Scope Of VA TBI Scandal Exposed In TV Special

Benjamin KrauseThe scope of the VA TBI scandal was exposed recently in a TV special that highlights to outrageous nature of the scandal and its impact on veterans.

KARE 11, an NBC affiliate, put together the special at the end of December. Investigative journalist AJ Lagoe later compiled the video onto YouTube for viewers like you to watch without commercial interruptions. Thanks AJ!

The first 21 minutes covers the entire TBI scandal. The remainder of the videos includes all news clips from the 2015 year that focus on VA including the Veterans Choice Program and its silly “Crow Flies” distance measurement rules.

TBI SCANDAL BACKGROUND

For a little background, I have been investigating the TBI policies of VA for many years in part because I survived a TBI while in the military but was lowballed by VA. Once I became a journalist, this gave me a great deal more access to government reports. Now that I am an attorney and a journalist, I tend to collate the data I gather and pass it on to journalists like AJ for massive broadcast appeal.

In this instance, I collected an enormous database including the list of doctors who were qualified to conduct TBI examinations. I also had the internal TBI DQB and training materials that VA doctors were supposed to follow.

I passed this information and the names of clients wanting to go public on to AJ Lagoe, who then turned on the heat and revealed the TBI misdiagnosis scheme was truly a VA scandal of national proportions.

AJ found that over 300 veterans were affected by Minneapolis VA’s refusal to follow clear guidelines about using qualified doctors.

Nationally, VA responded by starting a national audit but failed to disclose the results of the audit to veterans affected. That is where the scandal is now, and AJ is after the VA in Washington DC for answers.

WHAT I DO AT DISABLEDVETERANS.ORG

I am always on the lookout for good stories to pass on to great reporters like AJ Lagoe, Mark Brunswick at Star Tribune, and Ruben Rosario at Pioneer Press here in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

These reporters are doing a fantastic job getting the word out to their audience in an effort to keep VA honest and I wanted to give a call out to them.

And here on DisabledVeterans.org, I publish my original investigations that are focused on building resources for veterans to help them access their benefits more quickly than normal. Collation of data is never as sexy as a great front-page headline or great TV sound byte, but the information is nonetheless valuable for you, my faithful readers. Sometimes, when individual topics are not considered newsworthy for major publications, I am able to then publish them here, instead. It really gives a great platform to hit VA from numerous positions at once.

Thanks for tuning in.

Source: https://youtu.be/rLi0111Ywj0

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36 Comments

  1. Continued.. I left out something very important. So when I was explaining the incident over in the sand box my head injury I “did” tell them I feel I what they referrred to as “blacking out” for maybe a second till my buddies were able to get me to med. they responded with “you have to had blacked out for 3 or more seconds to be considered as having a TBI”. Again, unbelievable pathetic just wow. And to this day I continue to suffer from the neurological damage of my head injury/s from my 15 years in the army. Thank you to for having a website where we veterans can have a voice and expose these types of “crimes” crimes against the men and woman who deserve so so very much better. Sad but true. Thanks for allowing me to get my story out there..

  2. The X VA medical center did this to me too. My c&p exam for my TBI they had me walk in to a conference room with probably 8-10 people sitting around this table (so right away this seems strange to me) they each took turns going around their table grilling me with questions about my head trauma from when I was in Iraq and the trauma prior. After feeling like I’d been verbally attached abused what ever you want to call it but not a good feeling, they send me to the next room where a doctor (super fast) does a “physical” but i felt he went too fast and didn’t ask me anything either it felt like a high school check up we’d use to get (again that was strange) so then after that they have me sit by myself in a separate room while they (I’m assuming) sat around their table coming up with an answer as to whether I suffer from (had a) TBI or just migraines. So after about 5 minutes maybe not even (quick decision making right??) they pull me back into that uncomfortable room and sit me down again. They say “mr x, unfortunately we decided that you did not experience a TBI because you never blacked out during your injury”(even though I had bashed my head open that bled light a stuck pig requiring 6 large stitches) ok so how was this fair at all to me the veteran? It was unbelievable. I just thought I’d share my story to expose the wrong that was done to me a few years ago. So what do they do for me? Like they do for many vets pump us full of either addictive sedative or unsafe (lots of side effects) type drugs and send you out the door. It’s a crime how the va treats veterans, I truley hope our new president will help us vets and get the va straightened out so that future vets who are injured won’t have to go through the unfair and poor treatment that I am many of my brothers and sisters have gone through. My experience with their cardiology doctors/department is even better I need to get my story out there as it will blow your mind.

