OT Ranting on an utterly irrelevant topic - please feel free to totally ignore

I feel the need to rant and rave for a few minutes so feel
free to skip this.

I have just (very reluctantly, because I really hate having
to deal with them) rung our Vet Affairs department about
outstanding claims for reimbursement. I have claims unpaid
that go back to 31Oct05. Under the "new" compensation
system, the veteran pays the bills and the Dept pays the
reimbursement.

Yeah - right!

The real live voice I got on the phone proudly informed me
that they "are catching up (and are) currently processing in
the mid-Jan06 range" like this was something to be
congratulated about on 22March! The Government will not pay
a pension or lump sum payment any more unless they see it as
the cheapest option. In lieu they claim to pay all costs
incurred in relation to the injury/illness accepted as
Service-related. Getting anything accepted is another
issue - don't even ask! I am currently almost $1700 out of
pocket and due for more appointments next week that I will
have to pay for. What do they think we live on - air?

I have cancelled the appointments for next week and am
writing to the Dept to say I am now unable to keep medical
appointments because of their failure to reimburse me in a
timely manner, but I do not expect this to have any impact.
It certainly didn't have any last time. And when I wrote to
my local MP about this I was eventually sent a copy of a
letter from the Minister stating that all claims were
processed in a timely and efficient manner, so writing to
him again is probably just futile.

All this is considered perfectly normal. What has me really
steamed is that ANZAC Day is coming up. All the politicians
will line up for their photo op's and wear badges and make
speeches about "our brave Service men and women", but they
won't lift a finger to fix the problems real ex-Service
members have with the DVA systems. What they are doing to
me they are also doing to WW, Korean and Viet Nam veterans
and to those injured/wounded in our recent and current
overseas deployments (which, by the way, have been carefully
described in official documents so as to avoid incurring
combat benefits for anyone!), not to mention those hurt in
the normal course of their work.

They still haven't settled claims from over 40 years ago
(Maralinga testing), and recently offered an "ex-gratia
payment" of UP TO $40,000 per person with no admission of
fault to the men exposed to carcenogenic substances 10-15
years ago during aircraft servicing. I heard recently that
4 men are already dead and at least 2doz more are ill.

Can you all guess who will not be getting a Christmas card
from me this year, and who is on top of my Hate List ATM!!??

Rant over - thankyou, please return to your regularly
scheduled activities
:-))

--
Cats ^;;^ ^;;^ ^;;^
( U ) ( U ) ( U )
Enness Boofhead Donut

http://community.webshots.com/user/witchofthewest
catsatararatATyahooDOTcomDOTau

oh dear - and I was wondering why you were going to a Vet.....
guess the animal world is closer to my world.
Finally worked out what you were ranting about after reading more carefully
- my commiserations - sounds like a real pain in the you-know-where
Sylvi
sylviald at ihug dot co dot nz







"Cats" wrote in message
...
I feel the need to rant and rave for a few minutes so feel
free to skip this.

I have just (very reluctantly, because I really hate having
to deal with them) rung our Vet Affairs department about
outstanding claims for reimbursement. I have claims unpaid
that go back to 31Oct05. Under the "new" compensation
system, the veteran pays the bills and the Dept pays the
reimbursement.

Yeah - right!

The real live voice I got on the phone proudly informed me
that they "are catching up (and are) currently processing in
the mid-Jan06 range" like this was something to be
congratulated about on 22March! The Government will not pay
a pension or lump sum payment any more unless they see it as
the cheapest option. In lieu they claim to pay all costs
incurred in relation to the injury/illness accepted as
Service-related. Getting anything accepted is another
issue - don't even ask! I am currently almost $1700 out of
pocket and due for more appointments next week that I will
have to pay for. What do they think we live on - air?

I have cancelled the appointments for next week and am
writing to the Dept to say I am now unable to keep medical
appointments because of their failure to reimburse me in a
timely manner, but I do not expect this to have any impact.
It certainly didn't have any last time. And when I wrote to
my local MP about this I was eventually sent a copy of a
letter from the Minister stating that all claims were
processed in a timely and efficient manner, so writing to
him again is probably just futile.

All this is considered perfectly normal. What has me really
steamed is that ANZAC Day is coming up. All the politicians
will line up for their photo op's and wear badges and make
speeches about "our brave Service men and women", but they
won't lift a finger to fix the problems real ex-Service
members have with the DVA systems. What they are doing to
me they are also doing to WW, Korean and Viet Nam veterans
and to those injured/wounded in our recent and current
overseas deployments (which, by the way, have been carefully
described in official documents so as to avoid incurring
combat benefits for anyone!), not to mention those hurt in
the normal course of their work.

