VA screws veterans...fatally....again. At least they didn't burn a flag.

[jbombelli]

It's one thing about conservative that I'll never understand, that I never hear any outrage over the obviously pathetic treatment of America's combat veterans. They talk so much about Patriotism.

Maybe you should read this thread. Or are you implying the OP is a liberal?

Plenty of conservatives don't like it. But if you don't pay attention you'll never know.

 

[hoosierdoc]

The VA hospitals need to be shut down and the patients migrated to private care settings. They can continue the VA benefits programs and still have it covered. It's the only sane thing to do. We do not have the need for massive inpatient veterans facilities, times have changes and so has war and war casualties. The stories we could tell of care at VA hospitals...

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Or are you implying the OP is a liberal?

I may be these days, who knows. I doubt I can pass the Tea Party purity test.

 

[MikeDVB]

My father had terrible experiences with the VA - going in and them doing nothing or telling him he was fine when he clearly was not...

 

[BigBoxaJunk]

Maybe you should read this thread. Or are you implying the OP is a liberal?

Plenty of conservatives don't like it. But if you don't pay attention you'll never know.

I guess we have differing definitions of the word "outrage".

I'm talking "try to take our guns" or "try to raise my taxes" or "try to let two dudes get married" kind of outrage. I just don't see it. And I have been paying attention.

Honestly, I hear more talk about disbanding the EPA or gutting OSHA than I hear about the VA.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I guess we have differing definitions of the word "outrage".

I'm talking "try to take our guns" or "try to raise my taxes" or "try to let two dudes get married" kind of outrage. I just don't see it. And I have been paying attention.

Honestly, I hear more talk about disbanding the EPA or gutting OSHA than I hear about the VA.

That's actually pretty fair. Maybe if the vets made racist comments and said they didn't believe in the Federal government they could get more support and media attention. Instead they just died, hardly worth noticing, really.

 

[Destro]

At least 1 veteran believes the care he or she receives at the RLRVAMC is outstanding. They also probably saved that veterans life and he owes the terrific staff at the facility a debt of gratitude.

That veteran has quality private insurance and can see about any Dr. at any hospital in Indiana at minimal cost, yet chooses to continue his or her care there because the quality meets or exceeds the quality he has seen or experienced elsewhere.

For those concerned about your tax dollars, the VA bills that veterans private health insurance as well, recovering several hundred thousand dollars in the past few years in reimbursement.

The only gripe that veteran might have is about the quality of inpatient food services. Breakfast is good but lunch and dinner usually suck. They also have private rooms for inpatient now!

 

[Destro]

The VA hospitals need to be shut down and the patients migrated to private care settings.

do you utilize the services of the VA?

 

[MikeDVB]

do you utilize the services of the VA?

My father went into the VA with severe pains in his abdomen, three times... They poked him, told him he was fine, and sent him home. When he did go to a private hospital it turns out his appendix had burst almost a week prior. He almost didn't make it - this is one of many instances where he went in - didn't get any assistance at all - and had to suffer due to it. The appendix issue was one of two issues that I can remember where he literally almost died and spent weeks in the private hospital in the ICU.

The idea behind the VA Hospitals is great but it's poorly implemented at best.

Your mileage may vary - defend it all you want - no matter what you say you will not change my views.

Does this/can this happen in private health care? Sure - I won't say it can't - but if the track record my dad [one individual] had with the VA Hospitals is indicative of what one would expect from any VA Hospital I wouldn't go there if I was paid to do so.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

At least 1 veteran believes the care he or she receives at the RLRVAMC is outstanding.

Again, I don't think anyone is disputing that some people get good care. I think it may be in dispute if that care is, on average, better or worse than private hospital care. That's not in dispute is the VA is riddled with inefficiency and ineptitude. The obamacare website failure was huge news and was an example of gov't failure that everyone loved to point to. VA disability claims being on paper, huge expenditures to try to computerize the process, and the total failure to do that barely made a blip. Meanwhile vets still wait years for disability claims to be decided and some VA hospitals are apparently going back to keeping things on paper to try and hide the problems they have.

I've spent quite a bit of time in hospitals lately. My dad was recently admitted to one in southern Indiana, and of course I get to see the ERs and shock rooms of most of our local hospitals when victims are taken there. I'll go to Eskanazi or Community in a heartbeat over the VA. The last time I was at the VA for a person shot I was still very much not impressed.

 

[Mustang380gal]

I went to nursing school in the early 80's, and graduated in '86. Even back then, VAs had a bad reputation. I had thought about applying at the one in Cleveland, OH, but since the reputation for care was so poor, and I wanted to give good care, I didn't. I knew as a brand spankin' new grad that I was more likely to get dragged into bad care than elevate people into good. I also understood it to be system-wide.

My dad now goes to the same VA to get his hearing aids, and nothing else, but recently got a letter saying he may make too much money in his retirement payments to qualify. Mom and Dad are not wealthy, by any stretch of the imagination. Dad would not be able to afford hearing aids any other way.

One of the saddest things regarding servicemen/vets I heard as a nurse in a children's hospital was a mom who was registering her child for care. When asked what kind of insurance she had, she said, "I'm sorry! I have CHAMPPAS." (I forgot how the acronym goes.) Our vets/servicemen should never have to apologize for having sub-standard insurance. They should have excellent insurance. If they are going to put themselves in harm's way for me and mine, I want them well rewarded with outstanding care, and great insurance.

 

[Destro]

Again, I don't think anyone is disputing that some people get good care. I think it may be in dispute if that care is, on average, better or worse than private hospital care. That's not in dispute is the VA is riddled with inefficiency and ineptitude. The obamacare website failure was huge news and was an example of gov't failure that everyone loved to point to. VA disability claims being on paper, huge expenditures to try to computerize the process, and the total failure to do that barely made a blip. Meanwhile vets still wait years for disability claims to be decided and some VA hospitals are apparently going back to keeping things on paper to try and hide the problems they have.

I've spent quite a bit of time in hospitals lately. My dad was recently admitted to one in southern Indiana, and of course I get to see the ERs and shock rooms of most of our local hospitals when victims are taken there. I'll go to Eskanazi or Community in a heartbeat over the VA. The last time I was at the VA for a person shot I was still very much not impressed.

If faced with a major trauma, one would be an idiot to go to the VA.

 

[halfmileharry]

If faced with a major trauma, one would be an idiot to go to the VA.

At least take a translator so you can explain what's wrong with you. Worse than ATT Tech support.

 

[Destro]

At least take a translator so you can explain what's wrong with you. Worse than ATT Tech support.

If you show up with a GSW to RLRVAMC, they will be calling an ambulance and sending you next door.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

If you show up with a GSW to RLRVAMC, they will be calling an ambulance and sending you next door.

They did not on Saturday.

 

[Bunnykid68]

VA is a joke

 

[Bunnykid68]

If faced with a major trauma, one would be an idiot to go to the VA.

If faced with dental care they offer you would be an idiot to go to the VA, bloated mismanaged, money wasting government crap.