Category Archives: Food for thought

Example of how vets are excluded from VA healthcare

Posted on December 9, 2016 by Laura

Imagine the frustration a young self-employed veteran might feel when deciding to enroll in the relatively simple VA health care program, a benefit earned, rather than in an expensive complicated Obamacare marketplace place. He finds the VA’s Benefit Explorer tool … Continue reading →

Posted in All about Veterans, Food for thought, General Messages, Guest authors, non-va care, Uncategorized, VA Health Care | Tagged | 4 Comments

Five stunning active military photographs: a 2016 sampler

Posted on December 7, 2016 by Laura

Click images for more awesome scenes of tomorrow’s veterans at work on  Flickr.

Posted in All about Veterans, Food for the soul, Food for thought, Future Veterans, General Messages, Guest authors, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

More troubles at Tomah VAMC (WI)

Posted on December 5, 2016 by Laura

This time the fear concerns bloodborne pathogens which may have been spread by a dentist with very dirty work habits. The headline from USA Today:  VA dentist resigns after hundreds possibly infected (LINK). On Tuesday, Victoria Brahm, acting medical director at … Continue reading →

Posted in All about Veterans, Food for thought, General Messages, Guest authors, hepatitis, Uncategorized, VA Health Care, vA news | Tagged , | 4 Comments

ACA allows the sale of health insurance across state lines–so what’s the problem?

Posted on November 26, 2016 by Laura

Many people without group health insurance, VHA, Tricare/Champa, Medicare or Medicaid are dreading the Obamacare marketplace enrollment deadline in December. Why? Because interstate competition did not take off and premiums are rising. Health insurance premiums should have dropped because private … Continue reading →

Posted in All about Veterans, Food for thought, General Messages, Guest authors, Medical News, non-va care, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 1 Comment

VA rats fighting emergency care CAVC ruling: Richard W. Staab v. Robert A. McDonald

Posted on November 20, 2016 by Laura

The financial shocks that VHA-enrolled veterans face when they find out that none of their emergency care claims will be covered, if they have Medicare or private insurance, is of no ethical concern to the VA.  The National Veterans Legal Services … Continue reading →

Posted in All about Veterans, CAvC HCV Ruling, CAVC Knowledge, CAVC ruling, CAVC/COVA Decision, Complaints Department, Food for thought, Important CAVC/COVA Ruling, Lawyering Up, Military Madness, research, Uncategorized, VA Attorneys, VA BACKLOG, vA news | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Wikileaks and other groups help citizens read public domain Congressional Research Service (CRS) reports

Posted on November 17, 2016 by Laura

Topic: Important nonpartisan accurate resources  In 2014, I posted about CRS, a section of the Library of Congress (LINK). Some of its reports were posted online haphazardly. (The report I referenced has been updated.) During the pre-election craziness, I searched Wikileak’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Complaints Department, Congressional Influence, Food for thought, General Messages, Guest authors, research, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 3 Comments

History of hepatitis? Long-term sustained virologic response (SVR) but…

Posted on November 3, 2016 by Laura

still not eligible to donate blood…because why?  Research suggests that relapse is very rare so why does the American Red Cross  (link) reject potential blood donors who have ever had HCV?   They write (updated: 08/03/2016): Hepatitis caused by Hepatitis … Continue reading →

Posted in Blood info, Food for thought, Guest authors, HCV Epidemiology, HCV Health, HCV Risks (documented), hepatitis, Medical News, research, transfusions and hepatitis, Uncategorized, Vietnam Disease Issues | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Vet forced to go off DMII meds to prove he has it

Posted on October 6, 2016 by Laura

Nurses have told us that DMII is a chronic condition; that once you have it, you always have it.  And to never go off the restricted diet or risk suffering terrible side effects.   When we lived in a senior … Continue reading →

Posted in Agent Orange, AO, Blood info, BvA Decisions, DM II, Food for thought, Guest authors, non-va care, Uncategorized, vARO Decisions, Vietnam Disease Issues, VSOs | Tagged , , , | 16 Comments

PROFILES IN MEAT COURAGE #8

Posted on October 3, 2016 by asknod

Having short bowel syndrome can be a blessing and a curse. The upside is you have to eat to stay alive on a meal-by meal-basis. The downside is Cupcake crying and saying it just isn’t fair that she can gain … Continue reading →

Posted in Food for thought, Humor, KP Veterans | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

VA Spousal Resource Protection Amount

Posted on September 16, 2016 by Laura

There have been some reforms in this area.  Please note that there may be more current information available on this topic from a VA social worker.  Spousal impoverishment for VA extended care is covered under 38 CFR 17.111 (pdf) 1601a_06_hk_2015_11_10 VHA … Continue reading →

Posted in All about Veterans, BvA Decisions, Food for thought, Guest authors, Uncategorized, VA Health Care | Tagged , , | Leave a comment