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finally though it's clear that inefficiency alone can't account for a backlog of 400k. that tells me we need to do two things in addition to streamlining - we need to change the threshold and way in which disability benefits are granted and we need to fund more claims examiners.
do you have any suggestions on how to fix the problem?
The problem is how the VA operates.
As an example, when I was discharged in 1993, I was rated at 10% disability. A month later I met with a VA administrator who reduced this to 0%.
And I submitted claim after claim to get it restored to 10%. And for the next 14 years my rating would bounce between 10% and 0%.
When I was a full-time student I put in an application for 100% during the time I was in school (this is fully allowed). And it was denied. I put this in 3 times in 9 months, only to have them finally accept me, in a letter telling me I was eligible for 100%, but since I had graduated I was no longer eligible.
The VA is a bloated, uncaring bureaucratic nightmare. If you are retired or rated at 80% or more, they are great because they have to take care of you. For anybody else, it is a nightmare most times.
10% won't get you anything. You have to be over 30% to get any kind of disability.
I'm 10%, and that was from a broken nose during a boxing smoker.
10% won't get you anything. You have to be over 30% to get any kind of disability.
I'm 10%, and that was from a broken nose during a boxing smoker.
It is supposed to get you treatment for the service connected disability that is related to me.
I spent 10 years as a grunt, and have the knees to prove it. I got medboarded from the Marines with a 10% (I fought this process for 3 years).
And even at 0%, they are supposed to treat a service connected disability.
What I went through was some administrator reduced it to 0%. A year later would see a doctor and they would put it back to 10%, then some administrator a few months later would set it back to 0% again.
Legally this is supposed to make no difference in treatment for my knee, but it did have many impacts. Mostly because before they would even treat it, they would have to reevaluate me again.
And again, and again, and again, and again.
I was never trying to "milk the system", I just wanted treatment for my knee in jury. This frustration with how incompetent the VA was was actually a small part of why I finally joined again in 2007, at the age of 42. I got better treatment for my knee in my first year back to active duty then I ever did in 14 years of the VA.
And yes, I lied my ass off to get back into the military. The evaluating doctors having me do all kinds of bends and squats and asking if it hurt. Of course I had popped 1600mg of Motrin before the exam, and I said "no sir, not at all" as I did whatever they wanted.
Sometimes having a high pain tolerance is a good thing.
It takes about 4 weeks to see my doc when requesting an appointment at the VA..
i think perhaps one solution would be to require all disability claims start and end with a va doctor. base all disability claims on their assessment and recommendation. this might help to cut down fraud and would certainly lessen wait times, however it would require more doctors.
finally though it's clear that inefficiency alone can't account for a backlog of 400k. that tells me we need to do two things in addition to streamlining - we need to change the threshold and way in which disability benefits are granted and we need to fund more claims examiners.
do you have any suggestions on how to fix the problem?
The problem is how the VA operates.
As an example, when I was discharged in 1993, I was rated at 10% disability. A month later I met with a VA administrator who reduced this to 0%.
And I submitted claim after claim to get it restored to 10%. And for the next 14 years my rating would bounce between 10% and 0%.
When I was a full-time student I put in an application for 100% during the time I was in school (this is fully allowed). And it was denied. I put this in 3 times in 9 months, only to have them finally accept me, in a letter telling me I was eligible for 100%, but since I had graduated I was no longer eligible.
The VA is a bloated, uncaring bureaucratic nightmare. If you are retired or rated at 80% or more, they are great because they have to take care of you. For anybody else, it is a nightmare most times.
you figure out how to fix malaise in a bureaucracy and you'll win a nobel prize.
i think perhaps one solution would be to require all disability claims start and end with a va doctor. base all disability claims on their assessment and recommendation. this might help to cut down fraud and would certainly lessen wait times, however it would require more doctors.
Oh look! Another person jealous of the VA!
Did you get a Bad Conduct Discharge when you were booted out? Or Dishonorable?
No....I'm retired.
