VA visit

[Sir Henry]

The VA called today and told me my appointment in July was canceled because the doctor left the VA. I was able to reschedule with another doctor the same day.

And the fact that your doctor left may or may not have anything to do with the VA.

I have an appointment in two weeks with a doctor I haven't yet met. He's replacing my regular doctor, who left ProHealth Physicians. I'd been seeing him since 2018, when my dear family doctor (for more than forty years) retired. I had absolute trust in that young retiree. I'm pretty sure I'll never feel that way about another doctor.

This is just my opinion, but doctors used to practice medicine according to strict scientific, moral, and ethical codes. Now, it seems that corporate lawyers and insurance executives review every decision and (maybe) then the doctor's considered diagnosis and prescription will be approved. It has to be hard for some of them to be subject to that. Sigh.

My new appointment with the VA dentist was just cancelled and pushed out to September. I currently have a chipped crown that happened a week ago and can’t wait. The VA only examines me and I’m sent out for the actual work. My outside dentist requested authorization which generally takes a few weeks. Because the VA can’t see me for months and I couldn’t wait they put me on hold and five minutes later said the crown work is authorized. It’s amazing how they will do stuff when you are polite to them.

[dave77]

I've always requested gold for my back crowns because I had a ceramic crown that chipped. Price of a gold crown has gone up and my dentist said the new material is as strong or stronger than gold so I went with it for my last 2. He said there are now 2 different ways the new one day crowns are made and soon as they determine which is the best they will get it. No more temporaries and coming back in a couple of weeks, permanent crown will be made while you wait.

Hopefully I won't be needing any new or replacement crowns, my co-pay for the last one I got was around $600.

[Sir Henry]

I've always requested gold for my back crowns because I had a ceramic crown that chipped. Price of a gold crown has gone up and my dentist said the new material is as strong or stronger than gold so I went with it for my last 2. He said there are now 2 different ways the new one day crowns are made and soon as they determine which is the best they will get it. No more temporaries and coming back in a couple of weeks, permanent crown will be made while you wait.

Hopefully I won't be needing any new or replacement crowns, my co-pay for the last one I got was around $600.

The old crown chipped and can’t be used. I don’t have co-pays with the VA.

[Mags]

...The old crown chipped and can’t be used. ...

Wife had a chipped crown. It was repaired with composite tooth resin.

[Sir Henry]

The world famous powdered egg breakfast at the motel the Madison puts me up at.

IMG_3856.jpeg (3.79 MiB) Viewed 1153 times

I’ll report the visit this evening.

[dave77]

That looks kind of like the breakfasts I got at Harborview hospital, after the second day I had a donut and cold cereal for the rest of my stay. Lunch and dinner weren't much better.

[Sir Henry]

My MRI is over and I’m now waiting for it to be read and I’ll see the doc in a few hours. The receptionist was what I think was someone that was born male and wants to be a female although it could have been an ugly female that wants to be a man. I didn’t know how to address them so I just said y’all and this person didn’t seem to mind.

[Sir Henry]

My MRI showed no new cancer so I’m good for another six months. It’s good to be out of the city and away from the crazy people.

[Sir Henry]

I had an appointment at the Wausau VA clinic this morning. It’s the first appointment after the layoffs and with a new doctor. My previous doctor is no longer with the VA. My appointment today was for a full hour plus the nurse screening time. The doctor was with me for an hour and 20 minutes. He was seeing me for the first time so we went over my complete records from 2003 forward. We not only talked about my health but also how the VA treats patients. My previous doctor ran tests that were not normally scheduled. One of those tests caught my kidney cancer and I was able to treat it when it was low-grade. So much of our conversation was about the VA guidelines for running tests. The doctor today said he would not have ordered the tests and my previous doctor was well known for running extra tests. So we talked about running 200 tests only to catch one or do you save the money. My view was the previous doctor gave me another ten years of life. The doctor today said would consider how the extra tests benefited me in the future.

Overall I would rate my care as much higher than a pay for care outside the VA and I see no change in care from the layoffs.

[cooperhawk]

I had a visit with a VA provider two weeks ago and yesterday I got notice that my disability has been increased.
Boy, that was quick.

[Sir Henry]

I had a visit with a VA provider two weeks ago and yesterday I got notice that my disability has been increased.
Boy, that was quick.

Good for you. Are you now 100%?

[5shot]

I go to the VA clinic down in Green Bay and have not noticed any decline in the quality of care. I don't even get to see a doctor lately but the PA that I see has been doing a fine job. I used to be very critical of VA medical care but in the last few years they are my first choice. Seems like my long time doctor at the "civilian clinic" can't get out of the room fast enough lately.

[Sir Henry]

I go to the VA clinic down in Green Bay and have not noticed any decline in the quality of care. I don't even get to see a doctor lately but the PA that I see has been doing a fine job. I used to be very critical of VA medical care but in the last few years they are my first choice. Seems like my long time doctor at the "civilian clinic" can't get out of the room fast enough lately.

That is quite common with these for-for-service hospitals. The VA on the other hand is not concerned with making money.

[cooperhawk]

Good for you. Are you now 100%?

Nope, only 40% but that's for hearing only.