Can The Vet Center Refuse To Treat A Veteran?

[Speaking Out]

The point to my original post here was not that I called the Vet Center Angry, I called in crisis because of my Depression and Anxiety, I was not angry. My anger came after I was refused treatment. As a follow up...I had called the Regional Manager and he told me he would call Indy and find out what was going on. A few minutes later he called me back and said that he wasn't able to reach my therapist because she was in session and that he wasn't able to speak to anyone at the VARO counsel's office, but another counselor at the Vet Center was expecting my call to set up an appt. with her. That all happened on a Monday. On Thursday of that week, I called the Regional manager back and asked him what he had found out and he said he felt as though his job was done when he got me set up to see someone. I told him that I wanted to file a complaint and he asked my why? I explained that I was refused treatment at the Vet center and they couldn't do that and I wanted to file a complaint and asked him where to direct the complaint and he said the complaint would come to him and that my complaint was noted. I then asked him who his supervisor was and he again asked me why? I told him that I was going to put my complaint down in writing and send it to him and a copy to his supervisor. He said that I obviously have access to the internet and I could find it there. I asked him if he was refusing to give me his supervisor's name? Then he made the comment..."I wonder where that weepy Vet I spoke to on Monday is?" I told him that that comment was completely uncalled for and inappropriate and how dare he speak to me that way. I told him that that weepy Vet from Monday went out and walked around her house and then went to a neighbors because I was afraid to be alone with myself and that my medication had just kicked in 20 minutes ago and my son was at kindergarden so I was making my follow up calls now so that my son didn't have to see his mom as a weepy Vet today. He said he didn't want to speak to me anymore until he spoke to someone in legal and he hung up on me. I called another Vet center in his area and asked who is the supervisor of your regional manager and a telephone #? I guy on the other end of the phone said..."Oh, it sounds like I don't want to get in the middle of this." I told him, "no, you don't" He told me that he didn't have a number he could give out. I explained the situation to him and he said that I did need to speak to the supervisor of the regional manager and that he would give me his internal # if I kept his name confidential. I guess one of the good things the side effects of meds helped me to not have to lie because I told him I didn't even remember what he had said his name was and it was true. He gave me the number and I called. It was for the director of the Vet Centers in Washington, Dr. Alli Battres. I got the deputy director Charles Flora. I explained the situation to him and he said he would have the mangager of Indy Vet center call me. I waited and just a few minutes later the Indy Vet center called, but only to confirm my appointment. I asked if they had just gotten a call about me and she said no. I waited for the manager to call, but no call. The next day, I called Mr. Flora back and he said that he had called the regional manager and told him to call Indy and have the manager call me. I expressed my concern to Mr. Flora that I didn't understand why he would call the regional manager which was one of the people I was complaining about and have that person involved in this in any way. He then told me to call the VA IG hotline and gave me their direct number. I called and explained that I wanted to file a formal complaint against a Vet center employee and the regional manager of that Vet center. I was told that I needed to first file a complaint at my local VA hospital that the Vet center is affiliated with. I told her that I was given her # by the deputy director of the Vet centers to call the VA IG hotline and she again said I had to call my local VA hospital first. I asked if there was someone else that I could speak with and she said...NO. I asked her for her name and she wouldn't give it to me. I asked her for and identification # and she hung up. I called Mr. Flora back and told him what happened and he said, "you are kidding me?" and I said that if I was kidding I would be laughing and this is very serious that I was trying to do this the right way by going up the chain, but it wasn't working. He said that he would have the director call me. No call ever came. I have spoken to enough people in Washington to have some contacts and I called the subcomittee on oversight on Veterans Affairs and told the person there who knows my story what had happened. Later that day, I got a call from the chief of staff for Congresswoman Julia Carson. She is not my Congressperson, but the VA and Vet center are in her district and I was told that she was interested in what was happening with me. He was very nice and asked me to tell him my story and I did. He was disgusted at the way the VA and Vet center has acted and he asked me to put together a package and told me how to do it and what to send and he is going to walk over to the VA IG's office with a cover letter from their office and then take it to the oversight committee and request a congressional inquirey. I'm not holding out any hope that anything will be done or anyone will be held accountable because I don't have that faith in my government, but I'm not going to back down. I know this guy was serious about helping me because he gave me instructions on what all documentation to send him and he asked me to FedEx the package to him so that he can put my info on a list of expected packages so that it will only take a few days for the package to make it through security instead of a few weeks. I'll give an update when I have more.