  3. Please call me at 719 510 3401 I was diagnosed with tbi then when they gave me my individual unemployment they had me come in for what they called a pre unemployment disability examination and they took away my tbi

  4. Sloan Gibson is asking Rep Lee Zeldin to support his 178 BILLION dollar fix. So in return Zeldin asked Gibson about my husband’s claim for SMC T A/A.
    Infamous Mikey Stephens and crew have had it. Well, tonight Stephens turned it down again.
    After congressional lawyers looked at the case and said my husband clearly qualifies for it and warned Stephens his SOC had better follow the law he felt so insulated from a lowly freshman congressman and Sloan Gibson that he denied it anyway.

    So in political terms Sloan Gibson is hitting up a congressman on the VA Affairs committee to back him on the 178 BILLION but doesn’t even show Rep Lee Zeldin enough respect to make sure that the law was followed on ONE case.

    Or, maybe a better question should be in light of the other two days ago re: guns. Who does Mikey have enough dirt on at VACO that he doesn’t have to pay attention to either Sloan Gibson or a congressman?
    I think it is time for plan B people. For my it is gg after my name next month and I am putting in an application for a job in Russia. Maybe Madagascar.
    I know longer trust the country my family came to in 1630’s and my husband tonight admitted he is finally sorry he gave all he did to this country.
    You can see his 2-1’s at FB page Desk Commandos of the VA. He gave a lot.

  5. The second comment I had was about my Choice/VA experience today. I know this is long, but it was the very first time I ever had not one, but two separate VA employees tell me I should contact my Congressman. The first one even offered me his local phone number, and the second told me they are being flooded with complaints from his office about Choice.
    My VA is a small VA, so I can’t imagine how hard congressmen near larger VA’s are getting hammered by veterans. They deserve it.
    I think something has lit a fire under both Choice and the VA, and both are scrambling to point fingers at each other. I think the VA see’s Congress and the media talking about getting rid of the VA, and Choice sees a lot of money going away.
    I called Choice this morning for the 9th time, and the operator told me they had 5 business days to process the authorization. I reminded him I had been calling since January 19th, as he could see in his call notes. He would not provide any detail on what they were doing to process my authorization, and then offered to let me talk to a supervisor. I said I had requested that several times in the past as he could see in his notes, but never got a call back. He said I spoke with a supervisor a couple days ahp according to the notes, but I said I never talked to him and only left a voice mail. I asked if I would be talking to a human if he transferred me or if I would leave another voice mail. I was shocked when a supervisor picked up. I explained to him what was happening, and that I was tired of repeatedly calling and getting the same excuses. He tried to suggest they were caught up by rules they have to follow, and when I asked him what rules were preventing them from calling the provider and scheduling an appointment, he said something about outdated systems and software that doesn’t work. Eventually he said he would put me on hold and look into what the problem was. When he came back on the phone, he asked if I heard of a certain doctor, and I said I had, that he worked at the clinic that I wanted to go to. I also said I was told in a previous Choice call that that doctor had requested my consultation, and that I could not understand that since the clinic has said Choice has never called them, and Choice says they have never called them.
    He said that doctor was a neurologist, and I needed to see a neurosurgeon. I agreed, and explained why I needed the appointment, and he said my authorization from the VA was all screwed up. Part of it indicated I was supposed to see a neurologist, and the other part said I was authorized for one neurosurgeon visit for surgery.
    After some more discussion, he said my consult would have to go back to the VA to be properly written, and I would have to start over. He said he would fax me the consult so I could read how screwed up it was, but after 4 hours, the fax never arrived.
    I have been waiting 50 days now.
    After getting off the phone with him, I called Senator Gardner’s office who I had been emailing updates to every time I called Choice. She said the emails were very helpful to them and she was passing them up to their Washington office so they were all aware of how bad Choice is. She asked me if I would allow them to inquire to the VA, so I agreed. She was aware of how bad things are, and was aware of the upcoming Government Accountability Office investigation into Choice.
    I then called the Choice coordinator at the VA. My small VA has 3 of them, but I couldn’t reach any of them so I left a voice mail.
    I then called to find out how I could get a copy of the authorization/consult, and ended up at the Release of Information office. She said she could provide everything I needed, and she said I should call my Congressman, and gave me his local telephone number. I got a copy of it from her later, and it contains everything needed for the appointment, and says nothing at all about a neurologist. It clearly states neurosurgery.
    I then got a call back from the VA Choice coordinator. I explained what happened, she said she would make some calls and check into it. She called a few minutes later and said she talked with a HealthNet supervisor, that I was given wrong information, and that they had everything they needed to make the appointment. I said I also talked with a supervisor and he was the one who told me I had to start over. She told me I should wait til Friday and call HealthNet again. I said I am tired of waiting, that I have been keeping Senator Gardner’s office informed, of everything, and would provide my comments to the GAO for their investigation. She then said I should call Congressman Tipton’s office because they were getting flooded with complaints from him.
    I called Tipton’s office, and his Vets Affairs aide was very helpful. She was well aware of the complaints, said Tipton had a meeting scheduled with the Director, that she was aware of the GAO investigation since Tipton and Gardner both signed on to requesting it, and asked if I would send my comments to them as well.

