Posted on Sep 22, 2023
What Myths Have You Heard About VA?
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“I make too much money.”
“I can’t use VA and private health care at the same time!”
“VA will drug test me!”
“If I call the Veterans Crisis Line, the cops will show up at my door.”
Have you heard these myths or others?
Tell us about it and comment below!
“I can’t use VA and private health care at the same time!”
“VA will drug test me!”
“If I call the Veterans Crisis Line, the cops will show up at my door.”
Have you heard these myths or others?
Tell us about it and comment below!
Veterans Affairs (VA)
Benefits
VHA
Culture
Edited 2 y ago
Posted 2 y ago
Responses: 64
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When Someone Tells Me; "It's A VA Myth"
I Question If What They Told Me, "Is The Actual Myth".
My Brother Goes To The DAYTON, Ohio VA, And Is THRILLED With
All The Benefits & The Care He Gets.. I Go the Our Las Vegas VA,
And Wonder If I'm Being Used For Target Practice.~ I've Had Serious Errors Happen To Me,
Even Emergency Surgery Followed By About A MONTH Of Hospitalization
That Situation Nearly Caused My Death. I've Encountered Everything From A Mental Misdiagnosis For A Condition, When NOTHING Was Wrong With Me. To Inappropriate Medications For Conditions.
Even A Dermatology Situation ~~ I Went From, The VA To Southwest Medical, THEN Received Proper Diagnosis And Treatment....SO HAVE I HEARD ANY MYTHS? ~ From My Viewpoint I'd Have To Say:
"I Have NO IDEA"~~~AS IS SAID: "Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction"..
I Question If What They Told Me, "Is The Actual Myth".
My Brother Goes To The DAYTON, Ohio VA, And Is THRILLED With
All The Benefits & The Care He Gets.. I Go the Our Las Vegas VA,
And Wonder If I'm Being Used For Target Practice.~ I've Had Serious Errors Happen To Me,
Even Emergency Surgery Followed By About A MONTH Of Hospitalization
That Situation Nearly Caused My Death. I've Encountered Everything From A Mental Misdiagnosis For A Condition, When NOTHING Was Wrong With Me. To Inappropriate Medications For Conditions.
Even A Dermatology Situation ~~ I Went From, The VA To Southwest Medical, THEN Received Proper Diagnosis And Treatment....SO HAVE I HEARD ANY MYTHS? ~ From My Viewpoint I'd Have To Say:
"I Have NO IDEA"~~~AS IS SAID: "Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction"..
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SPC (Join to see)
I answered before I read your whole story....my old man told a story about an operation at VA that prompted these guys DRAWING DIRECTIONS on themselves before surgery....so they didn't wake up missing things that were not supposed to be touched....
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A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney
Word Puzzles Or Dot To Dot?
Perhaps 20 Questions ~ Loser Gets Assigned To Be Your Surgeon.
But Actually As With Anything Else, It All Depends Upon The People.
My Brother Used The Dayton Ohio VA, And BRAGGED About His Care
Not So Much Like That Out Here In Vegas
Perhaps 20 Questions ~ Loser Gets Assigned To Be Your Surgeon.
But Actually As With Anything Else, It All Depends Upon The People.
My Brother Used The Dayton Ohio VA, And BRAGGED About His Care
Not So Much Like That Out Here In Vegas
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A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney
SPC (Join to see) -
In Short, And I Was Screwed Up For YEARS.
I Became Ill ~ Went To The VA ~ Nothing Wrong With Me.
Returned Several Times, As I Kept Feeling Worse ~ Must Be In Your Head.
More Years Roll By And Having Been Refused A Physical Exam Several Times ~ I Can Give You Something To Make You Feel Better OR Make An Appointment With A Psychiatrist.
