CBS Program on VA Benefit's

[BMT (RIP)]

http://www.vawatchdog.org/09/nf09/nfdec09/nf123109-1.htm

BMT

[JAGO]

For those who didn't get a chance to see it, here's a link to the program

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/01/01/60minutes/main6045148_page4.shtml?tag=contentMain;contentBod y

I've been in a running firefight w/ VA for going on 13 years and can't even get them to do a C&P. I understand things may be changing, but

Rant:
Why is it that if you go the Small Business Admin, the US Dept of Agriculture, to the HHS (welfare office), etc, etc, every federal civil service employee in every other federal agency counsels you on programs available to you and then helps you complete ever G** d*** form under the sun to make sure you get the entitlements you earned or are authorized, but the VA simply refers you to a form and then makes it impossible to submit or loses it once filed? Of all the people the federal government should be morally, legally, and ethically bound to help, shouldn't it be the Vet?

Why is it that congress in 1988 had to pass a law called the Vet Claims Asst Act (38 USC 5103) to "force" the VA to assist Vets with claims? The welfare office tells you about food stamps, public housing, WIC, etc and WANTS to help you get stuff. VA throws up every road block they can in the hopes you will simply die while they delay? The VA had to be ordered to assist, but still VA refuses to help the Vet.

Why is it in every other government agency, government lawyers are legally required to prevent (and if they happen to correct) injustices, while the VA pays lawyers (who are not required to keep their law licenses current) to protect VA decisions, even when they know the VA has acted inappropriately, and believe it or not, illegally.

Every president since Lincoln has tried to fix the VA. Throwing more money at it doesn't work. When will the US government do something?

Rant over, sorry for the distraction.

v/r
phil

[Ret10Echo]

Gee, I don't know....:munchin

Department of Veterans Affairs: Provides nearly $109 billion, the same as the President’s Request and $14.5 billion above 2009, for veterans medical care, claims processors, and facility improvements. To provide quality health care for our 5 million veterans, this bill provides $53 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs for FY 2010 -- $5.4 billion more than fiscal year 2009 non-emergency appropriations. This year’s budget increase is on top of the unprecedented increase of $17.7 billion provided over the last two years.

Advanced VA Healthcare Funding: In addition, includes $48.2 billion in advance appropriations for fiscal year 2011 for three medical accounts: medical services, medical support and compliance, and medical facilities. This is an 8 percent increase over FY 2010 and will provide reliable and timely funding to support the delivery of medical care.

Medical Services: Provides $34.7 billion, 13 percent above 2009, to improve access to medical services for all veterans. The Veterans Health Administration estimates they will treat more than 6.1 million patients in 2010, including more than 419,000 veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan (56,000 more than 2009).
Mental Health: Provides $4.6 billion, $800 million above 2009, for mental health care – to meet the growing need with troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Rural Health: The Department estimates that $440 million will be spent in fiscal year 2010 on innovative practices to improve access to care for veterans in rural areas. More than 40 percent (3.2 million) of enrolled veterans live in rural areas.
Medical Facilities: Provides $1.1 billion to address the backlog in non-recurring maintenance at our medical facilities, in combination with the FY 2009 Supplemental;
Veterans Centers: Invests in 28 new Vet Centers and 30 new Community Based Outpatient Centers to provide community-based readjustment counseling for veterans and their families.
Medical and Prosthetic Research: Provides $580 million for medical and prosthetic research related to veterans health, including a $48 million increase for research to address the critical needs of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans.
Priority 8 Veterans: Includes $533 million to expand eligibility for VA health care to an estimated 266,000 non-service-disabled veterans earning more than $30,000 a year, so-called Priority 8 veterans. The Obama Administration is aiming to enroll 500,000 new Priority 8 veterans in the VA health care system by 2013.
Assistance for Homeless Vets: Provides $3.2 billion, 40 percent above 2009, including $26 million for a Presidential Initiative to combat homelessness, $150 million for the homeless grants and per diem program, $20 million for supportive services for low income veterans and families, in addition to $21 million to hire additional personnel for the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Program.
Working to Reduce Veterans Claims Backlog: Adds roughly 1,200 additional claims processors to continue to work down the backlog of benefits claims and to reduce the time to process new claims. Currently nearly 397,000 veterans’ claims are pending.
Information Technology: Provides $3.3 billion, 30 percent above 2009, with new initiatives including paperless benefits processing and improvements in electronic health records.
Inspector General: Includes $107 million, 17 percent above 2009, to provide additional oversight personnel, including initiatives regarding financial audit and information technology program reviews.

[Ret10Echo]

FWIW

•Veterans calling the Veterans Affairs Department are lucky if they reach an agent and get a correct answer. That's according to a VA inspector general report released last week. The auditors found that in 2009, individuals dialing a call center had a 76 percent chance of reaching someone. If they reached someone, there was only a 72 percent chance of getting the right answer. The IG did the math, and concluded that a given caller has less than a 50-50 chance of getting the needed information. The IG recommended a central office to oversee and provide training for the call centers.

R10

[lksteve]

I've been in a running firefight w/ VA for going on 13 years and can't even get them to do a C&P. I understand things may be changing, but Why is it that if you go the Small Business Admin, the US Dept of Agriculture, to the HHS (welfare office), etc, etc, every federal civil service employee in every other federal agency counsels you on programs available to you and then helps you complete ever G** d*** form under the sun to make sure you get the entitlements you earned or are authorized, but the VA simply refers you to a form and then makes it impossible to submit or loses it once filed? Of all the people the federal government should be morally, legally, and ethically bound to help, shouldn't it be the Vet?It was that way for me everywhere I lived before...in Fort Collins, the county Vet Rep and the local VA are pretty much advocates for the folks they serve.

