George's Story Verses a Corrupt VA - Lies, Misdiagnosis, Lost Medical Records, Benefit Cuts, Fraud and more.  

Beginning in the mid 1970's, George "OJ" Ojala entered a relationship with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, then known as the Veterans Administration, which has been, to put it mildly,  both amazing and unfortunately destructive. In 1976 George was intentionally and with malice diagnosed by the VA and he was put on Thorazine, an extremely harmful prescription medication. See an article here on the effects of Thorazine, aka the "Liquid Lobotomy." For George, symptoms caused by Thorazine included nightmares, flashbacks, depression, anxiety, fatigue, isolation and alienation, headaches, sleep deprivation, memory impairment and many others. He was kept on this adverse medication for more than two years at the direction of VA doctors. "I became confused, dense, dumb and stupid. My memory eroded and, at the same time, I had to apply for Food Stamps and Welfare, which was totally against my belief system," said George. Here's a summary document written from my own notes covering this time span. Which is before I went to the VA for help all based on deceptive lies. 

We pick up his story in his own words in 1978 and a letter from the Veterans Board of Appeals chairman Eaton says the same thing in this letter on May 22'nd 1987. It is the only time they admitted the same thing, pretty much everything else was and is a fabrication or a lie about the diagnosis of my condition. (Letter)

When the VA cut my disability by a rating decision in January of 1978 by a change of Diagnosis from a 100% rating for Chronic Anxiety Reaction to a non-service rated condition called Latent Schizophrenia with a rating of only 50%, a loss of $800 dollars a month, I was introduced to the appeal system provided by the VA.  I had the right to file a Notice of Disagreement and contest the facts and findings. I had the right to file a Supplemental to the Facts and I had the right to ask for a Hearing before the Board of Veterans Appeals [held in San Francisco, Ca]. I even had my case remanded back to Adjudication for further action.  

I filed a Notice of Disagreement in April of 1978 with the help of the VFW located in Century Square, Seattle Wa. It was turned down. I was told by my VFW representative, at that time, that the only way I would get any relief was to become my own advocate, as I would be the only person to really know my case file in the Appeal process. I filed a third Notice of Disagreement and that led to a VA  Examination in November of 1980.  This is referenced in the Board of Veterans Appeals in Washington, D.C.  Docket No.  81-16-411 Dated Sept 8, 1981, under DISCUSSION and EVALUATIONS. The Board states “The V.A. examination in November of 1978 does not support an evaluation in excess of 50%.”
I agree with this statement because it shows that my Disability was cut March/April of 1978, NOT the date of March/April of 1979, as indicated by the V.A. under the same heading of DISCUSSION.
This is one of the factual errors the VA uses to cover up the possible fact that they took that $9,600 ($800 per month for a year) which was cut from my income, and paid themselves.
In the BVA Appeals  held on Dec 17, 1985, Docket 95-28-929, on page two, under Actions, the VA disregards the documents that show my disability was cut in March/April of 1978 and refer to the November examination as the beginning of a Rating action that happened in January of 1979 which reduced my benefits to 50%. Since my rating had already been cut, that report would have only shown that I was already at 50%. These two scanned documents are from the board of Veteran's Appeals Decisions dated 1981 and 1985.  They show the ongoing VA deception.  (Document)
On page 10 at top of page it read in part that my claim for increased disability benefits was re-opened in mid October 1982. Materials received  in 82’ and 83’ were not supportive of an increase evaluation or total rating. WHILE there was reference to the "Veteran’s having a stress disorder" in Feb 1982, the symptomatology, as reported, did not support a total rating [see rating practices and procedures here].  This documentation shows the Board of Vets Appeal and the Regulations on Latent Schizophrenia and it's intentional misuse to cut Veterans benefits. Here is my response letter in regard to being denied once again. Document in VA format. (Shows VA results of special psychiatric history and where 100% ratings should have been given.)

In the next paragraph on page 10 it states “It has been reported that the Veteran is in receipt of SS benefits. IN THIS REGARD, it is the responsibility of the VA to make an independent determination as to degree of disability present…”  (They never did.)
Under FINDING OF FACTS No. 5, it states…”Prior to Aug 28, 1984, the evidence of record did not establish that the Veteran’s service connected psychiatric disorder, in itself, resulted in complete industrial or social inadaptability. There are 9 supporting letters from the VA  in this document.
(letters sent by VA to members of congress on my case) and  the Board of Veterans Appeals response document here.  This is a BVA decision the gave me my 100% rating back in 1984 and explains why I wasn't given retroactive benefit over a seven year period saying there was no secular evidence that showed I had a 100% rating before this rating action. (A Lie) This document is a transcript of the hearing on September 6th 1984 by the appeals board in San Francisco that let to the reinstatement of my benefits. After 6 years. (Transcript)

The paperwork I have created in dealing with the VA  shows the lies, deceit and intentional violation of Federal Regulation by the Board of Veterans Appeals. There is a lot of documentation here. Most of the documents require explanations. Hopefully you can follow along as I attempt to show you what happened. The VA lost/destroyed a lot of them.  Fortunately I kept copies of most everything. 

