VA Wait Times

Falsified VA Wait Times Data Prevented Access To Veterans Choice

VA Wait Times

A report issued last week showed numerous VA facilities used false wait time calculations that prevented deserving veterans from accessing care through Veterans Choice.

Those false calculations conveniently showed significantly better wait time numbers than in reality. This same falsity is what led to the wait time scandal at Phoenix VA reported two years ago.

Apparently, that deadly scheme is still in play.

VA Wait Times

The VA wait time tabulation system falsely showed only 5,500 appointments were outside 30 days when the real number was 20,600 appointments.

That data shows VA’s calculation was wrong by 400 percent. How can anything be that wrong without some fraud mixed in?

Wait time data from the VA Health Administration (VHA) and its VISN 6 facilities were analyzed by VA OIG to determine if consultations were properly managed. IG learned 82% of cases evaluated showed wait times were greater than thirty days.

The audit evaluated data from April 2016 to January 2017 from agency locations in Virginia and North Carolina.

Insufficient staffing to schedule consultations was at the root of the problem as was VHA reliance on inaccurate data. “We concluded that VHA and VISN 6 leadership relied on wait time data that did not accurately represent how long veterans were waiting for care.”

IG found 36 percent of new patient appointments took 59 days on average. For veterans who received care through Choice, they waited 84 days for a non-VA consult. Veterans who did not receive Choice care waited 98 days to receive care.

VISN 6 failed to consistently conduct scheduler audits despite VHA requirements to do so since 2008.

VA OIG Wait Times Report

According to the VA OIG summary:

Audit of Veteran Wait Time Data, Choice Access, and Consult Management in VISN 6

We evaluated whether Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 6 provided new veterans timely access to health care within its medical facilities and through Choice, as well as to determine whether VISN 6 appropriately managed consults. VISN 6 did not consistently have timely access to health care for new patients at its VA medical facilities and through Choice. Wait times were significantly higher than the wait time data that VHA’s electronic scheduling system showed. This occurred because VISN 6 and medical facility management did not ensure staff consistently implemented VHA’s scheduling requirements. Inaccurate wait time data resulted in a significant number of veterans not being eligible for treatment through Choice. With respect to those veterans in VISN 6 who received their care through Choice, we estimated that 82 percent of the appointments during the relevant time period had wait times longer than 30 days. This occurred primarily because medical facilities did not ensure they had sufficient staffing resources to provide timely access to Choice care. VISN 6 also did not consistently manage the timeliness of specialty care consults. We concluded that VHA and VISN 6 leadership relied on wait time data that did not accurately represent how long veterans were waiting for care. Access to health care has been a recurring issue in VHA. This audit demonstrates that many of the same access to care conditions reported over the last decade continued to exist within VISN 6 medical facilities in 2016. OIG made 10 recommendations regarding monitoring controls over scheduling requirements, wait time data, Choice, and consult management. The then-Under Secretary for Health concurred with four recommendations and concurred in principle with six recommendations. VHA’s planned corrective actions are acceptable and we will monitor VHA’s progress until all proposed actions are completed.

Are any of you surprised VA is still using falsified data to make it look like wait times are better than they are? How will Secretary Shulkin address this possible fraud?

Source: https://www.va.gov/oig/publications/report-summary.asp?id=3838

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97 Comments

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  2. I was denied access to Veterans Choice… no access to “elegability offifer.” Ended up in the hospital and with a 1100 dollar hospital bill when operator at Vet Choice called 911… no help, on accountability.

    1. i wouldn’t pay the bill fuck those credit ratings Medicare pays them and i never pay my so called portion. and i always go back to the same hospital they cant do anything but fix you and shoo you out the door

  3. You think that’s bad? Ha ha ha…
    TriWest/Veteran’s Choice/VISN 22? would rather cuss out vets and encourage suicide than schedule them an appointment!
    I’ve waited since last summer for a psychiatrist!!! TriWest staffers have been evil and brutal over the phone.
    VA SD has told me over and over they can’t even book me a psychiatry appointment because they don’t have any provider for 120+ days, but TriWest & Veteran’s Choice refuse to help me get an appointment.
    At least the Coroner is on call…

    1. @ Steve, sorry to hear of your misfortune with trying to get medical care. I hope that things will change for you i will pray for you. God bless.

    1. @cj @Ex va – Doing some searching. Good night and God bless you Brothers and your families. And to all other Veterans as well. Hopefully, some one will stand up for us all. Many of us are hurting. Just know that we all care about each other. Good night. Taps, Taps, Taps.

  4. This has probably been posted on Bens blog before, but just incase, I think everyone should have a copy of this pdf. “https://www.tullylegal.com/forms/Guide_to_Suing_the_Department_of_Veterans_Affairs.pdf” Good luch to all who go for it, you deserve it, and maybe we all need to find a way to sue the damn va. It sure doesn’t look like anyone else is going to do shit for us. Once again we rely upon our own selves.

  5. Email Trump at “[email protected]

    Send your concerns to the above email. Unfortunately, you’ll only get a response that your email was received. You’ll then also get updates about what POTUS is doing. Many times they ask for $$$. I refuse to send any monies. I’m only interested in hearing about things that directly effect the VA. I send my concerns to the above email address. Let POTUS know how you feel. It can’t hurt!

  6. Might as well forget about Jake Leinenkugel. He wants to work the program of veteran suicides. There are more issues than just the one needing addressing. Guess he hasn’t read the memo on Veterans dying daily from disturbing health care at the VA. Unless, of course, Ben can be the advisor to the advisor.

