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Ridiculous
- Thread starter glamqueen
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I feel for the guy, but this is basically just the story of someone who got healthcare outside of his HMO network and then had to fight for reimbursement.
Sounds like he went to the ER, was told he needed surgery, then he dialed a past physician he liked asking for a recommendation. He then scheduled a later surgery with an academic surgeon not in his network. This isn't just a VA thing; there's not an insurance plan in the country that would cover this on first pass. Crummy, but this stuff happens all the time. My local paper actually has a weekly column where people right in asking for advice on how to get their healthcare paid for after refusal by their insurance company.
CNN's having fun saying "Army vet billed for war wounds", but this is exactly how the VA or any HMO is meant to work. You get free care within the network, but if you independently get care outside of the network, it's on your bill. It ain't a VA thing.
Sounds like he went to the ER, was told he needed surgery, then he dialed a past physician he liked asking for a recommendation. He then scheduled a later surgery with an academic surgeon not in his network. This isn't just a VA thing; there's not an insurance plan in the country that would cover this on first pass. Crummy, but this stuff happens all the time. My local paper actually has a weekly column where people right in asking for advice on how to get their healthcare paid for after refusal by their insurance company.
CNN's having fun saying "Army vet billed for war wounds", but this is exactly how the VA or any HMO is meant to work. You get free care within the network, but if you independently get care outside of the network, it's on your bill. It ain't a VA thing.
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notdeadyet - that actually makes a ton of sense. It's kind of crazy how CNN spun it the other way, because if I was confused reading it - I imagine a bunch of other people were too.
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The tentative push towards having vet coverage be partially shouldered by private insurance plans brought the VA and health coverage of wounded veterans back into the spotlight. I think CNN is trying to exploit that attention a bit while it's top of mind. Veterans health issues won't stay front page for too long, sadly.
This is true in all contexts not just healthcare. Had a journalism professor in college that actually wa a reporter for the local newspaper. We were in a mid major market, so he was pretty in tune. his quote was "The media sets the agenda." he used to say it over and over again. I never quite understood what he meant until recently.
Try turning on Fox and MSNBC on the same evening. It is amazing how the same topics on the same day with supposedly the same details can be spun so differently. Exactly what you guys are talking about here. CNN could have made this story look like how things are being fixed, or how things are wrong.................very sad. Unibiased media rings true with Naval intelligence. (nothing against the navy. my dad always was in and always joked about it)--you get the point.
Try turning on Fox and MSNBC on the same evening. It is amazing how the same topics on the same day with supposedly the same details can be spun so differently. Exactly what you guys are talking about here. CNN could have made this story look like how things are being fixed, or how things are wrong.................very sad. Unibiased media rings true with Naval intelligence. (nothing against the navy. my dad always was in and always joked about it)--you get the point.
Sure the VA was not acting out of maleficence or trying to shirk it's fiduciary responsibilities. They guy went outside of the network. However, I do not blame the vet. He was told not to worry about it by the initial VA docs. If he would have waited to get seen by a VA doc and properly diagnosed and treated it may have been too late for his legs. I think the opaque point is that injured vets should not have to go to these kinds of lengths for treatment for injuries sustained in combat.
---------------- Listening to: Royksopp - What Else Is There? via FoxyTunes
---------------- Listening to: Royksopp - What Else Is There? via FoxyTunes
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No- I totally get what you guys are saying. What's crazy is my first undergrad is journalism (second is microbio). I definitely get what the prof was saying - the media does set the agenda. I try to take this into consideration, because while I am a conservative - I actually DO NOT watch and read Fox News - I read CNN. I feel like it gives me the other side of the story. However, there is still so much room for being fooled by what is reality vs. what is not reality. I hope I am making sense. I just ran a marathon today, so forgive me if I am rambling. I'm a bit out of it.
