Va Choice Cards

[Berta]

About the Program

Many Veterans will now have the option to receive non-VA health care rather than waiting for a VA appointment or traveling to a VA facility.

Beginning November 5, 2014, the new Choice Program will begin to cover non-VA care for eligible Veterans enrolled in VA healthcare. Veterans are eligible if any of these situations apply to you:

You have been told by your local VA medical facility that you will need to wait more than 30 days from your preferred date or the date medically determined by your physician

Your current residence is more than 40 miles from the closest VA health care facility

You need to travel by plane or boat to the VA medical facility closest to your home

You face a geographic challenge, such as extensive distances around water or other geologic formations, such as mountains, which presents a significant travel hardship

More info at:

http://www.va.gov/opa/choiceact/

[Notorious Kelly]

Yes, there are people many who specialize in milking the federal cash cow.

Medicare patients needing a doctor can't be too choosy nowadays either; this doc in Tucson required a chargeable office visit even for prescription renewals (that other docs just phone in).

His waiting area was Standing Room Only; a medicare mill.

[Stretch]

I had a stroke while using my cpap and this hass made me reluctent about using it again. I had stroke #6 this last weekend and things don't seem to be looking up. Chemo has caused gout/ Gout is like having hot sand in you knees and joints.....it is no fun.

[Pete53]

I have had good luck with my outside Dentist. She does not charge me and waits for VA to pay her. She is also better than any Dentist I have had at VA.

[Pete53]

I had a stroke while using my cpap and this hass made me reluctent about using it again. I had stroke #6 this last weekend and things don't seem to be looking up. Chemo has caused gout/ Gout is like having hot sand in you knees and joints.....it is no fun.

My CPAP has caused me to have several panic attacks. As m,any who have them we try to do anything to avoid them. I am pretty much back to sleeping on three pillows.

[DickC]

Dick,

Good advice from Buck to contact Secretary McDonald. If you can not get him by phone, email him or Undersecretary Hickey. You may want to email both of them. Let them know you are in pain and need assistance ASAP.

Robert.A.McDonald@va.gov

Allison.Hickey@va.gov

Good luck to you.

Thanks for the info, I just sent them both an email. I will let you all know if it does any good.

[DickC]

I got an email from Allison Hickey and she forwarded my email to the head of the Portland VA system and I also got an email from him. I have asked that I be able to use the Veteran's accesscard to get my surgery done locally so all I can do now is wait and see. Thanks again for the nfo.