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Is VA now heading in the right direction?

 

 

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I voted "other" because I have not had any involvement with the VA, except for my VA Loan for my first home.

Submitted by Ed Murphy (not verified) : Mar 12, 2015 4:08pm

I think it is to soon to tell. I have a long hystery with the VA weal find out!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) : Mar 12, 2015 4:20pm

I think not.
IN Phoenix, it took from November 2014 to January 2015 to get surgery and physical therapy through the VA Bureaucracy for surgery on my neck for cervical compression.
In January 2015,i used my Medicare Insurance and supplement to get surgery on my lower back and had surgery in February, less than two months!

Submitted by Art Mopyer (not verified) : Mar 12, 2015 4:23pm

I think not.
IN Phoenix, it took from November 2014 to January 2015 to get surgery and physical therapy through the VA Bureaucracy for surgery on my neck for cervical compression.
In January 2015,i used my Medicare Insurance and supplement to get surgery on my lower back and had surgery in February, less than two months!

Submitted by Art Moyer (not verified) : Mar 12, 2015 4:25pm

Also other: My only contact with VA services was in getting the G.I Bill for school 1967-69; it was enough while supplementing my part time employment(full time school and almost full time employment) from starving to death.
I have had no further contact and presumably will not.

Submitted by Richard A. Jensen (not verified) : Mar 12, 2015 4:33pm

I think the VA has been run well in the short time I have utilized the services. I Started by going to an Agent Orange screening and learning the proper way to apply from Suffolk County Veterans Services in Hauppague, NY. I was given the guidelines and retrieved the back up information from my Doctors and the process was fast and fair.
I am getting better medical care than ever before and the dental coverages are great. The staff at Northport are great.

Submitted by Jay H Greener (not verified) : Mar 12, 2015 4:53pm

It is too early to tell. Words are one thing, actions and results are another matter.

Submitted by Bob Cancellieri (not verified) : Mar 12, 2015 5:29pm

It is in doubt because I tried to right the wrongs while I worked there for over twenty years. That was over twenty years ago and not much has change. I still use the VA and know many people still working in many VA facilities. Currently no one I know working feels that anything will get better. Incompetent folks are still working, and the ones that were fired have been rehired. Nothing will change, because the folks that be really do not want things to change. FYI: a few whistle blowers who were fired are not rehired. Get the picture!!

Submitted by k2 (not verified) : Mar 12, 2015 5:40pm

I may be wrong, but doubt it! VA has not been well w/me,my treatment, appointments etc. I was sick with the Flu and called VA to cancel an appointment. Was asked if I was sure and if so they could use that for another Vet. I told them I would renew appointment in the future. 4-5 days later I got a letter stating they are reducing my disability benefits due to refusing to keep my scheduled appointment. I went thru pure hell with sarcastic people who shouldn't even work for VA due to their sarcastic and lying. About 3-4 months of hell, calls etc, I went thru services officer and requested another apt and also board hearing, which finally resulted in another sarcastic woman on the phone telling me I could have only 1 not both. I renewed the appoint first ang had a new EKG and still have been waiting 2-3 months for a return of what is to happen. My benefits are still the same, so don't know what will happen in the future. VA is not for me in the future and if I must lose benefits, so be it and I will be free of the unhelpful,sarcastic workers they have, for good. A Ret Vietnam Vet...

Submitted by Frederick Royall (not verified) : Mar 12, 2015 6:30pm

Hello, I made a long comment below, but I got the same treatment from the VA patient advocate personnel. I couldn't believe it, they are sarcastic and got angry at me when I asked them something which I can't remember at this time. I'm switching to Medicare when I am 65. VA exists to serve it's employees. And it all trickles down from the top,i.e. Obama.

