U.S. Department of
Veterans Affairs
Attention: Secretary Eric K. Shinseki
810 Vermont Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20420
Attention: Secretary Eric K. Shinseki
810 Vermont Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20420
Dear Secretary Eric K.
Shinseki,
The enclosed letter is a
copy of the letter I sent to Director Debra Hirschman of the Sheridan
VA Healthcare System in Sheridan, WY.
What they are doing to me
and others is unconscionable, but it is a little fiefdom with it's
own rules and agenda. And the bean counters who are out of touch with
us real veterans.
Thank You for you time and
any considerations regarding my letter. The entire VA is not bad,
just bits and pieces, but they matter a lot.
Sincerely,
William D. Harasym
USAF Veteran and Disabled
____________________________________________________________
Enclosed Letter originally to Debra Hirschman, Director at Sheridan VA Healthcare System:
Director Hirschman
VAMC
1898 Fort Rd.
Sheridan, WY 82801
Dear Director Hirschman,
The Sheridan VA Medical
Center of
the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) - U.S. Department of
Veterans Affairs really messed with me today, and I'm not going to
take this sitting down.
I had 2 appointments
today, one after the other. The 1st appointment I scheduled, and it
was in their computer system. The 2nd one was scheduled by their
appointment czar, (A month ago.) who I'm guessing has a computer too,
and would have seen a conflict if one was there, but she didn't.
My 1st appointment was
over at MHC, and I went to book my next appointment at MHC, but there
was a line of a few vets also doing that. (Usually there isn't.) The
guy at the window was taking forever, as I looked at my watch and saw
it was almost time for my 2nd appointment. After 5-7 minutes I
finally got my turn and did it as fast as possible, like <2
minutes, and asked the lady at the desk to call over to primary-care
to tell them I was on my way.
I rushed over there,
breaking the speed limit on campus to get there, and doing it on a
forearm crutch and 2 really screwed-up & horribly bad knees, one
that has needed surgery for over 5 years now (No ACL, torn meniscus
and much more---it's bone on bone right now.), but the VA says I'm
too fat, so suffer sucker! I get there at the front desk to check in,
and there is another line of over 1/2 dozen folks, so I had to wait
another 15-20 minutes there (They only had one person on duty when
they usually have 2.) and I finally checked in. She said the previous
appointment people called and let her and triage know I was on my
way. She apologized for the delay and said have a seat, and they'll
call you back soon, to see the doc. I sat there another 7-8 minutes,
and one of the nurses came out and said the doc is already seeing the
2 o'clock appointment, and that he can't see you today, so come back
Friday, on May 23. 2014. I was pissed, and still am. What kind of
fucking circus are you running there?
It was the VA's archaic
system that caused the delays, yet the VA decided I was their
scapegoat and the one to fuck over today! It's bullshit, and I will
be informing the IG of this and a plethora of other evil acts by the
VA. I've always had the VA's back, but it seems they don't have mine.
On some issues, you live in a black and white world, on others, it
becomes a gray area, but this shape-shifts to accommodate whatever
the rule du jour is, and who's interpreting it.
I'm a Ukrainian
Bear---Gentle when stroked, Fierce when provoked!
My mom died just a few
months ago, and I'm not a happy camper, and that's what I discussed
with my psychiatrist today, my current state of depression (Oh, I'm
bi-polar too, so depression is not a good thing for someone who is
bi-polar, just speaking from experience.) and then what does the VA
do?- They decide their world had to be black and white today, and
fuck the vet because he is a little late, as it's never the VA's
fault! How many times over the last 30+ years I've been using the VA
have my doctors been late, or even no shows for appointments? Scores
of times, but did we send them home? I think not. This was bullshit
and I want an apology, and the opportunity to schedule an appointment
at my convenience, not some nurse's or doc's.
While I'm venting, let's
talk about my knees—-they are screwed-up, and pretty soon I'll need
a wheelchair of some sort just to get around, due to the VA's
obstinate behavior. When a person is in pain, and can't walk, there
isn't many exercises they can do except water aerobics and water
physical therapy. But the VA in Sheridan is run by idiots, and you're
only allowed a few visits, then they tell you to go to the YMCA. Why,
when the VA has the facilities, and space for veterans to use the
pool every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1pm. Why do I have to give
a private religious party (YMCA) my personal and financial
information all because we have idiot bean counters running the VA?
That is a sin! Never mind the separation of church and state.