    I then told her about the scandal in Cincinnati and how the VA was closing Neurosurgery and Ortho departments and forcing vets to use Choice. She was rather shocked about that and wanted more information on the news story so she could look it up.
    Many are aware Congress is now looking. Many are also aware of the upcoming GAO investigation. Many are starting to point fingers.

  6. Veterans Choice, Choice, or Choice First are all the same, administered by a private company called HealthNet. HealthNet grew out of California, and are now nation-wide. Their SEC filings show a huge number of subsidiary companies involved in hospitals and pharmaceuticals, with other entities located in Bermuda and the Cayman Islands.
    From comments I see on the internet, it looks as if they are heavily involved in ObamaCare, or at least screwing customers out of their premiums. I believe their financial statements or their Wiki page shows they received $4.8 billion dollars from Congress for Choice. The Choice program is administered by them and one or two other companies are also involved. Choice also administers TriCare.
    Their Wiki page shows they have been sued for withholding health care, investigated by the State of Connecticut for losing 450,000 patients data, suspended by the government for screwing up Medicare, was re-instated, then sold their Medicare program for $160 million. California is investigating them for losing data on 1.9 million patients, and the LA County Medical Association has filed lawsuits against them for withholding medically necessary care, including cancer care.
    If you look at their web page, specifically their financial or investor section, you can find who their CEO is and their Board of Directors. They are a publicly traded company listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
    They use call centers to administer Choice according to the zip code you enter, but it doesn’t seem to matter since I have spoken to Choice operators in Atlanta, Nashville, Albany, NY and Irving, TX.
    George Miller is a Congressman from CA who sits on their Board. He retired from Congress in March 2014 when ObamaCare was in full swing, and just before Choice was passed. Miller is described as being a close friend of Nancy Pelosi for many years.
    I have not checked out their other board members to see how politically connected they are.
    There are a huge number of complaints about their practices on consumeraffairs dot com.

    1. 91Veteran,

      You need to read the post below by Firefly he just had neurosurgery on the choice program. He cannot get follow up care or physical therapy from the VA or from the Choice Program.

      1. I read his comment and can believe it because of how screwed up the program is.

        After requesting my Senator do an inquiry, I have gotten two voice mails at home from the VA, my Congressman is meeting with the director on Choice problems, and another Senate aide is emailing me from Colorado Springs.