[LarryW]

What to do about it? Elect a DAV as POTUS. S@#tcan the clown we have.

[ZonieDiver]

I got a temporary filling shortly before I left active duty in '72. I was told to go to VA to get the permanent one. I spent half a day there... left...and NEVER went back. Never will.

[The Reaper]

The VA just pulled the authority to conduct anything but minor surgery from five VAMCs, including, ta da.....Fayetteville VA Med Center.

TR

[albeham]

I heard from the VA when I got out in 2004, everything went well for myself.
When I moved to Maryland, and told the VA center here I am. I was put in the "Q" for a re-look at my injures claim. MY VA rating .

About a year later I received a letter from Nashville VA, that I have a appointment with them for a followup on my rating. It was sent to my address here in Maryland.

SO I called them, I was told I need to see the VA here in Baltimore. OK cool.

Well, its 2010, and I am in there system. I just haven't been asked to go and see them yet.

My TRICARE is with John Hopkins , not no VA.

Yes we need a DAV for the POTUS.

That's my story and I am sticking with it.

[Dozer523]

The VA just pulled the authority to conduct anything but minor surgery from five VAMCs, including, ta da.....Fayetteville VA Med Center.

TR That decrepit old place? It's still got the Confederate breastworks . . . . probably to defend it from Vets.

[Utah Bob]

A friend of mine is a surgeon who retired as a major in 2006. He was in RVN as Corpsman, then got out, went to med school and went into the Army.
Don't get him started on the VA system. "A totally broken disgusting mess" he calls it.

[Razor]

I guess I'm lucky; I've had very good experiences with the VA hospital in Denver, and the clinics in COS. The wait for services is often longer than I'd prefer, but I nearly always get what I need ("nearly always" also applies to much of my private civ healthcare service, too, so I can't bang the VA for that).

[lksteve]

I guess I'm lucky; I've had very good experiences with the VA hospital in Denver, and the clinics in COS. The wait for services is often longer than I'd prefer, but I nearly always get what I need ("nearly always" also applies to much of my private civ healthcare service, too, so I can't bang the VA for that).I think the Denver VA office is a little more committed to the mission than the VA at large...I'd say the same thing for the Cheyenne office, too.

[FMF DOC]

I HATE HATE HATE the VA. Did I mention I HATE them? I have lost count of the number of facilities, from clinics to hospitals, that I went to with my ex and for myself. And we received shitty treatment in EVERY.SINGLE.ONE.

You haven't been to Butler PA Veterans Hospital.

[FMF DOC]

I work for the VA in Butler, PA and have been a patient seen in Erie, Pittsburgh and here in Butler, before I was employeed by them. I've been treated well and always in a timely manner. Sorry to hear so many are not getting the care they deserve.

[BMT (RIP)]

We only have a clinic in Daytona Beach.
Service is outstanding!!

BMT

[fatleg]

When in Richmond, VA, I tried the VA McGuire Center and found it awful. It is brand new and looks like a million dollars from a few blocks away. If I were in Richmond again, and needed medical care, I would get my self locked up. The city jail has better food, medical care and a friendlier staff.

However, here in Nashville, I cannot complain. The VA is connected physically to Vanderbilt Medical Center. I am very satisfied with the level of medical and dental care I get here.

If you enroll in the system, spend some time learning the system. You can make it work for you.

Sorry that so many of you have had bad experiences elsewhere. I have a friend that is an RN. He was an FO with the 173d in VN. He worked as an RN at McGuire in Richmond for almost twenty years. He could not hold his nose and go to work there anymore. He landed his exact same job at Audie Murphy VA in San Antonio. He says it is fantastic there.

If you submit ANYTHING to the VA, give it to the Veteran's caseworker in your local congressman's office. He will send it to the VA and it will not get lost in the system. If you submit a claim, shop until you find a good Veteran's Service Officer with the American Legion, VFY, DAV, etc. Submit everything through them.

But honestly, some of the VSOs are as lousy as some VA employees. The best 20 bucks you can spend is to buy lunch for the Vets case worker in your congressman's office.

[Saturation]

I hate hearing that veterans are not getting the care/advocacy they deserve across the country.


From the inside I can tell you that several changes are slowly happening to make things better including-
Elimination of the KSA for employment with the Feds including the VA (lots of good potential employees are lost due to the length of time to process).
Changing the culture of the VBA to advocates instead of adversary (straight from Shinseki's mouth).
Solid leadership from Veterans running the VA system

There will be major changing of the employess (better or worse to be determined) as many are hanging on to their job until the economy improves but can jump to retirement at most any time.

I guess I'm lucky to work for a system in Florida that mostly works well (definitely not perfect but better than the private sector side in my area). Unfortunately not every VA has the same standards- quick example.... my system promises a routine appointment in 30 days for medical care, no ifs, ands or buts. If they can't get you an appointment at the center- they privately contract for a specialist or whatever's needed to meet that 30 day commitment. Of course not everyone is happy here- there's plenty of other things to improve on.

For those that still are using the VA, I think there are enough other employees here to help guide you through the systems and make it work for you. Some may just be impossible though :mad:

[Saturation]

Not Bay Pines----- PM sent.