Submitted by Lawrence Taylor (not verified) : Mar 13, 2015 2:09am

I did a snapshot analysis of the Los Angeles Veteran Affairs performance ASPRIE reports. It's the US Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) desires that ASPRIE reports provide insight to VBA performance. ASPIRE provides evidence of VBA performance progress toward achieving the VBA inspirational goals that Los Angeles VBA is striving to meet by 2015. The highest priority goals are to eliminate the disability claims backlog percentage of claims >125 days by 2015 and ensure all veterans receive a quality decision (98% accuracy rate in no more than 125 days).

Based on CY2014 data the VA did not meet its goals by Jan 2015 and Feb. 2015 results have not been posted as of 03/12/2015. If past history is an indicator of future performance Feb. 2015 will not be good. The American Legion should have "No Confidence" with the VA meeting their goals, they are not getting better but worst.

Submitted by Chuck Bunn (not verified) : Mar 12, 2015 6:45pm

I do not believe the VA can be changed. The Choice Card is a joke. Because my town has a small VA clinic that refers you to Salisbury (50 miles) or Ashville (75 miles) I can not use the Choice Card to get local assistance. I think it was just a publicity stunt by the government.

Submitted by JOHN DUNCAN, JR. (not verified) : Mar 12, 2015 7:44pm

After a massive auto accident, I finally had me knee operated on 18 months later, during which time I was prescribed Oxycontin; HydroCodone and 2 other pain relievers. Here is my letter showing how the VA is not in alignment with private hospitals and universities when it comes to the concussion I still have 27 months later:

March 12, 2015

The national VA has denied my medical records amendment request I sent them based on "the requirement that they maintain all records that are used in determination about any individual with such accuracy, relevance and timeliness as is reasonably necessary to assure fairness to the individual.)

I have provided Evidence Based documentation which supports the accuracy of a diagnosis of Mild TBI which Tucson VA Dr. John Tsanadis did not. None of the following information I provided is based on my personal knowledge, rather is is published by the contributing institutions below. The Local and National VA has agreed with Dr. Tsanadis' testing and that he came to his conclusions by using irrelevant data and a huge does of 'creative' writing.

I am not 100% educated in diagnosing a concussion, so I rely in part on the VA, and 20 other medical organizations for my health education. These organizations, listed below, are in disagreement with the SAVAHCS, and National VA. They ALL maintain an opposite viewpoint of the VA's claims of offering "Evidence Based Practices".
1. Dr. Tsanadis, a qualified representative of Tucson VA, has written on behalf of the SAVAHCS using a lack of Evidence Based concussion information regarding:
• lack of amnesia,
• lack of un-consciousness and
• striking one's head on a hard object for making a diagnosis that I never had a concussion.

I cannot agree with Dr. Tsanadis because he stands alone in disagreeing with his own peers listed below.
This document pictures the VA of Tucson and the National VA as an organization that does not stand in agreement with the Evidence Based knowledge of the following organizations when regarding concussions:
1. The CDC
2. The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS)
3. The Mayo Clinic
4. American Academy of Neurology
5. The University of Pittsburgh's Brain Trauma Research Center
6. Barrow Neurological Institute
7. World Health Organization
8. Albert Einstein College of Medicine
9. University of Rochester Medical Center.
10. World Health Organization
11. Military dot com (Veterans health care traumatic-brain-injury-overview)
12. International Journal of Neuroscience
13. David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
14. Marquette General Neurosurgery
15. Harvard Medical School
16. NYU School of Medicine
17. UPMC Presbyterian Hospital; Pittsburgh, PA
18. Mount Sinai School of Medicine
19. University of Chicago
20. University of Illinois at Chicago
The following paragraphs state the Evidence Based information on behalf of all the above organizations, the research done by them, and the doctors who have contributed their knowledge:
"A concussion is a traumatic brain injury that alters the way your brain functions. Effects are usually temporary but can include headaches and problems with concentration, memory, balance and coordination.
Although concussions usually are caused by a blow to the head, they can also occur when the head and upper body are violently shaken. These injuries can cause a loss of consciousness, but most concussions do not. Because of this, some people have concussions and don't realize it."Amnesia is NOT present, or only partially present in roughly 70% of cases W.H.O.
Due to the above organizations opposite view compared to the SAVAHCS beliefs about concussion, and the National VA Headquarters in Washington, DC, I rely on them for accurate medical information and not the SAVAHCS nor their report contained in my medical records.
This document is in response to the VA national center's refusal to amend my medical records. I am submitting this per their instructions to be made a permanent and public part of my medical records.
SUMMARY: VA not in agreement with mainstream health care providers regarding concussions.

