I’ve kinda stayed away from the VA debacle until now, since I classify as partially disabled, but after hearing what I did last night, I’m pissed… (I have been waiting since Feb for scheduling of my appointment, which now appears to be June 5th)…
First, it now appears that ALL of the VA hospitals have been playing games with wait times in a pay (we pay) to play (they play and get bonuses) scheme that it appears at least some in the VA hierarchy have know about since at least 2010. And there is a bunch of ‘fluff’ media coverage about Petzel ‘retiring’ in the wake of the scandal…
Little issue, he was already SCHEDULED to retire, and the administration has already nominated a replacement… Article HERE. He’s just leaving a couple of months early…
The IG can’t do a credible job of investigation of anything more than ‘maybe’ one hospital, much less EVERY ONE (which is needed)… Apparently there have already been documents shredded in Phoenix, in relation to the ‘probe’, so credible is already questionable…
And Holder has apparently said yesterday that DOJ will ‘wait’ for a further determination… WTF???
How about pulling the FBI off investigating Christie and the other Pub governors, and put their asses to work investigating this? It’s not like they are going to be sent to investigate F&F or Benghazi…
This ‘should’ be investigated (IMHO) as a criminal investigation, since at least 40 and possibly as many as 100 people have DIED! OH, but wait, we know what they think of that and us veterans don’t we… What was it Hildabitch said? Oh yeah, “What DIFFERENCE does it make?”
But, in ‘other’ news, ‘Bradley’ Manning is being sent to a civilian hospital from prison for hormone therapy… Article HERE. I would have no problem with Manning getting this IF it was after the last vet in line for treatment has been taken care of… NOT before…
I guess traitors with better lawyers are more important to the administration and attack LGBT and whatever else groups than Veterans who have given more than anyone else to protect this country…
Kicking the soap box back in the corner and looking for my BP meds… sigh
“I guess traitors with better lawyers are more important to the administration and attack LGBT and whatever else groups than Veterans who have given more than anyone else to protect this country…”
Yes. Yes, they are. Anything that makes them look good to their base is good. Anything that makes them look bad, is bad, and must be hidden/ignored/attacked.
There will be a point reached where some people stop talking about it, and quietly begin eliminating the problems.
Shinseki will make it all better by giving each veteran a beret.
Art: “There will be a point reached where some people stop talking about it, and quietly begin eliminating the problems.”
They will probably be stage 4 vets waiting for treatment.
VA is a terrible example of bureaucracy gone wild. From the hospitals to the education benefits, their labyrinthine ways throw roadblocks and problems in the way of folks who deserve quick and easy access.
Art/Ed- Very possible… Folks are PISSED…
Gerry- Yeah, right…
MC- That they do. And good luck ever talking to an actual live body on the phone… But they ‘advertise’ call centers available 24/7…
I’ve never been in a VA hospital other than to visit one of my ex-wife’s uncles when he was hospitalized in the San Fernando, CA facility. That was back in the ’70s and the care the man received then was first-class; no one, including the uncle, had any complaints. It’s obviously MUCH different today.
I strongly suspect this latest revelation about the poor state of VA health care has been a long time in the making; things don’t get this bad overnight. I also pity Shinseki. There’s not a whole helluva lot the man can actually DO to fix this. Have you ever tried to fire a civil servant? It’s damned near impossible.
Buck- Yep, many changes… Budget cuts, increasing utilization, etc. And no you can’t fire one… I tried…
I’ve been retired from the VA for about 20 years, but about a decade before I retired I designed a tracking system for the VA Benefits Program that was picked up an “refined” by the medical people. It took a case from submission to completion, did timing studies and monitored the quality control program.
Its only weakness is that if a request is not entered in the system there is no way to control or monitor the data. Obviously the medical administration people saw that as an opportunity and exploited it. And people reportedly died, just to make the statistics look good.
Heads need to roll…including the Administrator. Like the sign on Truman’s desk read “The buck stops here”
I receive great care at the VA. Now for the problem. I applied for benefits 10 years ago last month. I have a medical discharge from the Marines because of a truck accident. I’m also on SSDI because I am unable to work. They keep denying and I keep appealing. 4 years ago, I had to hire a lawyer to get me through all the bullshit. The very fact that we have law firms with names like Legal help for Veterans is a sad statement on the VA. After my last denial and before I hire Legal Help for Veterans, I received 10 or 12 letters from law firms all over the country wanting to represent me. In March, I had to go through another physical evaluation. I’ve been jumping through their hoops for 10 years and no end in sight.
