Posted on 06/01/2014 4:46:03 PM PDT by yetidog
My experience with the VA is 180-out from yours.
Awful people, uncaring, rude, don’t see you as human.
I had an unknown ailment that was killing me. . . painfully (turned out to be MRSA), but yet they moved me into a room with three other guys and taped a sign on the door saying medical staff have to “mask up” when entering because of what I had. . .but yet it was OK for the other three guys in the room
My arm flopped put one night and I actually touched the bed next to me. We were that close. Air conditioning was on/off — basically broke. Stuffy room. Three other guys with one guy moaning all the time (he died), other guy crying and the other guy was deaf and had his BIG square color-washed-out non-cable staticy TV over his bed turned all the way up. . oh yeah, nice place to be treated. No internet access for doing work, not sanitary—gnats and fungus and gauze bandages in the shower down the hall, bathroom down the hall, food was what they literally plopped down in front of you (no choice), and it was classic tastless mush. . too include a dinner that had turned bad and smelled terribly. If they were a private hospital they would have been out of business in a heart-beat.
I was released and then they called me that very evening wanting me back for a 14-day in hospital treatment plan—they verified I had MRSA.
I verified I wasn’t contagious and refused and got on the first jet in the morning and flew to Texas where I immediately checked into a very nice private hospital (http://www.texashealthflowermound.com/). Private room, nice flatscreen TV with cable, cool, airy, clean room, attentive staff, friendly nurses, docs that actually talked with you, heck, even the guy that came to my room carrying a full menu to take my order for the day was nice. Food was great (didn’t get a choice in the VA in Long Beach). Free internet access so I could work while in bed. 9-day stay. Didn’t want to leave was treated so well.
My private hospital was outstanding.
I did write a VA IG complaint and specifically mentioned the systemic failures at the hospital and specifically requested an outside investigation. IG had the hospital director investigate herself. . .amazing, she found all my complaints groundless.
Service connected injury. I was ordered to follow up with the VA. I showed up, the surgeon told me they were going to schedule me for surgery. I left and never went back.
It’s nice to know I’m in the system and have back up coverage but I hope to never step foot in one again.
I had an uncle who lost a leg in ‘45. He had to go to the VA to get new legs and have them check his stump.
It was a pain in the stump.
He was well off enough to have private insurance. I have no idea why he kept going back. I guess he figured he deserved free care. (Not arguing that point—but at the time specialists could have helped him more.)
The ones I knew .. and know .. all had/have jobs and provided for their later years themselves
An online friend of mine went to the VA for a pacemaker. He didn’t have to wait very long before one was installed.
Then, news surfaced that that particular kind/brand of pacemaker was defective and had killed many people. He’s OK, but how long will he be? He tells me that removing it would tear his heart muscles and kill him, so he’s stuck with the thing.
My husband was “grandfathered” in prior to the current financial guidelines. He never got free care and paid $50 every time he saw a specialist. There were also room rates to pay when he was hospitalized. Now, veterans who have assets and incomes over a certain amount are not even eligible for care.
The VA web site might be a good place to
start finding out what you qualify for.
Quite a bit of info there.
Good luck.
I have a buddy here in Kalifornia who used the VA exclusively until he hit the Medicare age crossing...and he was Coast Guard, so he never left the state.....I haven't quizzed him on qualifiers, if any.
Personally, as a USMC vet from 1966 - 72, I'd had quite enough of government and military, so never in the slightest did I consider going that route --- I'd rather have had my appendix explode than get in "another phocking line".
In various employment from then until retirement (I be 67), insurance was never offered or provided, so I bought my own for decades. No regrets, altho it got rather pricey.
Any service related injury should be enough to get VA benefits. I was told to go to the VA and have my hearing checked and see if I was qualified for benefits, but have better hearing than many 20 yr olds.
I can still see bullet hole stikes at 25 meters, so no use to try for benefits. I have TRICARE Prime from my military service and it is working fine for us.
I am a Vietnam veteran with service from 1968-1972. I have no service related disabilities or conditions, but I have a feeling I would “fail” any means testing. I wonder if this was the policy when I served. My point is that all veterans should receive, at a minimum, whatever benefits were available at time of enlistment.
Yep. I registered s a few years back, and was classified as something or other that basically said they would cover nothing as I was working and had insurance.
Since retired and now pay for my own insurance, never bothered to update status with the VA.
I go to the VA in Reno and I fully agree with your statement.
CC
My brother-in-law got an honorable discharge from the Army but in big letters at the top of his DD-214 is said, “Not eligible for reenlistment”.
He got VA benefits and is now buried in the VA cemetery. The burial was paid for by the VA.
It took me a about six or seven months to first see a doctor {I'm on low priority and rightfully so} and almost a year to get to the Audiology Clinic. Good part is if the hearing aids need repair I can go in and see a tech anytime. To be checked or have them adjusted requires an appointment usually.
You should be a "Group 6" like me, RVN from 67-69. Did have income and insurance at registration time. Not clear what changes if/when you retire and are on a fixed income.
Personally, I have just avoided them to find out.
ALL Honorable Discharged Vets with 180 days or the new formula 24 months qualify for burial in a Veterans Cemetery overseen by the VA or by some states. My dad passed a couple years ago he barely made his 180 day mark at the end of WW2. His dad had passed and he was needed at home to provide for his mom and sisters. The war was over and discharges were a plenty. Dad was buried in a VA Cemetery.
VA provides for the plot for Vet, spouse, and minor dependents. They open and close the grave and provide the marker. IOW about half of the cost of a typical funeral. Vet and spouse will share one grave. First one to pass is buried about 7 ft down the other spouse is buried on top. I worked at a VA Cemetery while going to Voc/Tech school.
There are co-pay requirements. Pharmacy costs are a real bargain since they (the VA) are able to buy drugs in bulk. The cost to the vet are uniform, since all drugs are the same price (Co-Pay)They currently run $9.00 each for a thirty day supply.
My experience has mostly been good. I have used two VA Hospitals satisfactorily, and once on an out of town trip I ran out of one of my meds. There was a VA Hosp in that city and I went there, saw a doctor, and got a refill.
I know there are bad things as well, and the nature of the medical problems being treated vary widely.
Hope this helps the discussion. (served on active duty from the mid 50’s until the late 60’s)
A relative of mine was retired Air Force and he used the VA health system for 30 years until he went into a nursing home and began receiving treatment at a private hospital which was close to the nursing home. The VA facility was many miles away.
Well my father got them and he wanted and needed them as a Disabled American Veteran.
His medical condition was related to his combat service in WWII. He needed medical assistance from the age or 25. He used a VA hospital in our State about 50 miles from home. The treated him very well.
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