Man, the Wait Times at the VA Sucks.

SPL Tech

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I am not sure how many of you have experience with the VA--I assume most dont since the VA is not available for "sale" to the general public. However, I have to report in that their wait times are ridiculous.

I had to wait two weeks just to get an appointment with my PCP (by contrast, my boyfriend can get an appointment with his PCP on the same day often). Okay, two weeks is not the end of the world and I can wait...

But what's more, after consulting my PCP I need a minor surgery. Okay, so I get a referral to a general surgeon at a military hospital. Three weeks later and I dont even have an appointment yet for a consult with a general surgeon, let alone an actual date for the surgery to take place. So, five weeks into me discovering the issue and I dont even have an appointment yet just to get a basic consult with a surgeon (not one specific guy either, just anyone that will see me), let alone an actual date to get the operation.

Without complaining more, I am curious how my experience matches standard commercial insurance. VA and Tricare is all I have ever known, so I dont have anything else to compare to. All I know is my BF works in the healthcare field and he says that in his case the surgery would have already been done with appointments being completed in the first week.
 
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Well you are comparing a government funded healthcare vs private healthcare. It's apples and oranges.
 
I am not a veteran but it sounds like my friend's experience. Based on what I know I might be concerned if any VA doc cut on me.
 
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I am not sure how many of you have experience with the VA--I assume most dont since the VA is not available for "sale" to the general public. However, I have to report in that their wait times are ridiculous.

One extra point of consideration, is it does vary by facility. I used to work in an area where folks didn't have enough nice things to say about one facility, but they had friends in other areas that had more the experience you're listing.
 
The Doctors working in the VA system are the ones who can't make in the real world.

At one time there was a small truth to this. Nothing like you make it sound though. Since the VA doctors are now paid fair market value there's not a shred of truth to it.
 
The Doctors working in the VA system are the ones who can't make in the real world.

Actually numerous studies have found the quality of care in the VA system is higher than the average quality of care found at public hospitals. It's not an issue of quality, it's an issue of getting in.
 
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