In a few weeks from now, over 2000 self proclaimed experts will convene to try and solve the Suicide epidemic that is happening among my fellow veterans. Between 16 to 20 of my brothers and sisters in arms take their life every day. All of these puzzle palace experts will gather, pat themselves on the back for the good job they have been doing at creating more red tape, longer lines, and greater delays for our men and women in uniform. I am sure everyone reading this has heard about all the new benefits in education, hiring practices, etc, etc. It all sounds good but is meaningless to my brothers and sisters as well as myself. Most of us are broken, mostly physically, but also mentally and emotionally. Let me explain why.
We were broken physically through countless years of deployments, and endless wars. We are also emotionally drained and mentally worn down from the red tape to get the benefits promised and the constant pain from our injuries. The long waits, months long, to receive critical care, along with no income, and families to care for takes its toll. All that is left is a half million dollar life insurance policy. The soldier who has been trained to sacrifice all for those who depend on them make that ultimate selfless sacrifice because they can’t work, can’t get care, and their family is about to be homeless and are destitute. They really killing two birds with one stone. Their families financial troubles are over and so is all of the pain the veteran is suffering. It is not about having someone to talk to, like the veteran crisis hotline believes. It is about no longer being able to get proper healthcare in a timely manner. It is about not being able to take care of our families.
The VA healthcare system is failing us when we need them the most. Long waits and delays as well as ineptitude of staff is killing us. I will use myself as an example. The two times that I have needed healthcare, I’m talking life or limb here, the VA has failed me. Not just let me down but in the case of the first one it was Life and I was septic and dying. Had it not been for local Doctors and the local hospital providing a $30k surgery for $1000 cash I would have died.
I went to the VA because I couldn’t hold down food, and was given anti nausea meds and sent home. A week later I was loosing 8-10 lbs every 24 hours. I made another appointment but couldn’t get in for a week. The now ex-wife said heck with it and took me to the local town Doctor. He did some blood work and the next day had me scheduled for an ultrasound of my liver and gallbladder. They scheduled a surgery for me the following week. I gave them my VA veterans choice card. Two days before the surgery the VA called with a cancellation and I went there. On the way to the VA clinic, the Hospital called saying the VA wouldn’t pay for the surgery. I had all my records with me and laid it all out for my Dr. at the appointment explaining that I needed emergency surgery. She told me that the VA would need to re do all the tests that she didn’t think there was anything wrong with me and said scheduling will call. My wife blew a gasket and that did nothing but most likely delay things because they seem to have a strong aversion to being called out on their incompetence. My wife called the local hospital back and explained the situation and what the VA was doing. The Surgery secretary went to work and called us back a few hours later saying that the Hospital, surgeons, and everyone else would donate or do it at cost, and two days later I had my surgery. Six weeks later I got a call from VA scheduling saying they could see me. In the two weeks from the time I first went to the VA until I had my surgery at the local hospital, I went from a healthy 250 lbs down to 145 lbs. Had I waited on the VA I would have been dead weeks before they called to set up the appointment.
Fast forward to late January early February of this year. I was moving a small end table and hurt my back. I didn’t think much about it as 20 years of carrying 100 lbs or more on my back and jumping out of planes, helicopters and trucks regularly had taken its toll. As the days past it got worse and in a few weeks I could barely walk. I called the VA and got in to see my GP in a couple weeks. She requested an MRI, and may 30th I got it. The tech told me 3-5 days I should hear something. Day six I called and was told the report was in Dr would call later. Day 7 nothing. Day 8 called was told Dr would call. Day 9 nothing. Day 10 called was told by the nurse not to lift, push, pull, drag, or scoot anything. All the while we were trying to get caregiver status for my wife because I have to be helped with many daily living activities now because of my back. The only time in this process the Dr bothered to call me was to tell me that she was going to kill my application for the care giver assistance saying she didn’t feel I deserved it.
The wife called the VA patients advocate, and complained. The advocate told her my medical was going to be outsourced to a community based care and be handled by Tri West, the Government’s other insurance company officially called Tri Care. So since the 15th of June I have called Tri West a total of 6 times so far. I did all the work locating a neurosurgeon for them providing the phone number and address. The last time I called to ask about the delay, I was told that it would be at least August 15th before they would get around to scheduling me for an appointment. Not scheduling an appointment by the 15th. The wife called the VA patients advocate and she says, once it leaves the VA it is out of their control. I won’t even go into the BS with Tri West not being able to get my address correct, or any other personal information. The politicians past reforms saying we could seek care outside the VA yet the VA still traps us in a system that is impossible with tricare. To make matters worse if the bill does not get to tri care in 2 business days from treatment the veteran is stuck with the bill or takes a hit on their credit if they choose not to pay it.
Our families get what is called ChampVA for healthcare. It is amazing coverage. $100 deductible per person per year. No caps. They don’t have to have approval from a GP to see a specialist. It they need a podiatrist they see one. If they need a pulmonologist they make the appointment and go see them. Prescriptions are very affordable. We as Veterans need that kind of healthcare. I would almost bet it would be more cost effective to give each veteran that qualified for free VA care a ChampVA card and close all the VA facilities. It is a proven fact that Labor is your largest overhead cost. Give us all ChampVA insurance and make the VA clinics and hospitals compete for the Veterans business, instead of monopolizing our healthcare to lazy incompetent people who can only get and keep a job they can’t be fired from and the patients can’t sue for malpractice.
My Brothers and Sisters and I are not asking for pity, or for anyone to feel sorry for us. We don’t want charity, we don’t want hand outs. All we ask for is what we were promised when we signed a blank check to our country, knowing that it could be life or limb. So all I am asking of each of you who read this, could you please copy it and send that copy a note to your congressman so that maybe they will finally understand. If you care to go above and beyond give copies to your friends and coworkers, and ask them to write a letter asking to give us the same healthcare as our families. If enough people know the truth, maybe the government will have to fix it. I can assure you if we get the assistance and care we truly need, the Suicide rate will virtually go away overnight.
Best wishes and thank you for taking the time to read this.
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Originally Posted by MrWolf
