VA to vet: We’re not taking new patients
The Military Times tells the story of Iraq war veteran Chris Dorsey who sought to find treatment for his PTS symptoms and went from one unresponsive clinic to another in Oakwood, Georgia. He was told by the receptionist that “We’re not accepting any new patients — not this clinic.” You know, that’s a perfectly good response, given the number of veterans who are going into the system these days. What’s not acceptable is that is the end of the conversation. The receptionist should have taken the time to at least explain to Dorsey what his options are in regards to VA programs available. But that didn’t happen. A really good receptionist would have pulled him off to the side and helped him find someone who could help.
The VA last year introduced a program — VA Choice — that would allow Dorsey to see a civilian therapist, but until he spoke with a fellow veteran at a nearby veterans’ outreach group about his recent experiences at the two clinics, he’d never heard of VA Choice.
[…]
“We have some very serious geographical issues. Now we have the VA Choice card but we have doctors who won’t accept it or don’t understand it,” [Jerry Edwards who founded the non-profit North Georgia Veteran’s Outreach Center] said.
By its own admission, VA has had problems implementing VA Choice, which began last November. As of May, it had authorized appointments for roughly 50,000 veterans but had received more than a half million inquiries about the program.
Yet, the Obama Administration wants to pull the plug on Veterans’ Choice because it is under utilized by veterans – a determination that was made just a few days after I received my VA Choice card. They just wanted to go through the motions and not really provide any meaningful service.
To my larger point; the changes that need to be made at the VA isn’t among the people who actually provide the healthcare for veterans, It’s the administrators that stand between the veterans and their care that need to be booted, or at a minimum, trained to provide services instead of making excuses why they won’t do their jobs. I’m reasonably sure that the receptionist isn’t even aware of the Vets’ Choice program or how it works. In the article, Dorsey admits that he didn’t know about the program, so, I wonder why it’s under-utilized.
Category: Veterans' Affairs Department
This happens while B. Hussein 0bama & Company are scrambling to hand out as much as they can as fast as they can to welfare flunkies and illegal aliens when they aren’t on taxpayer-funded golf trips, junkets, and vacations!
Word.
We are not taking new patients until more die off. We’re working on this as hard as we can.
Ah, the VA– those dang veterans are an annoying drag on your coffee break, deny their claims until they die off.
VBA Undersecretary Allison Hickey Policy Memo: Item #1.
This comment is in reply to Facebook commenter Becky Bowden. The VA has many problems. But lack of funding isn’t one of them. The VA spends over 2 1/2 times as much – adjusted for inflation – as it did 14 years ago. We don’t have 2 1/2 times as many disabled vets today as we did then.
I wrote this article giving an overview of VA spending a year ago. Not a damn thing has changed since then.
The problem isn’t money. The VA’s problems are cultural vice a lack of resources.
All the more reason when I hear that ass clown Bernie Sanders talking about VA finding, I know he means more bureaucracy and government expansion, not actually helping vets.
If the VA wants to enlist the services of civilian physicians, it might help if the VA paid their bills in a timely manner. Here in Arkansas, a state without a huge retired military presence, the VA owes civilian health providers more than $24 million.
Try not paying your civilian doctor’s past charges and see what a warm welcome you get from his receptionist.
That and letting those very same clinicians actually practice medicine within the standards of care.
As opposed to VA attorneys setting and implementing agency standards of what they believe is a standard of care, which is generally lower and more cost effective.
Fact of the matter is, the VA is NOT your friend when it comes to helping vets. Never was, never will be. Can anyone tell me of a time when they were contacted by someone from the VA saying, “We have learned you are in some sort of health crisis (even as small as diabetes) and we are here to help.” More a place of employment for a certain group of people who run it into the ground making sure the “wrong people” do not get in our way. “We are entitled to it, don’t you know! It’s our revenge on what happened back in the days of the civil war.”
Now the good news, and the ONLY solution when it comes to benefits and help. In each county in every state there is a VSO (Veteran’s Service Officer), larger cities have multiple VSO’s. All are veterans, all are willing to assist any veteran, simply starting from securing a copy of your DD 214. Of course some are better than others, but generally speaking, ALL are SUPERIOR to indifferent VA reps. There is no charge, and I believe all are paid by the individual states in which they operate. Beware to posers…go in there making an ass out of yourself or get caught in a lie, and you will be toast. Burned toast I hope.
My own experience with the VA caregivers has been good, actually excellent as they have saved my life 3 times and my soul once.
It was the caregivers that called me, kept up with my list of diagnoses’ and followed up each and every visit with care that was second to none.
As I nurse for a profession I have had the experience on both sides of the med cart and believe that both the Milwaukee VA and the Houston VA have been very good centers for my health.
It is the bureaucrats that have the issues, of which there are many.
Thought you had mentioned working at Wally World? Retired nurse? Just curious
This problem is not going to change until the clerical/admin people change. Most of them are entrenched in their jobs, as we know.
It’s not the health care workers at fault. It’s the desk jockeys. Do they qualify as REMFs?
The problems facing our VA services are tenacious. Even I have problems making light of the debacle.
The lack of systematic management system within the VA that is effective causes most of the malady.
