinseki said the goal is to reduce the time it takes the department to process a claim from the current average of 160 days to 125 days by the end of the year.

Does anyone care?

Vietnam veteran Bain Slack, 68, of Houston, isn't holding out too much hope that VA will become more efficient. He's been waiting more than two years for VA to decide on his appeal for increased disability benefits.

Slack, who flew almost 800 combat missions as a Marine Corps helicopter pilot in Vietnam, became disabled in 2004 after suffering stroke and aneurism of the aorta. He's also been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, ringing in the ears and hearing loss.

Slack said he's submitted extensive medical and military records that connect his health problems to his service, so he can't understand why his appeal is taking so long.

Slack and his wife, a schoolteacher, recently had to put their house up for sale. He hasn't been able to work for six years because of his disability, and money is tight. Sometimes he doubts anyone at the VA cares.

"The VA is a national disgrace," Slack said. "They are routinely denying our military veterans benefits that we have earned on the battlefield, and it's gotta stop."

That is totally unacceptable. As I have stated before there needs to be an on site inspection done at each and every site on a routine basis by an outside agency not affiilated by the federal government. The managers need to held accountable as obviously they don't know how to their jobs. The top brass in charge of this fiasco need to be replaced. Money is not the issue-its who is in charge is the problem. Perhaps this needs to be out sourced to a company that can resolve this issue. The right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing!!

[Testvet]

I don't think it is any secret most of us here at Hadit do not have much use for the Regional Offices regardless of what state they are in our frustration with the system is what brought most of us here

many of us have had to fight the system for years if not decades to obtain the "PROMISE" the VA just does not automatically process the claims and stamp approved on them do they? They make the veterans prove the claim is SC and it better be without a doubt the only time "reasonable doubt" seems to come into the area is when the RO doubts the veterans are telling the truth.......

I have nothing good to say about any regional office I have some pretty bad things to say about Dorn VAMC however I have some really nice things to say about the Augusta VAMC both hospitals 15th Street and Freedom Way now called Charlie Norwood VAMC I have been getting excellent care from 2002 thru 2009 I am not real happy with them right now it seems they are going back to the past no one wants to do their job and they will transfer you to the call waiting tape in a second and you are left on "hold hell" and pray someone will ever pick up the call I got mad and called the Directors office and they even have a new answering machine "leave your name and number" and they never call back I have been trying for 2 weeks to get my narcotic prescription refilled I have only been doing this since Dec 2002 I think I know how to do it you call the nurse call center and they send an e mail note to your primary care doc and 3-4 days later Fedex ad now UPS shows up and delivers it naw not anymore you calll the nirse call center and as soon as they hear the word prescription refill or narcotic refill they transfer you to the pharmacy and of course since it is an expired prescription the pharmacy can't help you call your doctor and have them write a new script so I call back to the nurse call center of course I get the same person I talked to twice already and now he's mad I tell him I am good and pizzed I have PTSD and he's pushing all my buttons and all I want him to do is send a note to my doctor asking to get my percocets renewed he then asks me for my old percocets script number so rather than fight I get it for him then he yells this is an expired prescription I lost it I told him why did he think I was calling I need the damn thing refilled and I have been calling the nurse call center since 2003 and doing this without a problem until this month and he started there so who was doing it wrong?

I didn't trust the idiot so I waited until 1800 and called the Ohio Call Center and a real nice nurse there pulled my record and said it was filled on Friday and will get it on Monday or Tuesday I hate stupid people and I do appreciate people that will do their jobs......the problem with the VA is they have the ratios reversed too many idiots and not enough good people

[john999]

I have had a lot of trouble getting my narcotic refills as well in Tampa. Since I got on fentanyl it is a problem each and every month. I hate the pain clinic. They are at war with the pharmacy.

[Chuck75]

The VA is a creature of Congress.

Place the blame where it belongs!

To Congress-- Germany pays a pension to WWII SS veterans, and provides medical care.

How many years did it take congress to pay a "one shot" payment due WWI veterans? What about the veterans of more recent wars?

The VA is still fighting with some of the few surviving Korean War veterans and Vietnam veterans over claims that are undeniable.

The VA and DOD, for cost based reasons, routinely are denying, lo-balling, and mis-characterizing disability claims from veterans of more recent wars.

The VA routinely fails to and fights about giving disabled veterans the proper compensation and benefits that law entitles them to.

The VA claims process as it is implemented, fails many tests for fairness, equity, due process, timely processing and correct decisions,

and is also a major example of "Fraud, Waste, and Abuse".

The VA faces no monetary penalty for improperly denying, delaying, or "low balling" veterans claims, or improperly billing and collecting "co-pay" from disabled veterans.