    1. Maybe Mr. Jake Leinenkugel (beer mogul) should be shown the mathematical equation since he announced he would help Shulkin with Veteran Suicides and just start with Jan. 20….that would be 46 Days x 22 Veteran Suicides A DAY=1012 Dead Suicidal Veterans so far since he said he would……..help. Too little, too late. I bet he got a great beer contract for all the VSO Piggy’s Lodges, though. I hope they choke on suds.

  7. Once again, the sneaky bastards at the va, tried to bill my medicare supplemental, for the last mri of my service connected back injury. The mri ordered by the ve pcp who, looked at the mri and held his arms out, and said “there is nothing more that can be done, it’s in Gods hands now”. I beg to differ, there is plenty more that can be done, you could, unkowinly get me into a self pt class by, forcing me to use my own resources to, make sure, My supplemental insurance that I pay for, is reimbursed for your fucking fucked up fuck up. Hell you even got my blood flowing. What I wonder is, isn’t some kind of hungry hungry hippo-cratic oath to do no harm? Oh yes, of course there is. I understand now, Your policy isn’t “do no harm” it’s “do no good” I started with “Fuck the va” I will end with:
    …………………./´¯/)
    ………………..,/¯../
    ………………./…./
    …………./´¯/’…’/´¯¯`·¸
    ………./’/…/…./……./¨¯\
    ……..(‘(…´…´…. ¯~/’…’)
    ………\……………..’…../
    ……….”…\………. _.·´
    …………\…………..(
    …………..\………….\…
    “Fuck the va”

    1. @cj – Sorry for the VA bs that you going through. On a lighter, but serious note, I hereby declare that the above large middle finger iconographic is yours to designate to the incompetent medical providers at your local VA. Bro, the icon is now officially yours. Feel free to paste it anywhere online. Bastards.

      1. @ANutterVet: Hey Nutter, how you doing? Haven’t talked with you in a long damn time. I am use to having go through the insurance circle jerk over and over……is that an oxymoron? Or just dejavu? or maybe groundhog day?

  8. Way Off Topic! By going to whitehouse.gov I found a place to e-mail the president.

    This might be a place for some of you to keep the president informed concerning the serious events coming out of the veterans administration.

    Mr President. When you were campaigning for the office of the President, and in reference to assisting veterans through the veterans administration, you stated if elected you would immediately set up a “hot line” type phone. This phone would be manned 24/7 and would allow veterans to call and report serious violations that are being committed by VA employees and against veterans.

    The veterans administration continues to violate the rights of veterans on a wide scale basis. I am one of those veterans: combat veteran, Vietnam, I Corp Jan 65-Dec 69. The VA also continues to violate many federal laws.

    Veterans have no recourse, no place to report these continuing violations. Sir, I/we respectfully request “the phone” be installed.

    1. Share the e-mail. I keep saying our senator’s must pass a Bill where VA employees can be fired.

      Everyone must contact their senator’s and ask them to vote yes. The VA is just a name. The employees ( Bad employees ) are the cause of everything and it will take some time getting rid of all of them.

      If it does not pass and employees like graves who tell their employees go ahead and laugh. We’ll see who has the last laugh. Will continue to surround themselves with employees willing to hurt veteran’s and other employees.

      We can post on this site for the next 20 year’s and it will only get worse. These veteran’s with PTSD and traumatic brain injury. Need to be treated now.

      The VA denied my claim for forty year’s and anyone with PTSD. Would know and understand what they forced me to go through.

      I bet many of these veteran’s that went for help and were in crisis. Were not treated and then reported as being disruptive and a double wammy for the veterans and they kill themselves.

      ?

  9. Obviously the VA doesn’t abide by their own timelines. Filed sf-95. Waited for local decision. Was made two offers that were more of an insult than anything else. Filed appeal to D.C. Have waited over six months with no contact from anyone. If two offers were made it would seem to me that they admitted culpability in this matter.
    Since I have had no contact,my case is sitting in some a##holes dead file waiting for me to raise my head then deny my appeal, forcing me to file in Federal Court. This was the outcome on the local level. I had to ask where my claim stood well after the six month turnaround required by their own rules. Then I was denied.

  10. Am I surprised the VA is STILL falsifying wait time data? Not at all. Am I surprised those referred to Choice are facing long waits for care? Again, not at all.
    Am I surprised the IG found the VA is not properly managing Choice consults? Hell no. The VA washes its hands of veterans once they are referred to Choice.

    Am I surprised the VA claims staffing shortages as the blame for this? I would actually be shocked if they didn’t.

    Will I be surprised if some manager again is given a bonus based on fraudulent data? Again, I would be shocked if they didn’t.

    Am I surprised the VA once again is not following their own policy in conducting wait time audits? Absolutely not. If they did it would prove managers have no basis for their bonus.

    Would I be surprised if the VA and VSOs spin this as caused by Trumps hiring freeze? No. They would love to put the blame somewhere other than at their own feet.

    Will I be surprised if the IG issues the same report in a year with just the dates changed? No. I expect it.

  11. My last go with Medicare, I still owe about $3,000.00. If I can’t get choice, I guess I just go into more debt. More debt is better than dead. I thought the beer meister is gone. Didn’t want to break up his finances.

    1. I only specifically recall hearing of the Mayo/Cleveland Clinic CEO’s doing some backpedaling but nothing in addition or otherwise concerning the beer mogul.

      I still am fully expecting for Benjamin to feature an article when that sunlight shows the real story and the Three Piggy VSO’s instead got fat craft beer contracts for their lodges. Wait for it…….

      1. At one time I thought after the usual chaos of a new President Trump settled down, we would see more action being taken on things like for veterans and other issues.

        That is not happening because of sniveling leftists that are trying to destroy him or his administration using any manner they can, including pushing outright lies.

