VA Appointments

So has anyone else out there experienced delays or long wait times getting VA appointments???

We live in the Tampa Bay area and husband is 100% disabled and he goes to Jas. A. Haley once a year for his annual blood work and renewal of his medications. Never have a problem getting an appointment and no wait time more than 10 minutes when he goes for the appointment. Since it is an hour drive from our home he has a PCM and various specialists that accept Medicare and TriCare for Life much closer to our home and all types of tests or procedures are done through them. After his recent annual visit to Jas. A. Haley he received a form in the mail with an appointment for a test he had no knowledge of as MD never mentioned it while there. Took 3 phone calls to find out it was a mistake so we will continue with his MD's outside of the VA system.

I gave up on both the base hospital (15 miles away) and the VA Satellite office (20 miles away) years ago. I’ve been with the same Family Practitioner since 1986 under work related health insurance and now Medicare/T4L. I have several service connected disabilities but the only thing I see the VA for is the hearing loss – free hearing aids. I hadn’t been into the audio clinic in about 4 years and called to make an appointment and was told that I can no longer make a direct appointment with the audio clinic; I have to see a Primary Care doctor and have him refer me to the audio clinic. And since I hadn’t used the Satellite Clinic in over a year, I had to go to Salt Lake City (50 miles) for that. The satellite clinic is at capacity and isn’t taking new patients. The waiting list is 8 months or more.

I had to wait about 7 weeks to get into the PC Clinic and another 6 weeks to get into the audio clinic. The wait to get into my own doctor’s office is today or tomorrow for immediate needs and maybe a week for annual physicals and such. I’m not a big fan of either the military health care system OR the VA.

And I get my Rx meds from Express Scripts FREE under Medicare/T4L. Under the VA system I would have to pay for them. The local base would also be free, but I have to drive 30 miles round trip and I have to call in the refills. Express Scripts delivers to my door and has an automatic renewal system that doesn’t require any action on my part.