My Congressman helped me,,,believe it or not.

All hope is not lost with Congress,,,at least at the individual representative level. My Congressman, Steve Scalise, of the great 1st District of Louisiana, helped me win a dispute with the Veterans Administration. The VA sent me a bill that I should not have received for a variety of reasons. It was for an amount in the 4 digit range. There was no way I should have to pay it and no way I was going to pay it. After a few calls to the VA admin they told me time and time again to lodge an official dispute. I did, but they gave me the wrong info and it went to the wrong office and is lost somewhere in the VA to this day.

I sent another packet, this time I verified with two different officials the correct location, and got a response. The response was that they were looking into it. My patience were wearing thin and after a call to the VA HQ in Washington I was told it may take a few months for them to figure this out.  No, I told them it should not. This is an open and shut case.

I had enough of the BS.

I contacted Congressman Scalise, who is also the House majority Whip, for his assistance.

Within days I received a personally signed letter from him stating his office would facilitate my complaint against the VA. I filled out the release forms he enclosed that allowed his staff to speak on my behalf and mailed them off to his office.  No kidding, within one week of submitting the release forms the VA hospital in Alexandria, LA called me. They said they received an inquiry from Rep. Scalise and want to resolve this issue ASAP.  

[I know how congressional inquires work as being a former Army officer I dealt with a few. Congressionals, as they are called, take an inquisitive approach and do not take for granted what the complainant is claiming is true. When dealing with Congressionals as an officer I responded or provided evidence that the servicemembers’ complaint was inaccurate, or substantiated. In every case I dealt with the soldier was wrong and that would be the end of story.

In my case with the VA I knew I was in the right and hence the call from the VA.

Had I been completely full of BS the VA would have provided evidence to the contrary of my claim to the congressman and I would have been informed to pay the bill.]

Making a long story short, Congressman Scalise’s office had set a fire under the VA hospitals’ ass and even the director was involved because of the seriousness of the charges I put forth. Malpractice and endangering my safety and well being just two of them.  In the end the entire mess was resolved completely in my favor.

This whole mess gives me a bit of confidence in our congress, specifically my representative.  It does not however improve my view of the VA. I have had nothing but bad experiences with the VA, this just continues this trend, a trend that spans over 9 years, 4 VA centers in three states. All three major hospitals, Hawaii, Hampton Roads and Alexandria, LA, have the same problems. Understaffed and overworked.  Where the hell is all of this money going? Every year congress gives the VA more money but yet nothing changes it seems. I know they are spending a lot on infrastructure, as they should, but perhaps more needs to be spent on competent employees.

Speaking of the infrastructure. The VA hospitals in Alexandria, LA and Hampton, VA were horrible and disgusting. They were being renovated but after 10 years of money being thrown at the VA they shouldn't be in the state they are. Example,,,the major VA hospital in New Orleans was destroyed during Katrina,,,it just now reopened in late 2016. Yep, 11 years it took the VA to build a new hospital. WTF?

I try to avoid the VA at all costs now, except the occasional correspondence regarding benefits and past and current claims. I know many are happy with the VA, and that is great, but I have not been so lucky. When at the VA my feelings are confirmed,,people have had either a great experience or a horrid one. I only hope the VA gets its act together so everyone gets the experience they deserve.