Welcome to the VA: The single-payer experience

[OldJourno]

Forget the bullet-proof glass that separates you from the friendly people at the front desk.
Forget the old dude who was referred by the clinic you are standing in to another clinic 70 miles away for treatment. He has come in for a scheduled blood draw. He is told to get his blood draw at the clinic 70 miles away.
Forget that they take your picture for your photo ID, can't figure out the program to input the information, then tell you the ID will arrive in the mail in about two weeks. Even the DMV can laminate a license, but the VA must send your picture elsewhere. Part of the jobs program, no doubt.
No, this was a simple prescription refill. I was told to call it in when I was getting short of the pills, so I did. My contact told me to report for a piss test on March 3. I showed up and filled the cup.
Never heard back, so I called again a week later about the pills. And a week later.
Today I called my regular pharmacy, learned I had one refill remaining on the medicine in question, and arranged for it to be filled. Two hours later the VA contact calls to tell me my pills will arrive Monday.
When I tell her I was picking up the pills at a local pharmacy, she advised me I was breaking my contract with the VA and put me on hold.
The longer I was on hold the angrier I got. When she came back on and starting talking I interrupted and told her the VA was violating its contract with me.
She tried to weasel out of it, but that March 3 piss test robbed her of every excuse.
Why would I piss into a cup if it wasn't to get the prescription refill?
The local VA pope gave me a special dispensation to get my pills at the regular pharmacy, and my VA contact promised that all I had to do next time was just call 10 days before I needed a refill.
Somehow I remain skeptical.

 

[JohnnySavage]

Sorry you had a bad experience.

I had Blue Cross for 20 years before going into the VA system. There's simply no comparison - the VA is an order of magnitude better. In my experience.

For every anecdote you can post about how bad the VA is, I bet I can post 10 about how bad the private insurance system is.

 

[KingOrfeo]

Single-payer just means the government pays your medical bills, like with Medicare and Medicaid. The VA runs hospitals and employs doctors -- it is not analogous to the Canadian single-payer system, it is analogous to the British National Health Service.

 

[JohnnySavage]

Single-payer just means the government pays your medical bills, like with Medicare and Medicaid. The VA runs hospitals and employs doctors -- it is not analogous to the Canadian single-payer system, it is analogous to the British National Health Service.

https://media.giphy.com/media/3ornk9OsgudyjgjS8M/giphy.gif

 

[Rightguide]

Single-payer just means the government pays your medical bills, like with Medicare and Medicaid. The VA runs hospitals and employs doctors -- it is not analogous to the Canadian single-payer system, it is analogous to the British National Health Service.

It's not analogous to Canada or Britain. Neither systems support a population of 320 million people, Canada for instance only has about ten percent of our population and Britain a little over twenty percent. Nor do either have as large an economy, 50 sovereign states, or a Constitution similar to ours.

 

[KingOrfeo]

It's not analogous to Canada or Britain. Neither systems support a population of 320 million people, Canada for instance only has about ten percent of our population and Britain a little over twenty percent.

Then single-payer should work even better here. Economies of scale.

Nor do either have as large an economy, 50 sovereign states, or a Constitution similar to ours.

None of which is relevant.

 

[HisArpy]

Then single-payer should work even better here. Economies of scale.



None of which is relevant.

Except for the economies of scale argument you just made.

 

[KingOrfeo]

Except for the economies of scale argument you just made.

Not sure what you're trying to say here.

 

[Socket2me]

If you live over 40 miles away from a VA hospital or clinic, then apply
for a VA "Choice Card".

https://militaryadvantage.military....ailed-to-320000-vets-living-far-from-va-care/

 

[VaticanAssassin]

Sorry you had a bad experience.

I had Blue Cross for 20 years before going into the VA system. There's simply no comparison - the VA is an order of magnitude better. In my experience.

For every anecdote you can post about how bad the VA is, I bet I can post 10 about how bad the private insurance system is.

There are a few good VA's. FEW....

By far his stories are more common.

 

[BotanyBoy]

The only bad experience I've had with the VA is getting all set up to go see a specialist in Sacramento to dig a piece of shrapnel out of my ass.

I get there and he turns me away because it's "Cosmetic" and he'd get yelled at.

Next day I set up an appt in Redding, done in 30 min. and the surgeon didn't even charge me, tole me if I ever needed any more RPG dug out to give him a call.

I pretty much don't go to the VA anymore.

 

[RobDownSouth]

If you live over 40 miles away from a VA hospital or clinic, then apply
for a VA "Choice Card".

https://militaryadvantage.military....ailed-to-320000-vets-living-far-from-va-care/

Came here to say THIS ^^^^^^^^^

There are a few good VA's. FEW....

By far his stories are more common.

Anecdotally, the new VA hospital in Orlando Florida is purportedly state-of-the-art.

 

[RobDownSouth]

The only bad experience I've had with the VA is getting all set up to go see a specialist in Sacramento to dig a piece of shrapnel out of my ass.

I get there and he turns me away because it's "Cosmetic" and he'd get yelled at.

Next day I set up an appt in Redding, done in 30 min. and the surgeon didn't even charge me, tole me if I ever needed any more RPG dug out to give him a call.

I pretty much don't go to the VA anymore.

You really should stop sitting on shrapnel. Just a thought.

 

[BotanyBoy]

You really should stop sitting on shrapnel. Just a thought.

Hua?

Kinda hard when it's inside you.....thus the problem and visit to the surgeon.

 

[Liar]

It's not analogous to Canada or Britain. Neither systems support a population of 320 million people, Canada for instance only has about ten percent of our population and Britain a little over twenty percent. Nor do either have as large an economy, 50 sovereign states, or a Constitution similar to ours.

Nor does the VA.

 

[OldJourno]

The new VA hospital in North Las Vegas cost around $700 million, more than twice the original price tag, with less than 200 beds. It is on donated land, so all that cost is construction and probably a shitload of change orders.
The ER on this brand new hospital is inadequate so they are already expanding it.
The hospital opened years later than scheduled.
Another newer hospital of similar size in Las Vegas cost $40M to build.
Bad as that is, the new VA hospital in Denver cost around $1 billion, about triple the estimate. And it opened years late.

 

[RobDownSouth]

Hua?

Kinda hard when it's inside you.....thus the problem and visit to the surgeon.

Sorry, when you said "out of my ass" I assumed you were getting something removed from your gluteus maximus. I never figured you for the type that enjoyed putting stuff in his rectum.

 

[BotanyBoy]

Sorry, when you said "out of my ass" I assumed you were getting something removed from your gluteus maximus.

You were right. What's that got to do with me sitting on anything?