Medical help for veterans very slow in Morris County
Submitted by Daingerfield1 on
Marlene J. Bohr
Morris County veterans are not getting the care they need, according to veterans service officer James Garner.
“Original physicals are taking a century to get,” Mr. Garner said. “When I send someone on a medical form to get them introduced to the system of medical, it takes the Veterans Administration three and four weeks to even acknowledge they got it and two weeks later the veterans still are waiting.
“I am not trying to put the blame on anyone, but the disturbing things are that we are the only district that works with Louisiana and Arkansas for Texas veterans. In Texas we come under the Texas Veterans Commission and have to refer veterans to Louisiana for medical. There is only one office in Longview and it is under the direction of the Louisiana hospital. We have the other part of that outpatient clinic in Texarkana, Ark. I don’t mean to say that people are building bridges because we are all in Texas, but there is a difference between the way people evaluate when you are responsible for certain agencies in another jurisdiction.”
Mr. Garner explained the claims process.
“When a veteran comes to see me, I file a claim and some of them have inadequate medical information.” he said. “I file a claim and report the veteran has a personal doctor and here are his records. The VA has the duty to go back and get military files if they can get them or get any other files that they recommend or contact doctors or get their own information from their own hospitals. The problem is that Waco takes four or five weeks to request that information from the Overton Brooks Hospital in Shreveport.
“I have a few veterans that have moved in that still do business with Dallas, but that’s not my problem as far as the distance. I was over there two weeks ago to Overton Brooks and I observed. I carried a veteran. He got quite a lot of attention while I was there. It didn’t take long when we got there but it took him three weeks to get a date for his eye exam. They now want him back and his next appointment is in July. When I went with him on the floor where he was being examined, there was not a soul in that room.”
Mr. Garner said Morris County has the same problems that veterans in other areas experience.
“We have the same problems,” he said. “I have no way of being able to testify as to how much time elapses. I haven’t heard or read anything that says Overton Brooks is under scrutiny other than the fact the VA is having audits done.
“My experience, even though I can’t say this is specifically the problem, is we do have a tremendous delay. As to anyone really harmed by delay, well, I have had some die but I can’t for sure say that was the cause of it. I know one tore my heart out; he got approval one day and died the next. A 30-year veteran lady in Omaha lived in Minnesota and she came to me. I told her we need to file claims for her and I think it took over a year. The lady who was taking care of her called me and I visited and filled out forms. The VA doesn’t deal with me; they deal directly with the veteran. Once I file the papers and do my thing, the privacy act comes into play.”
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