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Anyone have any advice on persuasive facts I can give to the V.A. to support my request to travel past my local surgeons and past Seattle to the East coast?

I am a 40% disabled Viet-Nam ERA (not in-country) Veteran with most of my health care through the V.A.

My Primary Care Physician has already recommended me for penile implant surgery and furthermore, that Dr. Kramer be the one to do the surgery.

I live in Alaska. There are a handful of surgeons here qualified to do implant surgery, but their access to AMS and Coloplast is limited and their experience doing implant surgery numbers in the dozens per year. I REALLY want to go to Dr. Kramer in Baltimore (or Dr. Eid in New York) to give me the best chance at optimal outcome.

I would like to hear from people who have successfully persuaded the Veteran's Administration to send them out of their local area for implant surgery, despite the availability of that surgery in their local area.

Thanks in advance

A couole of weeks ago, my primary care Doctor put in a consult for surgery with Dr Kramer.

I contacted the Authorizations office and they said they were sending the request forward (to Dr Kramer). Yesterday, Dr K's office confirmed they had heard nothing.

I do not know what my next step should be.


Any advice?

I expect to pay for air fare unless some miracle happend. Lodging may be available in a VA guest house, thouhpgh it is 45 miles from the VA hospital.

Whether or not Dr Kramer will be able to coordinate with a local urologist for prep or followup is another unanswered question. To be tackled next.