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VA won't refer us to Mayo, even if we requested
I have been fighting for my husband, 100% disabled veteran, to be seen at Mayo for unknown GI issues. I've called Mayo and know they accept VA Community Care, but I keep getting told by the VA that Mayo doesn't take it. They currently have him being seen at Shands hospital, but I need a team to look at the whole parts instead of hyper focusing on one. Everybody seems to keep missing the issue and he has been dealing with this for almost 3 years. It doesn't make sense to us that his bloodwork shows he's fighting an infection, yet they can't figure out what. Also, bloodwork will show that liver and kidneys are going bad at times then other times they are fine. His Shands doctor told him that he doesn't have Pancreatitis, however we've had multiple GI doctors confirm that he does including a different Shands doctor (who performed his scopes). Gallbladder has been removed and that didn't fix anything. Now we are back to him barely eating. He can't eat red meat or anything red (strawberries, watermelon, tomatoes, Fruit Punch, etc). For about a year all he could stomach was soup. I just want answers. Our kids want their dad back. Anybody have any tips that I can try to get him into Mayo Florida?
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I have been going to Rochester on other insurance. This issue is the VA is responsible for this issue and need to take responsibility. It should not be another insurance paying for their responsibility. Does Mayo actually accept VA and if not why?
@nd120, you’re right, another insurance should not have to pay. Mayo does accept VA.
- Mayo Clinic Expands Commitment To Serving Veterans By Participating In VA Community Care Network https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-expands-commitment-to-serving-veterans-by-participating-in-va-community-care-network-beginning-august-1-2020/
Were you able to talk to someone at Mayo Account Services?
Yes, I spoke with someone at accounting and they told me they accepted VA. VA says the opposite, that Mayo doesn’t accept VA . My provider at the VA said they have never seen anyone get a referral to Mayo.
Im dealing with the same issue. I had a botched surgery from the VA. They took my left ovary because of cyst. They did the surgery laparoscopic but pulled my ovary out through an incision on my left side in my muscle right above my hip. Since day one after my surgery I know something was wrong. Since then I have unexplained weight loss, nerve issues, Gi issues, pain with any movement, lost range of motion in my core, low hip and back pain and slowly its affecting my left leg. No one can diagnose it. I have been fighting the VA to see specialist and it took me 3 years just to get pain management. I just recently had a iliohypogastic nerve block which helped maybe 10% but it's not the whole of the problem and I know that nerve blocks alone are not going to help me function. I requested the VA to send me to Cleveland clinic because it was close but they refused so I had to pay out of pocket. Unfortunately they didn't help much and I couldn't afford to go back. They also claimed to have a multidisciplinary approach but that was far from my experience. I hope they help you and your situation resolves. I will pray for you.
@nd120 I’ve also been fighting the VA for my husband’s life since 2022! There have been many f’ups at the VA that now he will not survive. He now gets all his care through the community, but they are always communicating that they will not cover the Mayo . But … the oncology department can get any kind of treatment ( I found out they have an unlimited budget) so I research things and guide them ( literally/ sadly) to treatments for him as they almost killed him with chemo ( after me pushing DNA testing was done and he’s actually allergic to all chemo )
I started researching after the very first round of chemo and we ended up in the ER do to a blood infection ( that they tried to tell us had nothing to do with the “ poison “ they had pumped into his veins just days before.
I personally feel once the Drs are established in the system they forget to think and cringe when I hear the word protocol