VA is a national disgrace: "They are routinely denying our military veterans benefits that we have earned on the battlefield"

September 11, 2010 posted by Michael Leon ·

Vietnam veteran James Davis, 59, of Willis has been trying since 2003 to get an increase in his VA disability benefits, but all he gets is a letter every six months saying he is being evaluated

- Houston has highest appeals rate in the U.S. as benefits claims set records -

Borrowing for war and not paying the service members who fight

By Lindsey Wise at the Houston Chronicle

Despite an influx of funds and staff at the Department of Veterans Affairs, the backlog of claims for benefits continues to grow at a record pace in Houston and nationwide.

VA received 1 million claims in 2009 for the first time in the department's 80-year history. In Houston, the situation has worsened since the Houston Chronicle first reported on the local impact of the backlog more than a year ago.

The number of veterans waiting for the Houston VA Regional Office to process their disability compensation claims jumped from about 19,000 this time last year to nearly 24,000, an increase of 25 percent.

Almost half of those claims have been pending for more than four months, compared to 37 percent nationwide.

"Clearly Houston is suffering under significant strain, and their office needs attention from Washington so our veterans can get accurate and fast claims decisions," said Paul Sullivan, executive director of the nonprofit Veterans for Common Sense.

"So many veterans in Houston have been waiting too long," Sullivan said.

He's particularly troubled that Houston has 12,060 claims in appeal, the highest number in the country for the second year in a row.

"The high number of veterans' claims awaiting an appeal decision — which often takes four to five years – indicates the Houston office may still have serious and significant quality and accuracy problems," he said.

The Houston Regional Office, which serves almost 760,000 veterans and their dependents in 90 Texas counties, is dedicated to the timely and accurate processing of disability claims, VA spokeswoman Jennifer Heim said in a written statement.

"We are steadily reducing the inventory of pending claims, while continuing to address the appeals," Heim said. "We have seen a significant increase in productivity within the existing workforce."

In August, for example, the office completed 3,898 disability compensation claims, up from 2,862 in the same month last year.

Waiting since 2003

Heim attributed the significant increase in claims and appeals in Houston to outreach efforts to communicate VA's mission and the type of benefits available to veterans. She said the Houston VA Regional Office recently hired 50 veteran service representatives and promoted nearly 40 others to help reduce the backlog. The office also continues to outsource some of its claims processing to other regional offices, she said.

Vietnam veteran James Davis, 59, of Willis has been waiting since 2003 for a final decision on his request for increased disability benefits.

Davis, his wife, and his disabled mother barely scrape by on the $845 disability check he gets from the VA monthly for post-traumatic stress disorder and shattered knees.

"All I get is a letter every six months explaining to me that they are still evaluating my status," Davis said.

"I've been waiting for what, seven years now," he said. "Hell, I'm 59 years old. They'll wait till I'm dead till they finally make up a decision. And even then it probably won't be in my favor."

Sullivan said the growing backlog is the cumulative effect of new VA rules about PTSD, Agent Orange and Gulf War-related illnesses, a tidal wave of new claims from half a million Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, and the nation's economic crisis, which left many veterans without private health insurance to treat their military-related medical problems.

"That's five different things that all slammed VA at the same time," Sullivan said. "VA has some initiatives, to their credit, that they hope will mitigate the disaster."

More workers hired

VA Secretary Eric Shinseki recently touted the department's efforts to reduce the backlog at the annual American Legion National Convention in Milwaukee, according to American Forces Press Service.

"We intend to break the back of the backlog this year," Shinseki said at the convention last week.

VA hired more than 3,500 claims workers this year to deal with the backlog. The department also invested hundreds of millions in a computerized claims process and electronic records system.

Shinseki said the goal is to reduce the time it takes the department to process a claim from the current average of 160 days to 125 days by the end of the year.

Does anyone care?

Vietnam veteran Bain Slack, 68, of Houston, isn't holding out too much hope that VA will become more efficient. He's been waiting more than two years for VA to decide on his appeal for increased disability benefits.

Slack, who flew almost 800 combat missions as a Marine Corps helicopter pilot in Vietnam, became disabled in 2004 after suffering stroke and aneurism of the aorta. He's also been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, ringing in the ears and hearing loss.

Slack said he's submitted extensive medical and military records that connect his health problems to his service, so he can't understand why his appeal is taking so long.

Slack and his wife, a schoolteacher, recently had to put their house up for sale. He hasn't been able to work for six years because of his disability, and money is tight. Sometimes he doubts anyone at the VA cares.

"The VA is a national disgrace," Slack said. "They are routinely denying our military veterans benefits that we have earned on the battlefield, and it's gotta stop."