Assets acquired thru VA

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starente15

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Lost a loved one
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Does anyone know if your able sell a van or pwc acquired thru the VA? What happens when they're no longer needed?
 
Yes, you can sell it and the money is yours! But as you know, there is a tremendous depreciation if it was purchased new. The VA makes no claim on it. We had used ours three times- and the $60,000+ new van sold for $46,000. But, I'm not complaining since the VA paid for most of it originally.
 
The van is absolutely, positively legally yours. It's even registered and titled in your name, so there is no question about that.

As to the PWC and all the other stuff, I called my local VA and they said they had no policy or procedure to take it back. They said it was "traditional" that vets would give the stuff to other people who needed it. Like several other vets I know, I simply gave it all away. Much of it, I "sold" for the cost of shipping and crating, to the PALS right here on this forum. That was four years ago.

Non-VA stuff is different. As soon as my PALS died, the civilian equipment providers immediately attacked my house, rappelling down on ropes from silent black choppers, and packed up all the oxygen and breathing machines and took them away. It was breathtakingly fast.
 
I love your writing Mike. That's hilarious!

Just had to ask in case we need to sell something to pay for private care. I would like to see the chair go to someone who needs it but it's not my call. Both were used less than three weeks.
 
Star,
The chair and Van are yours to do whatever you need. If you happen to know the chair rep he/she could give you an estimate of its value. Same with the dealer where you purchased the van. Do what you need to do to provide his care.

Mike, I'm with you but it was the two DME companies contracted by the VA who came and took everything else, practically rappelling down the walls, even two companies claiming the same equipment! Our nearest VA Med Center is SO SCREWED UP, and I hear broke!

Sherry
 
Sherry, did the VA rent the rest of the equipment or buy it? Did they tell you in advance that it would be picked back up?
 
Nuts,
Except for the Trilogy's that were leased for Jesse and we knew they would take back, the other equipment, the bed, mattress, suction machine, cough assist, Hoyer were all given (with no training) as we understood it but they took it all back within a week. I think it's because I rocked their boat so many times to get what he need d when he needed it, including contacting the Secretary of the VA.

Sherry
 
Fwiw, we got our lift (not a hoyer but similar) only after my family was trained at the VA.
 
The difference between VA hospitals continues to amaze me. Our equipment is always delivered and, perhaps because we live so far away, someone is always sent out to train us on it. Durham VA, we love you.

Sherry, I have to wonder what they did with all of the equipment they took back. I've never heard of the VA reissuing used equipment. I wonder if they sell it used to DME companies. I wouldn't complain, as the VA spends a fortune on our Pals, but the situation should b explain up front so you know.
 
I definitely do not love the Durham, VA. We have been waiting since early August to have the pwr chair updated with gel pads for his arms, and leg guards to help his leg not splay open. It took 2 and 1/2 months to get a new battery for his chair last winter. I called everyone I could when prosthetics didn't answer the phone, or return calls, called the patient advocate, social work, and wrote the president of the PVA. It was amazing in its frustration.

The Durham VA also would not order the Trilogy machine for him. They insisted on the Astral. The Astral was new on the market but not available at the time the Trilogy was ordered. He got it 6 months after the Trilogy was prescribed. He used a regular bi-pap until he got the Astral. The Astral is not exactly right in its settings. The alarms go off, literally, every 3 minutes. After a month of no sleep finally the guy who ordered it had the rep who sells the Astrals call us to turn off the alarms, which we did, but not there are no alarms. I've asked a number of times to have a respiratory therapist come into the home like maybe once a month, check the settings on the machine, do a FVC, that kind of thing, the request falls on deaf ears. We are 3 hours from the VA. We considered getting the Trilogy via Medicare but it was a $300 a month co-pay OR the company that rents them will suck up the co-pay if we will say we can't afford the co-pay which we do not feel right doing.

For some things the Durham VA had been really good, for respiratory and prostethics they get a failing grade for my veteran. We love that he gets meds by mail, and he gets PT in the home. Primary care is good, and, of course, neurology, Dr Bedlack, is awesome, and tele-health is pretty awesome too, saves a lot of driving.

I do know I have to get on the horn about the upgrades to his pwr wheelchair, but I had a lot on my plate these past two months. It's on my list of to do's for next week as is my mantra to respiratory that we could use support in the home now and then.
 
And so goes the va Mary. Its awesome when it works and frustrating beyond belief when it doesn't.

I would think Star that if you call the social worker they could provide guidance.
 
Mary,
If you tell me what alarms you want to reinstate (I can suggest thresholds if you don't like the defaults), I can send you instructions or walk through it however you like. I wish you had posted when you needed fewer. Pls PM me if you want.

[same for anyone else, any machine]

Best,
Laurie
 
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Mary, we've had frustrations with purchasing. You definately have to stay on top of things, which is seldom easy. The orders are placed, but it seems purchasing is overwhelmed. Prostethics has run down a number of things for us long after they were ordered. We're on our third purchasing agent now and he seems to be better organized. I was also surprised to learn that once an item is ordered there is no followup to insure that the items are delivered (inadequate staffing). Since they pay for things up front there's no followup to insure it they are delivered before payment is made. We were only called about one item, the ceiling lift, and that was the Hampton VA where contracting is done. I just keep thinking about how much they've provided and how fortunate we are to have them compared to what the rest of the ALS community has.

We are also fortunate in that my husband is still working (well, on short term disabilty now, but planning to go back to teleworking next month), so we were able to use his insurance and Tricare for the trilogy and one PWC.

Here's my funny story. I asked for chucks and received a box of panty liners (for my husband. really?). Again, not our current purchasing agent, thank heavens.
 
I agree very much with you, we are very fortunate, unfortunate but fortunate. I do get frustrated when I have to keep following up and things never seem to get anywhere. I'm pretty good at getting things done but sometimes the VA wears me out. We are particularly fortunate that we have Dr Bedlack at the VA and at Duke, sort of the best of both worlds.
 
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