Good people staff the VA. Some quacks treat us there. Idiots run it.


I was declared 100% with service related disabilities connected to my time in the desert. Left leg has never been right (not just because it is left ) and has required a bunch of surgeries over the years. Go to the VA in Helena they cut into it in the docs office, it gets infected with three antibiotic resistant bugs. I go back to them and off to the OR where a bunch more is removed from the calf. A two inch hole now is 12x6 and two inches deep. Next day I was in the ICU in Bozeman with sepsis. Then they had to take a anther chunk out. After two weeks I was denied Community Care and they wanted me to travel 120 each way to Helena three times a week. Called BS on them and they finally approve local wound care and a stem cell procedure that will not require a huge skin graft. Except they wont approve a stem cell product! It was tested in combat by the DOD, FDA approved, VA has two very positive studies on it, it is used in every VA hospital other than MT (surprise...their part time VA plastic surgeon has a deal with another company my civilian doc found out through the reps). So the contracting division says she needs a month to review the product. At the docs yesterday and a guy come out to the waiting room with the same sort of VA issued wound vac machine hooked up to his leg. Lo and behold his story matched up exactly as mine did.

So the chief of staff at Fort Harrison won't talk with me, the Director won't take calls, the patient advocate is three weeks behind in returning calls. Had my Senator's medical liaison call for three days now and they can't get a call returned. My civilian docs want me to sue them, but that is not a hassle I want at all.

My wife who is not a vet gets free ChampVA via my disability status, she has a card she can use any place any time with no referrals and just 2k a year out of pocket. Yet actual vets are ignored. Time for the VA medical side to be shut down and decent system replace it. It would be far cheaper to the nation and far fairer to vets.

Rant over!

Wow bad deal, hope you can get it all taken care off and some right. Prayers sent, and thank you for your service.

Contact your Congressman now. Maybe he is tight with Mr. Trump. If Mr. Trump chews somebody's hind end, they'll stay chewed and you will get what you need. That's just the way it is.

Rickey

Thats insane! What about the choice program, I know I have a card for it. If you live outside of something like 45 miles of the VA facility they are supposed to allow you to seek care outside the VA.

Brother, I don't thi k there's anything I can say that makes anything better. Start talking to your representatives. It will be them that makes a difference and we see how efficient they are.

If want to see some real chaos just try the CHOICE program. All it does is add ANOTHER layer of ignorant bureaucrats between you and medical attention.

I actually received two letters from CHOICE, dated the same day, from the same office, and signed by the same person.....one letter authorizes a DR visit and the other denies it !


I eventually got responsive care from VA by getting my US Senator involved. It still took 18 months !

When I started in VA care back in the last century, it was pretty good, had a great Doc. Not so anymore. Tap dance on the ear of your reps and senators.

Prayers sent Brother.

The VA is immune to congressional inquiry. The Secretary to the director which was was as high up as I got to said as much on the phone. I did go congressional on them years ago and a doc did get fired or rather sent Wyoming...sorry about that vets to the south of me. All that really happened was the local VA clinic had a pile of paper work to do.

Have you talked to anyone at the service organizations ? Either VFW or AM Legion ? Oftentimes they will have experience and a person who knows how to get through the system.

Choice is dead, a new program in place they claim. But this care falls through the MT cracks, mostly because of one doc who has a deal with a competing grafting product that is far less effective. The stem cell product is from live born scheduled C section placenta donations which I find morally acceptable rather than some PP harvest product this guy wants to use.

That really stinks your having trouble. Shouldn't happen. What could it hurt to call the Whitehouse? Tell whoever answers the phone you expect them to make good on their promise to improve VA healthcare. the number for their switchboard is 202-555-1212

Contact a Vet Rep, at any VFW, American Legion, VAMC, State or Federal office building.

Prayers sent for you, KC.

Thank you for your service.


It saddens and angers me that our veterans are so neglected, and poorly treated.


Charlie

Service organizations, where I got my help. Viet Nam Veterans of America, filed my paperwork, had a knowledgeable rep, who went to the hearing, and handled the situation. He doted all eyes, crossed all the t's. Didn't happen over night but got the job done. They want you to get frustrated, mad, and quit. As I stated will take time. VFW, has some good people who will go the distance also. Dig in, and don't give up.

Been through the wringer with the VA and the CHOICE program. Closest real VA center is around 300 miles one way . So they run me through the Choice program and it takes forever and then they set me up with the wrong kind of Dr or set me up with a Dr in Georgia or South Carolina ( I live in northern Michigan ) Each time they do something like that ( and it happens several times they run me through the program ) I have to start back at the end of the line just to have them screw it up again . Then when they do finally get it somewhat right they still expect me to travel 50 or more miles one way several times a week because that is the nearest Dr that hasn't quit the program because of NONPAYMENT ( told that from the choice rep and the VA advocate ) They have a couple complaint lines they do not answer or return your calls ( and the message is specific you are to only call them once ) They expected me to travel the nearly 300 miles to be treated for the cancer they ( VA center ) miss diagnosed and it wasn't a hard diagnosis. I will be crystal clear on the fact that I would be DEAD right now if the wife and I hadn't decided to go outside the VA to get the proper diagnosis and treatment on our own . We were lucky that the cancer center here had a head nurse that went above and beyond what is expected of her, and on her own ,got the VA to approve my cancer treatment here local after I had already started it .
BTW if my reply seems confusing ,I have several other health conditions that I am being treated for besides the cancer that require regular Dr visits .

That secretary blowed smoke,,,,,,,,,,,,

Rickey

I'm sorry for your problems. In my opinion veterans should have access to the best health care in the nation. But they don't because it's run by the Federal Goverment and that is a perfect example why we shouldn't have a Government run health care system for the whole country.

congressional healthcare seems to be first rate.

The VA is the government's second chance to kill you. I have found being persistent to the point of being obstinate will often times motivate an AFGE bureaucrat, if only because he/she gets sick of hearing your voice.