Finally THIS Happened _ EMERGENCY SURGERY, Liver Infection Throughout My Body And Spread In My Brain.~~A MONTH Of Hospitalization. Next Morning As Was Told By One Of The Physicians~~ "Had You NOT Been Brought In Last Night, You'd Have Died By Morning" ~~ If Anyone WITH The VA Is Reading This And Has The Authority, You're VERY Welcome To Research My Medical Records ~ THIS Is Me Giving YOU PERMISSION ~ BAS*ATADS Damn Near Killed Me TWICE. Because Of Another Incident ! Diagnosed As Being BI-POLAR ~ Not So ~~ Medicated FOR Bi-Polar, Went NUTS For Many YEAERS ~ ~~ FINALLY~ Taken OFF All Related Medications ~ ~ A Fa-KING MYRACLE, I'm CURED.!
In Short, And I Was Screwed Up For YEARS.
I Became Ill ~ Went To The VA ~ Nothing Wrong With Me.
Returned Several Times, As I Kept Feeling Worse ~ Must Be In Your Head.
More Years Roll By And Having Been Refused A Physical Exam Several Times ~ I Can Give You Something To Make You Feel Better OR Make An Appointment With A Psychiatrist.
Finally THIS Happened _ EMERGENCY SURGERY, Liver Infection Throughout My Body And Spread In My Brain.~~A MONTH Of Hospitalization. Next Morning As Was Told By One Of The Physicians~~ "Had You NOT Been Brought In Last Night, You'd Have Died By Morning" ~~ If Anyone WITH The VA Is Reading This And Has The Authority, You're VERY Welcome To Research My Medical Records ~ THIS Is Me Giving YOU PERMISSION ~ BAS*ATADS Damn Near Killed Me TWICE. Because Of Another Incident ! Diagnosed As Being BI-POLAR ~ Not So ~~ Medicated FOR Bi-Polar, Went NUTS For Many YEAERS ~ ~~ FINALLY~ Taken OFF All Related Medications ~ ~ A Fa-KING MYRACLE, I'm CURED.!
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The VA is just waiting for all the Viet Nam vets to die from agent orange exposure before granting them benefits. We are their problem right now.
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PFC Ray Aquila
Funny I have had AO benefits for over 30 years. Wait! Maybe I'M DEAD.....No still have a Pulse at age 76 come the 14th of October. DUMB AND DUMBER
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Cpl Tim Titsworth
PFC Aquila, funny that nothing you say is constructive; almost everything you say is insulting while there's no way to prove that anything you say about yourself is factual. Or are you simply chasing honors due to someone else? You seem to take the VA line every time someone has something negative to say about what they have experienced directly. You are right that there are people who are Dumb, Dumber, and Dumbest even at "age 76".
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PFC Ray Aquila
Cpl Tim Titsworth - Whatever you say genius. They're not negative when the same Q&A's have been answered. But of course you're all knowing. Wish I had the gift. Gee! I have someone to look to........NOT!
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The DVA will do everything they can not to honor a Vietnam Veteran's request for compensation. They will deny, delay, ignore, and pray that the Vietnam Veteran dies before they have to pay anything out.
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PFC Ray Aquila
What the does the DAV have to do with Approval/Denial.........NOTHING!!!!!!
The DAV is a Service Organization. They are NOT the VA. Sheeeeeeesh!
The DAV is a Service Organization. They are NOT the VA. Sheeeeeeesh!
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A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney
I've Been Dealing With The VA On All Levels For Around 2 DECADES...
RESULTS? ~ That Buck's Been Passed So Often, The Only Remaining Piece Is LINT.
The Only Assistance I've Located Is ONE:
~~ VA Hotline Customer Service Representative at
```````````` [login to see] .
````````````Washington, D.C.
Although They Have No Authority To DO Much, The WILL Report The Information And Stay On Top Of It Until Something IS Done ~ OR Hell Freezes Over.
EXCELLENT In Every Way Possible And Great People Also ~ Available 24/7 365..