        Now, rather than getting around to other pressing issues such as veterans, he’s having to reissue executive orders on illegal aliens and dealing with the left seeing Russians behind every tree.

      2. @91 Veteran: I hope you are right about President Trump. I have put my hope in this man to do as he said he would do. As of late tho, it doesn’t look promising, as far as the va is concerned. It looks like business as usuall, I pray that I am wrong and have to eat crow. I will even make an imported crow sauce to pour over it. Maybe I am just being hyper and asking for too much too soon. We all need this mess to be sorted, for not only us, but all those that will come after…………..okay, lost my damn thoughts again……..grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

      3. I too hope things settle down to where other things can get done, but I don’t see that happening as long as politicians in both parties would rather play childish games.

      4. I am really sick of D.C. politics and liberal left crybabies. Kind of makes me think of that scene in funny movie, “Mars Attacks” where the aliens actually interpret the handshake as the most violently aggressive expression and they zap the entire congress critters into crispy congress critters. 🙂

      5. @namnibor: Quit teasing!!!!! But no really…………………that woudl be the best thing to happen……..ever. Man what a thought, Thank you for ending the day with a smile.

  12. What are all of you complaining about the Fuck Up Choice Program? The Program did me wonders. A while back, I broke my wrist. Afterwards, I was supposed to have an appointment with the so called top Ortho Surgeon in a VA facility. I made a couple of appointments to see the top Ortho Doc. Each time, after I went to the appointment, I was informed that the top Doc had to cancel the appointments.

    The next doctor was an intern. I thought, “this is great, I go from supposed to see the top doctor to an intern in training.” The intern just reviewed my charts and said, “oh, I see you have a colles fracture.” No joke Sherlock, you told me something that I already knew. The intern made me feel very secure and trusting. Bull Shit! Just the opposite. I requested another appointment to be seen by someone else.

    Then I saw a resident Ortho Physician. This character couldn’t even draw out the proposed operation procedure, so that I could visualize each step. Being frustrated, I put in a request to see an outside Doc of my choosing. My request was denied. My denial date was right after Veterans were notified by mail of the new Choice Program.

    Afterwards, when the VA finally realized that I couldn’t get proper medical care from the closest VA facility to where I reside, they put me in the Choice Program. When I got the call from the VA Choice Program Coordinator, she acted like the Program was the best thing that ever happened for Veterans. Being skeptical, I proceeded to follow the process to be enrolled in the Program.

    Then a problem arose. After doing my research, the only Ortho Surgeon that I was impressed with wasn’t participating in the Choice Program any longer. His staff informed me that the Doc had to wait to long for reimbursement, and that the pay was not worth his while to participate in the Program.

    Then I found another Doc to possibly operate on my fracture. I called his office, and was informed that this Doc operated on every joint that the human body has. From your toes, to your back. I thought, not me. In order to remember the operation procedure, this Doc would have to review an operation manual while operating on me. I get really skeptical when a Doc informs me that he or she can do it all.

    The end result; [1.] I couldn’t find a doctor that I trusted to perform the multi-stage operation, [2.] the VA has never followed up or asked me anything about my fracture, [3.] I learned that my records show that I had 2 operations on my wrist when I had none, [4.] now one arm is smaller than the other arm, disfigured, [5.] I’m not able to use this arm like I can the other arm, and [6.] I have a hard time dealing with the psychological factors due to being disfigured.

    I never knew about the VA adding to my records that I already had 2 operations on my arm. And, its been a little over 3 years since I first received treatment from the VA. Do I trust these people, fuck no. They twist things around so that they look good, and the problems all fall into the Veterans lap. Disgusting medical treatment. And, they are still fucking with me. Who is a Veteran supposed to trust? At least, we should be able to trust those who are in the business of helping people to overcome their behavioral or medical problems.

    1. And, I’m running out of fucking time in waiting for these dam politicians to really fix the VA’s problems in which they knew that has been going on for decades. Bullshit. Its about the fame, glory, and the big bucks. I’m a number, disposable. I’ll never encourage a young man or woman to join the military.

      As active military personnel, we were expected to follow orders in order to complete the objective. Its not the same way with the VA. The VA is more into numbers, stats, and bonuses. These mean more than the lives of Veterans. Just sayin from my personal experience.

      1. ANutterVet,
        At least you got to use the “Choice Program”!
        I have been stonewalled since its inception! Was told I wasn’t eligible because local VHA rules. Or, was it “local regulations”! Like what Ben discussed a few days back!
        I’ve never met anyone who goes to the VHA small ass clinic I go to, who has been allowed to use Choice!

  13. I will ask again: Where’s that “beer mogul” that was supposed to be VA Sec. Shulkin’s little helper? Did the Three Piggy VSO’s chase him off after drinking all his suds?

    1. i think he’s still passed out behind the wheel but they haven’t found him yet

    2. He is still working with the VSOs on all the beer garden contracts to supply all the beer at all county fair beer gardens.

  14. Along the same lines, I have decided to seek care by a private doctor using my medicare/tricare benefits because the VA is not providing me the adequate care for my service connected asthma/copd which is rated at 100%. And when I last asked for an opinion to service connect my sleep apnea as seconday to my asthma/copd ;allergic rhinitis, or sinusitis, I was told there is no connection. But in researching the subject I found many veterans wer service connected secondary for the same conditions. And in 2015 a link was found between asthma and sleep apnea ironically, from a study that was conducted from 1998 to 2013, and the doctor who was in charge of the study is the director of the sleep center at the Wisconsin VA med center. You would think by now that all va pulmonary personal would know this connection, but many still play dumb.

