Veteran Reaches Out for Meds, VAC turns their back

It has come to my attention that a Veteran who is being treated by a Psychologist that is approved and paid for by VAC, has been denied Meds that this Psychologist and his family doctor suggested that he start taking due to the pensioned condition that he has been battling for many years.

VAC has denied those Meds.  Disgusting you bet.  But it gets worse and a bit complicated, but then again isn't everyones case a bit complex at times.

This Veteran fought a battle for 13 years with VAC to finally win last year.  He won finally in Aug 2012.  He had been put in for Depression due to the daily battles that his condition comes with, and was referred to the OSI Clinic in 2011.  The OSI Clinic stated that his depression was due to this condition, but because it was not a pensioned condition until Aug 2012, in March 2012 VAC came back denying his Depression as a sanctioned condition.

Fast forward to today, where his VAC Psychologist has determined that his Depression is from Severe to Moderate and that he should be on Meds.  He complies, goes to his family doctor, and his family doctor agrees as well.  The Family doctor even writes on the prescription that it is due to his now pensioned condition.  VAC denys the Meds because this is "consequential" to his pensioned condition and not that he actually has an approved Depression condition. Thanks for your support VAC.

Now this Veteran has to go back to the OSI Clinic to get them to rewrite the report unnecessarily all over again because of how the timeline feel, and currently VAC is turning their back on him, because that is their policy. Thanks VAC.

Minister Fantino do you have an alternative to the unaccountable VRAB Board?

Minister Fantino,

Thank you for reviewing my request but I do not trust and have no faith in Larlee given his previous misleading letters, misleading presentation to Parliamentary/ Senate Committee's and not being held accountable for inappropriately spending taxpayers money in trips to England. 

Do you have an alternative solution?

The Board that you are hiding behind and using as an excuse not to do the right thing has already ignored one specialist's report, and I do not trust them even though a second doctor has backed the first one up.  Those I have now uploaded to my VAC file and are also here http://bit.ly/1dR6K9P

The assessment that was done on my case initially after I finally won after 13 years, was done on a report for winning my case, and I was not told by BPA to have him speak to the table of disabilities as I had not won yet.  When I did win, I was not brought in as expected by your department for an assessment as I should have been, and as I stated the doctor's more specific report was completely ignored by the non medical VRAB Board members.

Again, I ask you do you have an alternative other than the unaccountable VRAB Board?

You would think that with the recent suicides that you would treat this seriously rather than denying me depressive Meds as your department recently has done.

http://bit.ly/1bsy6Sy

Captain (Retired) Jim Newton

4 Therapists Quit Edmonton OSI Clinic

Dec.5th.2013.
Mr. Peter Stoffer M.P.P. 

Dear Sir; 

          It is with heavy heart and dismay that I write this letter. How many more soldiers have to die at the hands of the current Government before those responsible for the deaths of the four young men who found life too painful to cope because of their PTSD? 

I was referred to the Edmonton OSI clinic. In Aug of 2013 for assessment and treatment for my diagnosed PTSD.  Everything  was going well with my weekly sessions until  early  Nov. 2013 when at the beginning of the session I was advised that my therapist and three others including the Manager had Quit their jobs in protest of the treatment and restrictions put on them while working with Veterans. 

At no time in the history of OSI have four therapists in one location Quit their jobs because of the poor treatment of Veterans and the therapist trying to help them. It is unheard of four therapists quitting their job in protest of the Veterans Treatment.   

As you may recall this time last year one soldier attempted to light a member of VRAB on fire in Edmonton at the local Veteran Affairs Office. VAC was warned that more and more soldiers would end up hurting themselves and others and yet nothing was done to help them. 

I was asked not to write or reveal what happened at the Edmonton OSI but I can no hold it in anymore. 

I trust that the God of the soldiers who took their own lives will take care of their souls and family and perhaps at the next election all Veterans will vote  to remove the Government who says over and over we have put five billion in to treating soldiers which is just not true. 

I am writing this with my name because I can no longer keep it a secret as requested. 

Murray Scott
Edmonton Alberta
A 47 year old proud Veteran. 



Also see how injured Veterans are being tossed to the curb

Class action lawsuit moves forward

Good news, Justice Weatherill of the Supreme Court of British Columbia has recently ordered the class action lawsuit pursued by Miller Thompson on behalf of the six plaintiff's to go forward despite the appeal. This means that Government's appeal will be dealt with concurrent to the main lawsuit and Government lawyers are required to have their statement of defence submitted to the Court by the end of January 2014.

More to follow,

Harold

http://equitassociety.ca/mission

Military Service versus Lip Service

In Remembrance

As Nov 11th approaches I think of Bob and Wally.  God Bless you both.

Injured Veterans are Being tossed to the Curb

From my personal experience I would have to agree!

Read my Spirit of Denial blog HERE

This has got to STOP NOW!  Deny deny deny is how they treat us Veterans, and coming up on Nov 11th they will shake our hands and pretend they treat us ok.  Let's face it everything they do is all about saving money.  While I won after 13 years, they were only liable for 3 years of back pay.  5 years is what I should have received, but of course they didn't cause they will want to save money no matter the excuse. http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/p-6/page-11.html

Lucky for me mine was on the old system due to my application date, so at least I don't have to be on the NVC for the lump sum get out of our faces payment which is a fraction of what the old system was, but oh wait - if you don't like the one lump sum they will give you that lesser amount in four even smaller payments.

I guess I must be one of the Veterans "at a different level of service" than most others here:



as not only did I have to fight a brutal battle for 13 years but now after I won, they have chosen to ignore the specialists report who they finally did believe - I have to wait again for another hearing to present a second doctor's opinion.  But it is possible that the non-medical unaccountable board members like VRAB Board Members (Richard A. Rennie and Richard Bonin)  will find yet another excuse to deny another medical opinion.

The Spirit of Denial has gone on long enough.  Minister Fantino enough with the delays, do a Ministerial review and grant my percentage as it should be without any further delay.  And grant me the 5 years or back to the date of the original application as you REALLY SHOULD!

Oh ya, forgot to mention my own fight with SISIP and LTD, I had to take them to court, settled on the court room steps and then had to give my lawyer $20,000+.

Enough is enough Minister Fantino act for this Veteran NOW.

One Veteran, One Standard.