Healthcare and our Veterans

First of all, lil, can your father switch his care to another, possibly larger V.A. hospital? Is he being seen at a small one? Does he have a disability rating or is he retired only? Secondly, and more important if he can't go somewhere else, your dad and every other adult in your family needs to contact the Dept. of Veteran's Affairs and get some help for him through them. I believe they have veteran's advocates there and also see if there is one locally. Check the VFW, they will know. My husband has been involved in the V.A. healthcare system for over six years now so we have experience with Baltimore, West Palm Beach & Miami. I have not heard one complaint from anyone at any of those facilities but the one thing they all have in common is that they're large and I'm assuming very well funded. He's had many specialized procedures, been hospitalized in WPB and will eventually receive eye surgery in Miami when he decides to have it done. Although these a very large facilities we never have a long wait to be seen, he has been squeezed in without an appointment when something has come up at the last minute, and he is always treated with dignity and respect. Due to his many health issues, including cardiac, mental health, arthritis, intestinal, glaucoma, high blood pressure he's seen by a doctor every couple of months. Because of his disability rating (100%) they're required to get him in within 30 days of requesting an appointment and sooner if he has an active health problem but maybe he's receiving better treatment because of his disability than those who aren't disabled or rated as high.

I worked at at VA clinic a while back. One of my responsibilities was to make appointment for the vets registered with our clinic. It wasn't my job to call the vet and set an appointment with them, in fact, I was specifically told I couldn't. My job was to get on a computer and plug names into open time slots, then print out and send a letter informing the vets when their appointments were. If they couldn't be in town that day, or at that time, it was THEIR responsibility to get the appointment changed. That's what passed for "respecting" the vets at the VA. As a patient, I got a letter informing me of my appointment for Xrays. It also informed me that my appointment wasn't at the Milwaukee VA an hour away... the appointment was at the Madison VA, 3 hours away... When I got there, I found out I wasn't going to get the full work up for my review of my disability rating. I sat there for two hours to get my wrists Xrayed. I actually heard co-workers complain, "why do they think they deserve to be treated special, they're only veterans!" Us vets would be much better off if they just closed down the most of the VA medical system and paid for our treatment with our regular, local doctors.

The VA's budget has been hit very hard by the wars in Afghansitan, and Iraq, and with baby boomers who served our country getting older. The problem with programs like this is that they are not very flashy, or stylish. We all know that the VA is in trouble, but no one in charge of funding will ever have to visit one because they have the best health care in the world. I am sure that is you required congress to use the VA hospitals for their own medical needs you would see things change.

Hi lilwonders...I know absolutely nothing about VA hospitals but I'll tell you I believe that our healthcare system is better left alone and not nationalized. Everything that the government "takes care of" suddenly becomes much worse. I will keep your dad in my thoughts and prayers that he has a full and speedy recovery from his cancer.

I agree that it is unacceptable how our healcare system provides for Veterans. Im sad to hear about your father lilwonders456 but he is sadly one of "many". Does that it is right?. 100% definetly not. A big factor of this is well for one our economy is in the biggest economic downturn since the great depression. The motor industries have recieved powerful blows and the banks have recieved nothing less. Though the banks have recieved bail out money, they are scared to use it. If i told you to use money when the economy was bad would you trust your judgement or mine?. If we are to ever get out of this situation we must stimulate by buying American products. The banks need to spend the bail out money which was given to them in order to give out loans. Keep in mind this will be a long and arduous process, possibly outlasting present President Obamas term limit. These are really tough and difficult times. This all just goes to show that this government does not care for its veterans. The sad ironic truth is that these men train intensely in order to gain the strength which is needed to protect the citizens of America, however this government doesnt expect these soldiers to live, thus removing any financial obligation. Though this problem must change, the problem lies in how to fix it? We cannot downsize our armed forces in order to provide better for veterans at this time. But we cannot leave veterans in the horrible situations they are in. Find the answer to that and you could have my respect and admiration, that and many others. Not that you would need those to be happy in life :).