Credit Report Document  (1982) I put this together to show the effects the VA actions caused me by illegally cutting my benefits in April 1978. Two of these creditors took me to court after garnishing my Social Security and VA pension checks saying..."It was VA money and it was my money after being deposited, so it wasn't illegal. One lost in Court and Household Finance dropped their action, after I got an attorney to represent me. When I showed up to court and found they had dropped the action. 

Social security document describing the real disability which VA denied. They changed the diagnosis and have been lying ever since. This shows that Social Security approved a 100% rating retroactive to Jan 30, 1976 for chronic anxiety reaction. I was also rated at 70%, payable at 100% due to unemployability for Chronic Anxiety Reaction by the VA in 1977.

This shows the change in diagnosis by C. Richard Johnson, worked for the VA. It shows the VA's opinion and history of why the VA changed my 100% disability to a non service connected disability.  (BVA documents side of story)  
And this is what really happened. This document shows the VA documents and my side of story from private physicians and doctors. ie: Norman Peterson M.D., C Clemens, and Harry Kormos M.D.  (Documentation)  My first diagnosis by the VA in 1976 was chronic anxiety reaction. Due to the Kormos letter and the hearing my diagnosis was changed to chronic anxiety reaction secondary to PTSD.  All the VA diagnosis and decisions were wrong. They put me through 6 years of complete hell all based on deceptive lies. 

This shows a decision against an earlier effective date for my 100% disability rating.
Letters fom BVA responding to letters I wrote to President Reagan and others - 1978 to 1979.  The disability should have been retroactive to an earlier date. This was consistently denied.
Letter to Reagan. This letter shows that I had a 100% rating for schizophrenia in May 22 1987.   This shows illegal denial of retroactive benefits charge of fraud and more.
Letter to President Carter and Senator Henry M. Jackson - 1979 These letters show me asking for help. This was my first letter to a President about what was happening with the VA. 
Letter to Sen Jackson in this document shows the 100 percent condition that the VA is lying and denying.  
The following letter is the index of a document I sent to the US Attorney General.  This is a summary of all the documents above concerning the Va. I don't have copies of the letter at this point. This again is the index of the letter and benefits appeal. 
Written in 2000: This really tells my story in an outline form. 
 

VA Opens Clinic in Eureka 

A Eureka Moment  The VA opened a clinic in 2013 and this is what happened. Stories from the clinic. 
 

History of Fee Basis and Records   

"Fee Basis" program was a Veteran friendly program.  You were issued a card and you could spend $175 per month on medical without pre-approval or hassle as needed.  IE: in 1983 I could go into a pharmacy and pick up a toothbrush, toothpaste, a back brace etc and the VA would take care of it. 
Under the George W Bush administration Congress destroyed this program and created a bloated bureaucracy based on pre approvals for everything. This has resulted in long wait times for Veterans and gives the VA the ability to graft money through bureaucracy.  

Fee Basis Stanford Pain Clinic  This document shows a list I wrote about the lost VA documents. I saved them, the VA lost them. It is an index letters written about these recoreds.

Fee Basis Cards.  Example of the Card

Lorraine Cruz Fee Basis Benefit Cut Letter (Document)  The VA fee cut my fee basis card without notice. I was at the San Francisco VA at that time and went in to the fee basis office ad talked to Lorrraine Cruz.

Collection agency letter cause by VA taking 22 months to pay bills. Document

 THE ‘HOUSE OF CONGRESS’ HELD A HEARING TITLED
                  “FEE BASIS CARE:  Examining Solutions to a Flawed System” September 14, 2014      
 
The Honorable Ann Marie Burke, the Chairwomen’s comments were…

     
“Given the history of Fee Basis failures we have already seen, I have serious reservations that the V.A.
will continue to provide fragmented care and an inability to deliver quality care in rural communities. 
We cannot afford to allow the Veterans Administration to continue to fail and struggle in an inherently
flawed system”

Failure to Pay Providers Collection Agency Issues

Collection Agency Letter (Mercantile Agency) March 22 2016. This documents shows City Ambulance billing both the VA and Medicare for the same ambulance ride. This is illegal under federal law. 

Collection Agency Letter (Mercantile Agency) January 1 2016 The first page is a bill paid under Medicare and I owed the provider an additional $77.00 dollars. The second page shows that the VA paid the bill and Medicare was adjusted to zero. 

Transunion Collection Report  (document) This reports shows that I have two unpaid bills in collection. One is from ARS for $77.00, the second is from (City Ambulance) Grant Mercantile Agency. Both of these were paid by Medicare.  These were both paid by the VA and were incorrectly reported as not paid. No help from the VA fixing these problems. 
 
VA payment summary-  March 31 2016 ( Document)   The VA takes from 3 months to over a year to pay medical bills. This VA summary of payments shows a 22 month delay. 

