VA Aim is to Privatize Health Care

[Vync]

@vetquest That's scary. Reminds me of the late 1990's when the VA told me that I needed open heart surgery to correct a heart issue. I asked for a second opinion from someone who wasn't in med school. Turns out I just had indigestion.

[paulstrgn]

18 minutes ago, Vync said:

I needed open heart surgery to correct a heart issue. I asked for a second opinion from someone who wasn't in med school. Turns out I just had indigestion.

Wow...that is beyond scary. I am glad you asked for the second opinion. One should always ask for a second opinion no matter where they are seen when they want to cut you open.

[retiredat44]

14 hours ago, vetquest said:

I was once cut on at the VA when I was indigent.  It was done by a doctor in training.  They used a punch to excise a skin lesion.  When I told the doctor they could stop now, the doctor got testy and asked how I knew so much.  I told them that they were scraping the bone in my ankle and I could feel it.  They diagnosed it as Kaposi Sarcoma and told me I had aids, which was untrue.  I have had other operations on the outside for service connected issues because the VA did not think that the operation was necessary.

I have Tricare and use it over VA care as my VA doctor says it is better for me that way.  

I guess I as one would not be sorry to see VA Hospitalization go away but I think it is necessary for some vets.  The VA is the least best option but the only option for some.

 

I agree.... I would choose private if we could truly choose.... not those bogus choice we have now..

[Buck52]

Well they use the new Mission ACT that passed last June now

if veterans can't get the VA healthcare they need within a reasonable amount of time  (30 days) the veteran can ask his PCP to refer the outside  community care.(OCC)..once your approved for it  they call a insurance company they use (Tri West) and this Insurance calls the veteran and ask the veteran if he has a prefered private Dr to use of his choice?  if not Tri West will call around and find the veteran a Private Dr to use,  it takes a while to get this all set up  but it is basically getting you to a private Dr of your choice and the VA pays the Bill.

I GOT APPROVED FOR OUTSIDE DENTIST AND A HAND SURGEON .

  THE HAND SURGEON IS TRYING HAND THERAPY BEFORE SURGERY IF NECESSARY.... FIRST  THE THERAPY ABOUT 10 WEEKS OF HAND THERAPY USING THE HEAT MESSAGE TREATMENTS  IF THAT DON'T WORK THEN I GO BACK TO THE HAND SURGEON AND HE SLICES MY HAND OPEN  AND REPAIRS MY HAND   AS I UNDERSTAND IT ANYWAY.

[vetquest]

That is interesting Buck.  I am using TriWest but they did not give me a choice or neurologists.

[Vync]

On 12/7/2019 at 8:35 AM, vetquest said:

That is interesting Buck.  I am using TriWest but they did not give me a choice or neurologists.

If you let them handle everything, they will choose your neurologist or other provider. However, you can always call TriWest and ask them about other providers. That's how I ended up getting the specialist who treated me previously. The key is the providers must be in their network.