Posted on 02/24/2016 7:53:30 PM PST by RaceBannon
I am one of the veterans who was interviewed for this show tomorrow night
SALISBURY, NC (WBTV) - An On Your Side investigation has uncovered glitches in a program meant to expedite care for veterans seeking treatment through the VA.
Our investigation began after hearing from multiple veterans in the area who say they had to wait months to be seen by a specialist through the VA Choice Program.
The VA Choice Program was created to address a backlog of appointments to see specialists within the VA medical system. Under the program, VA funds are used to pay private medical providers to give specialized care.
A veteran qualifies for the VA Choice program if they would have to wait more than 30 days to be seen by a VA specialist.
Local veterans say there have been delays with a VA program meant to expedite health care. Watch WBTV News Thursday at 6:00 for a special investigative report.
But Todd Hilderbran waited 60 days before he was seen by an outside eye surgeon through the VA Choice Program.
“It just seems like the Choice program is not working any better than the VA does itself,†Hilderbran said in an interview.
Watch WBTV News on Thursday at 6:00 to hear more from Hilderbran and another veteran who says a local doctor stopped his treatment because the Choice program wasn’t paying its bills.
We also demand answers for the family of a Vietnam veteran who died of terminal cancer before the VA scheduled him to have an MRI to diagnose his condition.
Copyright 2016 WBTV. All rights reserved.
Right on!
Post a link if you can.
Best of luck, RB! Spread the truth!
But I have to say VA care at Mather (Sacramento), CA is the best and most timely care I've ever had in my life.
It's the p!ss poor regional directors that are mostly responsible for this.
As you probably already know.
I used to go the Hines VA here in Illinois, up until the mid to late 90’s.
It’s not even worth it to bother, the place was a joke then, and I have friends in my Legion that still go, and it’s gotten worse over the last decade.
I reckon it’s the same across the nation.
Make sure you add the new tactic about being seen for ONE ailment at a time. It was put in as a cost savings measure. It is SOP here in Virginia.
I hope you can put the interview on YouTube so we can see it ..??
Good Luck.
A On YOUR SIDE bunch did a real good job up here in MI.
Flung the doors open and some “rats” ran out.
VA has (in this area anyway) extended doc visits out 18 months instead of every 12. Cutting back nationwide I understand.
Oh, and AFGE does NOT want vets going outside of union workers for their heal care needs.
oh, no, I chose my Doctor!
I found one locally, start calling back, ask if you can choose, then find one who will take VA Choice, then make sure you have the right authorization!
I have been waiting since december because my previous authorization would not work for the new doctor
the old one wont take new symptoms, VA Choice wont pay on time!
thats exactly why I need a new appt, the lumber doc wont see me for cervical at the same time, now because va choice wont pay, they wont see me at ALL for cervical, need a new doc, one I found wont take a neurological authorization, I needed an ortho authorization, that took 3 weeks and a call to my congressman!
This is me in this story. I had a CT scan July 2014 and they confirmed the hernia I went to see them for, but they also found a cyst in my liver the size of a jawbreaker and found my spine was fusing between L2 and L3. I requested to see a surgeon for the hernia but they refused.
I requested to see a hepatologist for my liver and they refused.
I requested to see a spinal surgeon for the fusion and they refused.
I only got care when I did, 1.5 YEARS later because I complained loudly to my congressman.
http://www.wbtv.com/story/31285298/veterans-families-call-wbtv-for-help-delays-at-va-medical-centers
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