1) The VA makes it exceptionally difficult to access medical care while traveling. Unless you’re officially assigned to the VA clinic nearest to your location, they’ll typically insist you seek treatment through the emergency room—even for acute issues that don’t warrant emergency care.
2) Additionally, if you’re in the process of changing providers at your assigned clinic, the VA will route all medical concerns through the ER until a new primary care provider is established.
3) If you need an appointment with your regular PCP and the only availability is in the late afternoon, you may be told that you should be grateful they agreed to see you—because 4 p.m. appointments are inconvenient for them. This, despite the fact that the appointment was scheduled months in advance through the VA’s own system and with the provider’s approval.
Explain to me how any part of this process is supposed to be helpful—or even remotely easy.
