VA Compensation Examination . . .

I received a telephone call out of the blue from someone saying I would receive a package in the mail shortly.  But he was doing the ground work for a Veterans Administration (VA) Compensation examination.  I expected to get such an examination any time since I received a letter from the VA saying they were working on my package.  This is normal procedure.

But what got me was the fellow wanted to know my "Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM" availability in the next three weeks.  I said, well send me your appointment time and if I can not fit it in, I will call the furnished 877 number and reschedule.  He was not all happy about that, he wanted me to be available for his services when and where he wanted them to be.  It does not work that way, he works for me so to speak not me working for him.  So I await the package and scheduled appointment and location thereof.

So I will wait for the package and see what we have.  He said I would be examined somewhere close to Weatherford, TX.  That's fine but I note it is only 16 or so miles to the Fort Worth VA clinic which has excellent audiology facilities.  I know because I have been there and noted that they are not overwhelmed by patients.  But we will see what transpires.  I am sure it will be no where near a VA facility.

You never know what the VA will do or why they do it that way.  I do have faith in them as I do know they are in good faith protectors of the veteran.  It is just that they often do not do it with any logic or do not care how they spend the governments dime.  They will be chintzy on medications (if the medication is not in their formulary, you are not gonna get it) and lavish on hearing aids.  Go figure?  The give Type TII diabetics exactly 50 blood test strips per month (I get via TRICARE a 90 day supply or about 300 test strips every 90 days).  Test strips, I know, are expensive but my PCP ( means a Personal Care Physician) says Test, Test and Test.

In general since I am military retiree, I do not use the VA facilities and services if I can avoid them.  First of all they are to far away, my local PCP is only three or four miles away.  And since I am over 65 thus I am on Medicare and my TRICARE, my military medical coverage, is secondary to the Medicare.  Basically, I do not have to pay anything for my and my wife's general medical coverage (other than what is deducted from our social security payments).  Our PCP, we use the same PCP, and specialists all accept our Medicare/TRICARE coverage.  We are comfortable and satisfied with our medical coverage.

Some how the VA thinks I should use them.  Of course, I know why.  The VA gets reimbursed from Medicare and they want the extra money.  That's okay.  But since I do not have to do it and receive in my estimation better than the communistic like service (you never know just what physician you will get at the VA or if a Doctor at all) from the VA.

In order to see an VA audiologist, I was supposed to see a VA doctor to get a referral  I did not mind that so much as that they insisted that to see a VA doctor I must have a blood test.  Not that is a gross waste of government resources as I do not know of any particular disease of the ears that requires a blood test.   Now I understand the desire for the blood screening as that can lead to innumerable situations requiring a doctor.  They were drumming up business.

I tried to argue it out with the local Fort Worth VA Executive and it was "my way or the highway" with him.  I warned him that I would write Congresswoman, the VA IG and the Disabled American Veterans (I am a life member there of).  I got a response from the DAV saying that there was little the could do but would I please keep them informed of my results.  I did not hear from the VA Inspector General nor did I hear from my Congresswoman (I wrote her to simply inform her of what was going on and did not ask her to do anything).  Lo and behold, out of the blue I got an appointment with the Fort Worth Clinic Audiology for a hearing examination.

As a result of the examination I got hearing aids from the VA.  I did not see a VA doctor nor did I have a referral from a VA doctor.  So I do not know if the locals got me the appointment, or if the local Regional Office of the VA got me an appointment or if it was the VA IG that got me an appointment.  It does not matter, I got the service I was seeking without going through a lot of hullabaloo.  Somebody somewhere saw the light.

Now I am sure I am on somebody's list for doing it my way but that's life.

And the beat goes on.