Is there any reason I cannot take my Dad out of VA and into Medicare/Medicaid for PCP?
My father rec'd letter from IL Dept of Veterans' Affairs that states:
"Our interagency records indicate that you may be receiving state benefits when by law you should instead be receiving more robust federal veteran benefits. In light of this, you are required to call Veteran Service Officer (lists name and number, I did try to call, recording says "mailbox is full") to assess your veteran benefits by May 16, 2014. … If it is determined you may qualify for additional federal benefits, you will be given the contact info of a local VSO in your area. The local VSO will assist you with filing any necessary paperwork to the US Department of Veterans' Affairs, provide guidance concerning your claim, and assist you by interpreting any information you receive from the VA."
First of all, when I can't even get through to telephone number they provided because mailbox is full, it reinforces everything I've, unfortunately, experienced with VA. It is so disconnected and discombobulated, and main facility I have to take my father to is an hour drive each way up into the massive city of Chicago. And, again, I just spent this morning calling back and forth to variety of VA offices trying to figure out why my father's catheter nurse - that was ordered by doctor and confirmed through Health Nurse Coordinator - has never called or shown up and its been 8 weeks since this was supposed to happen. I'm beyond sick and tired of dealing with VA inefficiency and running me around. I want to take my dad to local PCP and get a comprehensive and local primary doc to oversee his health care. Any reasons I can't or shouldn't do this? Thanks for any input.
11 Answers
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I would document/log each call you've made. I would consider talking to a state senator or congressperson. It is very politically unpopular to defend mistreatment of veterans these days, though not enough to actually stop the mistreatment.
I certainly would try to use Medicare/Medicaid instead of the VA for just the drive time alone. Last year sometime there was a special on tv about problems with VA administration of health care. I have been looking for it, if I find it I will let you know. Probably an issue of not using the right words to search, you know like wedge? ;-)
I took this letter into Patient Advocate at local VA. He said "everyone" received one in light of the changes made to Medicaid this year. So it would seem that anyone receiving state Medicaid benefits - which as of June 1st, 2014 will be changed over to "health plans" - received this letter.
your va is only as good as its local labor pool .
And I can't say enough about how pleasant and patient the people are that I interact with at VA here. It just seems the machine is too large and inefficient. It takes months and years to accomplish simple things (like outpatient surgery for skin cancer removal) and I just can't stay on their long, drawn-out time schedule anymore. :-)
The answer: No, there is no reason I cannot use Medicaid coverage that my father has and take him to local geriatrician and specialists. Doing this has cut down expense of taking him to the main VA facility which is an hour away. My father was once getting all of his medical care through VA and is now getting all of it mostly from regular medical sector.
My father retains all of his VA medical benefits to use in the future if he wants to do that.
So far Medicare/Medicaid has paid the entire bill for a dozen primary care doctor visits, referrals to specialists, a month and a half of hospitalization and rehab, and physical therapist/home nurse visits. I wish I had stopped using VA exclusively sooner in our particular situation.
We completely agree that the veterans support organization from the county government up through the federal government can be disjointed if not completely broken. In general, we have found that the VA at the federal level has good and caring people, but you often get what you pay for when you accept "free medical care." What happens at the state and county/local level is completely up for grabs. We recommend leaving the state Veterans Service Organization alone and doing what Pam Stegman suggested...talk to the pros at VFW, DAV, AL, etc.
At present, you need what works for you and your dad, not what works for the local, state, or federal government. There is, at this point, you have no obligation to use the VA unless you want the VA to continue paying for a particular kind of care or support. And even that does not stop you from obtaining all or almost all of your care through Medicare so long as you make the minimum required visits and provide records.