VA Hospital - ABC News

[Clemencia53]

Originally Posted by theoldnorthstate

For years I did not use the VA because I had insurance and there are those who were worse off than I.

I am dabbling my toe into using VA services. Will see how it goes But now it seems that most of my maladies are age related and at first blush the VA seems more experienced and more efficient in dealing with those things.

Waiting for appointments and cost may be an issue for me that redirects me to private

Will see

One thing I did like about the VA was that the paperwork was limited.

You didn't have to fill out the same thing over and over again. Just show your card and that was it.

I go to my regular doctor and gotta fill out paperwork, make sure they still have my insurance on file. We should just have a chip implanted!

[Terryj]

Originally Posted by johngolf

One of the problems I personally see are vets with no service related issues using the VA. I truly believe a retired military vet and anyone with a service related disability deserve is fully entitled to VA services. That said, some guy that did 2 years in the army driving a truck in Germany some 60 years ago and has no military related medical problems is typical of many bottlenecking the system.

Did you retire from the Military? Yes. How can we help you?
Is your situation/medical problem related to your time in the military Yes. How can we help you?
Is your situation/medical problem related to your time in the military No. Sorry, we cannot help you.

One of the benefits of serving in the military is health care, be it service connected or not. The VA says all you have to do is serve 180 days of active duty to receive this benefit. It isn't an entitlement, you, by serving your country earned this benefit.

Now what the VA will do is set priorities, these priorities are classified into 8 groups ranging from those with service connected and disability rating greater than 50% set at priority 1 to those who have no disability but served honorably in the military in priority group 8.

[EarthBound?]

Originally Posted by johngolf

One of the problems I personally see are vets with no service related issues using the VA. I truly believe a retired military vet and anyone with a service related disability deserve is fully entitled to VA services. That said, some guy that did 2 years in the army driving a truck in Germany some 60 years ago and has no military related medical problems is typical of many bottlenecking the system.

Did you retire from the Military? Yes. How can we help you?
Is your situation/medical problem related to your time in the military Yes. How can we help you?
Is your situation/medical problem related to your time in the military No. Sorry, we cannot help you.

You have to remember, the VA is now using people for their insurance. Even with my service related injury they still want my insurance info first. I believe that those with service related injuries and who are retired Military should have priority above all others.

Its all about the money.

[Ariadne22]

Well worth 32 minutes for those using the VA:

Newsmakers Secretary Robert McDonald | Video | C-SPAN.org

Be interesting to hear if any of you have noticed changes.

[Jimrob1]

I got a letter last month telling me I was $500 over income limits for care. This was for 2014. That I would be responsible for medical copayments for that year. I rarely ever go to the VA. In fact since moving to the Tampa area, I have no desire to use the overcrowded facility. The VAcharges my insurances for the few times I have gone there. What is striking me very odd is this. The VA is a preferred provider for Medicare and Blue Cross. I have no copayments for doctors visits with this insurance, whenever I go to facilities that participate in my plans. So the VA is breaking rules. Either way I have no use for them, and stopped going long before this letter arrived.

[Ariadne22]

Originally Posted by Jimrob1

I got a letter last month telling me I was $500 over income limits for care. This was for 2014. That I would be responsible for medical copayments for that year. I rarely ever go to the VA. In fact since moving to the Tampa area, I have no desire to use the overcrowded facility. The VAcharges my insurances for the few times I have gone there. What is striking me very odd is this. The VA is a preferred provider for Medicare and Blue Cross. I have no copayments for doctors visits with this insurance, whenever I go to facilities that participate in my plans. So the VA is breaking rules.

Not really. VA and Medicare/BCBS are two entirely different insurance plans with two different payment parameters. So, no, VA is not breaking the rules.

Interestingly, McDonald says there are SEVEN different VA payment methods - depending on the type of vet you are. Further, yes, Tampa is an area attractive to older people. Older people tend to be sicker. No surprise, Tampa can't meet the demand.

The video is very interesting and covers lots of ground. As the military population has grown, in some areas the VA has not grown to meet the demand for its services. The problem today is getting the necessary funding from Congress. McDonald stated in the 70's there were two million vets accessing VA, today there 10 million - and MORE COMING. Which means Congress needs to look to the future to provide for that.

He is opposed to privatization and discusses many of the invaluable innovations to US medicine provided by the VA over the years - research and cutting edge therapies no for-profit private insurer would ever fund. VA has won three Nobel prizes. Interestingly enough, McDonald says 70% of the docs in the US have trained at the VA and the VA is the largest employer of nurses in the US. Quite a surprise, to me.

I found that video very informative. McDonald appears to have a firm grasp of past, present and future issues facing the VA.

Fwiw - I listen to C-Span call-in shows every day - and have done for many years. Of the many, many vets who've called in over the years, there have only been a few criticizing the VA. The vast majority - eight/nine out of ten - rave about the care they have received at the VA.