VA Medical Care

[Ridge Runner]

My son recently retired after 22 years of service and the VA has taken good care of him. Not the same experience I had in the 70’s and 80’s. I haven’t been back to VA since but my son tells me it is different now that people appreciate vets again.

Hate to burst many older vets perceptions, but facts are facts!!!

It's not so much being appreciated as it is about being medically, physically, mentally cared for.

Many providers and All Those Others, then and now appreciate vets, for various reasons.

As then, As now, Vets want proper care!! We earned it!!!......FACT: Illegals and criminals in prisons have better and easier access to Healthcare than Veterans!!!.

Is or has the V.A. improved or changed since the 1970's - 80's ? I don't know. Because I didn't start my claims until 2002. This is 2024. I can only account for my experiences at Mountain Home V.A. till 2014-15? More money was spent on upgrades/ remodeling and remodeling the remodeled and remodeling the previous remodeled. Until finally a parking garage was finally built to improve parking in 2022?? That's from BS remodeling of offices in 2002 to constuction of a much more badly needed parking area for vets in 2022. Billions of dollars wasted at just 1 V.A. facility over 20 years.

Veteran care is definitely political. And not until V.A. administrators, and any and all employees can be terminated on the spot for lack of care or erroneous behavior towards vets will vets be at least 95% properly treated with respect!! provided with proper medical, physical, men healthcare!!!.

Yes!!, There are many more programs, ie. The PACT Act, to acknowledge and supposedly improve the veterans chances approval for V.A. Healthcare.

Overall: No!! Nothing has improved in the V.A. since the 70's-80's. Vets still receive automatic claim denial letters, spend years fighting to prove their claim(s). All because the initial claim approval person failed to, or can't - didn't want to read the vet claim and attached evidence.

The vet, even with the best VSO, has to provide repeated documentation before getting approved and a V.A. rating, usually the minimal possible, and the vet or his/her rep in conjuction with the VSO continually have to proved repeated evidence before a vet can achieve their respective highest percentage rating for injuries: physical, mental, health sustained during military service.

Case in point: a former friend/acquaintance, was denied a V.A. rating at Mountain Home V.A.M.C. he served in the Army was blown up by an IED TWICE, once in Iraq and once in Afghanistan. His wide took him to Nashville V.A.M.C. where he was automatically given 100% T&C before being wheeled (chair) into the vet rep's office. 100% T&C is the max he was rated, last I heard 200% with added compensation for incognisence and ED.

This is all first hand knowledge not hearsay or opinionated.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

I just started using the VA at 72 and have a disability claim in process, so I don't have a long history with them. However, I agree that the VSO is got to be on the ball. I changed to a different county and got much better service. That being said the VA is like a military unit, it may be great for a few years but then the command and soldiers rotate out and in comes the new, maybe better, maybe worse.

My understanding is the Disability Claim side is different than the Healthcare side and operate independently. Almost like the Army & Navy. The VSO is on the claims side.

I went through a MEB/PEB so I didn’t use a VSO, as I had an assigned military case officer, but for anyone trying to do a disability claim after they’re already separated I think it’d be a great benefit. I believe the VFW and American Legion have them as well as the Military Order of the Purple Heart and several other veterans organizations. My current county has one as a county employee, and they helped a buddy of mine sort his claim out after he missed some appointments because he was in a bad motorcycle wreck.

 

[Ridge Runner]

I waited four years to get my first visit with a primary care provider after retiring from the Army in 2020. It was a horrible visit and I never plan to go back. I only use Tricare for medical coverage.

Exactly what I have been trying to point out.

Not to pry, but (rethorical question) why so long for a PC appointment? PC appointments are generally easy to make. And usually 3 to 6 months. Can understand several months to get an appointment for beyond PC care with a piss poor V.A.M.C./H.

 

[Ridge Runner]

I think by law you will be penalize if you do not sign up for medicare and use tricare for life as your supplement. Then also for the VA Just my opinion.

Somewhat, but not totally correct.
Medicare penalizes recipients for additional Parts if not added within certain time frames. The V.A. does not penalize. As for Tricare or Medicare being the primary/secondary that's between Medicare and Tricare on primary and secondary and the V.A. Until the vet is rated 100% or the vet needs/requires NON EMERGENCY or NON Life Threatening Healthcare.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

Case in point: a former friend/acquaintance, was denied a V.A. rating at Mountain Home V.A.M.C. he served in the Army was blown up by an IED TWICE, once in Iraq and once in Afghanistan. His wide took him to Nashville V.A.M.C. where he was automatically given 100% T&C before being wheeled (chair) into the vet rep's office. 100% T&C is the max he was rated, last I heard 200% with added compensation for incognisence and ED.

This is all first hand knowledge not hearsay or opinionated.

I’m no expert but I think he’s still only 100% P&T and receiving VA SMC (Special Monthly Compensation). These are like kickers for amputees, or someone bound to a wheelchair, loss of speech, etc. My understanding is even if all your conditions add up to over 100% using the VA’s funky math, you still only get 100%.

Depending upon how he retired from the military to further convolute it, he might also get CRSC or CRDP. You can only get one of the two, with CRDP being better/more money and required someone to have done a minimum of 20 years. I’d wager @Red Leg gets CRDP since he did over 20yrs and retired + has a 100% rating. CRSC is an offset for someone who was retired with less than 20 years due to injuries sustained in combat. It was enacted post 9/11 since the laws for Disability and Pension required 20yrs and lots of GWOT vets were loosing limbs and having careers cut short. There’s also the Major Richard Star Act which was put before congress (again) to try and allow medically retired service members (because combat injuries) the ability to collect both their pension and VA disability with out a weird VA math offset like they currently see with CRSC.

If he gets 100% VA and 100% CRSC that’s probably where you’re getting your 200% from. CRSC isn’t a VA thing it’s from your branch of service.

 

[Ridge Runner]

As a 'somewhat younger' vet, and having received VA care in Washington state and now in Texas, it's been pretty damn poor. From different VA facilities not being able to access or see what other providers or notes were input at another facility (which doesn't make much sense to me, being in the medical field) to having appointments that occur, and then NOTHING, 18months go by with no followup. I've learned long ago, that if you aren't your own advocate, then it most likely isn't going to get done by the VA.

EXACTLY!!

Piss Poor V.A.M.C. and Healthcare provider.

There has been a systems update, although only a state by state and only within that state can other V.A. healthcare providers see and only when the Healthcare provider chooses to access the information or have such Community Care provider transmit to them the results of the veterans visit.

It's why veterans are required to present their V.A. ID when visiting an outside V.A.M.C.

The system SUCKS!! Because in theory and politician want the system to work. Veterans know this system doesn't and never has worked. MILLIONS of tax dollars wasted.