Armed veteran killed near Maine VA hospital

[lab_rat]

So tragic

http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/148256.html

[STsFirstmate]

This is just so sad.
Cancer is such an emotional roller coaster. Hope one minute and despair the next.
From what I saw trying to get just meds for my Dad at the VA Pharmacy they were kind and courteous but had little to offer other than basic generics. If my Dad hadn't had private insurance to supplement mis Medicare he would have been screwed.
I would love to hear from Stone Cold and some of the other Vets and active duty here on the forum as to their perception and experience with VA medical assistance.
I would bet it is light on anything that seems experimental but that makes them no different than private insurance.
We had to get our corporate attorney involved to pay for Avastin for an employee by Blue Cross and Blue Shield even though we had a letter from the FDA indicating the approval for ovarian cancer would be published within 30 days. After one letter from our attorney they caved and paid. What if our CEO had declined to get involved? With an fast moving aggressive cancer 30 days is a lifetime of delay in some situations.
I feel very bad for the officers involved. I am sure they will carry this around forever and this is not the outcome anyone wanted.
I hope he and his family have peace and a thorough review of the both the shooting and the VA's handing of his medical treatment and psych eval are reviewed in depth and improvements put in place where needed.
Regards,
Mary

[lab_rat]

Here is his obituary:
http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/148490.html

[lab_rat]

This is just so sad.
Cancer is such an emotional roller coaster. Hope one minute and despair the next.
From what I saw trying to get just meds for my Dad at the VA Pharmacy they were kind and courteous but had little to offer other than basic generics. If my Dad hadn't had private insurance to supplement mis Medicare he would have been screwed.
I would love to hear from Stone Cold and some of the other Vets and active duty here on the forum as to their perception and experience with VA medical assistance.
I would bet it is light on anything that seems experimental but that makes them no different than private insurance.
We had to get our corporate attorney involved to pay for Avastin for an employee by Blue Cross and Blue Shield even though we had a letter from the FDA indicating the approval for ovarian cancer would be published within 30 days. After one letter from our attorney they caved and paid. What if our CEO had declined to get involved? With an fast moving aggressive cancer 30 days is a lifetime of delay in some situations.
I feel very bad for the officers involved. I am sure they will carry this around forever and this is not the outcome anyone wanted.
I hope he and his family have peace and a thorough review of the both the shooting and the VA's handing of his medical treatment and psych eval are reviewed in depth and improvements put in place where needed.
Regards,
Mary

Yeah, I'd like to hear from the vets, too.