WSJ – VA Approval Sinks Amidst Constant Scandals

VA approval

Benjamin KrauseVA approval sunk 16 percentage points over the past year since fraud and savagery was first revealed by VA staff against defenseless and desperate veterans at Phoenix VA.

Wall Street Journal covered Pew Research on the subject recently:

“A 16-point decline in a year is fairly large for any federal agency,” said Alec Tyson, a senior researcher for Pew, who noted that favorability ratings by both Republican and Democrat respondents fell in tandem. “We see a bipartisan decline in views which is notable. That’s not always the case that views of Republicans and Democrats shift in concert,” he said.

What will it take to turn around the negative trend? Are you surprised approval ratings aren’t even lower?

Read More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/va-approval-sinks-in-wake-of-turmoil-1421951891

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19 Comments

  1. I can’t wait ’til they start going back through some of those disability claims and start having findings about fraud, along with the raw payola potential represented by a 170 billion dollar a year budget. This thing needs safeguards, controls, and high-level competency to be managed in such a way that it will help any veteran, because unless you have good adult supervision, well, surprise surprise surprise, all the money’s gone, and there’s a couple people spitting canary feathers and moving rapidly toward
    the exits, because veterans and people and companies and organizations that claim to represent them are all people underneath, and if I can walk out of my do-gooder role with a check for a cool million after making a side deal with Uncle Louie who’s got this fat contract for Uncle Sam to work for the VA, well…let’s hear what they’ve got in place for audit controls, and the gory details of some of the suits that have been filed so far by IG’s and comptrollers and so forth.

    Just because some fat jerk fabricates himself a war story and sobs it all the way to 100% disability doesn’t mean it was earned or deserved by any stretch of the imagination, and the more of that stuff you let go, the less credibility the rest of the institution is going to have, at the end of the day. Keep it honest, just sayin’.

  2. If you don’t know any better the va hospital care is not bad or pretty good.
    It’s like anything else in life. I have had several friends that loved the va health care
    system. But unfortunately they went in for some major surgery and never came out
    alive. Me, I go to the va for basic things and meds. Anything requiring anything
    serious I use my medicare at private hospitals and with well qualified medical
    professionals. I say, “if you have a choice use your medical health insurance plan”.

  3. On an even more depressing note, I received my “Veterans Choice” card from the VA only to find out I still don’t have a choice. Thanks DVA!

    1. Yeah, my dad received one of those and I told him that he still has to get the approval from fee services to get the care locally. I told him that fee services could take 30 – 90 days to approve the care so he is not really getting the care any quicker. It was something that the VA used as a tool so the civilian people would think that us vets are going to be taken care of better and it was all a lie. I told him to make sure that if he uses it to get the people’s names he talked to that said he was approved before he gets his letter of approval or he would have to pay for the care himself and without the letter he most likely would still have to pay for it himself. I told him that the letter stating the approval is what he would need to show that the VA will pay for it. So basically it is useless and the VA is fooling a lot of vets into believing that they can just go get the care and it will be paid for by the VA. WRONG!

    2. well, let’s not be disappointed about that because if you read the fine print it says it was not intended to be a choice for medical care, it was only a choice to make a choice, so you will actually have a choice to use which ever card you want, as in your old VA card or your choice card along with your old VA card, but with no actual choice which was never promised or implied to start with. remember, the VA is a very noble organization, they don’t waste countless billions, and when they say choice they totally do not mean it. get it? of course not. i really need to explain this better. there is actually a choice by this symbolic new card. do you want to get screwed over in the same old way or screwed over in the new fangled way? wow, i finally got it.

      1. bruce, thanks for the explanation. It is now all crystal clear about the choice card. Oh, wait a minute, I re-read it and now I am confused again. Wait, I re-read what I just re-read and after reading just the ending now it is clear. WOW, I finally got it too. Either way, we are getting screwed. Gotta love the VA! (yes sarcasm)

  4. no, i am not surprise it is even lower. but, actually it is much lower. best explanation is that it’s a transposition error, and the rating dropped by 61 points instead of 16. now that would be closer to the truth, because then the approval rate would be much closer to zero like it should be if everyone was being honest.

