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

[john999]

Pete

The VA is going to use the Dallas VA as a model for all the other VAMC's in the country.

[Guest Jim S.]

Jay: If I moved down to SD, I would be moving in with my Sister and her family. They could use my help, to pay the rent and with her grandkids she has custody of, since their mother is a drug addict and can't or won't change her life style.

My Sister is blind and her health isn't the greatedst because of Diabetus.

She could use the extra hands and eyes to manage the kids, plus it would more likely give me more incentive to get out and do more.

As it is, I sit at home trying to find things to do with my time and some of the things I have been doing, are getting a bit to difficult for someone by themselves, to do. I also fear that by being alone, should something happen to me, their would be no one to take notice and get help.

I'm not especially looking forward to moving to a large metropolise like SD county. But I may not have any choice in the matter, if things get any worse.

I just wondered what type of care and treatment I could expect from the SD VAMC is all.

Jim S. :(

Edited October 10, 2005 by Jim S.

[Jay Johnson]

Jay: If I moved down to SD, I would be moving in with my Sister and her family. They could use my help, to pay the rent and with her grandkids she has custody of, since their mother is a drug addict and can't or won't change her life style.

My Sister is blind and her health isn't the greatedst because of Diabetus.

She could use the extra hands and eyes to manage the kids, plus it would more likely give me more incentive to get out and do more.

As it is, I sit at home trying to find things to do with my time and some of the things I have been doing, are getting a bit to difficult for someone by themselves, to do. I also fear that by being alone, should something happen to me, their would be no one to take notice and get help.

I'm not especially looking forward to moving to a large metropolise like SD county. But I may not have any choice in the matter, if things get any worse.

I just wondered what type of care and treatment I could expect from the SD VAMC is all.

Jim S. :(

Sounds like a mutually beneficial move:-) Good to hear that finances won't be an issue and that you're taking steps to keep yourself safe. It bothers me sometimes, because vets don't get COLA depending on where they live like they do when in the military...obviously, it's going to cost a LOT more to live in SD then the midwest, but why should a vet have to suffer because they live in a higher cost of living area? As it stands now, I may have to move because the homes in my current area have well outpaced the wife's disability income and I'ld be lucky if I could afford to buy a lower-class home at the moment (average middle-class home here is well over 300K these days as compared to 180K just 3 yrs ago). At this pace, all disabled veterans are going to be forced into the poorest parts of the country, and I find that utterly repugnant.