    1. After years of observation, I can tell you a VA researcher in one room could discover the cure for cancer, and the nitwit VA doctor in the next room over would continue treating his cancer patients with leeches.

      Hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent on VA research, and the Hep C treatment by Shinazi is the first I have ever heard of veterans benefiting from that research.

      Of course, vets are only benefiting from it because Shinazi found a way to make billions off it.

  15. I don’t think anyone should be surprised by this report but the fact is that choice is not the solution. Case in point… I was referred under the choice program for a sleep apnea study, and the choice program people could not find a private provider within 60 miles of my home and that was over a year ago, and I am still waiting. I was also referred under choice for pulmonary rehabilitation and it took 6 months to get hospital which was over 30 minutes from my house to give me a slot. Then when I was accepted they did not have the facilities, or supplies on had for me to complete the program properly. In the end, medicare was billed for the services and I had to clean up that mess..

    1. Kind of makes even non smokers want to light up after dealing with them, doesn’t it?

      1. Unfortunately, some Vets went as far as taking that literally, right outside the VA to their deaths. Still pissed at the VA’s indifference to that.

    2. Sounds like they illegally billed your Medicare when the VA and Choice Champions dropped the ball or the VA was simply lazy and saw Medicare as a route to save some bonus $$. Correct me if wrong, but when given a Choice Referral you are slapped with paperwork that states upon nonpayment you, the Veteran is responsible, so my guess is when the VA sees someone also has Medicare, they will try to illegally bill Medicare for a Service Connected medical issue. I think they tried that or did do that to 91Veteran on this blog. He might be able to give you advice how to clean that mess up and prevent the VA from billing Medicare illegally again.

      1. You are correct that the paperwork says vets are required by law to provide any health insurance when going to a Choice appointment.

        I have also been told by Choice that a provider cannot bill a veteran because they are prohibited from doing so as it is spelled out in the agreement a provider signs when they participate in Choice, but we all know how that works.

        I am not surprised that a Choice provider would go to Medicare after being ignored by Choice.

        I also have a letter from a flunky at HealthNet to the head PR flunky at my VA stating that Choice is considered a secondary payer, so they will go after health insurance, Medicare or any other source for payment before Choice will pay.

        That was certainly news to me, and ignores any determination that the appointment was for a service connected condition.

        Now that is Choice. What happened to me was the VA themselves billed my health insurance for service connected care…to the tune of over $12000.00. It was only after I filed a FOIA with McDonald’s office requesting information on what actions he or his staff took to resolve that problem did the VA finally get serious.

        The VA then decided they would try drop my care completely if they couldn’t bill my insurance for everything, until I demanded they put that in writing.

        That head PR flunky at my VA? He’s also the head of the Patient Advocates. He claimed the provider for my last Choice appointment sent the bill to Montana which was a lie. They are the largest hospital in the city and have been involved in Choice since day 1. I’m sure they know where to send the bill.

        For this latest Choice referral, I have been told the address for where to send the bill is included with the authorization paperwork the provider receives.

      2. After Heard or waiting, I got PTSD treatment thru The Choice program,after eight weeks The VA cancelled my treatment, but suddenly found a ptsd treatment team at a clinic. Six Months later IGot a 2250.00 bill from The Choice center I got Choice and the treatment center on The phone togeather and solved the problem. Everytime I use the Choice program I follow the same system. Its like everything else in life. Do ut yourself. Never trust à bureaucrat !!!

  16. What’s this, “comments are closed” above the reply box? Oh well, never stopped me before. Dennis is real close. The VA is a little whore house. Albeit with BIG whores.. I cannot get a referral for choice. I’ve asked twice. She just says no. I’m service connected and more than 40miles. Don’t know where to go from here. I also went back through the VA OIG reports. Tons of wrongs, and very little action to correct the problems. If Dr. Shulkin is doing anything For Veterans, I am not seeing it.

    1. File an “appeal of clinical decision” questioning and disagreeing with your PCPs decision to withold a Choice referal. They will not have a clue what the hell that is because VA folks are generally at a complete loss just how to deal with ANY official disagreement with them that they cannot put a disruptive behavior flag onto. However, send them a letter, or use secure messaging to call it “an appeal of a clinical decision” and tell them specifically “pursuant to VHA Directive 1041, dated October 24, 2016, I hereby formally dispute the refusal to provision services under the Choice program which in my opinion will have a sigificant healthcare outcome for me. Pursuant to section 5(a)(2) I am requesting as is my right that this appeal be referred outside of VHA for an independant external review as allowed for under law.”

      Put all that bullshit into writing. Send it to them. Wait for 45 days. They likely will.either crap their shorts and send to the Choice doc of your choosing or they will ignore it completely. If they ignore it, send them a letter and entitle it a “Notice Of Disagreement” and inform them that you are appealling the decision to withhold services owed to the veteran and note that the service withheld is your right to have your appeal answered. Put in writing and send that one to VISN under the title “Notice Of Disagreement” Name names.

      If they follow Roseburg Oregons lead they will tag you as a Catagory One Violent and Disruptive Patient for doing this. When they do, appeal that to the Chief Of Staff. Roseburg extended my flag each time I appealled it so then I personally took my appeal to the press.

      I sent a complaint to OIG but their staff was all in a conference apparently in the glass room at headquarters… Appeals at VA don’t mean shit to them when just one appeal shows up. The second one grabs their attention. The third one frightens them and they might just retaliate but at least you have torpedoes hot in the water once you start launching appeals. I bet nobody at VA or any VSO every told you how to appeal this stuff, right? The crazy dope smoker from Oregon did. God bless America.