Regards, Lawrence Taylor
cc: John McCain
cc: American Legion

Submitted by Lawrence Taylor (not verified) : Mar 13, 2015 2:01am

The Roudebush VA Hospital in Indianapolis has always been and is still today a top-notch VA hospital. They have survived virtually unscathed during the recent tumultuous times of the Sr. VA leadership. Their staff goes to great lengths to secure reasonable appointment times and to perform their medical duties with high level of professionalism.

Submitted by SMS Paul (not verified) : Mar 13, 2015 9:30am

The American Legion's words don't match their deeds. My complaints about misdeeds were ignored, not investigated properly, and then I was thrown under the bus.
Before you join know the fine print for membership, like Post 1000. Integrity is not one of AL's strong points.
You might be better off to join the VFW.

Submitted by JamesJ (not verified) : Mar 13, 2015 11:34am

while it is comendable that the original idea to make the American Legion for veterans of wars, it should be in everyones interest to end all wars. To that end we and other veteran organizations should invite all veteran to join the Legion. They done their part even if it was passive.

Submitted by James Struble (not verified) : Mar 13, 2015 2:23pm

The new Choice Cards are a joke. I live 77.6 miles from Houston VA, 46.6 miles from Conroe VA Clinic. Called phone no. on back of card to see if I could see other than VA Dr. Was told I lived 34 miles from Conroe VA. I said impossible. Man said that's straight line mileage, I said you mean like the crow flies, he said yes. I said since I am not a bird the card is useless to me.
So much for some one's brilliant idea to help Vets.

Submitted by Audrey (not verified) : Mar 13, 2015 4:39pm

It does not make since that it should take over 6 years for a simple diabetic clan to go through, They come up with some other excuse every time I re file. Does this make any since at all.

Submitted by william campbell (not verified) : Mar 14, 2015 12:18pm

I just sent a message. I just wanted to say that even the DAV said it is a simple case, I walked out of my office in Thailand every day and worked some on the flight line. The VA admitted that they used agent orange in Thailand on the bases I was on.6 years is to long for this claim , Think they will ever get anything wright ??

Submitted by william campbell (not verified) : Mar 14, 2015 12:25pm

Just this morning, a news report had more bad things to say about VA and administrators that lied about performance. A lot of good people served this country in time of need, now it is up to those who benefitted to help them. If personal gain is their goal, they need to be replaced. Stay tuned for further developments and pray for those who really want to help.

Submitted by USAF Steve (not verified) : Mar 14, 2015 6:03pm

I gave up trying to get any help from the VA 20 years ago.
They don't care!

Submitted by US Navy David (not verified) : Mar 16, 2015 9:04pm

So sorry to hear the above horror stories.
I agree that the powers that be do not really want to fix anything. It starts from the top-(I know from experience)--we now have many people running our government in Wash. DC who should be fired for not enforcing our laws, lying, selective law enforcement, and worse (bankrupt morals and character).
What really needs to be done will not be done, not only about the VA, but all large businesses: Complaints should anonymously be investigated by an independent group of volunteers alongside paid officials. The investigative personnel will change every 6 months. Personnel who are found to be breaking the rules or who are involved in unethical,immoral activities,etc. should be demoted and be put on probation. If the person continues to be a substandard individual they will be fired---and not rehired!! All accusations will thoroughly be investigated and substantiated before probation or firing occurs. Whistle blowers should be recognized and considered for a promotion and a raise.
What else can be done---any ideas?

Submitted by k2 (not verified) : Mar 18, 2015 12:13am