RESULTS? ~ That Buck's Been Passed So Often, The Only Remaining Piece Is LINT.
The Only Assistance I've Located Is ONE:
~~ VA Hotline Customer Service Representative at
```````````` [login to see] .
````````````Washington, D.C.
Although They Have No Authority To DO Much, The WILL Report The Information And Stay On Top Of It Until Something IS Done ~ OR Hell Freezes Over.
EXCELLENT In Every Way Possible And Great People Also ~ Available 24/7 365..
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PFC Ray Aquila
If you have a service connected condition. It matters not what earnings are. If you have no prior service conditions, then yes, your earnings over a certain amount will deny you VA care.
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MSgt Jeanette Evans
You need to see a Veteran Service Officer in your area. All states have them - most Veterans Organizations have them and Counties in some states have them. A good VSO will explain exactly why you are being denied enrollment in VA Healthcare AND how to overcome that barrier.
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CPO James Barnhart
Well, they MIGHT have a VSO on staff. I went to the local VFW and they gave me the number of a VSO employed by the state and was located over 100 miles away.
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I've heard many myths, the most important ones relating to who is eligible for VA health care. If you have any service connected disability, you are eligible. Otherwise, if you served during certain years or were posted to certain locations -- this is set by Congress -- you are eliglbe. Ask the VA for current facts concerning years or locations.
Regarding "service connected" you CAN receive a "service connected disability rating of 0%" This doesn't sound like much, but it counts quite a bit. It's important to understand the value of the "service connected" notation -- they're saying the problem you have came from your active duty period.
Finally, no myth at all: actual experience. When I first retired in the late 1990's the VA health care was not worth it (IMHO). They had a mental understanding of "veteran" back then as an unemployed, widowed, WWII vet who needed a ride to and from the VA hospital, and who was content to sit at home all day and wait for home-delivery medications. Their default treatment was to hand out enough narcotics to deaden any pain whatsover. I said this to my primary care VA doc and he more or less agreed. It was tough to get scheduled, tough to maintain employment whill taking so many durgs, and I had to fight to get permission to pick up my Rx at the hospital (instead of home delivery). I'm glad to say those days are past. If your VA health care experiences stem from any time before 2010 and you are eligible, do yourself a favor and take a fresh look. It's still medicine by bureaucracy but the care I've been getting is good and there are some (not all!) truly fantastic dedicated folks working there. This applies to me for both service connected and general health care.
Regarding "service connected" you CAN receive a "service connected disability rating of 0%" This doesn't sound like much, but it counts quite a bit. It's important to understand the value of the "service connected" notation -- they're saying the problem you have came from your active duty period.
Finally, no myth at all: actual experience. When I first retired in the late 1990's the VA health care was not worth it (IMHO). They had a mental understanding of "veteran" back then as an unemployed, widowed, WWII vet who needed a ride to and from the VA hospital, and who was content to sit at home all day and wait for home-delivery medications. Their default treatment was to hand out enough narcotics to deaden any pain whatsover. I said this to my primary care VA doc and he more or less agreed. It was tough to get scheduled, tough to maintain employment whill taking so many durgs, and I had to fight to get permission to pick up my Rx at the hospital (instead of home delivery). I'm glad to say those days are past. If your VA health care experiences stem from any time before 2010 and you are eligible, do yourself a favor and take a fresh look. It's still medicine by bureaucracy but the care I've been getting is good and there are some (not all!) truly fantastic dedicated folks working there. This applies to me for both service connected and general health care.
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A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney
Here's A Little Something ALL We Vets SHOULD Know, But Few Do... I've Even Had To Argue With Our Local VA Health Facility About Their Own Regulation ~ SUGGESTION:
Copy & Paste This To Your Permanent Files ~ Because You May Very Well NEED IT:
~~~ I Just Kept Doing Research, And This Is What Showed Up~~
Sent: 11/25/2023 9:52:08 PM Pacific Standard Time
Subject: Is A Military Veteran Entitled To Care And Supplies, Through ANY VA Facility, Regardless Of Where He Resides?