That brings me to my
knees---I tore my left ACL 5 ½ years ago, and then everything else
fell apart. Now both knees are screwed up and the VA does shit. If my
knees were replaced like I was told 22 years ago would happen in a
few years, then I could walk, and do exercise. But you folks do thing
ass-backwards, and are inconsistent. Last year a friend's husband
hurt his shoulder, and within 3 months he was getting surgery. He too
was suppose to go to Cheyenne VA (Like I'm suppose to do with my 23
year old car that I don't even drive out of town for fear of it dying
or breaking down.) for surgery, but his wife cried saying it was too
far for the family (They have 3 new vehicles and their only child
just got her nursing degree here in Sheridan.) and inconvenient. So
they let them do the surgery here with a local orthopedic surgeon.
I've been begging this for years and they just laugh at me.
Thanks for you time.
Enclose is the appointment card I got today, along with the other
waste of paperwork I also received. Recycle it, and use your IT
system the way it's suppose to, not half-assed like it is now!
Everyday is Veteran's Day at the VA! Yeah Right!
Sincerely,
William D. Harasym
cc: VA Office of
Inspector General - Richard J. Griffin- Acting Inspector General
The Secretary Of Veterans Affairs
- Eric K. Shinseki
VISN Network Director - Mr. Ralph
T. Gigliotti
Congressperson Cynthia Lummis
Senator John Barrasso
Senator Mike Enzi
The N.Y. Times Newspaper
7 comments:
Dear William,
Its nice that you bitch and complain about your free health care that you seem to be obligated to get.
I too have knee issues and need a knee replacement. Unfortunately I also tore my ACL, MCL, PCL, and LCL this winter. I work full time and have health insurance that I pay 425 dollars every month for. Compare to some that is reasonably cheap. So when I got my operation to fix all 4 of my ligaments because I was unable to walk without them I walked out of there owing 10,000 dollars. That's with insurance. My daughter had some type of cyst on under her ear and her primary DOC told me that I had to have her be seen by an ENT. I had to get my insurance to authorize it and they told me I had to see a particular ENT that was booked out to 4 months. So I waited to get her the procedure done and luckily the cyst was not cancer. But again I walked out of there owing 900 dollars with insurance.
So I read your ranting and raving because you got canceled for your appointment. You complain that they will not do surgery on your knees until you loose some weight. Well honestly, If I had the opportunity to get surgery and walked out there not owing any money to the hospital once it was complete I loose the weight you fat FUCK!
I find it difficult to listen to you complain about how you lost an appointment because they were short on staff and unable to process you fast enough. How do you know the reason that person did not show up is maybe that individual had a family emergency. Yet you bad mouth the VA the same people who provide you free health care for your fat crazy ass. What are you 100 percent? I guess you have an excuse to act this way since you are bipolar and depressed all at the same time. My sister fights Bipolar and I grew up being told that I had to be tolerant of her because she many times does not know what she is doing. So all my life I had to look the other way when she destroyed our family vacation or my bday party because she happened to be getting ignored or she decided not to take her medications.
so I can understand that maybe you were off your meds and depressed when you wrote this letter. It only seems logical because why would anyone bitch and complain over loosing an appointment when most of have to work 50 to 70 hours a week to maintain our shitty insurance and pay for doctor bills that continue to pile up. My Mom and Dad spent a lot of money on mental health for my sister and they too had insurance. It sounds like the VA is providing you a place to keep your crazy ass stable.
NOW, If you wrote this in sound mind then I guess I am assuming your just an asshole and if I was that clerk I probably would not have helped you out because I am sure you were making a big deal in line. I know my sister would of been making a scene of it.
Now I am sure you will say that your deserve free insurance because you are a vet. I say that is honorable. But be appreciative of what you have while us ordinary Americans bust our ass to pay our medical bills.
So William in a nut shell...... SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!!!!!
Signed,
An under paid American struggling to pay his medical bills
Well, maybe if you had some balls you would have served your country and received free healthcare!
To: An underpaid American struggling to pay his medical bills,
I too am a veteran and see the Sheridan VA for assistance. I feel we as humans get quite the run around at this facility. I was an inpatient a year ago trying to get treatment for a problem they said they could help me with but I was kicked out of the program because I didn't agree to being treated like a child . I felt I had the right to come and go as I please, went to all of my classes and appointments on time, and came "home" to the campus on time, but was provided with a UA every time I left the campus. One instance resulted in a false positive on thier little test, (I took another test immediately and it was fine), and was kicked out of their program anyway and immdediately. I don't believe the facility is there to assist anyone and make the rules as they go along.
My healthcare isn't free, I pay for my benefits and pay taxes for the full time jobs, yes jobs, I maintain. I can't afford health insurance at my places of employment and can't afford Obama Care. I too would love to have surgery on my bad knee, but was told I would get a new knee when I am 65 years old. This was told to me as an 18 year old on Active Duty Status. Our VA system really needs to revamp their priorities as we all did on the day we signed on the dotted line for our active duty tours.
