VA Healthcare

I am just curious about the views of people here on the VA. I'm particularly interested in those views from people who actually have received treatment from the VA. Were there pros? Cons? I know it is generally a negative view, but I have no personal experience.


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For the most part I've been one of the lucky ones. I have had only a few issues with quality of care and they were minor. Scheduling and attitude of some administrative and medical staff have been an issue on several occasions. That was in Phoenix. I switched my primary VA to Tucson about 6 months before the fit hit the shan at VA Phoenix. Tucson VA has been excellent.

No one really knows what Trump plans to do about the VA. After having seen Trump's almost complete lack of involvement in the development of Trumpcare I am convinced that he doesn't know jack about the VA or VA medical care. It seems (again, no one knows) he might be thinking of privatizing VA healthcare. I am opposed to that. I do understand that vets in rural areas might benefit from private VA healthcare. From what I have read and what I have heard most vets don't want privatized healthcare.

blackjack50 said:

I am just curious about the views of people here on the VA. I'm particularly interested in those views from people who actually have received treatment from the VA. Were there pros? Cons? I know it is generally a negative view, but I have no personal experience.


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I don't have experience with VA care, but I do have experience with customer claims. From what I can tell just from that, it's a bureaucratic nightmare that's perpetually understaffed. The higher ups are not interested in making expensive changes because increased costs, hurt their bonuses. The people in the trenches may want to help but are powerless to do so. And of course there's the typical government incompetence thrown in for good measure.

Risky Thicket said:

For the most part I've been one of the lucky ones. I have had only a few issues with quality of care and they were minor. Scheduling and attitude of some administrative and medical staff have been an issue on several occasions. That was in Phoenix. I switched my primary VA to Tucson about 6 months before the fit hit the shan at VA Phoenix. Tucson VA has been excellent.

No one really knows what Trump plans to do about the VA. After having seen Trump's almost complete lack of involvement in the development of Trumpcare I am convinced that he doesn't know jack about the VA or VA medical care. It seems (again, no one knows) he might be thinking of privatizing VA healthcare. I am opposed to that. I do understand that vets in rural areas might benefit from private VA healthcare. From what I have read and what I have heard most vets don't want privatized healthcare.

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I don't see what the problem would be with privatizing it to some degree and just make it TriCare for those who did their full term.

I don't have any VA experiences, but my brother...a Vietnam vet like me...has. It has not been good. Seems the main problem is getting appointments without major hassles and downright illogical processes.

We contract with the VA to provide care to veterans that can't travel to a major VA center. Its hit or miss care depending on who you get as doctor and what "team" you are on. Sometimes its awesome.. I call and get things approved so fast it makes your head spin.

then we can't get therapy visits on a VA patient after a total knee.. and they end up having to go 300 miles away to be manipulated (under anesthetic) when it could have been prevented.

blackjack50 said:

I am just curious about the views of people here on the VA. I'm particularly interested in those views from people who actually have received treatment from the VA. Were there pros? Cons? I know it is generally a negative view, but I have no personal experience.


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Well, just like most health care, the people who are covered by single payer plans are the most satisfied.

Threegoofs said:

Well, just like most health care, the people who are covered by single payer plans are the most satisfied.

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Because people are more satisified with care that appears free...

Than care that they have to write a check for.

jaeger19 said:

Because people are more satisified with care that appears free...

Than care that they have to write a check for.

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I have to take issue with earned Veterans Administration health care being called 'free!' As to the OP, I have visited a few VA hospitals in my life to visit patients or relatives and cannot think of a more depressing feeling, looking and smelling place!

blackjack50 said:

I am just curious about the views of people here on the VA. I'm particularly interested in those views from people who actually have received treatment from the VA. Were there pros? Cons? I know it is generally a negative view, but I have no personal experience.


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IMO, the VA blows hot and cold. It depends on the hospital. Some are good, some aren't. I've never had any serious problems, so I can only speak to outpatient care. I had a HC placard at the time due to a foot surgery. So many of those guys were so screwed up, I did feel right using it and parked in regular parking and hoofed it. What ever issues I though I had were nothing compared to what so many of these guys had. My only reason for VA was in case I needed it traveling.

I will say in my experience, they are totally organized.

blackjack50 said:

I am just curious about the views of people here on the VA. I'm particularly interested in those views from people who actually have received treatment from the VA. Were there pros? Cons? I know it is generally a negative view, but I have no personal experience.


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My partner Tom has always used the VA. He enjoys spending time with other vets in the almost always all-day process that is his doctor appointment. He has wet macular degeneration. Gets shots in his eyes every month or so. Sometimes they don't take the time to let the topical anesthetic take effect. I'll leave it to your imagination what THAT feels like.

He had a hernia operation a few months ago. I was there, of course, and found the docs and nurses professional, caring and patient. No complaints there. Nothing but praise.

Tom has full Medicare, an excellent supplement and an RX policy. H could go anywhere. He chooses to go there. I would not myself. The drawbacks I see are the difficulty in getting a second opinion from an incestuous crew of MDs, the time factor which is ridiculous, and the fact that they don't want to give you a prescription but want you to use their mail order or drop in service for scripts, and their service sucks. Tom is ALWAYS running out of BP Meds. No excuse for that. And dangerous.

I think if one is highly proactive for one's own care, the service would probably be better. Bu one shouldn't have to work that hard to get out of the docs office in less than four hours...