New Va Scandal: Cbs News Finds Thousands Of Vets' Benefit Claims Discarded

[pacmanx1]

http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/new-va-scandal-cbs-news-finds-thousands-of-vets-benefit-claims-discarded/

[deltaj]

OIG is the Office of Inspector General. I think that agency investigates government waste and mismanagement but I'm not sure about this. My husband had his V.A. file at Oakland from 1965 when he was discharged from the Navy until about 1993 or 1994 when we moved to Montana. Oakland was totally awful even though his exams showed he was very sick. In 1970 VARO Oakland sent his notification letter to an address in Santa Rosa that included a zip code for San Luis Obispo. This 1970 claim requesting reevauation should still be a pending claim but nobody at BVA or Regional office will look at this issue because Court of Veterans Appeals upheld the March 1994 rating decision that he had entitlement to a rating from a date in 1987. Oakland kept denying his claims and never got his records from the U.S. Naval Hospital in San Diego despite the fact that he listed that hospitalization on his 1965 application for compensation and pension. My husband sent them copies of those hospital service records in 1995 but V.A. Regional Office Ft. Harrison, Montana never reopened the 1965 claim. My husband got a rating for service connected varicose veins effective in January 1992 but his earlier informal claims for service connected varicose veins made in writing during V.A. medical exams in Oakland are now missing.

[Chuck75]

For all veterans who qualify for VA care should be able to go to any doctor that accepts Medicare and let VA pick up the tab. Have the vets doctor fill out any C&P exams or better yet have a specialist (in that field) do the exam. That would solve the care we get overnight. I believe in the long run money would be saved.

That would allow a direct comparison between the health care delivered by the VA and private medical care. Something that the VA has been deathly afraid of. The government would prefer to have veterans just pay for Medicare, and use the VA.

Fairly recently, it was even proposed that the VA charge Medicare for veteran's treatent. If properly implemented, the "Choice Program" allows an alternative that is practical and preferred by many. Why should the VA attempt to duplicate services already and more conveniently in the local communities? To my way of thinking, and experience, A VA clinic is useful for medical appointments related to VA prescriptions, and other than an occasional annual or semiannual exam, little else. Indeed this type of service is what is overloading the VA clinics, not true medical care. When I need medical care, waiting more than a few days at most is unacceptable. My choices are to see a private physician, acute care provider, or community emergency room. Getting the VA to pay even an emergency room can be a big hassle. All of that aside, there are conditions that are mostly veteran oriented. It does make sense to have the VA deal with veteran unique conditions, and let community medical systems/resources deal with things that are fairly common in the general population. After all, that's what has been going on for decades.

[Pete53]

The VSO often thinks they work for the VA instead of the Veterans they are supposed to be helping.

[broncovet]

One thing that is almost certain:

If there is a scandal at one Regional Office or Medical Center, you can almost be assured its happening at many of the others, too. VA will likely deny this, but we have seen it too many times..its usally a systemic problem compounded by a fox guarding the hen house (VAOIG).

One example: I had tried to get a docs appointement at my VA. The clerk told me to "call back next month". I asked why not just enter me an appointment right now for a couple months out? "Oh THE COMPUTER wont let me schedule appointments more than 30 days out."

That is a lie and I knew it when she said it...I had already gotten appointments for 6 weeks or even 8 weeks later. This means my VAMC was doing the same crap they were in Phoenix..this amounts to a "secret list".

Pete...VSO's do work for the VA! First, ask nod pointed out that VSO's (the organization, not the individual) get paid for each POA from VA. Think about it...the DAV represts many many Vets, but some of those smaller VSO's much, much less. So, who gets most of the money? You guessed it..the ones with a lot of Veterans POA. Also, in the VSO's charter, the VSO committs to "cooperate with VA". This is a problem. If your neighbor sued you, would you want an attorney who represented him? I doubt it. That is the problem..VSO's are paid by and cooperate with VA. That's often in conflict with the Vetrans goals.

[Berta]

Fox News ,at about 6:30, said Little Rock has been found to have dated claims that were 20 years old ,to appear they were new claims.

Also Pete Hegseth (Concerned Veterans of America)has prepared a 100 page report on how VA can put veterans first.......If you watch Fox you know who he is.

When I get more info on above stories I will add it here.

I wonder what 'dates' they mean..I have received , yesterday and last week, the initial acknowledgement of 2 claims I filed over 2 years ago.

That wont affect any retro for any claimant , but those letters, if that is what they meant on FOX ,could certainly make it appear that these letters confirm recent claims they received, and not the ones it takes years to even acknowledge.

The letters do not say the date of the claims they are for.

[Notorious Kelly]

What does the union have to say about this?

Does the AFGE instruct its members to lie?

Does the AFGE coach its members on how to answer questions from investigators?

The AFGE Celebrates veterans NOT using the Choice program https://www.afge.org/index.cfm?ContentID=5414

They do not want veterans having a choice to get better care than at their VA meal ticket.