      1. Dennis. I haven’t been in the Roseburg system but 3.5 years. I have noticed a change in Customer Service (for the better) since Paxton took over. I’ve certainly heard about how screwed up it was. I’ve had one success with Choice and one failure due to Tri West idiocy. Time will tell. Paxton allows himself to be directly accessible to help solve problems.

      2. @Windguy

        File a criminal Privacy Act complaint with HHS dot gov against Roseburg and see how that changes. Go to the press with malfeasance and corruption and again note any subtle differences….

        They might be good at resolving the fight about who gets the last slice of melba toast from the vending machines for you all the way up until you are put on double secret probation for blowing the whistle because the orbidly obese RN got the call on this instead of the anorexic patient. Then they will terminate care and tell police you threatened to murder all of them wih a dull spoon. It is a subtle change of stance but nonetheless worth noting…

      3. @Windguy

        Here is a quote from the VISN Grand Pooba at the time Frank Marr regarding an appeal of a bogus Cat One Flag the staff placed on me; “…I am afraid that we take even casual comments like he one you made very seriously at VISN-20, therefor I have decided to uphold the Cat One PRF.”

        Precisely WHICH casual comment is he even talking about??? More to the point, let me paraphrase for him ‘..we understand that you made no threat but you let slip a comment that pissed somebody off. So we decided you are disruptive and violent.’

        I have the letter from Dr. Fran Marr of the VA from the American Government justifying the termination of medical care because I spoke a “casual comment”. That seems pretty far away from a “verifiable threat” does it not? These people make up the laws as they see fit then plant their feet firmly in their mouths to talk about it. Since the head is already up the ass it gets hella crowded! Could you yourself as an American ignore an appeal of a false murder accusation based on a single “casual comment”?

        The leadership at Roseburg and VISN-20 can. Oops forgot – Bilal Chaudhry from the Islamic nation of Kenya, Chief of Staff, is not an American so maybe he gets a pass on that question. Who knows? In Kenya they probably make eunuchs of people who make casual comments…I guess I should feel lucky that they just terminated my medicines!

      4. OK Dennis – got your point. Like I said – I’m a newbie. I sought help from VA in St. Paul in 78 – I was in a very dark place. I was told, “next time, pull the trigger”. I stayed away from VA until 2012 when I ran out of $$ paying the NWO Pig Pharma/Pig Med mofos. I came in with lowered expectations. All I can say is that I noticed a change since Doug Paxton came on board. I do believe Chaudhry is now MIA – new acting in his place – also from INDIA – not Kenya. I saw Chaudhry get ripped by a vet at a town hall meeting in Brookings. Dude came equipped with documentation. Paxton beckoned Chaudrhy into the hall and smoked him. There’s a new “acting” Chief of Staff in Roseburg – she too is from India, not Kenya or Dirka Dirka Stan. Paxton can appear full of platitudes, but at his core I think he actually gives a rip.

      5. WOW do we go through Chiefs of Staff or what??? There has been four involved in this made for apetube special that I am a part of, and now there is a fifth??? They change them almost as often as I change my underwear!

        Chaudhry was nailed by me personally for earning “technical support” for compliance with The Privacy Act but the previous three were ALL named as well in the newspaper article regarding corruption at the hands of the DBC. The reporter once told me over our three year acquaintance, “…gosh, these guys (Chief of Staff) are all pretty lame when you ask me.” when I lamented that Harry “Chip” Taylor was lame as Chief of Staff. (not making up the name or the quotes. It is the way he signs his letters. I have a few. I got DBC’d by a guy known as a Harry Chip, a fact I pointed out in every rebuttal…)

        What staggers the imagination is just how many doctorate level folks have been involved in all of this malfeasance at Roseburg. From VISN 20 on down to every single Chief of Staff in the last four years, they are ALL either dirty or stand on the edge of corruption looking the other way and doing nothing.

        How can so very many folks cycle through Roseburg before somebody gets the idea that maybe it is the Senior Staff (SS) who runs the show, and that the real manager at Roseburg is the AFGE shop steward and that the AFGE shop steward is just coincidentally the one who runs the Disruptive Behavior Committee. Nice, huh?

        The DBC is staffed exclusively by the SS. This is the serpents nest that we toss young wartorn kids into – back stabbing little Nazis headed up by the very best the third world has to offer.

  17. Hey, Dennis,
    I read yesterday where a Democrat Judge was responsible for aiding and abetting an illegal immigrant to escape from her courtroom from ICE.
    Seems this illegal was charged with DUI. ICE was outside the courtroom waiting to pick him up.
    The (female) judge wasn’t having any of it. So, she (allegedly) helped him escape through her chambers.
    Now, the State’s Attorney General is looking into the matter.
    How’s that for news!
    _____________________

    Recently, My left elbow has swollen. It also has become infected, because of something.
    I called the VHA (small) clinic I go to, to see “IF” I couldn’t get in way before my next appointment (June 2017)!
    I was told by the ‘schedular’ I “…could come in. But probably wouldn’t be seen!”
    I have since started putting ointment on my elbow. Also, some “Ben Gay” to see IF I could get the swelling down. It hasn’t helped.
    Here’s the next thing that happened.
    Within a week, I received a letter from that VHA, informing me my appointment was moved from the middle of June to the end of July 2017!
    A coincidence? I think NOT!
    I BELIEVE THEY DID IT ON PURPOSE!

    1. Our local CBOC here in Oregon is now required to see 15 “walk-in” patients per day, in addition to regularly scheduled appointments and annuals. I don’t know that they’re hitting those numbers as we are still waiting for two new permanent doctors. Right now, we’re down to one retired guy. It’s hard to get a doctor (private or VA) to move to the sticks, in spite of insane coastal beauty/hiking/fishing/etc.

