Heads Up, Y'all...

Sandy G · #1 10-07-2009, 05:58 PM

As most of you know, my wife Lauriann works as an RN at the James H. Quillen Veteran's Administration Medical Center in Johnson City, Tennessee. She is a Viet Nam-era vet herself, serving from 1974-78. Anyhow, she told me not too long ago that she hears by way of the grapevine that there COULD be big changes coming down the pike in the way the VA does things-And that anyone who has US military service & is therefore eligible for treatment at yr local VA facility, SHOULD go ahead & register...They MAY be fixing to "tighten up" on who can & who can't be seen at a VA hospital, but if you are currently "In the System", you should be all set... This is STILL a free benny for former & current servicemen, it COULD be yr "Ace in the Hole" if Obama succeeds in his "Health Care Reforms". A word to the wise 'n' all...(grin)

Twodogs · #2 10-07-2009, 06:26 PM

Well, I hate to say it, but there's a good example of Government run health care. I'm sure they have thousands of loving and caring health profesionals, but the buildings I've seen and worked in are falling apart. My apprentice is a vet and went to the VA for a back problem. The doc told him it was a muscle strain and gave him some dope so he could work. When it just kept getting worse, he went to a private doctor who ordered MRIs and found two broken vertibrates. He should have surgery this winter. Thank God he was smart enough to not get hooked on the Opana (strong strong narcotic) the the VA guy was going to give him 60 a month of (with refills).

Charles · #3 10-07-2009, 07:02 PM

From what I've seen, the VA has been more than generous the last few years.

To keep a lot of long stories short, one of my buddies, Navy, 10% disabibity due to hearing, just got a carpal tunnel operation on one paw with another coming, a free hearing aid, and now free Vaigria from the VA.

I've had a couple of Vietnam vet buddies who told them that they were told that part of the deal was that they WERE supposed to get free medical care from the VA as part of serving. I have no problem with this.

But the gubbmitt ought to draw the line on free hardon pills, my humble opinion as a taxpayer.

But according to Kenny, and I tend to agree with him, might as well get everything I can...hell, everybody else is doing it.

Just hope the "Gubbmitt" holds a teat for me.

Chas

Sandy G · #4 10-07-2009, 07:49 PM

The VA horsepistol LA works in is tied in w/the James H. Quillen Medical School/East Tennessee State University. It was the "Pet" of Jimmy Quillen, the representative from NE Tennessee, who saw to it they got EVERYTHING they needed/wanted. It looks like a snazzy upscale office park, the "Dom" -Domicillary- is especially impressive. There ARE some older buildings there, but they have been stripping 'em to the shell, & completely re-doing them. Yeah, I've heard horror stories about VA medical care, too, but this place seems to be the exception to the rule. LOTS of "foreign" resident docs there, LA calls 'em her "Baby Docs". The med school has only been going on about 15-20 years now, it doesn't have a big "reputation" yet, but LA says their grads/residents typically do VERY well in national tests. They also have a big range of local facilities/resources they can tap into, if need be. It may not be Johns Hopkins or Harvard Medical School, but its a far cry from St. Elsewhere, either...

Charles · #5 10-08-2009, 07:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sandy G

The VA horsepistol LA works in is tied in w/the James H. Quillen Medical School/East Tennessee State University. It was the "Pet" of Jimmy Quillen, the representative from NE Tennessee, who saw to it they got EVERYTHING they needed/wanted. It looks like a snazzy upscale office park, the "Dom" -Domicillary- is especially impressive. There ARE some older buildings there, but they have been stripping 'em to the shell, & completely re-doing them. Yeah, I've heard horror stories about VA medical care, too, but this place seems to be the exception to the rule. LOTS of "foreign" resident docs there, LA calls 'em her "Baby Docs". The med school has only been going on about 15-20 years now, it doesn't have a big "reputation" yet, but LA says their grads/residents typically do VERY well in national tests. They also have a big range of local facilities/resources they can tap into, if need be. It may not be Johns Hopkins or Harvard Medical School, but its a far cry from St. Elsewhere, either...

I don't know about exception to the rule. My Dad's in a VA nursing home and the place reminds me of a resort. I know several people who get their healthcare from the VA and they're all well pleased.

From what I've been told, it wasn't always like this.

Chas

Sandy G · #6 10-08-2009, 10:27 AM

I think the level of professionalism has improved DRAMATICALLY in the VA system in the last several years....They pay VERY WELL, they're very generous w/their benefits, its most assuredly NOT seen as a place where you go to work if you can't hack it elsewhere.

spasmo55 · #7 10-08-2009, 11:13 AM

Thanks for the Heads Up, guess I better go register.

74-78 means she may have started as a WAC, when all the "wimens" was on the other side of post to keep them "safe" from us grunts

Sandy G · #8 10-08-2009, 11:40 AM

Yeah...If I wanna "Get Her Goin'", I call her a "Wack Job"...(grin)

merrylander · #9 10-09-2009, 08:14 AM

I wish I could say the same for the VA hospital here, damn shame how some of our wounded warriors were treated, they are cleaning up but they had to toss out a few officers first.