I can't seem to even get any government job, as I have tried for years and I am a service connected disabled, female, Hispanic, educated with a BAS, human being. I also tried to be employed by the Government when I was married to active duty Army personnel which gave me another guaranteed qualification and still couldn't obtain a "government" position in the GS system. However, any average American seems to be able to get in without any of these qualifications and then feel entitled to treat us less than human at times. Maybe it's just Americans feel they are "entitled" in general. I certainly do feel I am entitled to recieve the benefits I earned defending this great nation. If anyone of you "average" Americans has a problem with us "veterans" receiving benefits for our service then I suggest you find yourself another country to move to and consider yourself lucky to have us "veterans" around to defend our nation, our benefits, and our rights we obtained in this country. If you would like to insult anyone try insulting all of the people on welfare or crossing our borders which our country takes in and "helps," or the foreigners coming into our country because they marry an American. If you would like to complain about your insurance not paying for all of your medical problems then you sir should quit your job and stay home on state assistance and leave us honest, hard-working, American Veterans to continue to keep you in the lap of luxury you didn't seem fit to participate in. Too bad our nation has the freedom to chose whether or not to serve our country or not. Remember, a lot of veterans are young "kids" just getting out of high school who are more dedicated to our country and accept injuries or death to protect those freedoms you sir are so happy to complain about.
As far as being "fat" and unhealthy, we were once a very elite group of healthy, young, physically fit individuals and our injuries have added to our aging bodies. What excuse do you have for being so rude and ungrateful?
Signed a female, disabled veteran, of a minority class, with a college education!!
An under paid American struggling to pay his medical bills So that's how you treat a true American warrior , insult hi, than insult him so more, just curious as to what your doing on a Vet comment board, you must be one of those wanna be keyboard commandos!! You know your safe as long as your behind your keyboard. The true Vet paid the dues for his insurance & buddy I thank you for that as many a vet paid the ultimate price & never used their insurance so comparing your cost for insurance vs the fallen warriors buddy your taking the easy way out & bitching about it , so just go crawl back into your hole & understand Vets will & do look out for each others backs. Cause we have experienced the Va healthcare system where a major problem needs fixed with more than the band aid they offer , now with the investigating of the Va going on its even harder to get something more than a band-aid when needed well it beats having to have flowers brought to your grave site
It does seem that a jealous underpaid American struggling to pay medical bills is mouthing about the care vets because he cannot get into the VA system. I was drafted into the dear old army to serve in Nam and lo and behold because I did return to the world I can get VA health care. There are 58,000 plus who also served in Nam that can not use the VA system. I am proud of my service but this country did not treat Nam vets well for many years. Even though I did not like my war I would not alter my experience. I am quite happy that a person unwilling to give his name that is worried that vets have it great because of service is unable to acquire our VA care. You are one piece of shit that that should acquire more treatment of an educational variety. You actually make me sick. I will have to go to the VA again to vent, but not about a worthless shit such as yourself but because our treatment at this VA has deteriorated. Veterans do deserve treatment that is prompt and adequate. often it is not. I was sent to Denver for a procedure that I have canceled. I had 3 more appointments for the surgery plus incidentals. It could have been done in Sheridan and should have been. many vets did receive it here. This facility wastes so much money it is pitiful. Veterans Affairs does need change but the change better benefit veterans. Even though I was drafted I am proud that I went to Nam. It was not easy. Are you a citizen of this great land? Perhaps you would be happier in another country, please leave. Leave the vets alone. we will always support one another because our service is our bond. Perhaps you are a politician seeking to make his name by demolishing our veteran benefits, but that will not work in the usa. Your rant of jealousy is childish, pathetic and does not warrant my response. But leaving Veterans alone is a necessity for you. Our country had need of our service and we responded by doing our duty. I would do it again and I hated it but I am proud to have served with many heroes, they were my friends and fellow troops. Service was our duty. Care now is our right. Adequate responsible care with few stresses put upon the veteran the system has to care for because we did our duty and most citizens were not called to serve and thus were able to continue their life in a world which often never considers the Veteran. We remember our service and the damn VA is only in existence because of vets. Our care should be the best. It must be the best.
Dan Lovick veteran of army service in Vietnam
Not only is the care often below standard and often rules block access such as the false positive UA's, Odd rules not seen in other facilities, it is also a poor place to work 30 yr VA and Employee.
My advice: go where you are celebrated not tolerated!
I am a service connected Veteran and I believe that the people who come onto sites like this and put down Veterans are Civilian VA employees that don't really give a hoot.
I work at this VA and as a Veteran employee on the "inside" I see so much discrimination and pre-judgment perpetrated by our VA "leadership" onto our Veteran patients. It is sick and sad!
If only people could see what really goes on behind closed doors.
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