YES, a military veteran can receive medical products from out-of-state VA facilities, even if they are not living there. However, the veteran must be eligible for VA care without needing to enroll or be enrolled in VA health care 1. The eligibility for community care is dependent upon a veteran’s individual health care needs or circumstances 1. In most cases, veterans must receive approval from VA prior to obtaining care from a community provider 1. VA staff members generally make all eligibility determinations 1. Please note that VA is not authorized to ship medications or medical/surgical supply items outside of the U.S. or its territories 2. If you’re a veteran who lives overseas, you remain entitled to the benefits and services you earned through your military service. Most VA benefits are payable regardless of your place of residence or nationality 3. If you’re moving outside the U.S., you’ll need to sign up for the Foreign Medical Program. Through this program, VA will pay for certain needed health care services received in foreign countries to treat a service-connected disability or a disability that’s making a service-connected condition worse 4. I hope this helps!
~~~ WITHOUT This You'll Be Told ~ "No That's Not Correct" ~ "Yes, But ONLY If You're A Traveling Vet" (On The Road A Lot) ~~ "Yes, Put Only In A Temporary Situation Or In An Emergency" ~ "Perhaps In A Limited Situation" ~ And It's All BULL SH*T Because They Are Only Repeating What THEY Were Told But Never READ The DOCCUMENTATION ~~ And The List Continues On ~ ~
Copy & Paste This To Your Permanent Files ~ Because You May Very Well NEED IT:
~~~ I Just Kept Doing Research, And This Is What Showed Up~~
Sent: 11/25/2023 9:52:08 PM Pacific Standard Time
Subject: Is A Military Veteran Entitled To Care And Supplies, Through ANY VA Facility, Regardless Of Where He Resides?
YES, a military veteran can receive medical products from out-of-state VA facilities, even if they are not living there. However, the veteran must be eligible for VA care without needing to enroll or be enrolled in VA health care 1. The eligibility for community care is dependent upon a veteran’s individual health care needs or circumstances 1. In most cases, veterans must receive approval from VA prior to obtaining care from a community provider 1. VA staff members generally make all eligibility determinations 1. Please note that VA is not authorized to ship medications or medical/surgical supply items outside of the U.S. or its territories 2. If you’re a veteran who lives overseas, you remain entitled to the benefits and services you earned through your military service. Most VA benefits are payable regardless of your place of residence or nationality 3. If you’re moving outside the U.S., you’ll need to sign up for the Foreign Medical Program. Through this program, VA will pay for certain needed health care services received in foreign countries to treat a service-connected disability or a disability that’s making a service-connected condition worse 4. I hope this helps!
~~~ WITHOUT This You'll Be Told ~ "No That's Not Correct" ~ "Yes, But ONLY If You're A Traveling Vet" (On The Road A Lot) ~~ "Yes, Put Only In A Temporary Situation Or In An Emergency" ~ "Perhaps In A Limited Situation" ~ And It's All BULL SH*T Because They Are Only Repeating What THEY Were Told But Never READ The DOCCUMENTATION ~~ And The List Continues On ~ ~
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Reading through all of these post, I have come to the conclusion that most of what are being called myths to most of you are only myths because you have not personally experienced them yet. If you have not experienced them yet, count yourself lucky that you have been spared so far.
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A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney
I WISH I Could Post My Medical Records... One Screw-Up Followed By Others.
Un diagnosed Liver Infection ~ Emergency Surgery With 3+ WEEKS Hospitalization.