        On top of that, I tweeted to HealthNet about their pathetic problems and suggested Nancy Pelosi ask her good friend George Miller,who sits on HealthNets board of directors to fix it.
        I got a direct message back within minutes asking me to email them my member number, etc., because they have a specialized team that will look into it.
        I will email them all the notes I emailed to my Senator just to see what their response might be.

        Next week, I might start submitting online complaints to various state insurance commissions.

        I have patience, but I eFing despise incompetence.

  7. @namnibor
    “Smoke Screen”, VERY possible! Maybe this is the “Why” VA is so determined to keep this “secret”!
    I sure hope Ben can do something for Dennis. We need to keep this going! Bring more “light on the subject!”

  8. @namnibor, 91Veteran and all.
    Here’s Dennis Parker’s webpage to google. It should take you right to it. Remove the “quotation marks”.

    “https://pancakespoons.com/2016/02/24/va-report-showing-drug-crimes/”

    Like I said. It starts off slow. Then picks up on page 3 or 4!

  9. Has anyone gone onto the website, which Dennis Parker has put up over the “many criminal acts” have transpired up in Oregon? If not, here it is:

    “http//:pancakesspoons.com”

    I might have the “semicolon” in the wrong place. Just try it though. He said he would “scan in” many documents.

    1. Thanks, yes I was finally able to go onto it and read some blog posts, let us know when he posts that info there. Has my curiosity piqued.

      1. @namnibor
        Brother, all I get is how to make or how to eat pancakes.
        How do I get to his website?
        “I’m so confused!” lol

      2. Unless I was missing something, there was absolutely no story about a VA scandal…yet…only long blog posts starting Fall/Winter 2015 back…not anything current.
        I also get pancake, pancake ads on my computer, and made me hungry for Bob Evans or a good greasy spoon truck stop’s -6- stack of pancakes….it’s hit or miss. I only was able to get on that exact web address -2- times out of 11 times trying and getting only pancakes and even maple syrup ads now 🙂

        A song from Golden Earing comes to mind, “The Twilight Zone”. 🙂

      3. @namnibor
        Yes I finally got to his site. Look for
        “VA report on drug crimes”
        It’s his 12 page report! It starts out slow. Then gets better on the 3rd or 4th page. When the VA employee, who’s being interrogated under “Miranda Rights”, starts to “cry” and begins ‘implicating’ more individuals!
        I’ve emailed this “report” off to Ben. Maybe he might be interested. Or maybe he might know someone out there who can help Dennis get this out into the open!

      4. @crazyelf-

        Thanks. Holy Smoke!! Am betting Ben will find this amazing. This is a Lifetime Movie Event Series just waiting to be made…!

        Maybe the VA has been selectively releasing scams as smoke screens for these type of things, if verifiable, and of curse, true, could break the camel’s back.

  10. I am going thru a TBI case right now thru the Durham NC VA hospital whom referred me to Duke University Hospital because they did not have a Neurosurgeon. I had a brain tumor which was the result of a some head injuries while in the military. Surgery at Duke University Hospital was outstanding. But now once I was released I can’t get the follow-up care or exams or treatment needed for the right side of my body that is still messed up due to the brain tumor being on the left side pushing down on the right side of my brain causing all kinds of problems to the nerves that control the right side of my body. I have to fight with both hospitals to get help. Duke says go to VA hospital…..VA hospital says go back to duke…Back and forth. Over and over….One staff member at Durham VA hospital scheduled me for a follow-up MRI, the other cancelled. I got scheduled at Duke but got cancelled and rescheduled again at the Durham VA hospital. One staff member said i don’t need any follow-ups. One said in six months. One said in a year. Then one called 8 months later and said i should have had a follow-up at six months. That got cancelled and rescheduled back at Duke. Duke nurse said she didn’t know why I had problems with my right side after surgery. I had no problems prior to surgery. In fact was medevacked out of the war zone. We all know you can’t be in the war zone with any disabilities. I was in perfect shape. In the mean time; I get no care and are stuck in the middle. Duke and the people on the 9th floor of the Durham VA hospital saves my life prior to my surgery. It is just the after care that is the problem. It takes too many months to get care and appointments. Veterans are suffering. Too much red tape.