The fact that too many veterans are seeking to increase their benefits or qualify for services that will put a check in their outreached hands, over burdens the system as well.
Until we develop intestinal fortitude and approach the dilemma holistically the problems will remain systemic.
I do not believe that kind of problem solving is apropos.
Concur with most above, DH. But I’m not sure I quite understand what you’re saying in your last sentence.
It anint fucked up enough yet for anyone who could give a shit will make a difference.
Lots more shit gatta hit da fan before the stank makes it change.
The winds of change are not here yet.
Got it now, thanks.
Sadly, I’m afraid you’re right.
When that time does come, we will need an individual at the top with copious amounts of testicular mass.
The Rube Goldgerg approach will not work. Occam’s Razor will get results and do it in short order.
Many of those currently getting benefits better prepare for a shave. There will be many cases of Pseudofolliculitis barbae before it is over.
Semper Fi.
Agree, it’s a shame…what will ultimately happen is that somehow, a leftist celebrity or politician will be inconvenienced by some act of the VA, and then Barry will pound another podium saying, “WE WILL FIX THIS NOW” and Mooshell will hold up a “Save our VA” sign for Twitter.
Wow. Not even a suggestion of where he might go instead? How helpful.
My experiences with my local clinic and hospital are on the opposite end of the spectrum. I feel very lucky.
As a Disabled Veteran that attitude displayed by the desk clerk pisses me the fuck off to no end. He is most likely at least a GS 6, and occupying a position, where he would be better suited being handed an idiot stick and told to go police call an active landfill.
The absolute apathy displayed on his part is disgusting, and something I experienced recently as well with a “Medical Support Assistant” at VA Jamaica Plain. I have not been informed of the outcome of my complaints, though I spent hours on the phone with the Patient Advocate, and the Manager of that department.
The worst part was for me, one of the asses I had to deal with was a Veteran himself… So, it isn’t just the non veterans at the VA who are fuckups.
Patient advocates are usually a fucking joke.
Call the Director’s Office. Much more effective, especially when you have a reporter in on the call.
I feel fortunate that the VA I go to has been fairly solid. While I had to deal with TRICARE, they were ridiculous. They are the model “insurance company” that the movie the Rainmaker was based on. (Deny any claim on the initial submission!) I even did an HIV test thru the VA and submit it to TRICARE. They said, “Nope! Can’t do it there! We can’t trust the custody chain unless we book it ourselves.” So, instead of going to a Government Agency for something requiring a custody chain, they sent me to a civilian hospital an hour away. I think its been said well enough by all, the medical personnel are great. Though at my upstate NY VA, even the administrators there are good. The problem is the “federal civilian” system. They pretty much have to shoot their boss, but do it more than once to get a bad write-up. While that is about 50% truth, it doesn’t help when people are too fucking lazy to do the write-ups on them. Its easier just to “talk to them” and then leave it alone. Weak cowardly leadership at these organizations that don’t hold them accountable is a big part of it. Recent experience for me with DA Civilians at Army HRC is a perfect example of that. “check the block” even if it is fucked up, fucking a Soldier over, violating regulations, their own internal policies, etc. “I’m a DA Civilian and I’ve been in for over 10-20 years, they can’t fire me!” They don’t get held accountable and no one gives a shit to hold them accountable. (I’m talking to you CG, HRC) And yes, there are plenty of green suiters AND DA Civilians there who bust their butts to support troops. But they are the exception I think, more than the standard. If they were held accountable, you wouldn’t have situations like GEN Odierno going before Congress to try justifying why personnel who were deployed were getting told “yeah, when you get back, you won’t have a job. Good luck and have a great day!” Or others… Read more »
“I’m reasonably sure that the receptionist isn’t even aware of the Vets’ Choice program or how it works.”
Jonn you are much more charitable than I. I, based on previous VA operations, suspect that people have been instructed to NOT suggest VA Choice.
VA Choice usage shines the light on a region or clinic that is not supporting the Vets, while with a “no room in the inn” response the Vet isn’t ever entered in the system.
Come bonus time, guess which one looks better, no issue or issue?
I’m not sure everyone here really understands what a rip off the VA CHOICE CARD is. First off, you can’t use it if there is a ANY VA facility within 40 miles of your home. Even if the facility does NOT provide the services you need, you are INELIGIBLE to use the card. I tried. My OPC doesn’t offer most of the services I need and the VAMC is 75 miles away. Also, the 30 day wait in scheduling does NOT mean you can use the card if your appointment is 30+ days away. It’s only if your appointment is “MEDICAL NECESSITY” does the 30 day rule apply. McDonalds stupid message, call the CHOICE number to hear it, ends with, of course, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. When I tried to use the card and was denied the girl made sure to say, “Oh, and thank you for your service.” Already the VA is saying that vets aren’t using the card, no shit, and want to spend the 10 BILLION they got to implement the plan, on other things. I remember when we were implementing the VET CENTER Program and how the VA kept trying to get the program to fail. Luckily we fought our asses off from within to keep the program going. The CHOICE card is a rip off, period.
Expecting a VA front desk clerk to explain a vets option? Really? Not going to happen… “Could you step aside now, NEXT!”