Told I Was Bi-Polar And Medicated For Such ~ Seldom Even Spoke With The Same Doctor;
I Was A Mental Fruit Cake For About 9 YEARS, ~ Suicidal ~ Lost Drivers License ~ In & Out Of The ER Every DA*NED Week ~ Hospitalized, ~ You Name It. ~ But FINALLY, 1 Doctor Actually Listed To What I Had To Say: RESULTS? He Took Me Off ALL Related Medications. NOT A Fking Thing Wrong With ME ~~ MEDICATIONS Were The Problem ~~ Other Matters As Well~~ Gee Thanks For My Health .. The End
Un diagnosed Liver Infection ~ Emergency Surgery With 3+ WEEKS Hospitalization.
Told I Was Bi-Polar And Medicated For Such ~ Seldom Even Spoke With The Same Doctor;
I Was A Mental Fruit Cake For About 9 YEARS, ~ Suicidal ~ Lost Drivers License ~ In & Out Of The ER Every DA*NED Week ~ Hospitalized, ~ You Name It. ~ But FINALLY, 1 Doctor Actually Listed To What I Had To Say: RESULTS? He Took Me Off ALL Related Medications. NOT A Fking Thing Wrong With ME ~~ MEDICATIONS Were The Problem ~~ Other Matters As Well~~ Gee Thanks For My Health .. The End
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Suspended Profile
I enrolled in the VA in 1994. The VA was Tuskeegee, AL. One of the worst. I went once and faced racism and shytty treatment. Never went back. Used my civilian insurance. I have since moved to Oklahoma and found that from 1994 to now, nothing has changed. The OKC VA is useless. I enrolled, the lady was nice. Sent me a form to correct my birth year. It had a return address but no office to send it to. So I called and was hung up on twice. The 1st woman wanted me to bring her the form. I explained I lived 2 1/2hrs away so was unable to get it there anytime soon. I asked for an office symbol to send it to and she got mad and hung up. Called back and operator got mad at me and hung up. That was all within the 1st 2 weeks of enrolling. It looks like I'm just going to set this out. I'm to old to mess with these ungrateful POS
PFC Ray Aquila
It sounds to me you are all MALE KAREN'S........If you have an ATTITUDE.....It is understandable. It appears y'all think you're special. More important than any and all others. I'd hang up on you as well.
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PFC Ray Aquila
PO3 James Czerniak - So mature no wonder no one wants to help you......You do well Kevin
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Suspended Profile
PFC Ray Aquila mature? You're the dumbazz crying about us being entitled. Nowhere in my comment did I make anyone , besides your dumbazz, think I was entitled. I simply asked for an address and the dipshyt VA rep copped an attitude fcktard.
Besides, yes, WE, as vets, ARE entitled to use the VA. So go fck your mommy yah dumb spic
Besides, yes, WE, as vets, ARE entitled to use the VA. So go fck your mommy yah dumb spic
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a lot of my fellow veterans especially war and combat including my friends and those who attend Vet To Vet International at the Sepulveda Ambulatory Care Center, 16111 Plummer Street, North Hills, California 91343, phone [login to see] firmly believe that the u.S. Veterans Affairs Department employees and medical personnel mainly care about themselves especially the non veteran VA employees. the Sepulveda Ambulatory Care Center's Volunteer Service Department at building 22 being operated by veterans and non veterans are mediocre who practices favoritism with what seems to be with a meh demeanor. - the swimming pool at the Sepulveda Ambulatory Care Center at building 23 was not repaired along with the swimming pool at building 200 that were sealed. the Veterans Affairs Department seems to be inconsistent.
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SFC Howard Holmes
Ha Ha, I turned in MRI prints and reports to the VA in St. Louis. This guy about 80 years old called me in, and I accidentally said an acronym in the conversation and he said, "don't talk that shit in here, speak English." Then he went and ordered X-rays. I asked him, why did you want X-rays, I just turned in the entire MRI report with photos. He said, Don't question me. Last time I will ever go there again, unless I have absolutely no choice. BTW, he supposedly was an orthopedic surgeon, but I had no proof of that.
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The VA has provided me excellent care. Its one of the few intelligent things I have ever done.
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