If you’re struggling to get a response from your Veterans Administration (VA) healthcare provider, consider the machine gun technique. The bullets are emails and persistence with the weapon.
Upgrade to a Premium Account: Start by getting a "premium account." This allows you to email your doctor, providing a written record of your communications. Initially, I wasn’t getting any response from my email doctor. By sending frequent follow-up emails weekly, I eventually got transferred to a more responsive provider.
Switch Providers: If you’re unhappy with your current provider, call or email to request a change. Emailing is preferable as it provides a written record or a bullet and avoids long wait times on the phone. The phone does not give a written record.
Request Community Care: Ask or email to be moved to "community care," where the VA has health care providers in the community. If the VA doesn’t respond to these requests, keep emailing. If you’re initially denied, persist by submitting another request later. I asked multiple times for community care for different issues and was eventually granted it after months of persistence.
Why does this happen? The VA is a large bureaucratic organization where policies and decisions can change. Some employees might have had better quality coffee or a better lunch, leading to different outcomes. Persistence is key, as different reviewers might interpret requests differently, and sometimes a written bullet on email pays off.
Jason Pike
Veteran, Bestselling Author & Inspiring Speaker
Comments