Disgusted with the VA

[Mr. Q]

My sources tell me that it is a permanent raise. My sources tell me that I'm getting a raise as well, to equal current market levels.
Yay!

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[frogwizard20]

I have only been to the VA hospital in Seattle once. They charged me more than I would have been charged had I gone to a clinic. They changed me $12 per prescription. Walmart charges $4 each. I never went back.

[XDM9cWA]

My sources tell me that it is a permanent raise. My sources tell me that I'm getting a raise as well, to equal current market levels.
Yay!

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

If this is true, I might end up in the VA at some point..

[XDM9cWA]

I have only been to the VA hospital in Seattle once. They charged me more than I would have been charged had I gone to a clinic. They changed me $12 per prescription. Walmart charges $4 each. I never went back.

That's not their fault, Wal-Mart gets these meds for less than others pay wholesale because they can

[Mohawk13]

$8 for a script in Fargo and here in SLC.....Seattle ripping You all off...

[chevytruckman]

There is a lot of "I'm a veteran this and that" being thrown around. What happened to quiet professionals? Usually the guys that talk to much, did to little in the past.

Va is a joke, my dad is now in jail due to people not helping him. Ridiculous.

[jackass]

DOCUMENT EVERYTHING!!! Even stuff that doesn't hurt yet. Get tested for sleep apnea (50% right there). Let me know if you, or anybody want to have coffee to chat about it. I'm off Mondays, and Tuesdays.

Please don't. I know of people getting sleep apnea documented and getting money for it, while never serving in a combat zone. Save the little money for people with real injuries. I've been told that I could get this, but I won't.

I would also be concerned about being on the VA treated database and eventually ending up on a no-gun list for some stupid reason.

Don't go to the VA unless you really have to...

[Unicorn]

DOCUMENT EVERYTHING!!! Even stuff that doesn't hurt yet. Get tested for sleep apnea (50% right there). Let me know if you, or anybody want to have coffee to chat about it. I'm off Mondays, and Tuesdays.

Please don't. I know of people getting sleep apnea documented and getting money for it, while never serving in a combat zone. Save the little money for people with real injuries. I've been told that I could get this, but I won't.

I would also be concerned about being on the VA treated database and eventually ending up on a no-gun list for some stupid reason.

Don't go to the VA unless you really have to...

NO, if you have a problem that was caused or made worse by military service, regardless of any combat injury or not, you deserve what you can get. Sleep apnea kills, even healthy athletes. If the military broke you, they are responsible for fixing or taking care of you. Doesn't matter if ever in a combat zone or if never left the midwest.

[jackass]

NO, if you have a problem that was caused or made worse by military service, regardless of any combat injury or not, you deserve what you can get. Sleep apnea kills, even healthy athletes. If the military broke you, they are responsible for fixing or taking care of you. Doesn't matter if ever in a combat zone or if never left the midwest.

Entitlement minded people are getting money paid for sleep apnea just because they can. If you have sleep apnea because the service caused it, great. But this is a great "freebie" for people who want to wring as much money from the government as they can. I've been told I can, but I *won't* because I don't think the service caused it.

I really don't know how the government "causes" sleep apnea, I think it is more of a condition like diabetes which happen over time. However, if you have MTBI or worse, exposure to DU, or similar, you probably have a claim. If you were never deployed to a combat zone, never injured, I would be suspect.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_apnea

Precipitating Factors[edit]
Sleep apnea affects all ages including children. There are some specific factors that could increase one's chance of acquiring sleep apnea and include: male, overweight, obese, over the age of 40, large neck size (greater than 16-17 inches), enlarged tonsils, enlarged tongue, small jaw bone, family history of sleep apnea, gastroesophogeal reflux, deviated septum causing nasal obstruction, allergies, and sinus problems.[72] The use of alcohol, sedative or tranquilizers will endure relaxation of the throat. People who smoke are three times more likely to suffer from sleep apnea than a nonsmoker. All the factors above may contribute to Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Central Sleep Apnea is more influenced by being male, being older than 65 years, having heart disorders such as atrial fibrillation, and stroke or brain tumor. Brain tumors may cause the brain's ability regulate normally breathing.[73]

[Olympia173]

One of the contributing factors to the VA being so messed up, is the deluge of veterans getting out and treating the VA like it's the TRICARE they would have gotten if they'd stayed in for 20. People encouraging others to get tested for things like sleep apnea to boost their VA percentages are fueling the problem. The system gets clogged with bogus claims and guys who got their legs blown off in legitimate, service/combat related incidents end up paying the price. If the service caused your hardship, by all means get what you earned. But there has to be some intellectual honesty on the part of those getting out. The VA isn't lifetime health insurance on the governments dime. If you wanted that, you should have done a full 20 and retired.

[Unicorn]

The VA has been messed up longer than people are realizing. Before it was crowded with oif, oef, and gwot (there are other places people are deploying too) veterans. My problem with them was in 2006. Was still over crowded with older vets.
Some were still trying to get taken care of for things that became worse over the years as the VA hadn't fixed their service connected injury over the years. We had some long conversations on the shuttle to the Seattle va, and in waiting rooms.

If you try to use the VA like health insurance, you are placed near the lowest level and have to pay the most.

[golddigger14s]

DOCUMENT EVERYTHING!!! Even stuff that doesn't hurt yet. Get tested for sleep apnea (50% right there). Let me know if you, or anybody want to have coffee to chat about it. I'm off Mondays, and Tuesdays.

Please don't. I know of people getting sleep apnea documented and getting money for it, while never serving in a combat zone. Save the little money for people with real injuries. I've been told that I could get this, but I won't.

I would also be concerned about being on the VA treated database and eventually ending up on a no-gun list for some stupid reason.

Don't go to the VA unless you really have to...

JA, normally I might agree with you. But, when they don't count things that were actually caused by military service we have to get what we can, where we can. I just had my hip replaced, but the need for it being replaced was "not service related". I know road marches with crappy ruck sacks, was caused after I left the Army.

[Mohawk13]

ChevyTM,
The time for being quiet is over. We've done our time and now it is time to collect on that blank check we signed years ago. Being silent when so many of our Brothers and Sisters in arms are dying and suffering while awaiting care is akin to watching someone get hit by a car and not doing anything to save them.....

And on a further note, We have been stuck with another worthless individual to head the VA. Yeah, he may have been a ring knocker from the Point and been with the worst Division in the Army, but in My opinion, the guy only aspired to be a Captain and is now just another bean counting bureaucrat trying to F**k over Vets and save money for the .Gov.....

When will enough be enough??? When we are all sick and Dying????

[Unicorn]

He may be even louder and more obnoxious than me (hard to do sometimes), but Mohawk13 does have a good point.