I Tried To Reschedule My C&p- I Need Help And Advice, Please!

[Akaymik]

Hi,

I've been waiting about two years for my C&P exams. I just recently got them, which is excellent. I was told of only two appointments via a phone call, with 2 weeks notice. Ebenefits shows that I have actually 6 appointments.

Anyway....I tried to reschedule my appointment for April 22nd (so my appt hasn't happened yet). The guy at the C&P office told me he couldn't find a slot, I was then told that they would have to send a request to the RO and they would reschedule this appointment. I figured this wasn't a big deal, as this guy was not helpful and quite rude. He didn't bother to tell me that my claim could be denied. I had no idea either until searching this forum.

Ebenefits still shows my appointments on the 22nd, however it says "canceled by patient". I have out of town plans for a wedding that day, but I will go to these appointments if it means my claim will be denied. My question is this...is there any way to get that appointment back? Does it still exist and is it still reserved for me? Can they still call it "failure to report" if I show up on April 22nd for my two appointments? Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Amanda

[Akaymik]

I eventually got ahold of the Phoenix C&P office supervisor and explained the situation. She gave me the impression the person I was talking to often told people they couldn't reschedule their exams. She said anyone "absolutely" can. Anyway, I ended up getting my appointments back and missed my cousin's wedding. I figured waiting almost two years might be a little more of a priority in my life. Thanks for all the advice.

Amanda

[NavyWife]

Good job being proactive on your claim and calling the supervisor!

Phoenix is in a media mess right now, so they better be doing anything they can to help vets and follow the regulations!

Did you have your appointment yet? If so, were you able to get a copy of the exam report?

[Akaymik]

I completed my last of six appointments on Wednesday. I didn't request a copy of the exam. All my exams went fairly well, except for one. I felt like the examiner was trying to trick me in my timeline of events, or trying to get me to admit my hypothyroid was diagnosed before my service.

The Phoenix VA is a total mess, and I think it always has been. I'm a former employee, I worked there for seven months in a clinical setting. I had to resign due to the care I had to participate in. It really is unfortunate. I feel that some of the practitioners I worked with were great, and then some just don't care and provide poor services. It's really unfortunate for veterans. Personally, I would be hesitant to receive care at the Phoenix VA due to my experiences as an employee.

[john999]

I feel the same way about my VA which is Bill Haley VA Hospital in Tampa. I would never let them even fix my ingrown toenail. I get nervous using their crummy dental service. I don't want to get HIV or Hep C because the instruments are not clean. The staff is rude and the doctors are 95% foreign. They use a bunch of poor vets as lab rats to train medical students and junior doctors at the medical school next door. My doctor of the last 5 years just retired with no warning to her patients. Now I have some new joke,r and I have a bad feeling about it. No doubt he will want to change my pain meds after 5 years. I wonder if I can sue them for malpractice if they just cut me off with no warning? There are a lot of private doctors who also are creeps. They worship the dollar and would hurt, or kill you for money.

John

[Akaymik]

I saw things which horrified me, not only as a medical professional, but as a human being. I saw a veteran who was bed-ridden and unable to speak (due to a stroke), who also had to use a bedpan. There was a sitter in a room of five people who wasn't really watching patients, but instead watching TV. Well, this patient ended up having a bowel movement all over the bed. The sitter was furious and took it out on the patient, swearing at him and telling him what a f*** up he was. I reported the sitter, and nothing happened to my knowledge. There were residents and nursing students making bad decisions and doing things they were even qualified to do. I felt like some of these vulnerable veterans were taken advantage of and it sadly lead to their demise. The system is so disgustingly broken.

[john999]

Yes, I had a C&P done by a nurse instead of a doctor. She was training another nurse to do cardiac C&P exams. The exam consisted of her just guessing about my condition, and then saying my heart was fine, and that what the original CT scan showed in my legs was nothing. I got a 0% rating. I appealed, got some tests and got 60%. I have never seen a cardiologist at the VA since 2008 when I was DX'ed with coronary artery disease. Fortunately, I have medicare and private insurance.