TRANSKRIP 🔗
WEBVTT
00:00:11.119 --> 00:00:16.000
It's Mark Levine with a new episode of On the Mark.
00:00:16.480 --> 00:00:27.280
As most of you already know, I dedicate my podcasts to our veterans, families, and friends all over the United States and worldwide.
00:00:27.679 --> 00:00:34.240
Today I'm going to talk about a personal situation that involves the Veterans Administration.
00:00:34.640 --> 00:00:36.399
So here we go.
00:00:36.640 --> 00:00:41.359
I am sorry I haven't published my podcasts in several weeks.
00:00:41.679 --> 00:00:48.479
I recently had right knee replacement surgery, and I'm having physical therapy.
00:00:48.799 --> 00:01:02.000
After surgery on July 10th of this year, 2026, I had physical therapy in the home and then at ATI physical therapy here in Greer, South Carolina.
00:01:02.479 --> 00:01:10.879
VA Community Care had set this up for me to have 15 sessions expiring on September 16th.
00:01:11.439 --> 00:01:18.239
My physical therapist sent a request to my surgeon to continue physical therapy after that date.
00:01:18.959 --> 00:01:29.760
The surgeon's office in turn would approve the referral and I would be able to return to physical therapy through VA community care.
00:01:30.560 --> 00:01:33.200
Well this should only take a few days.
00:01:33.599 --> 00:01:40.400
In this case, it is taking over a month for me to get back to physical therapy.
00:01:40.719 --> 00:01:52.799
I am totally frustrated and needed to find out why it is happening and has happened so long for the VA to approve my next session of physical therapy.
00:01:53.040 --> 00:01:58.079
Well every time I called VA Community Care, I had a different response.
00:01:58.400 --> 00:02:03.040
First they said all the information they had was necessary, ready to go.
00:02:03.280 --> 00:02:10.080
After several days with no calls to come into physical therapy, I called community care again.
00:02:10.319 --> 00:02:15.120
And here I was told we don't have the information to make a decision.
00:02:15.439 --> 00:02:21.439
I called my surgeon's office, and they said they had faxed all the information to community care.
00:02:22.479 --> 00:02:25.039
And this went on for several weeks.
00:02:25.439 --> 00:02:37.840
I finally got fed up, called my local congressman, and by the way, if you live in Greenville County, South Carolina, and need help, contact Congressman Timmins' office.
00:02:38.080 --> 00:02:40.719
They fixed this problem in just a few days.
00:02:40.960 --> 00:02:48.240
As I am writing this script, I should be receiving a call from ATI to schedule my next PT appointment.
00:02:48.479 --> 00:02:59.360
And I wish to thank Congressman Timmins' office, especially Callie Finch, who took care of my situation with unwavering concern and professionalism.
00:02:59.680 --> 00:03:03.759
And I will keep you posted on this journey to better health as we move along.
00:03:04.000 --> 00:03:09.280
Veterans, I admire everything you try to do for yourselves and your fellow veterans.
00:03:09.439 --> 00:03:21.919
The Veterans Administration is not perfect by any means, and I've had issues with them over the years, since I've been with the VA since 1970.
00:03:22.319 --> 00:03:24.479
So there's been ups and downs.
00:03:25.039 --> 00:03:39.039
This one's probably frustrating the most because it deals with my health and my physical therapy because I still need it to get my right knee back in perfect order, which is going to take several months.
00:03:39.280 --> 00:03:49.840
So I'm hoping to hear from the VA fairly shortly to get back and from ATI to get back into physical therapy.
00:03:50.080 --> 00:03:53.199
In the meantime, I'm going to the YMCA and working out.
00:03:53.520 --> 00:03:55.039
Talk to my physical therapist.
00:03:55.120 --> 00:03:58.159
They told me what exercises, what machines to work on.
00:03:58.479 --> 00:04:11.520
In the meantime, and if you're a veteran and you're having similar situations that I do, please contact me at marklevine51 at gmail.com.
00:04:11.599 --> 00:04:16.720
I'll give you all the advice I can from what I've learned from this situation.
00:04:17.040 --> 00:04:31.279
And also, if you have a suggestion for me to research for you as far as a veterans situation, please contact me at marklevine51 at gmail.com.
00:04:31.519 --> 00:04:51.600
That's M-A-R-K-L-A-V-I-N E 51 at gmail.com and I'll be glad to respond to you and uh do my research and get a really great podcast set up so you can listen to what I might have to find out in the research.
00:04:52.319 --> 00:05:03.360
So look, in the meantime, I want to thank you for listening to Mark Levine's On the Mark podcast, and I wish you and your family and friends good help and happiness.
00:05:03.600 --> 00:05:06.319
This is Mark Levine saying goodbye for now.