The V.A. Medical system is in shambles.

[tmma 467]

The VA has certainly come a long way in the past 20 years. It may have some rough spots and poorly run facilities now, but it was much worse then. I worked at a VA hospital (in Tennessee) when I was a student, and saw some truly scary things, particularly in the realm of elder care. Raising VA to cabinet level was a great idea too. One of the main problems administratively seemed to be the government budgeting process. At fiscal year end, there always seemed to be a need to "spend the rest of the money, or it will be taken away next year", while at the beginning of the year it was tough to get approval for tests, etc. sometimes.

Curious to hear how things are now. Anybody?

In my experience with the various Govt entities I have been employed by-it's somewhat the same as you describe.......It is in my opinion to therefore conclude that the financing for the VA Medical system would probably be similar.....basically a clusterfluff.

[Ban Hammer 13,658]

va = sucks

tricare = sucks

yet people want nhc.

enjoy, suckers.

[scandal 951]

VA is closest thing US has to socialized medicine. Obama to the rescue!

Honest question, here.....Has Obama even looked at new legislation for our veterans?

...I mean he is changing immigration, opening borders, changing healthcare for those who are uninsured and those who are here illegally... changing the structure of our banking industry, Cap & Trade, having hawaiian parties, dining in Paris, eating burgers yadda yadda yadda.

I hope Obama fixes it all.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/veterans/

* The Recovery Act provides the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) with more than $1.4 billion to improve services to America’s Veterans

o The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) enables the VA to improve medical facilities and national cemeteries, provide grants to assist states in acquiring or constructing state nursing homes and extended care facilities, and to modify or alter existing facilities to care for Veterans.

o VA will dedicate ARRA funds to hire and train 1,500 temporary claims processors to speed benefits delivery to Veterans and pursue needed information technology initiatives for improved benefits and services. Funds will also be used to oversee and audit programs, grants, and projects funded under ARRA.

o As part of the President’s Recovery plan, VA will also make one-time payments of $250 to eligible Veterans and survivors to mitigate the effects of the current economy. These payments will be issued as early as June 2009. VA estimates $700 million in payments will be made to eligible beneficiaries as part of this measure.

The President announced the Joint Virtual Lifetime Electronic Initiative. Both the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs will work together to define and build a system that will ultimately contain administrative and medical information from the day an individual enters military service throughout their military career, and into the Veteran phase of life.

[LaL 418]

tricare = sucks

Really? This was not my understanding. Even just reading the babies thread the impression I got was that tricare was decent.

[mRx 16]

tricare = sucks

Really? This was not my understanding. Even just reading the babies thread the impression I got was that tricare was decent.

I am not too fond of them. When I was on leave, I managed to impale my arm on a piece of construction re-bar, and needed to go to the ER. Unfortunately, I didn't have the luxury of going to the VA Urgent Care clinic where I could've got my sutures and a Staph infection at the same time.

I had to battle with Tricare for nearly a month because I went to a non-VA facility. I think that they thought I should've waited until I returned to my duty station to get medical attention.

[Danno 1,228]

VA is closest thing US has to socialized medicine. Obama to the rescue!

Honest question, here.....Has Obama even looked at new legislation for our veterans?

...I mean he is changing immigration, opening borders, changing healthcare for those who are uninsured and those who are here illegally... changing the structure of our banking industry, Cap & Trade, having hawaiian parties, dining in Paris, eating burgers yadda yadda yadda.

I hope Obama fixes it all.

... ahh yeah, I hope he fixes it all too.

But I kinda feel we have let the new kid on the job take-over or change waaay too much without seeing any evidence of success on even one of these projects.

[nowhereman 1]

tricare = sucks

Really? This was not my understanding. Even just reading the babies thread the impression I got was that tricare was decent.

I am not too fond of them. When I was on leave, I managed to impale my arm on a piece of construction re-bar, and needed to go to the ER. Unfortunately, I didn't have the luxury of going to the VA Urgent Care clinic where I could've got my sutures and a Staph infection at the same time.

I had to battle with Tricare for nearly a month because I went to a non-VA facility. I think that they thought I should've waited until I returned to my duty station to get medical attention.

Tricare is fine most of the time, but dealing with the red tape when something goes awry does suck. For example my (now ex) wife was referred by our primary doc for some test & because the test wasn't covered under Tricare they wanted us to pay for it. After going back & forth with Tricare over many months I finally got Tricare off my back (basically if the doc refers someone it is assumed you are covered unless they tell you otherwise).

However I'm guessing civilian healthcare would be just as difficult to deal with, so I don't believe this is a "Tricare" issue exclusively.

Edited June 28, 2009 by nowhereman

[Ban Hammer 13,658]

tricare = sucks

Really? This was not my understanding. Even just reading the babies thread the impression I got was that tricare was decent.

oh it's freaking wonderful, if you love bureaucracy

[lostinblue 1,989]

a national run health program that is in place today. Soon to be in a hospital near you. A friend of mine had cancer and was treated at a VA hospital. They butchered him up pretty good. Never saw the same doctor twice during his treatments.

Socialized medicine at its finest.He has cancer again and refuses to go back.

[rebeccajo 14]

tricare = sucks

Really? This was not my understanding. Even just reading the babies thread the impression I got was that tricare was decent.

oh it's freaking wonderful, if you love bureaucracy

It's no worse than any other insurance company! I know because as part of my job I phone insurance companies every day to verify the benefits of our patients!

So what that you have to pre-cert something - that's what insurance companies do! Tricare has network approved providers and facilities, just like any other insurance company. If you go out of network expect to pay more, just like the rest of us. Remember, it's not "nationalized" or "socialized" medicine. It is an insurance company and it's going to do what other insurance companies do.

However insofar as the benefits Tricare pays, my experience is they FAR exceed those of other companies. I don't deal with eligibility and benefits for medical procedures. I deal with mental health coverage, which is an area of coverage sorely lacking in many plans. Tricare allows the family members of active duty service persons TWO mental health visits PER WEEK. That FAR exceeds excellent plans I see in the marketplace. There is also NO copay and NO deductible.

The Vj baby thread is a testament to how well Tricare pays for medical coverage.

IMO - it's the most generous plan in the marketplace today and most closely resembles the type of health cover provided by US employers about thirty years ago.

Edited June 28, 2009 by rebeccajo