tdiu Just A General Question About Using Va Health

[confusion99%]

I have never used VA health for anything except once for getting hearing aids. I was also placed in a very low catagory since I only had a 10% rating at the time.

I have since been increased to 80% due to IHD and DM2....I also have some further pending claims and one for TDIU. I am happy with my present Doctors. My outside care is also free due to having Medicare and Tricare for life so there is no financial consideration. I do not like dealing with the VA for anything that is not absolutely necessary. My question is.......should I start seeing the VA for my medical issues of IHD, DM2 and Neuropathy which is the basis for my TDIU claim? Do they hold it against you if you prefer other care??? Here in San Antonio, the VA is a nightmare, extremely overloaded with Vets as it is. They treat you more like herding animals and seem to resent you even being in the bldg. So why should I subject myself to that unless there is some major benefit for my open claims. Appreciate any opinions concerning this.

[Vync]

I get good medical care from VA and yet it a procedure involves surgery I am going to get it outside of VA.

For the most part, I do the same. It also depends on who you have for your care provider. Nobody is perfect.

Our VAMC has several main care clinics. I used to go to a couple of different ones all the time, which were mainly staffed by resident docs from local universities. After numerous careless mistakes, I went to the patient representative. After about 10 visits, they moved me to a different clinic that had only staff physicians. There was a big difference, but even they screw up every now and then.

[Notorious Kelly]

Make sure your records are kept up to date at your outside doctors and don't subject yourself to the VA.

Congrats on your win!

[warren]

How does the outside providers share your records with your VA PCP, thru the computer or do you take paper copies to your PCP?

Thank You.

GOD BLESS

[john999]

My VA does a very poor job of sharing records with outside providers. I think it is good to keep your foot in the door with the VA since it helps to document your disabilities. Free pills and documenting my disabilities is why I use the VA. I hate driving out there from my house. Using the VA has helped me get SC'ed for various conditions that might have been more difficult on the outside. If you have a good PCP then hang on to them if you can. A good PCP is the key to most other referrals at the VA.

John

[TiredCoastie]

I ask the outside specialists to share records, usually either through fax or mail, with my VA PCP. If I use the local hospital, I'll stop by later and ask that the records of the visit get faxed. Occassionally, I'll take hard copies if I happen to have them.

[Pete53]

My outside provider does not share with VA I told them on Hippa to only share with insurance and no one else