      As for the elbow – is there an open sore showing the infection? I’ve had a lot of success with colloidal silver. Topically if there’s an open wound – applied several times daily (in addition to obvious hygiene). And orally for – a couple three teaspoons per day. Silver kills everything. Colloidal was quite common before the prevalence of modern antibiotics.

      1. Windguy,
        Where can I get “colloidal silver”? Is it “over the counter” or by “prescription”?
        Never heard of it before.
        Thanks for the information.

      2. Elf – it’s OTC – any health food shop will have it. It’s not a vitamin. You can’t take it (orally) for weeks at a time, else you’ll qualify for the next member of Blue Man Group and won’t need makeup like some Utah Congressman did a decade ago. But it is effective. If I feel a cold coming on I can sometimes kill it. Sometimes not. Topical infections – yes – fungi – yes.

      3. @Crazy elf– A little interesting history on silver and its antibacterial qualities: You know how with most urban sayings or legends there’s an ounce of truth to be had? Well, a saying that is often still used when referring to likes of say, Sen. McCain is that saying of, “born with a silver spoon in his mouth”, was such because the more affluent back in the day had *real* silverware, and by simply using silver silverware, the trace amounts of silver intake made it such that the affluent children did not have quite as many health problems as the “regular spoon” kids, and that saying has stuck since, even though big pharma has almost but eliminated the knowledge of the benefits of colloidal silver.
        A more current use of a totally different metal is platinum, which is in more advanced chemotherapy anti-cancer drugs…the fine particles of platinum act as amplifiers of sorts for radiation therapy within the body. Kind of makes one wonder if the dramatically less expensive silver could do just as well, but then again big pharma would not rake in as many profits.
        Here’s just one vitamin company online that has 65 different offerings with colloidal silver…take note of the parts per million (ppm) in descriptions and pricing and take same when going to a retail store.
        Hope this helps. I know you love history and thought you might enjoy the silver spoon history.
        Note that some people are born with silver forks up their asses sideways…results are same.

      4. @Crazy elf– I forgot the link: “”https://www.swansonvitamins.com/q?kw=colloidal+silver””

      5. HEY WINDGUY do you make your silver or buy it premade. my next contraption on my list is buy one to make it myself,a lot cheaper in the long run. great for infections , i even put some in my dogs water bowl when he’s not feeling well

      6. OldLeather – absolutely make it myself. Gots me a little silver mine. Pollutes me a little river chemically leaching the silver out of the soil. Even mix in a little mercury and call it all natural.

  18. The elections are over. Focusing anger on some piss-ant VA Executive du jour has never, and will never improve the VA. It start and stops in Congress. Every one of your congress-persons show up for town hall meetings, pat themselves on the back for intervening on behalf of some vet who made just enough noise to “deserve” that attention of the representative. And people, including veterans politely applaud and pat Senator Douchebag on the back. He smiles, and says “Me lub you long time GI”, and goes away to ignore our sorry asses until the next town hall – or fucking election.

    The ONLY thing that will result in real change is a militant effort to cut off the pipeline of new recruits. We have over 750 bases in over 130 countries, all for supposed “American Interests”. Bullshit. It’s corporate interests. Follow the goddamn money.

    1. listen to ROBERT DAVID STEELE and his way of thinking X C.I.A, now that man has great way of fixing this system

      1. That’s exactly what we need; a leatherneck hard ass to bring order to chaos. I still say some retired E-9 Drill Sgt. that has been personally screwed over by the VA to take over and turn things upside down. Shulkin and The Three Piggy VSO’s are NOT going to change the system for betterment of Veterans.

      2. Old Gyrine – thanks for the heads up on Steele. Soo many alt opinions out there, hard to keep up with the same old rubbish. Went to his website – saw an interesting “Memo To Trump”. Rather refreshing. I’ve tried to stay away from conspiracy stuff because it digs up too much of my old stuff, and I know it killed my brother – But, I’ll keep an eye on Steele. Some day I’ll share my flunking a polygraph at NSA…

  19. The only show that I ever attended on Broadway was an absolute delight. I was 15 and still in high school but the morons around me felt my genius needed nurturing. So they signed me up for a college course(s) to take place while a resident at Columbia University right smack in downtown New York City. No summer fishing or camping that year for me….fuck the genuises. (And where are the GODAMN PUBLIC TOILETS on Manhattan?!?!? God I had to pee in the service elevator at Columbia and janitors caught me! I told them nothing dirty was going on but they just backed out slowly…)

    However I learned a great deal I did not expect about life and the show I attended on Broadway was titled, “The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas.” In retrospect that show was something of an analogy as it applies to VA. One song verse that sticks in my mind is a cheeefully sung lyric to the town sherrif from one of those tasty hoes to describe her place of work; “There is lots of good will, and maybe one small thrill, but nothing dirty going on!”

    What was the show about? Again, more insight. Some would say the best little whorehouse represents a change of the guard or a clash of older culture with newer culture. Some might argue that the whorehouse was what the patrons needed or wanted so it was not the whores who created the problem, but the patrons. At any rate the man charged with realigning the whorehouse into the modern era was himself (as noted by the lady protagonist) a past patron who frankly called the lady by a pet name…. The investigator was literally in bed with the investigated and NO less culpable. (sound familiar OIG?)

    So what was the show about? Was it about accountability? Nope. Was it about culture? Nope. Was it about “caring for those who bore the brunt of everyday battles”? Nope.

    It was about ticket sales at the front door to the theatre. It was about money changing hands from those who have it to those that seek it. It was about this single universal thing; there is but one obstacle between those who seek wealth and those who posess it – the truth. Sure there was lots of good will, maybe one small thrill, but honestly there was shitloads of dirty behaviour going on.

