Another “Whistleblower War on Bureaucracy” E-dition

HEADER-OCT 29 VA

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2015

Was Hillary Right?

 image004Last week after Dishonest DemocRAT Presidential Frontrunner Hillary Clinton won the Whistleblower’s Stupid Liberal Liar Award for her clueless campaign claim that the problems facing the Veterans Administration have “not been as widespread as it has been made out to be,” Beloved Whistleblower Publisher Charles Foster Kane decided to do a little investigative journalism and see for himself.

What better way, Kane thought than to visit the nearest Veterans Administration office confidently located in Clermont County and apply for benefits. After all, last Friday on CFK Separation Day, Kane wore his old U.S. Army Boots to the Conservative Agenda Meeting to celebrate the fact that it had been exactly 52 years to the day he’d been released from the service. 

image009Kane Googled the Clermont County VA’s phone number and after only eleven tries reached a live operator at a Call Center who told him how easy it would be to find out if he was eligible for benefits. All he had to do was take a copy of his DD-214 Form (the paper they give you when you’re discharged from the service) along with a photo ID, drop in at the conveniently nearby Clermont County VA, and within mere minutes he’d be signed up. 

Damn! Maybe Hillary was right. That sure sounded easy.

image009So Tuesday afternoon, Kane stopped in at the Clermont County VA, and found three friendly clerks seated at computers waiting to serve him. After one asked his last name and the last four numbers of his Social Security Number, the clerk said, “But you’re not entered into our system.”

“I’m not surprised,” Kane said. “This is the first time I’ve ever been to the VA after being out of the Army for 52 years, and I just wanted to find out if I was eligible for benefits.”

“No problem,” said the friendly clerk seated at a computer waiting to serve him. “But first you’ll have to fill out these papers.”

image009After reading six pages of instructions, the Application for Health Benefits Form seemed simple enough.

Section 1 General Information included:
Name (last, first, middle)
Mother’s Maiden Name,
Are you Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino?
What is Your Race (You may check more than one. Information is required for statistical purposes only)
Social Security Number
Date of Birth
Address
Phone Number
Mobile Telephone (include Area Code)
E-mail address
Current Marital Status.
Are you enrolling to obtain minimum essential coverage under the Affordable Care Act?
Which VA medical Center or Outpatient Clinic do you prefer?
Would you like the VA to Contact you to schedule your first appointment? 

Section II Military Service Information included
Branch of Service
Last Entry Date
Last Discharge Date
Discharge Type
Are you a Purple Heart Recipient?
Are you a former Prisoner of War?
Did you serve in a combat theatre of operations after 11/11/1966?
Were you discharged or retired from the military for a disability incurred in the line of duty? 

Section III Insurance Information included:
Enter your Health Insurance Company Name, address, and telephone number (include coverage through spouse or other person)
Name of Policy Holder
Policy Number
Group Code
Are you eligible for Medicaid?
Are you enrolled in Medicare Hospital Insurance Part A 

Section IV Dealt With Dependent Information

Section V Dealt With Previous Calendar Year Gross Annual Income of Veteran, Spouse, and All Children

Section VI Dealt with Previous Calendar Year Deductible Expenses

Section VII Dealt with Consent to Co-pays and to receive communications, including assignment of benefits.

image00928 minutes later Kane discovered there was no way he could complete the form, having only brought with him his DD 214 Form (the paper they give you when you’re discharged from the service) and a photo Id.

“No problem,” said the friendly clerk seated at a computer still waiting to serve him. “Just take it home, get all that information, put it on the form, and when you bring it back we’ll enter in into the computer, and within minutes we’ll be able to tell you if you’re eligible for benefits.”

“I’m confused,” Kane told the clerk. “Why did the lady tell me all I needed to bring was a copy of my DD-214 Form (the paper they give you when you’re discharged from the service) and a photo ID, and you folks could tell me if I was eligible?”

“That’s easy,” said the friendly clerk seated at a computer still waiting to serve him. “People at the Call Center don’t know anything about processing applications. They’re just reading off a script.”

image010Memo to Hillary: “You are totally full of shit!” (Or as your friends in the Main Stream Media would say, You had another great week!”)

See Also: How Bureaucracy Began

                 CFK Separation Day

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