Let's Talk About Government Healthcare--VA

[snatchel]

So, some of this is a bit on the personal side, but I feel that it is necessary to speak about the atrocities of the Government, particularly with the VA Medical Care.

My wife and I both had appointments today with the VA. She needed a birth control apointment and I needed some bloodwork done.

We pull up at 8:45, fifteen minutes before our apointment. As I walk up to the door, I see this gem:




I don't know what it is, and I don't have time to sit out there and google this on my phone, so I turn around and put the gun(s) back in he car. It's new though, I was at the office a few months ago and this sign wasn't there.

Walk in, check in, and we wait. We sit and stare at each other. We complain and vow that as soon as we graduate, we buy real insurance.

9:45 comes around and finally I am called into the office. I am told that I should have had my blood drawn, but they cant do it. I ask why, and they inform me that they only draw blood in the first hour of the day. They tell me that hour officially ended at 9:30. I tell them I had been sitting in their waiting room for an hour, they need to sort that out on their own, and draw my blood. They tell me they cant. I ask for the vials and needle, that I will gladly draw my own blood for them, and am told no. I am angry. I lecture them on how broken the VA Healthcare system. They do not care...

Instead of sittin down in the waiting room, I walk into my wife's exam room. The mood is tense. I sit and listen as the nurse explains that wife needs a gyno exam before getting any type of birth control, and needs to speak with a doctor. Wife informs nurse that we had already been emailing a nurse back and forth about the issue, and that we were there to see a doctor. Nurse says that Doctor is out of town and won't be back until Monday.

I explain to this nurse what had just happened to me, and now they were doing the same thing to wife. I ask how much they get paid. She refuses to answer. I ask who pays thm, and she refuses to answer. I ask what exactly it is that she does all day, she refuses to answer. I ask if she is a real nurse, she says she is. I ask if I had a heart attack right there on the spot, if they would help me or tell me to come back Monday. She said I was being rediculous. I tell her I am feeling chest pain and should have my blood drawn. She asks me to leave. I go to my car and wait for my wife.

We leave angry.

The VA Healthcare system is a broken piece of... garbage. It is also a government controlled healthcare system. I can not wait for those that wanted ObamaCare go through this crazyness. I once got strep throat..... so I went to the clinic. I was told that they couldn't see me, I would need to make an apt. I went to the counter to make an apointment, and was told that I couldn't be seen till the following week. I ask how long it would take to get the strep out of my system, and they said about a week

Hate it.

[Keith B]

VA = Federal Property = No carry

And, this shades of socialized medicine.

[snatchel]

VA = Federal Property = No carry

Figured as much.

[mojo84]

Years ago, my father-in-law went to the VA Hospital in Big Spring because he was having severe abdominal pain and nausea. They told him he was "constipated", gave him an enema and sent him back home to Odessa. Later during the night, he had to be rushed to the emergency room because the pain became so severe and he had such a high fever he was dillusional. They did a couple of tests and rushed him into surgery because his appendix had ruptured and he had severe infection.

With this kind of stuff happening, I just don't understand why people want to go to a government controlled healthcare system. The proponents claim it is not government controlled but just single payer. They refuse to understand in a single payer system the government will control the healthcare because they will then control what they pay for procedures, determine what procedures will be authorized and how mych they will pay for the procedure.

It is a slippery slope.

[AEA]

I don't mind the VA inconveniences. I am a disabled Vet and it's better than paying thru the nose to Public Doctors/Hospitals.
I can put up with it now and then. I only go once a year as of now.

[SQLGeek]

I once got strep throat..... so I went to the clinic. I was told that they couldn't see me, I would need to make an apt. I went to the counter to make an apointment, and was told that I couldn't be seen till the following week. I ask how long it would take to get the strep out of my system, and they said about a week

Hate it.

That's especially concerning because if left untreated, strep can cause rheumatic fever which can severely damage the heart.

[talltex]

I have 2 younger sisters...one is a pharmacist and the other an MD. The one that's a pharmacist's first job after graduation was at a VA hospital, and she was looking forward to being able to help the vets. She lasted less than a month because she refused to tolerate the rude behavior and laziness of some of her co-workers. Our Dad was a decorated WWII veteran who was in combat on Pelileu and Okinawa with the First Marine Division. The pharmacy counter was near the front registration area where there were two women serving as "receptionists" whose job was to log the guys in, pull their files, and send them to the appropriate person. She said they would sit there with a dozen guys waiting to sign in and just ignore them while talking on the phone to their boyfriends or other personal business or at times just to each other. When they finally helped someone, they would be rude and condescending to them, acting like it was a major imposition to speak to them, and warning them that if they didn't get the form filled out right they'd just have to go to the back of the line and start over "cause I ain't got time to be doing your papers for you!" At the end of the first week, she came out from behind the pharmacy counter when they had both been on the phone for 5-10 minutes with their backs to the guys lined up, jerked the phones out of their hands and told them to "turn your lazy ***** around and HELP these men right now!" She said she could just see our father standing in that line being treated like that and couldn't stand it any longer. Of course, they filed a complaint with the supervisor who asked my sis to control her temper rather than reprimanding those two. The next week she saw one man come up to the window of one of the other pharmacists several times, over a 2 hour period, asking if his medicine was ready yet. He was in obvious pain and had a hard time walking with a cane. After he hobbled back to his seat, she asked the other pharmacist what he needed and was it not in stock or what? He said "no we have it, he just thinks he shouldn't have to wait like everyone else, so I'm letting him cool his heels a little bit...he'll be more patient next time." She told him to "go get that man his medicine this instant, and if I ever see you treat one of these men like that again I will hurt you." Another meeting with the supervisor where she was told she couldn't speak to other employees like that and he would have to place a letter in her file concerning it. She left the next week because she couldn't stand seeing employees treating the vets like they were doing THEM a favor.

[mamabearCali]

The problem there is the supervisor...obviously it was acceptable to be a slothful, self serving, sadist (taking pleasure in the discomfort of others), slug. If that was not acceptable (as it is in most places of work outside govt run healthcare) then those who behaved in such a terrible manner would have to shape up or ship out. However since the head of the excutive branch of gov't seems to value sloth, and selfish behavior I doubt anything will change. The bottom takes it's cue from the top.

[smoothoperator]

Your experience is what Obama wants for all US citizens. Except elected officials.

[Jaguar]

I have a similar, if off tangent, story. My mother passed away earlier this year. Dealing with all the different companies and agencies was revealing, if not predictable. Dealing with Social Security was a nightmare, unresponsive and belligerent towards my issues dealing with my brother's disability benefits. After playing phone tag, you would finally get an insulate twit to talk to and basically get the feeling I am a burden on their lives for making them do their job. It took two trips to Downtown Fort Worth to finally get it straightened out. I once was on hold for 70 minutes wanting a simple question answered.

Then there was a private insurance company. Every call was answered, every time I was given sincere condolences, and never once felt like my questions and needs were imposing on anyone. They are a somewhat exclusive "membership required" insurance company, but they were great to work with.

This held true over several companies/agencies. Texas HHS was a step up from Social Security, but only just. All the private companies I dealt with were caring and helpful.

According to the liberals, one group is doing it out of the goodness of their heart to help the public, the other group is only in business for evil profit.
Go figure.