The demoralizing care women veterans receive…I have solutions

Out here, the sunrises and sunsets are breath taking. You can feel the calm and quiet, perfected by the chirping of birds and the rhythm of insects.  Reflection is mandatory.  Rural life is slower.  The night skies are darker, shimmering brightly with millions of stars.  The few sirens we hear sound for a few seconds in the morning, midday and early evening… a sort of alarm clock for farmers.
The isolation is peaceful, centering, inviting…. and dangerous for aging disabled veterans far removed from their Community Based Outpatient Centers (CBOC’s) and VA hospitals and lacking community services.
The average person who suffers an injury goes to the closest ER or clinic. The rural veteran weighs the distance to the VA – mine is a couple of hours away – versus my personal assessment of how badly I am injured or how ill I feel.
I think about the effort it will take to make calls and argue about VA payment – which can take more than a year – because I decided to go to the local ER, or even attend a pre-approved fee based mammogram in a medical trailer brought in monthly to the tiny community hospital.
The facility, its billing office, the doctor, and several VA offices must be called – once the bills roll in. Compounding the frustration is explaining that I am the veteran and the VA is responsible for payments. No, it is not Tri-Care, CHAMPVA, or ACA.
It is frustrating and it turns to anger, and the anger boils over and infects everyone I care about...

Source: Disruptive Women in Health Care - November 11, 2014 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: dw at disruptivewomen.net Tags: Access Advocacy Women's Health Source Type: blogs