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Getting VA Approval For Mayo Is A Nightmare
My husband had triple bypass surgery and tons of tests and still having jaw pain - nitro relieves the discomfort. The VA in Iron Mountain MI, community care, states they don't give authorization and won't pay for MAYO help. They said they need NATIONAL approval. Marshfield Clinic is filling out a request for service to Mayo but MI won't commit. Has anyone else gone through this and where can we go please!
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Hello @eddiereen, and WELCOME! Welcome to Mayo Connect. I see you have posted in the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy group, does your husband have this in addition to his other heart condition? I am sorry you are having such a difficult time trying to get help from the VA. I am sure it is frustrating, especially when it seems like the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing. I am no expert in anyway with the VA system, so I am hoping another member or mentor or Moderator can step in to help with advice. In the meantime, has your husband been diagnosed with HCM?
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4 ReactionsThank you for your kind words. No he hasn't been diagnosed with that. Maybe I'm in the wrong spot :)???
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2 ReactionsHello @eddiereen,
I would like to join Debra, @karukgirl, in welcoming you to Mayo Connect. I'm wondering if your husband's heart problems are related to his military service? We do have members who were veterans of the Vietnam war who are ill because of exposure to Agent Orange. If this is his situation as well, you might find the members in the Connect Parkinson's group to be helpful. Here is the link to that discussion, https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/i-would-like-to-introduce-myself-my-name-is-chris-and-i/?pg=12#comment-83688.
Is this a factor in your husband's health problem? I suppose you have talked with the VA to see what, if anything, can be done to make this referral possible?
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3 ReactionsI don't think so and its unlikely we'd know. Thank you for the added info.
@eddiereen My father was a veteran and he was a VA patient throughout much of his life. However, we (my father and I) did not have reason to try and get the VA to refer outside the system.
Was your husband seen at Marshfield Clinic in Iron Mountain? Was that on referral from the Iron Mountain VA? It sounds as if Marshfield Clinic is far more responsive and helpful. Or does your husband have other insurance? With Marshfield Clinic involved will they refer to the main Marshfield Clinic in Wisconsin? I know several people who have been seen in Marshfield for speciality care and it’s been excellent.
Although it’s not Mayo, is the Milwaukee VA an option for another opinion?
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3 Reactionscorrection: That no government agency or person should force a person to obtain health care from the VA when they'd prefer health care somewhere else.
Eddie went through tests in June and still had problems until they got worse. They never said that they'd do further tests until they got to the problem. They told me, hiss wife, that if it got bad to go the the ER. That is no answer to me anyway.
<p>I've posted prior. My husband had a triple bypass at Marshfield Clinic. He's still having jaw pain. They THINK it maybe spasms and he's on a drug similar to nitro 3x daily. We've had televisits with VA and have had testing done at Marshfield. Last was a nuclear stress test. They can't go in and check the 10/1/23 surgery as its too soon. They say...you could have another heart attack.<br />So we a recommendation from Marshfield to visit Mayo cardiology. We have been calling and speaking to our state rep too.<br />We spoke to Dr. Raymond Woods, VA In Iron Mountain Michigan and his exact words are "IT WON'F FLY". He said we could go to some other cardiologist but NOT Mayo. Its a national issue. We have been accepted at MAYO too. Dr. Woods said heart conditions are common and don't need Mayo help. I can't even believe this type of insolence. He was awful and didn't care even when we told him that Marshfield told us that this jaw pain they'd never seen before. The VA Is a nightmare...how can we get more help?</p>
I think the monitor can help you with setting up getting information from Mayo Clinic.
I am not sure the attitude toward Mayo. It is an outstanding hospital and clinic. Been a patient since 2006.
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1 ReactionWe want to get into Mayo and the VA won't allow. Those among others we're his words. The VA only allows really hard to treat cases it seems into Mayo. I certainly myself would not be looking down on Mayo especially since that is where I want to go.
We know about Mayo Clinic and that is why we want to get in!