    VA has all of my medical records from all of the hospitals for my claim for disability…They sent me a letter saying they are waiting on evidence. I have all of my medical records from military and all of the hospitals and doctors care. TBI’s are the worst thing that can happen to a person because the brain controls everything in your body physically and mentally. You are never the same again. I just need adequate medical treatment to help me get back on my feet. But the logistics of that with the choice program and even getting the appointments set up is impossible. Nobody seems to know what is going on and how to help the veterans. People are greedy and just trying to get paid while the veterans suffers in the end. Those VA people do not care. You can’t get your claims processed. VA will sit on your claim and waste time for several months and won’t even tell you that you have missing info or they need something else. All VA personnel needs to be put on hourly pay/production. If they aren’t at work, they don’t get paid or if they don’t process and complete a claim, no pay. The VA workers is just milking the system.

    1. firefly,

      Contact the surgeon who did the surgery immediately. Let him know that you are not receiving aftercare. You are his patient and are under his care.

      That care did not stop after the surgery.

      Speak to the surgeon directly.

      1. That surgeon for Duke is controlled by the Durham VA hospital who is footing the bill. His hands are tied. He can’t do anything with out prior approval from the VA hospital. One person will call saying it is approved and before the end of the day another will call saying it is not approved….Back and forth…I had a confirmed appointment one day. But the day before for Duke appointment and another VA appointment for something else the next day but the night before I got a call saying I could not go to duke so I drove up to the Durham VA hospital the next afternoon for another appointment earlier that day at the VA hospital BEFORE THAT DUKE APPOINTMENT but while I was there at the VA hospital the Duke personnel called and said I had missed my appointment and asked did I want to reschedule? Duke personnel said I was approved and when I got home, I had a call from the Durham VA Hospital saying that I was approved for that missed appointment again after all of the confusion and missing my initial appointments. I was referred to Duke because the Durham VA Hospital can’t do Brain Tumor Surgeries because they don’t have the surgeons to operate. Afterwards, the Neurosurgeon at the Durham VA hospital said he couldn’t even do a evaluation or follow-up because he didn’t do the surgery. Web of deceit by the entire VA system to the public that it is taking care of Veterans.

  11. Hell, Beginning in Nov. or Dec. of 2014- then continuing into 2015, I’ve been approved, then disapproved, then approved, then disapproved a number of times. Still haven’t been able to use the Choice Program!
    I guess the VA is just waiting for me to die! Only, I’m going to be a thorn in their side for as long as I can!
    The Choice Program is a waste of taxpayers monies. I wonder where, and into WHO’s pocket, the monies go? Most on here are aware $2.5 billion of VA’s allocated money, (that we know of), went to Obama’s Middle Eastern Refugees!
    Will he dip into it AGAIN for all the illegal immigrants coming across our Southern Borders?
    Something is going to break, and it ain’t going to be pretty!

    1. CHOICE was designed to fail. By contrast CHAMPVA has served dependents of 100% SC disabled veterans for years very successfully. I have never had a doctor refuse it. No pre-approval is necessary. Billed same as Medicare.

      The logical thing to do is kill CHOICE and give ALL vets CHAMPVA. Adjust the Co-pays for SC and income. Put it on autopilot and out of the VA decision making process.

      Rep Miller’s statement on the upcoming budget request. I suggest everyone call Curt Cashour and tell him to kill CHOICE money and give ALL vets CHAMPVA.

      It is a win-win. Vets get to pick local quality medical care and local communities get strengthened by those guaranteed veterans medical dollars.

