Fun with Community Care

[john999]

I had a crown done by the VA some years ago.  They put in a temporary crown and it took so long to get the actual crown that the tooth became infected and I had to get a damn root canal.  The VA makes me wait 6 weeks to get a crown after they do the work.  It takes a commercial dentist about four or five days.  The VA seeks out the absolute lowest bidder to get work done for vets.  Either that or somebody's brother-in-law is getting the work.  I am very disappointed with VA medical care.  It is a good place for destitute vets to go to die on clean sheets and that is about it.  They squander billions of dollars and come out with a second rate product.  The VA has been failing vets for decades because the system if screwed up and never will be right.  The VA cares more for the janitor than a 100 sick vets.  When I was in the VA hospital in an emergency about 2 years ago I was begging to get out after three days.   I was in a tiny room with five other sick vets who farted and retched all night.  Worst experience of my life.  One more week in that place and I would have died.

[Buck52]

John999

I understand your frustration, community care  works like this   if your provider can't see you with in 30 or you have an emergency  you go to the E.R. and call the VA from E.R.  OR Ask the Dr  or nurse to call them    and tell the dr to let them know why your there.

IF Your VA provider   say va Dentist   he needs to send community mission care office a approval for you to see outside Dr's  Dentisit of your Choice    the VA don't send you to just any Dentist   they have you to pick out one.

I did this 2 years ago and now I need to see the private Dentist One of my front tooth broke off at the root gum-line  and the root is still there   very sensitive ,

Anyway my VA Dentist sent the community mission act office and email giving his approval to see out side Dr     the private dental ofice I used 2 years ago.

The private Dr sent in there request TO COMMUNITY MISSION ACT CARE OFFICE to do the work for approval,,,,thats what there waiting on.

I will probably have him to extract the rest of my upper and lower teeth  there al bad with cavitys ect,,ect,,, so i ASK HIM TO MAKE ME SOME DENTURES  AND BE DONE WITH IT ALL.

Also I believe all VAMC 's  are different they have the same rules through out the country  ,  but the Hospital Directors and Asst Hospital Directors   the good ones make sure were treated with good quaility medical care and with Respect  but a lot of VA Hospital Directors are not that way.

different VA MEDICAL CENTERS ARE DIFFRENT.

[john999]

Buck 

 

          Glad you had a decent experience.  I won't use the VA as long as I have funds.

[deedub75]

I had to go to the ER back in March as I was having severe neck and upper back pain and stiffness. I also had a bad headache. I definitely was not going the VAMC because I don't really trust them and I'm about 40 minutes away. I went to a hospital that was about 30 minutes away because I knew they would have a neurologist on there if I needed one. After an MRI and CT scans, they didn't find anything to be concerned about and they gave me a headache cocktail of meds. I had been waiting on the bill so I could try to get the VA to pay for it and I was gearing up for a fight. Then I got an explanation of benefits from the VA community care saying the ER visit had been paid. I don't know how they knew about it and paid it but they did. When I checked in at the ER I did ask how I could get this billed to the VA but they didn't get any information form or ask for my VAMC ID. They only took my commercial insurance card. Maybe they had enough info to bill VA. Yesterday I got a bill for the MRI and CT scans. I called VA community care and they told me that would be covered as well and they gave me an authorization code to give to the billing department. I'm surprised and relieved that this went so smoothly!

[john999]

Dee

           What a great post.  I have medicare and private insurance, so I don't even think about getting the VA to pay, but I should.  Next time I need to go to the ER I will ask them to bill the VA.  Like I say I did go to the VA for an emergency about 2 years ago.  It was the worst experience I ever had in a hospital.  They kept me there so the med students could observe me twice a day.  Most of the VAMC's are also teaching hospitals so young doctors can experiment on old vets.  If I had gone to a regular hospital I probably would have been out in two days, but this was when Covid-19 was running wild.  The VA did treat me but what a horrible experience.

[Tbird]

Found these pages I think will be helpful

From the VA's page located here https://www.va.gov/COMMUNITYCARE/programs/veterans/emergency_care.asp Be sure to check out this page it lays out eligibility and procedures you must follow.

Quote

Emergency Medical Care

During a medical emergency, you should immediately seek care at the nearest emergency department (ED). A medical emergency is an injury, illness or symptom so severe that a delay in seeking immediate medical attention would be reasonably expected to be hazardous to life or health. If you believe your life or health is in danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department right away.

During a medical emergency, VA encourages all Veterans to seek immediate medical attention without delay.

IMPORTANT: An emergency department is a facility that is staffed and equipped to provide emergency treatment and does not include community facilities that only provide medical treatment in situations other than emergencies.

FactSheet-20-43-Community Emergency Treatment Reporting and Care Coordination Information for Veterans.pdf