They still haven't settled claims from over 40 years ago
(Maralinga testing), and recently offered an "ex-gratia
payment" of UP TO $40,000 per person with no admission of
fault to the men exposed to carcenogenic substances 10-15
years ago during aircraft servicing. I heard recently that
4 men are already dead and at least 2doz more are ill.

Can you all guess who will not be getting a Christmas card
from me this year, and who is on top of my Hate List ATM!!??

Rant over - thankyou, please return to your regularly
scheduled activities
:-))

--
Cats ^;;^ ^;;^ ^;;^
( U ) ( U ) ( U )
Enness Boofhead Donut

http://community.webshots.com/user/witchofthewest
catsatararatATyahooDOTcomDOTau

LOL - that Vet was last week for Donut's biopsy.

BTW, it was a carcenoma, but they think they got it all.
Only time will tell I guess. She has healed well and is out
playing with Boofhead ATM.

--
Cats ^;;^ ^;;^ ^;;^
( U ) ( U ) ( U )
Enness Boofhead Donut

http://community.webshots.com/user/witchofthewest
catsatararatATyahooDOTcomDOTau

"Sylvi" wrote in message
...
: oh dear - and I was wondering why you were going to a
Vet.....
: guess the animal world is closer to my world.
: Finally worked out what you were ranting about after
reading more carefully
: - my commiserations - sounds like a real pain in the
you-know-where
: Sylvi
: sylviald at ihug dot co dot nz
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
: "Cats" wrote in message
: ...
: I feel the need to rant and rave for a few minutes so
feel
: free to skip this.
:
: I have just (very reluctantly, because I really hate
having
: to deal with them) rung our Vet Affairs department about
: outstanding claims for reimbursement. I have claims
unpaid
: that go back to 31Oct05. Under the "new" compensation
: system, the veteran pays the bills and the Dept pays the
: reimbursement.
:
: Yeah - right!
:
: The real live voice I got on the phone proudly informed
me
: that they "are catching up (and are) currently
processing in
: the mid-Jan06 range" like this was something to be
: congratulated about on 22March! The Government will not
pay
: a pension or lump sum payment any more unless they see
it as
: the cheapest option. In lieu they claim to pay all
costs
: incurred in relation to the injury/illness accepted as
: Service-related. Getting anything accepted is another
: issue - don't even ask! I am currently almost $1700 out
of
: pocket and due for more appointments next week that I
will
: have to pay for. What do they think we live on - air?
:
: I have cancelled the appointments for next week and am
: writing to the Dept to say I am now unable to keep
medical
: appointments because of their failure to reimburse me in
a
: timely manner, but I do not expect this to have any
impact.
: It certainly didn't have any last time. And when I
wrote to
: my local MP about this I was eventually sent a copy of a
: letter from the Minister stating that all claims were
: processed in a timely and efficient manner, so writing
to
: him again is probably just futile.
:
: All this is considered perfectly normal. What has me
really
: steamed is that ANZAC Day is coming up. All the
politicians
: will line up for their photo op's and wear badges and
make
: speeches about "our brave Service men and women", but
they
: won't lift a finger to fix the problems real ex-Service
: members have with the DVA systems. What they are doing
to
: me they are also doing to WW, Korean and Viet Nam
veterans
: and to those injured/wounded in our recent and current
: overseas deployments (which, by the way, have been
carefully
: described in official documents so as to avoid incurring
: combat benefits for anyone!), not to mention those hurt
in
: the normal course of their work.
:
: They still haven't settled claims from over 40 years ago
: (Maralinga testing), and recently offered an "ex-gratia
: payment" of UP TO $40,000 per person with no admission
of
: fault to the men exposed to carcenogenic substances
10-15
: years ago during aircraft servicing. I heard recently
that
: 4 men are already dead and at least 2doz more are ill.
:
: Can you all guess who will not be getting a Christmas
card
: from me this year, and who is on top of my Hate List
ATM!!??
:
: Rant over - thankyou, please return to your regularly
: scheduled activities
: :-))
:
: --
: Cats ^;;^ ^;;^ ^;;^
: ( U ) ( U ) ( U )
: Enness Boofhead Donut
:
: http://community.webshots.com/user/witchofthewest
: catsatararatATyahooDOTcomDOTau
:
:
:
:

((((((Cats))))))

We sometimes get similar issues. I even heard of one chap who was
having to fight for his military disability pension after a medical
discharge involving loss of lower limb due to a landmine! They keep
asking him every year if his status has changed... 'No - not until you
teach me how to re-grow a leg!' was his last answer!
--
Kate XXXXXX R.C.T.Q Madame Chef des Trolls
Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
http://www.katedicey.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!

I know of at least one Victoria Cross winner who is
currently fighting Dept of Veterans Affairs. A VC is our
equivalent of the CMH. And come ANZAC Day next month the
politicians will all want to have their photos taken shaking
this man's hand!