      Chairman Miller Statement on the President’s VA Budget Request
      For more information, contact: Curt Cashour, (202) 225-3527
      FEB 9, 2016
      WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today Chairman Miller released the below statement regarding President Obama’s Fiscal Year 2017 VA Budget request.
      “Over the past year, VA has repeatedly failed to keep its financial house in order. In Denver, a botched construction project is more than $1 billion over budget. The department has routinely wasted millions on lavish art projects, exorbitant relocation benefits and bonuses for failing employees. And last July, VA threatened to shut down hospitals within weeks due to an unforeseen budget shortfall, forcing Congress to give the department access to an additional $3 billion. In classic VA fashion, not a single employee has been held accountable for these monumental failures. I will fight to ensure VA has the resources it needs, but given the complete lack of accountability for the department’s string of past financial failures, this budget request will receive every bit of the scrutiny it is due. It’s the very least we can do for American taxpayers and veterans.” – Rep. Jeff Miller, Chairman, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs

  12. it is not just tbi related issues as one commenter already said the va is choosing to outsource whatever they can to choice and then choice cant find a provider to see you because well choice isnt paying their bills so providers are refusing to treat veterans because they cant get paid in a timely manner so why go through the hassle. my doctor put in a referral for choice 01/06/16. choice tried sending me to a provider who could not meet the doctor’s request, they did not have the facilities. then to a provider who called me two days before my apointment because they were no longer accepting choice due to lack of payments. it took 12 phone calls with the care coordination office of the va on the phone to finally get a provider that would accept choice that had the facilities to see me, i saw them on 2/23/16. so it took them 47 days to get me into see a provider and i was sent to choice because they couldnt see me through the va with in thirty days, but with a choice referal they dont schedule you an appointment through the va your now with choice, so even had i declined choice after so long a wait i would have still had get a va doctor to schedule me an appointment outside of the thirty day time frame that would start at the time i decline choice which would have been a minimum of 5-10 days after the referal was submitted to choice. the choice program is a joke it allows the va to say we are doing what we can to get veterans seen in a timely manner yeah 47 days later i get to be seen would it have been any shorter had i stayed inside the va i have no clue that wasnt an option i was given.

    1. The cool thing about smart phones is multi tasking. I am typing this while on hold with Choice. It has been 50 days for my referral. Their notes claim I only called twice before. Their notes also say I spoke with a supervisor. I left him a voice mail. Shockingly I am now on hold after speaking with a supervisor. He is calling the provider.

    2. I got referred out thru the choice program and got to see a real doctor that had real life experience actually knew what she was doing and a real chiropractor who had real life experience and wasn’t a rookie. It beats the hell out of those pimple faced students, residents and interns who treat you like a laboratory RAT..

      I’m getting REAL medical care now and not from inexperienced personell. I’m treated better by the non- VA staff there because they can actually be fired, unlike VA staff.

      This is what the VA needs – to outsource ALL of their care to the community. I’m for ABOLISHING the entire VA system and give it to employees that fear for their jobs.

      The only problem is they have too few community providers because they pay at Medicare rates and that doesn’t attract the experts with their own practice that can demand higher rates of pay for their medical services.

      The morons who run the Choice Programs are federal employees and that ruins the whole thing. They are lazy and incompetent. They have no idea what their job is, just like VA employees. They give out the wrong information over the phone. They use a database and they don’t even know how to do that right.

      I had to find my own Chiropractor that had the services I needed and was on their provider list. In other words, I had to do my own research. You have to, you can’t depend on them to do it, even though it is their job.

      Veterans can’t trust these mornons to find a community provider for them because they just put in your zip code and pick the top of the list and make an appointment for you. Easy, right? What they don’t do is find out if they have the services you need or how far away they are from you. Same Va crap wrapped up in a different color toilet paper.

      1. I had a lengthy comment typed up and once again managed to hit one of the damn buttons that is so close to the comment box on a phone, so the whole thing was lost.
        It was a lot of information on HealthNet and Choice, which is a contractor, not gvovernment employees, and their $4.8 billion given for Choice and how the VA screwed up the consult. Now I start the process over after 50 days of waiting.

      2. 91Veteran saved me some typing. HealthNet and the maybe -1- other Choice Administers (I think one is primarily Eastern USA and other overlaps into West bu I can easily stand corrected), but *neither* of these VA Contractors are Federal Agencies at all, they are as they VA likes to title them, “The Administering Agency for Choice”, and maintain a class poor rating if you look-up the companies in reference.