    The whorehouse could not change because the girls only had one vocation to practice. They had no other way to make money in any position offered unless the position was horizontal. I personally am all for the idea of Choice between a whorehouse and services offered in the community but I think that my time at Columbia on the Island of Manhatten watching and participating with my college professor smoking marijuanna inside our dorms at the prestigeous Columbia University that many societal lies began to make themselves clear to me at the age of 15.

    Here are the two lies relevent to this post;

    1) The lie that Columbia University is staffed by genius PHD (doctors) level thinkers who live just for research and the good of mankind,
    and
    2) The lie that a whorehouse can be anything but a whorehouse.

    1. @Dennis: Now, you DO have a ‘Choice” of various “positions” in that proverbial whorehouse, just as the VA has many positions available but the VA’s “Choice” is almost always a prostate cranial variety.

      1. Namnibor,

        You forgot the two most important positions at the proverbial whorehouse. The congressional and the senatorial positions both involving out stretched hands to receive payment prior to any services rendered.

      2. @Seymore Klearly,

        I was kind of assuming they could use their outstretched arms quite proficiently while their cranium meets rectum.

    2. @namnibor

      There is no choice for the patrons of a union whorehouse. Customers may indicate the whore that they would prefer, but the union hookers have negotiated a contract based on employee seniority. It dictates that the most senior prostitutes be assigned to your care if your preference has a wait list exceeding 30 days. They are honest about it and don’t offer worn out excuses over it, just worn out professionals who are union strong.

      1. @Dennis

        Larger question: Can you select the whore based upon star performance ratings readily available to avoid the need for any additional antiretroviral medications? I would assume the higher the star rating the lessor concern for the wary. But if it’s anything like the VA, the star rating could be as seriously taken as the Trix Rabbit and marshmallow stars and we know Trix are only for kids. Now I’m hungry for rabbit with stars in it’s eyes.

  20. Off-Topic but will somehow come to haunt Veterans in the fallout:

    Was just announced that over 1200 USA Charity CEO’s have received over $1 MILLION PAYDAYS each year over hast 8 years….these are CHARITIES!!!!!!!!!! Want to bet there’s a scam Veteran Non-Profit in that mix somehow waiting to be revealed? I have no doubt whatsoever. Wait for it… I think Obama’s “legacy” is starting to paint its own picture with creamy steamy brown matter.

    1. Well, when Obama essentially allowed federal agencies to extort “fines” from companies and direct those “fines” by donated to left wing groups as Crazy Elf pointed out, it’s no wonder “charity” leaders are seeing million dollar paydays.

  21. “This audit demonstrates that many of the same access to care conditions reported over the last decade continued to exist within…(VA).”

    Isn’t it astronomical the expense that OIG goes through decade after decade after decade to say simply what Bother Nesler said in two sentences then painted the landscape of America with;

    VA Lies. Vets Die.

    Always has been, and always will be. At least until the ocean currents gently lift Titanic from the ocean bottom so that she can complete her journey, a notion that (with reform) our politicians keep on signing up for. And more vets die thinking America has left them without a lifeboat. Those vets are right.

    VA is a lie and a boil on Americas ass that needs to be lanced and removed or the shit is just gonna keep on rubbing the pain in our face. I suggest blunt force trauma removal of that giant zit on the ass via military issue combat boot leather.

    1. May need to add ice cleats to those military issue boot leathers just to be sure proper lancing occurs.

  22. Am I “surprised”? “NO!” As “Ex va” pointed out, it’s been going on for years. I would say decades!
    Will anyone be held accountable? I doubt it!
    Until there are many “Honorable” persons in charge of VA, these egregious acts will continue.

    In my opinion—– this isn’t just a VA fubar!
    The problem(s) goes deeper than “Who’s running which government agency today?!”
    We’ve all seen, especially in the past until present, agency after agency, being broiled in controversy and illegal acts committed against veterans and taxpayers!
    Congress, even with the OIG’s reports, can’t do anything but bring the people involved in front of them to investigate. We’ve seen what usually happens. The “parties involved plead the fifth”! Nothing more is done after that!

    But, in a perfect world, Congress would “turn over their findings to the proper law enforcement agencies!” Investigations would follow, with the use of the OIG’s reports. If there’s enough evidence, the DOJ would convene a Grand Jury, indictments would/should follow. Then a “Judgement” would be made against the perpetrators!!!!!
    BUT ——-
    As I’ve said,
    “That would be in a perfect world!”
    ____________________

    Questions,
    What is “The Legitimacy of Government?” What “power” do they hold over its citizens? “Once the Master’s are placed on the Throne…”, are “…We the people, by definition, NO longer in charge?”
    Yesterday, I watched this powerful video, (11:42 minutes long).
    I believe it’s relevant to today’s blog. It’s from:
    “High Impact Flix” dated; Mar. 5, 2017. (It’s also “part 9 of a series. It has, below the video, ‘links’ to the others in it’s series.)
    Titled;

    “If Your Triggered by TRUTH and LOGIC, Don’t Watch This!”

    He’s not discussing President Trump. He’s talking about all those who were “placed by design in positions of power” before this current administration. We see today a great discord among the populace.
    We see how the persons who lost the election, and the MSM’s, are tearing this “Great Republic Experiment” apart. All for one “Reason”—- “GREED!”

    There’s not much more I can say. Please, google the video. Watch all of them! Then reflect on what’s happening around the world.

  23. “[VISN 6 failed to consistently conduct scheduler audits despite VHA requirements to do so since 2008.]”

    Want to bet all the other VISN’s have also conveniently and consistently failed to conduct *any* audits, as required to perform?

