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Feds probing roughly 5k pilots suspected of withholding major health issues

businessinsider.com

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Re: Feds probing roughly 5k pilots suspected of withholding major health issues

#91

Post by docandrew »

sedivy94 wrote: post #70
docandrew wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m not sure how “gaming” it is possible when the VA either performs (or contracts out) medical exams for a veteran’s specific claim and determines whether the veteran is eligible or not. It’s not like they just take a veteran’s word for it.

I work on a military base and can attest to this. Many prior enlisted (veterans) feel that they get shafted (screwed or taken advantage of) by the contract between themselves and USG during their service. Their pay is low and transitioning back to a civilian lifestyle is incredibly difficult, despite their compulsory, Congress-mandated transition assistance training. Maximizing their disability claims is one way of g…

They can make a claim but it’s ultimately up to the VA’s doctors to determine whether they meet the criteria or not.

That’s not hacking the system - they can’t get examined for something unless they first make a claim. The VA doesn’t perform preemptive exams to see what a veteran may or may not be afflicted with and informing the veteran so they can make the most conservative subset of possible claims.

Re: Feds probing roughly 5k pilots suspected of withholding major health issues

#92

Post by [deleted] »

docandrew wrote: post #91
sedivy94 wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I work on a military base and can attest to this. Many prior enlisted (veterans) feel that they get shafted (screwed or taken advantage of) by the contract between themselves and USG during their service. Their pay is low and transitioning back to a civilian lifestyle is incredibly difficult, despite their compulsory, Congress-mandated transition assistance training. Maximizing their disability claims is one way of g…

They can make a claim but it’s ultimately up to the VA’s doctors to determine whether they meet the criteria or not. That’s not hacking the system - they can’t get examined for something unless they first make a claim. The VA doesn’t perform preemptive exams to see what a veteran may or may not be afflicted with and informing the veteran so they can make the most conservative subset of possible claims.

[deleted]

Re: Feds probing roughly 5k pilots suspected of withholding major health issues

#93

Post by CobaltFire »

linuxftw wrote: post #25
CobaltFire wrote: post #12

I had a lifelong dream of becoming a pilot, but after my discharge physical and VA rating I realized I’d likely never be able to due to the diagnosed issues. This whole saga frustrates me (it’s been going on for a while) because if you actually have the problems you’ve gotten the VA to acknowledge, and the FAA says they are an issue… Well you are lying and gaming the system on one side or another. I’m not a fan of th…

I sustained a back injury while on active duty. I have a rating for my back. 90% of the time, I'm able to function normally. Every once in a while, I re aggravate the injury and I'm laid up for a week or 2. The disability rating ensures I'm able to get treatment from the VA for my service connected condition. I still pay for my own health insurance and see private doctors as the care the VA provides is garbage, but I…

My back injury is similar; most days I’m ok but there are some (today being one) where it makes life much harder than it needs to be.

The other issues I’ve sustained (I talk about them in other comments elsewhere on here) also present challenges.

Re: Feds probing roughly 5k pilots suspected of withholding major health issues

#94

Post by thomastjeffery »

When it comes to the subject of mental health, the FAA is absolutely full of shit, and everyone involved knows it.

The same goes for the VA, though that situation seems to be improving gradually, at least on a case-by-case basis.

This story is yet another instance of an unelected federal agency using bullshit from another unelected federal agency to drum up FUD; all in order to make themselves appear to be useful.

We can all see the perverse incentives that are driving this situation. We can all see the outcome of this system. It's well past time for a change.

Re: Feds probing roughly 5k pilots suspected of withholding major health issues

#95

Post by hackeraccount »

onlyrealcuzzo wrote: post #27
mattw2121 wrote: post #2

"The pilots who have had their records examined are military veterans who informed the Federal Aviation Administration that they were suitable to fly, but didn't disclose that they were also receiving veterans benefits for various disabilities that could prevent them from effectively sitting in a pilot's seat." This is just my anecdotal observations, but I've seen that military veterans are extremely adept at gaming…

> I've known and worked with multiple veterans and each one of them gamed these systems to maximum benefit. So exactly like private employees & companies? I'm not sure we should be expecting humans not to game systems to their own benefit. Isn't that basic human nature?

When IBM employees play games with Generic Company the damage to me is marginal. There's - potentially - one less competitor when I go shopping.

When someone plays games with the Federal Government it hurts me directly. Doubly so because public organizations are notoriously unable for a raft of reasons to deal with abuse like that.

If the argument is that it's no less likely to happen I wouldn't disagree. If it's that I shouldn't be any more annoyed - I don't think so.

Re: Feds probing roughly 5k pilots suspected of withholding major health issues

#97

Post by TechBro8615 »

leetcrew wrote: post #87
TechBro8615 wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So basically getting a second opinion from another doctor is somehow fraudulent behavior? If you have a problem with this, shouldn't it be with the quack doctors making the diagnoses and not the patients? I was diagnosed with ADHD because I (truthfully) told a doctor I had the symptoms of ADHD. Now I have a prescription for adderall. Did I commit fraud?

getting a second opinion is not fraud. but by the time you're getting the tenth opinion just because the first nine docs didn't give you written justification to draw on public funds, that looks pretty fraudulent. or put a different way, GP is describing people explicitly admitting that they went to as many doctors as it took to get specific language in a note. they admitted that they didn't care at all about any the…

I understand the (rather obvious) basis for this argument, but at what point does the responsibility shift to the doctor? If you don't have a health condition, and you ask ten doctors to diagnose you with one, then isn't the real issue with the tenth doctor who diagnoses you with one, rather than with yourself - the patient - who genuinely believes (given the benefit of the doubt) that you're suffering from symptoms of some condition the other nine doctors wouldn't diagnose you with? I mean, is it really the responsibility of the patient to moderate the quackiness of doctors that are willing to prescribe whatever medication for whatever illness the patient might have? What's the point of doctors if we can't trust them to gatekeep the drugs (and VA benefits) we put them in charge of disbursing?

I think the reflex to blame patients for this situation is revelatory of the real issue, which is that the entire discipline of mental health is disconnected from any physical reality or real basis upon which a "proper" diagnosis can be based.

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