Priority Medical Care

[SEJones]

I am s/c at 10% awaiting DRO decision for 100%. My question is how does the ratings affect medical care by specialist? I thought I was entitled to care at the VA for my s/c condition but when the Dr. I saw at the VA sent in the referral for Neurology it was sent back because they were busy and I was not a priority unless I was at least 50%. So I had to use my medicare to see the same doc at another hospital. My 10% condtions covers muitliple body parts/functions. Do I need to fight to have a code for each body part? There is no VA code for the condtion so my SO and VA doc requested that they use one for Lupus or Leukemia and rate is as 100%. It is currently at "the rating desk" where is has been for 1 year. I also contacted my Senator and Govenor all contacted the VARO.

Thanks for any and all help.

SE

[Pete53]

John:

Last year the Dallas VA was recognized as being the worst in the Nation. My biggest problem with the VA is the Health Care on the cheap and defferred. I suspect it is close to the care the English get in England.

[hookrunner]

Some posted on Hadit some months ago about the qualityof care at different vamc around the country.I need to find that list. I am in a diliema as where I will go to Biloxi VA or Jackson Ms.VA. I doubt if I ever see N.O.VAMC reopened in my life time as it was in the flood zone and believe it or not had a basement .

[jriverman]

Hookrunner,

I would like to see that list also. Actually, I'm wondering about the Virginia and DC area VA facilities - even W. Virginia. Heck, I might move someday and want to get first hand views of them all.

Jay Riverman

[Guest Jim S.]

As long as you compare apples to oranges, you will find that non of the VAMC rank very high compared to civilian medical care.

The care that I get at no cost to me is a tad bit slow, but other than the fact the Dr's are extremely reluctant to help you with your claim, I do get pretty good care. I've only had a couple of appointment cancelled that that was due to unforseen problems that the attending Dr or specialist hat to take care of, but I usually got a resechedule pretty quickly for my troubles.

I'm now of a three, six and 12 month followup from medication evaluation to primary care, to yearly exams for a number ongoing problems that need to be checked periodicaly.

I was sent to San Francisco for a heart cath and had a hard time getting admitted since my records were not sent down for review, but once that was taken care of the hospital stay their was quite good.

By the way, I use the VAMC in Reno, Nevada for my ongoing care and treatment. I've heard people grimble about their care and I've heard good things also. So I guess it depends on who you talk to, or are seen by. We do seem to have our share of premed and med students running around, not to mention nurse practitioners. I guess that might mean that this VAMC is a training hospital for new and up and coming Dr's.

I'm thinking of a move in the future to San Diego, California and would like to know how the service is for mental, lung, heart and pain managemnet is.

Jim S.

[mssoup1]

My husand and I have had a lot of dealings with the VAMC in Salem, Virginia. This VAMC is an old, but large facility.

Some good, some bad care. Depends on the doctor, the type of care you need and whether it is inpatient or outpatient care. In order to get any specialized treatment for a new problem, we have to go through his primary care doctor and only hope that she puts in for him a visit. They have had so many problems with keeping competent dermatologists that they no longer have this facility up and running. This is now done as an outside fee basis service. Also, it is near impossible to get any doctor to put anything in your record which will help you in your claim. It's like maybe they have been instructed to not include anything in any records which may assist the veteran with his claim. This includes any C & P examinations.

Pulmunary clinic has been good so far.

Previous Primary care doctor was great, but my husband does not like the one he has now.

Eye clinic is not very good.

Hearing clinic has been good so far.

Forget the patient advocate. My husband and I made an appointment to see her (they have two) because my husband was not happy with his primary care doctor and wanted to change. We were told that the rules had changed on how they handle these type of situations. He needed to first work out the problems with his primary care and if that didn't work, to come back to see her., We had explained that we had tried this and it didn't work. She said to try again. My point is, what are they paying her for. I thought that was her job to insure that if the veteran had any problems which needed to be resolved, that she was there as the mediator ti fix it. Guess not.

I guess all VAMC's are just like any other medical facility. Depends on the doctor you have and the facility that you are going to. Some good, some bad, whether it is through the VA or as independent care. It also has to do with a conflict in personalities between doctor and patient.

My husband is 50% SC, so he usually doesn't have a problem in getting his ongoing appointments set up. For a return visit, they tell him to call two weeks ahead of time for an appointment. When he calls they set him up for two weeks out. This usually works okay.

This again is only my opinion of this VAMC. There may be others who think it is a lot better or a lot worse. You can only know what is happening by hearing stories from the examples of what other veterans have gone through.

By the way. Roanoke, Virginia has a Vet Center and has been great. Not only have they dealt with my husbands problems with one on ones and group therapy, but they work with him and I together. The Social Worker that oversees this facility is Dan Karnes and is great with dealing with all of the veterans he sees. He goes above ad beyond in trying to do everything he can to assist the veteran and the spouse, if need be.

Hope this info may help someone.

[Jay Johnson]

As long as you compare apples to oranges, you will find that non of the VAMC rank very high compared to civilian medical care.

The care that I get at no cost to me is a tad bit slow, but other than the fact the Dr's are extremely reluctant to help you with your claim, I do get pretty good care. I've only had a couple of appointment cancelled that that was due to unforseen problems that the attending Dr or specialist hat to take care of, but I usually got a resechedule pretty quickly for my troubles.

I'm now of a three, six and 12 month followup from medication evaluation to primary care, to yearly exams for a number ongoing problems that need to be checked periodicaly.

I was sent to San Francisco for a heart cath and had a hard time getting admitted since my records were not sent down for review, but once that was taken care of the hospital stay their was quite good.

By the way, I use the VAMC in Reno, Nevada for my ongoing care and treatment. I've heard people grimble about their care and I've heard good things also. So I guess it depends on who you talk to, or are seen by. We do seem to have our share of premed and med students running around, not to mention nurse practitioners. I guess that might mean that this VAMC is a training hospital for new and up and coming Dr's.

I'm thinking of a move in the future to San Diego, California and would like to know how the service is for mental, lung, heart and pain managemnet is.

Jim S.

That's a VERY expensive move. I think the houses in my area are way overpirced (WA), but my new neighbors found their 500K home to be quite cheap and paid for it in cash.....Apparently, they sold their small 3 bedroom ranch in SD for 725K and were able to buy a home here in cash (house is 3200sqft with many nice upgrades; whereas, their last home was about 1500sqft with NO upgrades). A townhome in the SD area can easily run 600K+ with many being over 1 mil...most of california is overpriced at the moment (a friend of mine in SF pays about 2500/mnth for a 2 bedroom apartment, which is considered a good deal there). But, if ya got the money, it's a great place to live:-)