2023 Veterans Town Hall with Secretary Denis McDonough

They would rather us die than pay us.
1. Make sure you ALWAYS have the LAW on your side. That makes it indisputable.

2. Always remember TIE goes to the veteran. If you have 2 competing diagnoses, BY LAW the benefit of the doubt goes to the Veteran.

First off let's be honest. There are a lot of claims. A great deal of those claims are "not well developed " which is VA speak meaning there is not enough info to support the claim. A lot of that is because going on sick call was seen as being weak and in a military culture that is simply not acceptable therefore issues you have and file a claim on lacks supporting evidence to allow for the award of the claim. You have a constant flow of a large number of claims and few people to process. Additions such as the Pact Act add further work loads. Plus the VA can be quite sloppy and not give a damn which happens way too often. You see that reflected in the number of Veteran suicides. We had one here this year where they basically told the vet to piss off and he went to is car and took his life. .

PFC Lisa McDonald - You seem to be rambling. The VA is not forcing you to label yourself. One has to self identify and request changes to medical records.

VA recognizes that the process of increasing a VA disability rating can be complex and time-consuming for several reasons. First, the legal requirements for VA's duty to assist in the development of a claim, as outlined in 38 CFR §3.103, can contribute to the duration of the process, as it involves careful collection and examination of all pertinent information to ensure that Veterans receive accurate decisions on their claims. Second, VA receives a high volume of claims, which can lead to extended processing times in some cases. VA continuously strives to improve the claims process to reduce wait times and increase efficiency, acknowledging the importance of timely resolution for Veterans. Lastly, if a claim is initially denied, the appeal process can involve multiple steps, including gathering new evidence, providing additional documentation, attending hearings, and potentially attending additional medical evaluations, each of which can add to the timeline.

I feel like it is the work culture at the VA. If they refer you to community care, it is like an admission that they failed. Yes, they already failed by not having an appointment to give you but giving you a CC referal is like admission that they failed. They just don't want to admit they failed. They would rather give you a ghost appointment that they have no intention of actually seeing you, then cancel it 10 day's before the date. Then they send you a letter telling you to call them and start over by scheduling another appointment 2 months out. Each time this cycle delays your care by 2 or 3 months. It is criminal.

Personally, I don't think that they fear looking like they failed rather they just don't care. The VA is absolutely horrible to work with.

When my VA didn't have anyone to coil a spleenic artery aneurysm they sent me to Community Care at the worst hospital in the county. That hospital had a less than 2 star review for aortic aneurysm repair and a 62% return rate for surgeries. Why would I go there??? I went to Cleveland Clinic on my own and am still paying for it...but I'm alive.

The U.S. will face a shortage of between 40,800 to nearly 105,000 physicians by 2030, reports the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).
What will VA look in 2030-2040?

VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System (VANEOHS) employs a team-based approach to the delivery of primary care including providers (Medical Doctors (MDs), Doctors of Osteopathic medicine (DOs), Physician Assistants (PAs), and Nurse Practitioners (NPs)), Registered Nurses (RNs), Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs), and Medical Support Assistants (MSAs) (schedulers). Other disciplines including social workers, pharmacists, physical therapists and many more, support the primary care team to deliver team-based and wholistic primary care. Specifically, the Sandusky CBOC has three physician providers and one Nurse Practitioner, all of whom are highly trained and take excellent care of their Veteran patients.