  5. The Buffalo DVA denied my claims for compensation and paid health… as late as December 2013. The Buffalo DVA claimed of government resources, including their own INTraNET, they couldn’t find record of my service in Vietnam exposed to agent orange. However, I found this information on the INTerNET :
    1. The DVA January 2010 Compensation & Pension Bulletin Policy (211) provides Information on Vietnam Operations: the crew of ships that operated “rivers” and “deltas” are provided …presumption of exposure to herbicides…without further development. The history of the USS Newport News includes operations in the Vinh Binh Province in the Mekong “DELTA” December 1968.
    2. The June 2010 Compensation & Pension Policy (211) provides ADDITIONAL Information on Vietnam Naval Operations; ships lists…lists The USS Newport News for operations: Cua Viet “RIVER” April 1969.
    3. The Newport News CA-148 appeared on The (so-called) up-to date DVA ships list July 2013 ; yes, 5 months before the Buffalo DVA Dec. 2013 Decision): for operations in the Vinh Binh Province in the Mekong ” Delta” December 1968, ONLY. What happened to list the Cua Viet “RIVER” April 1969 ( ; ) of the ships list received by Senate Committee ( : ) June 2010 DVA Compensation & Pension Bulletin Policy (211).
    4. The June 2010 Compensation & Pension Bulletin Policy (211) includes itself as part of The January 2010 C & P Bulletin Policy (211). ( ships1)
    5 The January 2010 C & P Bulletin Policy (211) clearly states: There is no reason for the DVA to hold the claims of anyone who served aboard the above listed vessels during the indicated time frames.
    6. Congressional Research Services / Statutory Presumptions (by law clerk Nichols October 2010; yes, Oct. 2011.
    7.The Nehmer Training Guide (211A) and The Nehmer Training Guide 2011 Revised.
    ———————————————————————————————————————
    For over 4 1/2 years, The Buffalo DVA refused to accept my information by statements of my service in the Vinh Binh Province in the Mekong “DELTA”. In fact, The New York State Veteran Service Officer was first refused to take such information because The New York State VSO said that the DVA already has that information. The New York State Veteran Service Officer also refused to take my information for PTSD: Such as,The USS Newport News CA-148 was the most extensive firing of any Naval Vessel in the Vietnam Conflict (Source: Vietnam Cruise Book 1967-1968). The Vietnam War was a body count war ! The New York State VSO only wanted to file especially for diabetes type II caused by agent orange. The NYS VSO idea was to get that claim approved to put a foot in the door that other claims would more readily be processed ( ; ) Buffalo DVA tried to use “omissions” to deny my claims for compensation and health care for : diabetes type II and secondary illnesses : history of a daily high anxiety and depression roller-coaster; shortness of breath; severe sleep apnea; cramps of toes, ankles, legs, and fingers; weakness of legs; erectile dysfunction; lack of feeling well to having panic attacks. Nonetheless, my health problems, past and present of 2001, are presumed to be because of toxic exposure by St. Joseph’s Hospital; and, Strong Memorial Hospital Diagnosis (of 2001) is: “Chemical Exposure”. I , too, have ischemic heart disease.
    ——————————————————————————————————————
    8. The March 2010 Training Class regarding ischemic heart disease to include to look for anxiety, depression. impotence, weakness of legs, etc. .
    ——————————————————————————————————————-
    The Buffalo DVA June 2014 decision includes (of April 18, 2014 examination and review of my medical records) that The examiner diagnosed my ischemic heart disease as early as 2000. According to the Nehmer Court Order ( The Nehmer Training Guide 2011 Revised), The Buffalo DVA had to pay RETRO compensation within 21 days. Since payment hasn’t been made, I wrote 3 times to:
    Department of Veterans Affairs
    Compensation & Pension Service
    Attn: Nehmer Working Group (211A)
    810 Vermont Ave NW
    Washington DC 20420
    Yes, I sent the letters (the information) certified mail / return receipt requested. I did not receive any of the “paid for” return receipts. However, I was notified through another office that my “Appeal” was sent to the “Board of Veterans’ Appeal (board) “. Such further delays compensation (:) The Board of Veterans Appeal (board) is back logged to January 2012. In late 2011, I demanded to file BVA FORM 9. However, The Buffalo DVA refused to send it at the time.This is why the Nehmer Court Order gives priority to Nehmer claims. All Nehmer claims virtually require special handling. The Nehmer Court Order ( note: 211A) connects itself to January & June 2010 Compensation & Pension Bulletins (note: 211).
    —————————————————————————————————————-
    I should not need a lawyer (or group of lawyers) to enforce the already made and laid out Nehmer court order. Nehmer states: VA compensates class counsel for it’s work on Nehmer claims. Nehmer claims have priority. Such is to NOW say: Where’s the “TOP COPS” to thoroughly investigate The New York State Veteran Service Officers; The Buffalo DVA; and the Nehmer Working Group (note:211A) ? Why isn’t my appeal given priority ? Nonetheless, my appeal is to have my claim processed by The Nehmer Court Order ( : ) The Nehmer Training Guide Feb. 2011.
    ——————————————————————————————————————-
    Yes,Such is substantive evidence that The New York State Veteran Service Officer, The Buffalo DVA, and The Nehmer Working Group (211A) are all enablers of:
    I have been Poisoned and Abandoned by my own country is perhaps the biggest “TORT” imaginable ( ; ) I’d like to sanction …The Buffalo DVA… to award compensation to me of RETRO $40,000 a year since July 1969: derived of The Buffalo DVA’s incentives and bonuses ( ; ) to send a sincere warning to OTHER Regional DVA’s Offices…to strictly comply to The Nehmer Training Guide and Congressional Research Services / Statutory Presumptions. Yes, feel free: [email protected]. Thank-you for having me put another “log-in” the fire.