    How about using a “watchdog” that is not neutered as VAOIG seems to be and AUDIT the ENTIRE VA SWAMP? These rat bastards simply do not care. Period.

    1. Also, since 2008, President Obama must have given the VA OIG the duty of fluffing-up the pillows for VA AFGE and upper management SES types, while entirely turning blind eyes to the crack head hookers laying in those beds they are fluffing the pillows-up for….we need a new watchdog with teeth….the current VAOIG seems to only have gums as their dentures were even removed by Obama.

      Is it time for an entirely new form of checks and balances or did Obama effectively make them forget how to even do their jobs out of simple atrophy, lack of use of said skill-sets and regulations?

      I recall as soon as Obama was in office and started divvying-up the “stimulus $$$”, Obama either fired or outright replaced OIG’s throughout gov’t….and it was under Obama that we had the incessantly masturbating head of VAOIG in that all glass conference room…pigeons are still pissed they got blamed while that head of VAOIG got to quietly retire with full benefits….WTF?

      1. namnibor,
        Have you read where Obama “stole monies from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to cover his FAILING OBAMACARE!”?
        I see a “bubble getting ready to burst soon!”

      2. PS,
        Obama also funneled BILLIONS of taxpayers monies into a DOJ slush fund to help anti-American non-profits go against our Republic!
        Nice guy, huh!

  24. another way they get around it is my case with a sinus infection they gave me 3 bouts of antibiotics and told me it was cured which was bullshit because I couldn’t breath out of my one side then a year latter out of the blue PC sends me a letter i need to make a appointment with the ENT doctor, must have had a opening …… i had blood work done the other day and was talking to a older vet who had a dental app.latter that day, he asked the dentist why it took so long to get dental work done dentist said the hospital director didn’t want to hire another dentist because it dug into the bonus money,that was straight from the dentist …..

    1. @OLDMARINE, I would get a copy of your records, especially if they called you. Most likely it could have been a ” finding” they deemed “incidental” to try a cover their tracks. The sinus cavity is very unique in which it requires a battery of tests, to rule out other problems. Not only, the source of the infection needs to be pinpointed, it needs quick intervention in some cases. Some are the cause of polyps, some are even fungal in nature that antibiotics cannot handle that do not cover multi spectrum organisms. i.e gram negative and gram positive cocci
      The list goes on and would seek a second opinion from an outside source without VA connections
      Most doctors will be silent because of the rules of professional courtesy in many fields. i.e the jouranalism, medicine, policing , etc. Professional courtesy is deadly and may the truth be told. As a Corpsman, I took an Oath, and it does not get anymore professional than that, until I have to call for back up from my brothers at arms! On time, On target, Never Quit! Semper Fi! Hope you feel better.

      1. I finaly did get the surgery and I feel alot better….the doc told me it was so bad that it grossed out the nurse that assists him all the time.LOL. and thanks for the other info

    2. When I returned from the Gulf in 1991, I kept getting sinus infections so bad my nose would bleed.

      The VA in OKC would give me antibiotics and send me on my way. That would happen about every 6 months.

      In 1997, I went to the Madison VA and saw the ENT doc there. He said right away I had a badly deviated sceptum and he offered surgery to fix it. I got the surgery and have not had another sinus infection in 20 years.

      If I had been still going to the OKC VA those friggin nitwits would still be giving me antibiotics.

      Hell, OKC even did a cat scan to find out why I had so many sinus infections.

      1. We can mitigate the effects of any chemicals and neutralized all types of parasites without using highly toxic drugs and expensive procedures, but only with a very simple and complete protocol that defeats all known and unknown diseases for good, without any long-term side-effects. Find more about it here.

        Conquer Fear and Live Free!

  25. I am not surprised of any falsified data concerning wait times in any system in the va system. If it is going on in Phoenix in a clinic it is going on in many other clinics. There is evidence to prove that this exists in other clinics throughout the va healthcare system. The va uses the same software in all va clinics. Appointments are scheduled the same from philly to Phoenix. Coast to coast. Never a scheduling manager made accountable. Look up on the vaoig website and you can see manipulation of wait times has been going on for over 10 years. I researched it once. I was shocked at the evidence of these crimes going on without any accountability.

  26. Shill-kin: “What wait times? thers no stinking wait times.”
    Veteran who had to wait: “Hey Shill-kin? You like fish?”
    …………………./´¯/)
    ………………..,/¯../
    ………………./…./
    …………./´¯/’…’/´¯¯`·¸
    ………./’/…/…./……./¨¯\
    ……..(‘(…´…´…. ¯~/’…’)
    ………\……………..’…../
    ……….”…\………. _.·´
    …………\…………..(
    …………..\………….\…
    “Good, perch on this!!!!”

    1. More like Shull-kill! Retired Greg Brady looking mofo! He can take all those BFNs aka Big Fat Nurses and signed them up with their Choice Program (choose a diet) and shut it all down! There is no place in modern medicine where a person, yet alone a veteran should be receiving medical advice from a medical person who resembles a Crunchberry Beast, a Snuffaluffagus ,a Sigmund the Sea Monster, 2 pteradactyls and a decomposing spam sandwich….. it just ain’t right!

      1. @CorpsmanUP!– LMAO!!!! Yes, some of those RN’s and MD’s are so large that Veterans are in danger again of shrapnel when going to a VA appointment in the event a bee or gnat should sting or bite a VA RN or MD on the ass and all that flubber and buttons and clothing could put someone’s eye out when it reaches that point beyond mass of flubber and law of physics.

    2. SAME SHIT DIFFERENT DAY VETS WHAT DO YO EXPECT AFGE UNUION OWNS @ RUNS VA DEATHCARE FROM SATANIC HELL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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