        There’s a huge disconnect with the VA utilizing a “mediator” and Veteran because Choice has NO CLUE what providers are where, and you may find yourself being farmed out to a blood or x-ray clinic in either another State or polar end of your own State.
        My reading on Vet’s reports on trying to use Choice has shown a very long bottle-necked communication process because these Choice Contractors have to constantly call both the VA and Providers and most of which I have read, Vets were given appointments only to get a call from that providers office telling them they are either not accepting new patients OR the classic, “The VA is not paying…or Choice is not paying”.
        CHAMPVA for all Vets would be an elegant solution….but even Senator McCain has been proposing legislation and voting yes on increasing copays and drug cost for people on CHAMPVA….so they are getting screwed slowly as well….but at least have the better care to boot.

      3. I will have a much longer response to this later when I can get access to a normal keyboard and not have to worry about losing everything I typed by accidently hitting one of the buttons that shows on the page.

  13. Good reporting, Ben!
    Yes, that Cincinnati VAMC scandal is proving to be a larger bag of sticky worms than first imagined.
    The VA is doing some strange stuff with the Choice Program. I have a buddy that lives in a metro city where his VAMC is walking/biking distance from where he lives and he received a bewildering notice in mail from Choice stating he had been referred out for his Psych Dr. Counseling Appointments and was required to respond in quick time and when he brought it to attention of his VAMC Psych Dr., they told him “they hate Choice, they are referring everybody now, just ignore that notice”….that was at the Indy VAMC just last week.
    So it sure sounds like the VA is exploiting Choice somehow and I am sure the Veterans are not getting the kind end of the exploitation stick.

    1. As far as the further down rabbit hole on the VA’s no clue on TBI, this really angers me because just why is it that the very injuries, whether they physical, mental, or mixed-bag of both, the very medical conditions afflicting Veterans from our very service to the USA, the promise of the VA comes with an almost near-certainty that something can and will eventually go very wrong because it’s the very MISSION OF VA that they have totally forgot, used the last threads of it to wipe their Union Greedy a$$e$, and we Veterans have only become a channel FOR the VA to exploit, all in the name “of the troops returning”, only to fail miserably and so long, miserably and consistently miserably?
      I very much like the idea of the Military taking over the VA responsibilities but I wonder if that too is just a pipe dream they will hope all with TBI easily forget? Ba$TURDS!!!

  14. Each and every time a rock is turned over at the VA there is a scandal or a fix is needed. This is a national disgrace! Give Vets the chance to get reasonable medical and dental care outside of the VA!

    1. va deathcare is federal rico crime racket run by @ for AFGE UNION CONTRACTS @ VA KILLS VETS FOR THE BONOUS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  15. Thanks for what you do here Ben. It is valuable and helps many veterans, even those without TBI. How does it do that? It forces the VA to think twice before sticking some veteran with an unqualified hack.
    Another scandal heating up in Cincinnati and reported by Mark Greenblatt, Daniel Monk and Aaron Kessler was just posted on the WCPO web site. It is a part of their investigation there, and I believe they are finding a problem that is more widespread at other VAs.
    Their investigation is showing that the VA is intentionally forcing veterans into the Choice program, specifically for Neurosurgey and Orthopedics, then closing down those departments within the VA to save money. It doesn’t matter whether the veteran gets treatment through Choice…they were referred. Since Choice finding comes from a different pot of money, the VA saves money by closing departments and referring vets to Choice.
    I say this is more widespread because my Ortho doctor who did my knee replacement is gone. As I have commented before, that knee is a problem which I reported in January. I was given a referral to Ortho, and to Choice for neurosurgery because my VA does not have a neurosurgeon.
    My Ortho appointment was a couple days ago, and the entire department has changed. The knee pain and limping causing lower back pain and shooting pains down my legs was treated with a knee brace, and a follow up appointment in April.
    It is Day 50 in waiting for Choice to schedule a neurosurgery appointment, and the VA said even if they refer me to Salt Lake City or Denver, those VAs will send the referral back without action.

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