[Jazona]

The Vet Center here in Prescott, AZ refused to see me because they said I was still drinking and they didn't see vets that were still abusing substances. I told them that their own website said that 80% of PTSD sufferers were substance abusers and that was a sure way to keep their work load down.

Didn't matter, they weren't going to treat me. A while later, I was in a e-mail conversation with a guy over in Calif that was with the Vet Centers and he couldn't believe that they had refused to treat me. He asked if he could call on my behalf and speak to the vet center here. I did and he did and I got a call shortly after and all of a sudden the vet center wanted me to come in.

I told him to stuff it, that I would handle it like I did most of my healthcare, through a private Dr.

They can and will refuse to treat you any time they want. There is no accountability, no responsibility. Even if you sue them, the responsible party won't lose their job, or even be disciplined. I really don't see any changes even in light of what is happening with the Walter Reed thing. So much for the finest health care system in the world.

jaz

[Tbird]

sorry my post was meant to add on to what sledge said, not anything about you being angry, though i believe i would have been, i have never heard of the vet center refusing treatment to any veteran.

[Berta]

I worked at a vet center as a vounteer. I was voted into the PTSD combat group.

We had to ask a vet to leave- he had been drinking and brought beer in, in a coffee cup-to the PTSD rap group meeting-

My husband- (didnt know at the time he would become my husband)and 6 or 7 others vets in the Combat group were recovering alcoholics and did not drink.There was no way the vet center would allow anyone to compromise their sobriety-

there is no point in having someone who has been drinking-

participating in a PTSD combat group-

and this was a VA facility.

This same vet brought open cans of beer into my car as I transported him to the Vet Center-he had hidden a whole 6 pack in his cameos. I could have gotten into considerable trouble.

I dont think this was your case-at all-Jazona-

Your situation was probably very much misunderstood.

The VA does not have to treat anyone under the heavy influence of anything

like alcohol etc- besides- what if they gave a med and it interacted with the alcohol or drugs already in a vets system and caused more problems or death?

Could they be sued? NO! Alcohol and drug abuse is willful misconduct and a conscious choice.

I worked at a vet center as a vounteer. I was voted into the PTSD combat group.

We had to ask a vet to leave- he had been drinking and brought beer in, in a coffee cup-to the OTSD rap group meeting-

My husband- (didnt know at the time he would become my husband)and 6 or 7 others vets in the Combat group were recovering alcoholics and did not drink.There was no way the vet center would allow anyone to compromise their sobriety-

there is no point in having someone who has been drinking-

participating in a PTSD combat group-

and this was a VA facility.

This same vet brought open cans of beer into my car as I transported him to the Vet Center-he had hidden a whole 6 pack in his cameos. I could have gotten into considerable trouble.

I dont think this was your case-at all-Jazona-

Your situation was probably very much misunderstood.

The VA does not have to treat anyone under the heavy influence of anything

like alcohol etc- besides- what if they gave a med and it interacted with the alcohol or drugs already in a vets system and caused more problems or death?

Could they be sued? NO! Alcohol and drug abuse is willful misconduct and a conscious choice.

PS- the vet with the beer?

He died before he hit 40-

alcoholism -cause of death- he left a wife and three small sons- she will never get DIC.

Edited March 24, 2007 by Berta

[Berta]

sorry for these weird double posts---my delete button disappeared.

PS- the vet with the beer?

He died before he hit 40-

alcoholism -cause of death- he left a wife and three small sons- she will never get DIC.

[Pete53]

I might be redoing info given by someone else but the Vet Centers although funded by VA are Independent and they can refuse treatment to Veterans. You have to be the right era first of all and as I undertsand they have toightened up who they will see.

Instead of getting angry the best thing is to try and be calm and have that explain why they are denying treatment and than see if you can fix the problem.

My experience is that if they closed VA to Vets who were drinking or drugging there would not be many in Mental Hygine.

I have had my share of problems being angry but it rarely helps me get the things I need to be angry.

My old Shrink that I liked at the VA was don't take it personal they do it to everybody.