I have nothing to do with them. I got a VA loan 30 years ago, but other than that I don't use their benefits.
Are you retired military? If you are, do you enjoy your retirement pay? If you're not, then you're just jealous guys like me bring in over $4k a month to sit on our asses and make you look like a fool on internet forums.
And anyone with over 180 days active duty without a BCD or Undesirable discharge are eligible for the GI bill.
whoopie de doo big playa
It takes about 4 weeks to see my doc when requesting an appointment at the VA..
Yeah.....right.....sure....uh-huh......
The problem is how the VA operates.
As an example, when I was discharged in 1993, I was rated at 10% disability. A month later I met with a VA administrator who reduced this to 0%.
And I submitted claim after claim to get it restored to 10%. And for the next 14 years my rating would bounce between 10% and 0%.
When I was a full-time student I put in an application for 100% during the time I was in school (this is fully allowed). And it was denied. I put this in 3 times in 9 months, only to have them finally accept me, in a letter telling me I was eligible for 100%, but since I had graduated I was no longer eligible.
The VA is a bloated, uncaring bureaucratic nightmare. If you are retired or rated at 80% or more, they are great because they have to take care of you. For anybody else, it is a nightmare most times.
you figure out how to fix malaise in a bureaucracy and you'll win a nobel prize.
i think perhaps one solution would be to require all disability claims start and end with a va doctor. base all disability claims on their assessment and recommendation. this might help to cut down fraud and would certainly lessen wait times, however it would require more doctors.
Yeah, but those Bush loving Republicans keep cutting off the fucken funding......bastards.
So Obama's hands are tied.
you have to admit that underfunding could be playing a role.
you figure out how to fix malaise in a bureaucracy and you'll win a nobel prize.
i think perhaps one solution would be to require all disability claims start and end with a va doctor. base all disability claims on their assessment and recommendation. this might help to cut down fraud and would certainly lessen wait times, however it would require more doctors.
Yeah, but those Bush loving Republicans keep cutting off the fucken funding......bastards.
So Obama's hands are tied.
you have to admit that underfunding could be playing a role.
It takes about 4 weeks to see my doc when requesting an appointment at the VA..
It takes about 4 weeks to see my doc when requesting an appointment at the VA..
I called Tuesday, saw my Doctor today. Never had to wait a month.
Looks to me like what we're seeing here are disgruntled vets who didn't get what they wanteed.
That's always you motherfuckers' excuse.
Democraps screw everything up and you want more money which means more taxes.
Fuck you.
Truth is you can't spend your way out of incompetence.
no, you're right. there is probably some waste and inefficiency that could be cut out of the VA. i don't know how you lay that all at the president's feet, but you're right that it could be done.
you also have to recognize that when we started two wars we should have planned for this - we did not. that doesn't lay so much with obama as it does with the president and congress back in 2002.
finally though it's clear that inefficiency alone can't account for a backlog of 400k. that tells me we need to do two things in addition to streamlining - we need to change the threshold and way in which disability benefits are granted and we need to fund more claims examiners.
do you have any suggestions on how to fix the problem?
Getting rid of Obama would be a good start.
Seems his people are either incompetent or criminally negligent.
11,000 backlog the day he walks in,.....currently over 400,000 today.
What do you think is the problem?
Best bet is use your insurance and stay away from the VA.
I didn't want anyone fucking me up.
It takes about 4 weeks to see my doc when requesting an appointment at the VA..
I called Tuesday, saw my Doctor today. Never had to wait a month.
Looks to me like what we're seeing here are disgruntled vets who didn't get what they wanteed.
the russians aren't a threat. they aren't about to start a shooting war with us.
and since things are wrapping up in afghanistan it's plain to see that in fact times are changing.
Times are changing.
al Qaeda has been dealt a heavy blow, the Russians are showing their weakness more and more, and the world isn't dangerous anymore.
Maybe a few less paint chips would help. mkay?
The last major Al Qaeda attack on the US homeland occurred, when?
Exactly?