The problem isn’t with the doctors, nurses, volunteers or anyone else directly doing the care. It’s the administrators and their flunkies. Until these people are made responsible, we are going to keep having the same problems we have now. I read that they cleared over 200,000 cases from the backlog last year. They say they still have over 350,000 to go. This is complete and utter bullshit. They need to approve every case they have and if someone is gaming they system, go after them. They keep denying us older vets and a lot of them are dying before there case ever comes up. They deny us so they can show their bosses how much money they are saving the VA. They talk about how the VA is under funded and yet I never hear of welfare for the non-serving slugs being under funded. We can’t get food stamps but when I go to the grocery store I see a lot of people buying junk food with their EBT cards. Why are people allowed to buy soda and chips with food stamps. This is the government buying votes. Old dying veterans aren’t a big voting pool so they think they can piss on us and all will be fine. As long as they get all the welfare slugs and illegal aliens they are happy.
The veterans that I really feel bad for are the young guys returning from those shitholes in the middle east with parts missing or injuries that are invisible. They have one of the highest suicide rates in the country and not a single person in DC seems to care.
Yeah. I’m fed up. I’m so tired of being shat on by some bunch of nameless and faceless bureaucrats in some un-named office. Sorry for the long rant.
I don’t know the ethnicity of the vets who died waiting for treatment, but maybe if they were minorities or gay Holder would be more interested.
The VA is a window into the future of government-run health care…
“The VA is a window into the future of government-run health care…”
And that statement needs to be brought up every time someone mentions Obamacare.
Veterans usually don’t vote for the Democratic candidate. Therefore, there is not much chance of equity in the ObamaNation.
I concur with every word you said, NFO. My one-and-only visit to a VA hospital was in ’89, when I finally got around to having my service-connected injury evaluated & officially recognized. Haven’t been back since … and given the current state of affairs, I see no reason to go there.
Tim- THat Wayne- Couldn’t agree more!
Robert- I’m truly sorry to hear how badly you’ve been screwed. And you’re right it’s ALWAYS the bureaucrats…
Tim/Juvat- That it is… sigh
LL- Nope, good point.
Rev- At least you have an option, unlike many others… dammit.
Pathetic treatment of our vets. They sure as heck deserve better than becoming statistics so that some bureaucrat’s stats can improve by throwing them under the bus.
Consider the government is doing that to them, wait’ll they get a chance to pull that stuff on the rest of us.
I qualify as partially disabled according to the VA, but heaven help me if I ever have to get my actual medical care there!
I just went through the wringer to get my hearing aid. Couldn’t just go to Audiology…no way. Had to get evaluated by a PCP first, and get referred in-system to Audiology. Figured while I was there, I’d ask about prescriptions. 2 of the 5 medications that my civilian doctors have been able to agree upon as “absolutely necessary” are even in their system. The other 3? Not even available.
I’m just lucky I have another option, but my heart bleeds for those who don’t.
I went to the VA a long time ago. It was a butcher shop. I never went back. I’ve heard that it improved under President Bush, but the memories of the VA for me are almost haunting.
Aaron- Yep, you’re seeing what obummercare is going to be…
Pedi- Yep, know what you mean…
LL- Understood.
Hey Old NFO;
I am going to add that to my blog header…Brilliant!!” The VA is a window into the future of government-run health care…”
Obunglercare explained in one word.
I reluctantly dealth with the VA in the early 90’s After getting jerked around by them and to me the place smelled of “death” I have no real dealings with the VA. As long as I have “MY” insurance I will not deal with the VA.
All you good folks, if you think its bad now, just wait until Tri-care is morphed into obamacare. That’s where they are taking it.
I had a friend that has been on a painting detail just after WW2 ended getting his neck broken. The VA Hospital in Miami decided to let him die. They cut off treatment and his food. His father was close friends with at that time Senator Claude Pepper D-FL, who intervened on Bill’s behalf. As a result not being promptly treated Bill had to have seven brain surgeries went blind and spent the rest of his days in chronic pain.
The VA needs to be put under the DoD. Let today’s servicemembers take care of yesterday’s. Staff it like any other MACOM, with uniformed service personnel in charge at every level. Then try to tell a Marine Captain that he has to turn down a guy who fought at Fallujah or Khe Sanh.