Va Medicine

[Pete53]

Its my opinion and I want to get it off my chest.

The VA is a blessing to some but a large disappointment to many. The VA practices half assed medicine or what I call crisis attention with little or no follow up. Sure hen you are so sick you get into hospital. For a Veteran to get good care in my opinion they have to fight for it. The VA should be in the business of helping Veterans live longer and better lives. Every time I go to VA its sad cause I see so many Veterans not doing well and just going through the motions to obtain meds and some kind of care. A rationed system with poor management, long waits, medicine on the cheap using stop gap measures.

Sorry for my rant but I feel better now.

[john999]

VA refused to do my cataract surgery, so I paid myself via my medicare and BC. The VA did supply me with a pair of glasses that were about a half inch thick which did not even fit. I threw them out and went to best eye doctor and had it done because I was able. The jerks pulled a good tooth and then would not replace it via an implant. I paid for that myself. I will go to my own private dentist for a crown because the VA won't do it. I do have a low opinion of the VA medical system. They made me some orthtics that my regular civilian podiatrist said were cheap junk. Now I just use them for pills and to make sure they know I have one foot in the grave, so they don't try and reduce me one fine day. I guess if you know you are going to die you could go there just to save a buck for your family. I bet they turn off life support in a hurry if they think you are on the way out of this world. The bed is probably still warm and they just change the sheets and put another dying vet in place.

[Vync]

Remember, your VAMC treatment was likely paid for by the lowest bidder....

[Commander Bob]

Remember, your VAMC treatment was likely paid for by the lowest bidder....

Well, could be so, 'Vync'. However, a history of corruption within the VA goes back to the beginning of it's inception. I would like to see a real outside audit of that department.

Edited June 9, 2011 by Commander Bob

[Pete53]

CB

What I would like to see is for the VA to issue ChampVA Insurance with fully paid meds benefits. Any Veteran 50% or more should be able to opt into it. Although I am not sure that all Veterans should be able to get it. Of course if you liked VA Medical stay at the VA but the VA should be focused right now on taking care of returning Vets.

[Commander Bob]

CB

What I would like to see is for the VA to issue ChampVA Insurance with fully paid meds benefits. Any Veteran 50% or more should be able to opt into it. Although I am not sure that all Veterans should be able to get it. Of course if you liked VA Medical stay at the VA but the VA should be focused right now on taking care of returning Vets.

That is an excellent solution,'Pete53'. In a perfect world, that's the way it should be. I believe it is possible.

However, I am also reminded of the Brothers Grimm's tale of "The Pied Piper of Hamelin".

CB

Edited June 9, 2011 by Commander Bob

[Chuck75]

Since a fair number of providers don't like Champ VA or Tricare, (Payment problems) Veterans might be better off with Medicare part B payment waived.

Actually, the whole thing concerning outside treatment and the difficulty in getting the VA to pay anything towards it is a long standing gripe of many veterans.

As it stands, the government (VA) profits when a veteran has Medicare or some sort of group insurance, even when the veteran has to pay the majority of cost (or all) for the insurance.

Medicare Advantage, which many companies and states are using for retirees, counts as a group insurance plan.

Most of these "advantage" plans require parts A,B,and D, with a clause that the part D be carried by the same company that writes the "Medicare Advantage" coverage.

These companies often do NOT recognize the VA as creditable part D, even though Medicare itself does.

The VA is still having problems in providing prompt and decent medical care.

At my local clinic, this morning.

The previous doctor packed it in and moved several weeks ago. The "temporary" replacement drives about 50 miles each way from the area VAMC, and was an hour late this morning.

When I hit the door, with an "acute condition", quite painful, but not directly life threatening, unless left untreated,

I was told that scheduled ROUTINE exams, etc. had precedence, so it was likely to be several hours, and that the doctor was at least an hour behind.

Climb back in car, drive to my private PCP, about 18 miles down the interstate. I had already driven about the same distance to the VA Clinic from my home.

Acute care has a priority on his list, even with a room full of patients. $20 and within an hour, the needed prescription for antibiotics was called in, and picked up as soon as it was available,

likely before the VA Clinic would have gotten around to letting me see the doctor. Total cost to me. about $10 in gas, $20 deductible, $4 for the prescription.

Turns out that the VA has recently increased the number of appointments per doctor, by decree, and does not pay overtime, just "comp time".

The VA Clinic employees are not happy, since the increased number of appointments ends up adding about an hour to an already long day, and they don't get paid anything additional.

That is an excellent solution,'Pete53'. In a perfect world, that's the way it should be. I believe it is possible.

However, I am also reminded of the Brothers Grimm's tale of "The Pied Piper of Hamelin".

CB

Edited June 9, 2011 by Chuck75