  6. my experience has been pretty good, referrals and appointments are the most troublesome I have experienced. Overall, I am comfortable with VA

      1. good question to ask which VA’s he went to, but it’s probably fair to say they are all pretty much the same. inflitrate, embed, and change (IEC) is what we must do to gut the VA and start over.

    1. I feel fairly comfortable using VA as well. Have been using it since I became unemployed in 2009, used civilian medical care prior to that when I had a job with medical insurance. The VA I use is HQ’d in Madison, WI at Middleton Memorial VA Hospital . They have an outpatient clinic in Rockford, IL.

    1. Been in the VA Medical System since 1968, wounded and retired from the military for that wound that the VA has completely ignored and they have doctors where I went Martinez, California VA Medical Clinic have killed veterans and nothing happens to them except they may get that promotion or bonus FTVA! I am going to ask for my Grave Marker now, that way I can check the spelling and I also can add, “The Veterans Administration Sucks! It is a disgrace as we all know that the carnage caused in war is nothing compared to what the VA Medical in Martinez, California VAMC or I should write “The VA Medical USA” is below what a Witch Doctor could conjure up!

  7. Oh les évaluations iront plus bas! Vous avez déjà entendu parler de bouche à oreille se répand comme un feu sauvage quand il se agit des actions négatives? Gee, depuis que je connais un peu à ce sujet et voir comment le jeu a été joué? Ne me ️thank pour mon service, parce que bientôt mon service doit être vu! VA SUCE! (Professionnels-je ai rencontré seulement deux qui ne correspond pas à la menteurs club, ce est sacrément triste!)

    In the spirit of this thread, I decided to say it with the words of one that assisted in those years from departure from across the pond. ( they do not all like this country, gee, why?)

    1. I agree that the assessments will continue to go down. More and More people are hearing about how bad the VA has become and that only helps us vets to be able to get our VA HealthCare system back to where it should be.

      or

      Je suis d’accord que les quotes-parts continuera à descendre. Plus de gens entendent parler de comment le mauvais la VA est devenu et qui seulement nous aide vétérinaires pour pouvoir obtenir notre système de soins de santé VA vers où il devrait être.

    1. Would please translating that in . (English) you may have a good point.
      we all would be interested in. Thanks

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