In February 2013 I was taken by ambulance to a hospital for chest pains for ischemic heart disease due to agent orange exposure in Vietnam. I called the nurses line at the Phoenix VA and they said loud and clear "CALL AN AMBULANCE" don't drive. I said I can't afford to pay an ambulance, they said don't worry about that just get to the hospital now, So while I waited for the ambulance I called fee services and asked if I was covered and they said since you're 80% service connected yes you are, don't worry as this is an emergency. Not being comfortable with this I called them again from the emergency room and got yet another confirmation that I was covered. All this while having chest pains.
Since then I have been billed time and time again, repeatedly contacted by telephone and mail by the ambulance company for payment and by two collection agencies. It has been put on my credit report, all three agencies, as a negative item. It dropped my score by at least 100 points, I recently refinanced my home and the interest rate is about 1/4 point higher because of this, not to mention my vehicle lease payment being higher too. I'm not making this up. Needless to say I am beyond pissed off.
I visited Sharon HELLman's office, the hospital Director at the Phoenix VA at the time and of course she wasn't in. So I explained my predicament to her secretary. She tried to help but the saga continues. Since then Sharon HELLman has basically been canned with pay because of all the bullshit going on there.
So I write Senator John McCain at about the time all hell broke loose at the hospital and he referred me to the VA Inspector General's office. arrrrgh They said due to the volume of complaints that they get they can not reply to them all. They said you should continue to try resolving this with the hospital. &^%$#*&
In April '14 I get a letter from Bradley Curry signed by an Andrew Freeman that says oh yeah this was a required service and we will be paying it in the next 45 to 60 days. Today is 9/22/14 and it's still not paid. BTW this Curry guy has also been canned I'm told, probably with pay as well.
So I make another visit to the travel office window at the hospital and calmly explain what's going on for the umpteenth freakin time. She said hang on let me see if someone is here that can help. So she calls me in back to talk to the same guy that I spoke to before and left numerous messages for. BTW he does not return calls. I have been frustrated with this all along but when I talk to these people I really do remain calm, except maybe the bill collectors.
WTF can I do I feel like I'm being brushed aside and being told to ef off. I ask why isn't this being paid and all I get are blank stares, and one guy with the blank stare has a wandering eye, one eye is looking over there and you're over here, spooky.
Then they wonder why so many vets commit suicide while they sit there and treat them like crap.
Sorry, had to vent the rage.
Since then I have been billed time and time again, repeatedly contacted by telephone and mail by the ambulance company for payment and by two collection agencies. It has been put on my credit report, all three agencies, as a negative item. It dropped my score by at least 100 points, I recently refinanced my home and the interest rate is about 1/4 point higher because of this, not to mention my vehicle lease payment being higher too. I'm not making this up. Needless to say I am beyond pissed off.
I visited Sharon HELLman's office, the hospital Director at the Phoenix VA at the time and of course she wasn't in. So I explained my predicament to her secretary. She tried to help but the saga continues. Since then Sharon HELLman has basically been canned with pay because of all the bullshit going on there.
So I write Senator John McCain at about the time all hell broke loose at the hospital and he referred me to the VA Inspector General's office. arrrrgh They said due to the volume of complaints that they get they can not reply to them all. They said you should continue to try resolving this with the hospital. &^%$#*&
In April '14 I get a letter from Bradley Curry signed by an Andrew Freeman that says oh yeah this was a required service and we will be paying it in the next 45 to 60 days. Today is 9/22/14 and it's still not paid. BTW this Curry guy has also been canned I'm told, probably with pay as well.
So I make another visit to the travel office window at the hospital and calmly explain what's going on for the umpteenth freakin time. She said hang on let me see if someone is here that can help. So she calls me in back to talk to the same guy that I spoke to before and left numerous messages for. BTW he does not return calls. I have been frustrated with this all along but when I talk to these people I really do remain calm, except maybe the bill collectors.
WTF can I do I feel like I'm being brushed aside and being told to ef off. I ask why isn't this being paid and all I get are blank stares, and one guy with the blank stare has a wandering eye, one eye is looking over there and you're over here, spooky.
Then they wonder why so many vets commit suicide while they sit there and treat them like crap.
Sorry, had to vent the rage.
