Experiences With the VA

[saturneptune]

It would be interesting to hear from vets about the experiences they have had with the VA good and bad. They are a great help, but the paperwork and effort to get something approved or changed can be one of the most frustrating experiences ever encountered.

My experience is that once things are in place, the process is very smooth and helpful.

Any comments appreciated.

 

[carpro]

I believe that the first application is automatically blown off without a current service related disability in place.

 

[mont974x4]

medically....horrible disaster. I see no reason to fight so hard to get such crappy care.

The Voc Rehab folks were awesome!

 

[Ryan.Samples]

I haven't had a single issue with them. I applied a month or two ago and was immediately approved--largely because I am an OIF vet so I still fall within a higher priority group window.

My first appointment was within a few weeks, with immediate follow-up care. I need treatment through specialists and the process started the same day I first arrived.

I know it's a huge system so obviously there are going to be varied experiences across the country, bu my Virginia clinic has apparently proven the major exception to the rule. While everyone else complains about taking forever to get care, I've had four appointments in about one month's time with two or three scheduled for June.

In other words, I can't complain about anything. And oddly enough, these are the first government-paid providers that a) actually believe me when I describe a problem and b) know how to address it. They've actually proven more competent than all my previous Army and civilian providers. Trust me, I was as shocked as you probably are...! God is good.

 

[Tom Bryant]

When I got back from VietNam, the VA was awful.They downplayed and ignored any PTSD and refused to believe that Agent Orange had any effect. They were worthless when i got back.

But that has changed. Recent vets I've talked with and older vets are mostly saying they are getting much better care.

 

[billwald]

A friend died in a VA hospital of cancer he was over 70. He was given insufficient pain killers because "he might become addicted." Who care if someone over 70 becomes addicted? He died a few days later.

 

[exscentric]

While in Cheyenne I was on va medical and had no problems. Most trouble was a 300 pound nurse practitioner giving me a hard time for not having had a physical in many years and that as she sat breathing like she had just run a marathon

I dropped out when I went back to secular work but have been waiting couple months to get reinstated, need to give them a call.

In the NW they have a two-three month wait for getting glasses but they are working on the bottle neck in ID where they come from.

 

[saturneptune]

I am not going to get into my condition(s), because I do not want to start another hiding behind my sin thread. With ten medicines, I do not know what I would do without the VA paying the bill.

Starting to get benefits many years ago was rough. You have to be willing to submit documents, and submit them again when they are lost. Sometimes approval for this or that takes well over a year, longer for appeals. However, once in place, it runs pretty good.

For example, today, I went and had my eyes checked. They provide great basic care and medicine. As some of you can agree with me on, they have much improved different types psycological treatments. Also, as a person said in another post, I had no problems with the education benefits.

I have even helped others fill out their applications with a good success rate.

An example of an operation I did not go to the VA on was the six way bypass operation heart operation three years ago. Everyone has different levels of care they want.

Thanks for your reponses. It is not that I really care about keeping what is wrong with me a secret. it is just in lieu of the recent threads about depression, next time someone starts in on me or anyone else about it, I will be banned, and I enjoy the company here very much.

 

[Don]

S-N -- don't make sounds like you're trying to close out this thread. I'm finding this extremely informative. Y'all keep the stories coming; I'm learning things.

Air Force denied my initial application for retirement. My original request was to retire in about 5 months; suffice to say, I was given a choice of retiring within 6 weeks, or 9 months. I chose the 9 months, mainly because I've got some health stuff I still need to get taken care of, and would rather do it while on active duty than try to get it done through VA later.

Based on the tables I've been looking at (USC 38, Part 4), I think I'm already at about 60% VA disability rating. And that's without a full medical review. So I think I'll be doing okay. Not sure I've totally got the table figured out, but enough that I can figure out 2 or possibly 3 conditions. After that, it gets confusing.

 

[Salty]

I am currently at 20% disabled*, and about a month ago, I submitted another claim that could potentially give me another 30%.

Overall, my care has not been perfect - only Excellent! :thumbsup:

I have used 3 VA's - Syracuse, Beckly,Va; and Salem (Roanoke) VA.

Syracuse has been head and shoulders above the other two.
I have always received appointments within a reasonable amount of time.

My biggest complaint is that the VA used to have sick call (no appointment needed). However they did away with that. Now they ask you to call in for same day appointment. Normally you must leave a message. At my job - and many others I am not supposed to get personal phone calls.
Bring back Sick call.

Sgt Salty

* I also have a piece of pencil lead in my hand - that gives me a zero % disability rating!

 

[saturneptune]

I am at 70%. There are some service connected zeros in there also. As I said before, the frustrating part comes at the initial applying, the paperwork. Government paperwork is horrible. Documents get lost, papers get stuck on a desk, etc. Once, the same set of medical documents was lost three times.

I would rate the VA very good after the initial nonsense. If anyone needs help with paperwork, or needs to discuss conditions or care, let me know in a PM. Had the threads not happened on the subject of depression, I would have been glad to discuss it in the open.

 

[Don]

I also have a piece of pencil lead in my hand - that gives me a zero % disability rating!

Remember, folks: a 0% is a rating, and is more desirable than no rating.

My grandfather (Navy cook, tail-end of WWII), says to stay away from the VA in Oklahoma City. He likes the one down around Dallas.