My problems are recognised as "degenerative", but my
benefits are only approved 12 months at a time, and they
usually "expire" and then it takes them 3-4 months of the
next 12 month period to agree they should be continued. No
retrospective payments of course!

When I get to feeling a bit depressed about it all I take
enormous pleasure from ringing them (or writing, but ringing
gives a more immediate return for effort) and making some
little pencil-pusher's life miserable by asking where my
file is, why my letters are unanswered, why my 5 month old
claims have not been paid, and so on and so on . . . . .
If they can make my life miserable I feel the very least I
can do is return the favour.

That happened this morning. I am sure the guy I spoke to
this morning thought I was "mistaken", but he rang back this
afternoon, very penitent, to tell me he had found the 5
month old claim and it would be paid next week. I asked
"What about the others?" and he said "Well, that was the
only one I was looking for". So with a little verbal
encouragement he has scuttled off to find the rest of them.
I am feeling much better now :-)) ((BEG))
--
Cats ^;;^ ^;;^ ^;;^
( U ) ( U ) ( U )
Enness Boofhead Donut

http://community.webshots.com/user/witchofthewest
catsatararatATyahooDOTcomDOTau

"Kate Dicey" wrote in
message
...
: ((((((Cats))))))
:
: We sometimes get similar issues. I even heard of one chap
who was
: having to fight for his military disability pension after
a medical
: discharge involving loss of lower limb due to a landmine!
They keep
: asking him every year if his status has changed... 'No -
not until you
: teach me how to re-grow a leg!' was his last answer!
: --
: Kate XXXXXX R.C.T.Q Madame Chef des Trolls
: Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
: http://www.katedicey.co.uk
: Click on Kate's Pages and explore!

Cats wrote:

I know of at least one Victoria Cross winner who is
currently fighting Dept of Veterans Affairs. A VC is our
equivalent of the CMH. And come ANZAC Day next month the
politicians will all want to have their photos taken shaking
this man's hand!

My problems are recognised as "degenerative", but my
benefits are only approved 12 months at a time, and they
usually "expire" and then it takes them 3-4 months of the
next 12 month period to agree they should be continued. No
retrospective payments of course!

When I get to feeling a bit depressed about it all I take
enormous pleasure from ringing them (or writing, but ringing
gives a more immediate return for effort) and making some
little pencil-pusher's life miserable by asking where my
file is, why my letters are unanswered, why my 5 month old
claims have not been paid, and so on and so on . . . . .
If they can make my life miserable I feel the very least I
can do is return the favour.

That happened this morning. I am sure the guy I spoke to
this morning thought I was "mistaken", but he rang back this
afternoon, very penitent, to tell me he had found the 5
month old claim and it would be paid next week. I asked
"What about the others?" and he said "Well, that was the
only one I was looking for". So with a little verbal
encouragement he has scuttled off to find the rest of them.
I am feeling much better now :-)) ((BEG))

Way hay! Sometime giving someone else earache eases our own pain!

And never let them forget: Civil Servants are PUBLIC servants, paid for
by our taxes, and there To SERVE US!

--
Kate XXXXXX R.C.T.Q Madame Chef des Trolls
Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
http://www.katedicey.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!

Cats wrote:

LOL - that Vet was last week for Donut's biopsy.

BTW, it was a carcenoma, but they think they got it all.
Only time will tell I guess. She has healed well and is out
playing with Boofhead ATM.

Oh good!

--
Kate XXXXXX R.C.T.Q Madame Chef des Trolls
Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
http://www.katedicey.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!

That should have come with a splutter warning ROFLMAO!
--
Cats ^;;^ ^;;^ ^;;^
( U ) ( U ) ( U )
Enness Boofhead Donut

http://community.webshots.com/user/witchofthewest
catsatararatATyahooDOTcomDOTau

"Kate Dicey" wrote in
message
...
: Way hay! Sometime giving someone else earache eases our
own pain!
:
: And never let them forget: Civil Servants are PUBLIC
servants, paid for
: by our taxes, and there To SERVE US!
:
: --
: Kate XXXXXX R.C.T.Q Madame Chef des Trolls
: Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
: http://www.katedicey.co.uk
: Click on Kate's Pages and explore!

Ranted back to you privately! LOL, Linda in Tx

Cats wrote:

That should have come with a splutter warning ROFLMAO!

My mother was a Civil Servant in her youth. It was what SHE was told
when she started with them, and she passed it on to me.

I find that being FIRM and excruciatingly polite helps a great deal.
It's much easier to be really nasty when you are polite. They don't
notice the pain until they move...

--
Kate XXXXXX R.C.T.Q Madame Chef des Trolls
Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
http://www.katedicey.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!