Destroying Medical Records and Shorting Prescription Pain Medications 

Stealing Prescription Drugs  (Norco doc) Oct-2017  This shows that the VA shorted my prescription by 6 pills.  Seems to be a common practice for Veterans that get pain medications. 
Another Eureka Moment Notes on destroying opiate pain med signature sheet to require a second one.  By Faust LFNP , picture showing prescription bottle and shorting of my prescription by VA.
Pain Control Signature Sheet.  This is the redo after my first document with Faust in 2013 was removed from my file. (document)
Pain Control Signature Sheet  (Destroyed Medical Document) July 2013 - This is a copy of the removed medical document.  This is obviously illegal to remove medical records. 

Pain Control Signature Sheet Redux  (Redone document) (January 2018) The San Francisco VA took this out of my case file. (illegal as hell)  The reason was I was getting pain meds from my outside doctor as well as the VA. I would get a script from my private doctor for a month and then one for the following month from the VA. The VA pharmacy were hoping my VA doctor would cut my pain meds. 

Reason the V.A. cut my pain meds: "For safety reasons, in patients receiving Chronic Opioid Therapy for non-malignant pain and test positive for marijuana use, opioid therapy will be discontinued"

Double Billing / Fraud Issues

The VA would put my meds in a USPS package with a tracking number,  Then they would put it into a FEDX package with a tracking number. The USPS tracking number was never used or filed, just each time charged for $8.69.  So the VA fraudulently billed postage of approximately $100. per year just for me.  If they were doing this to 1 million vets every year, that is a $100 million dollar fraud per year. They did this for 7 years for my meds.   (Double Billing Sequence Document)

Link to my website National Veterans Appreciation Month. 

Misdiagnois By A Traveling VA Physician

The VA uses traveling physicians to fill medical positions as needed.  One of the reasons is it minimizes their liability for poor decisions. One doctor I got was intoxicated and rambled and made disparaging remarks about Trump. I spent 45 minutes with him instead or the usual 15 minutes and got nothing done. He sent this note saying my LDL cholesterol was high.  This was way off.  
High Bad LDL Cholesterol I talked to my VA nurse immediately after receiving this notice. He said LDL was great at 68.00 and not to worry, HOWEVER an earlier VA document showed that on March 23'rd 2005 my LDL Cholester was 145. This way over a safe level and the VA never explained the results or put me on any medications to lower this issue. Subsequently I suffered a stroke in January 2015.  

Veterans Choice / TriWest Healthcare Fiasco

TriWest Healthcare Alliance - Another way Veterans Choice (VC) needlessly marks up the cost of healthcare as a step in privatizing the VA. These documents show that TriWest has difficulty communicating with the VA and with doctors that are supposed to be healthcare providers. They send the same documents over and over as another way to increase their overhead and pad their bills.  I scanned about 25 Tri-West documents that cover seven procedures. If you look at these documents you will see that they are adding multiple visit estimates for the same procedure. Did the VA pay themselves or TriWest more that once for the same procedure?  Why do they amend and change the paperwork for the same procedure over and over and add to the visit totals?  Are they creating more paying for themselves?   At an estimated $300 a pop per procedure (Inspector general article on V.C. ) [from a range of $250 to $400 per action taken] that would be a cost of $7,200 to just send these documents.  Plus an added 8% cost by Tri -West,as the mouthpiece of Veterans Choice.  There are many more actions that the V.C took that didn't result in a letter by Tri-West that would put the cost at $10,000 or more.  The V.C. billing cost is more then 95% of the cost of the procedures covered. This isn't a complete record of all the actions taken by Tri-West or the numerous ones Veterans Choice (V.C.) used to pad the bill.

The 7 initial authorizations for coverage has expanded to 27 letters from Tri-West. There are 10 letters that are amendments by Veterans Choice. ( V.C.)   Eight of the amended documents are just duplicates of the first authorization  The other two, only amend the dates of service.  There are 3 for requested coverage without any action taken. I received an authorization from Tri-West for a cat scan scheduled for Dec 19th, 2018.  I actually had the cat scan on Dec 7, 2018. Repeatedly Tri-West/ VC doesn't communicate with the doctors or the VA. 

#1- Tri-West expands one visit to cover 10 visits with repeated paperwork from Oct 18th 2016 to June 15th 2017 (Document)
#2 Tri-West doesn't talk to doctor or VA about additional procedure and cancels approval. (Document) 
#3 Tri-West doesn't approve of payment to doctor because the VA didn't respond in time. (Document) 
#4 Tri-West turns one appointment into paperwork for 4 appointments (Document) 
#5 Tri-West turns 1 colonoscopy visit into paperwork for two. (Document) 
#6 Tri-West Double authorization for open heart surgery. (Document) 
#7 Tri-West communication fiasco. VA doesn't answer in time so authorization canceled. (Document) 
#8 Tri-West communication fiasco. VA doesn't answer in time so authorization canceled. (Document) 
Colonoscopy - already had the procedure done when the second letter came.  
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