We just want good health care, all of us.

I can fully understand what Rep. Tom Price is talking about when he lashed out against government intervention of healthcare. Last year when after many requests for help from the VA to perform back surgery that I needed so very badly, I was provided a document from a "PA" who worked in the Orthopedic Surgeon's office, providing authorization for the lumbar back surgery so badly needed. After compiling all my medical history records from the VA, and having it sent to the Atlanta Brain and Spine Care - Resource Center I did not have the response hoped for. Now I will admit that It was my choice, and the VA assured the physician I would chose to perform the surgery that all costs would be paid by the VA. The problem was, the "PA" placed so many restrictions on what could be done, or not done, and that if they deviation from any of the instructions would result in the physician not be paid and as a result of that response, my requests to see any of the physicians was denied by the center. I later was advised, by my Neurological clinic to make an appointment using Medicare and TriCare for Life insurance plans, and see if they might accept those to at least take a look at you. Well, I followed the advice given and made an appointment with one of the surgeons. I was examined, with appropriate tests being done to determine what needed to be done relative to my surgery, and the surgery was accomplished by a young physician, who expressed his concerns about the potential end results prior to the surgery, making no promises, but did assure me that he would make every effort to get it done, and done in a way that I would be relieved of the tremendous pain, and maybe even walk again without the use of my power chair, or a walker. After that, and a year later a much needed repair of a prosthetic placed in my right hip about 10 years ago, I again requested the work on my hip, I could not get done at the VA, to be looked at, and consideration to repair and replace the prosthetic that had fallen a part, creating incredible pain, which I could no longer tolerate. My Neurological Clinic recommended I go to Resurgens Orthopaedics, Georgia's largest orthopaedic practice, and see if they would take care of my repair work that would be a risky and difficult surgery. I did and a wonderful doctor, who unless I have his permission, will defer using his name at this time. Bottom line, The good doctor, after hours in surgery, started the repair work needed, and resulted in a second surgery to complete the work. The point being, because I had two insurance companies, Medicare and TriCare for Life, (TriCare is insurance provided to the military and their dependants are covered after paying a very fair premium.) But one of the points I wanted to get across is that the VA (government ran) tried to dictate to the doctors what and how the surgeries should be done, and if they did not follow to the letter their directives, they would not be paid. You can easily understand why doctors are reluctant to accept requests from the VA to pick up some of their overflow of surgeries, when as physicians, the doctors receiving the directives in the requests for doing the surgeries result in few of them being done. In my case, both my back and hip had a lot of complications that required the surgeons to deviate from the instructions given by the VA. Government should stay out of the health care business, and leave that up to the medical professionals who know they must have the freedom to determine what needs to be done to have a successful surgery. By the way, my back and hip surgeries were tremendous success stories. My horrible back pain is almost gone, and my hip pain is diminishing at a rate I can not complain about.