for real? What is the VA thinking????

[whoRyou]

My response to their response: NO THANK YOU.

:wink: All I can say, what do you expect, I mean come on it's the government we are talking about here. They (state) did the same thing to me when I used to work for HHSC. I guess their justification was at the end (that is if you can last that long) you get a "supposedly" nice pension at the end and "great" bennies along the way. - Whatever I say ...

[CAdamsPAC]

Gv't is already in health care - add up the Medicare and Medicaid patients and you have WELL OVER 60% (from the last study I read) of the entire population.

 

Gov needs to stick to Health Insurance for the masses with private health care delivery - exactly what medicare is.

 

VA needs to seriously look at it self. i am a Vet wanting to work for the VA in an under served area, yet they don't want to hear it, want to only hire NP (locally) and don't want to pay even close to a national wage rate...... strange indeed and reflects poorly on the VA

 

 

Ha-ha-ha too many of us think the VA cares about what we think or vets! They are a massive drain on the physical ,emotional and financial health of the nation's vets. I say give each qualified vet a credit card that they can use in a PMDs office for their care and shutter these palaces of denial, obfuscation and manipulation!

[Armygrunt001]

Ha-ha-ha too many of us think the VA cares about what we think or vets! They are a massive drain on the physical ,emotional and financial health of the nation's vets. I say give each qualified vet a credit card that they can use in a PMDs office for their care and shutter these palaces of denial, obfuscation and manipulation!

 

Couldn't have said it any better!

[68W2PA]

All of the PA postings I have seen for the VAMC in my area have been GS 12-13 with a range of $73k - $112K.

 

Every VAMC is different, but I think the one in my city is fantastic. I have spent a fair amount of time there and have found it to be a happy hospitable place. Most of the PAs had less than 20 patients a day to see in their respective positions. They seemed to be fairly well respected.

 

As for the evils associated with government healthcare, I have never received better care than I have from the military's system. My experiences have been the picture of ease and efficiency.

[CAdamsPAC]

All of the PA postings I have seen for the VAMC in my area have been GS 12-13 with a range of $73k - $112K.

 

Every VAMC is different, but I think the one in my city is fantastic. I have spent a fair amount of time there and have found it to be a happy hospitable place. Most of the PAs had less than 20 patients a day to see in their respective positions. They seemed to be fairly well respected.

 

As for the evils associated with government healthcare, I have never received better care than I have from the military's system. My experiences have been the picture of ease and efficiency.

 

 

The VA isn't part of the military!

[68W2PA]

The VA isn't part of the military!

 

Never said it was. :)

[Will352ns]

This is a GS position, therefore educational level trumps all when looking at the pay scale. Experience counts...but again, it can be trumped by the educational level.

 

You are seeing the range of what they are willing to pay from AS to MS. Right or wrong doesn't matter....it's the Fed. That said, I know a couple of guys who went on to work at the VA and they didn't complain about compensation.

 

Interesting perspective. I work with a Psychologist that is a civilian contractor in my squadron. Prior to this gig, he worked for the VA. He stated that when he is done with this contract and is ready to move on, he will most likely go back to the VA. Why? He said the practice environment is better than the civilian sector. He said that many Docs, PA/NPs, and other clinicians seek out VA employment because it is one of the few places where your job is primarily clinical. You get to do mostly medicine; no insurance companies to deal with, minimal "coding" nuances, no overhead costs, and good clientele. He said forget about the old stereotypes about he VA, many of the facilities are great. The VA has been very successful in attracting very talented people over the last decade for those reasons. Not to mention a kickass bennie package.

 

I will be strongly considering the VA when I graduate.

[crank]

It would be better, if you specify the eligibility criteria clearly, whether freshers or experienced persons have to apply.

[EMEDPA]

just got this response:

Areas of the country are under different “localities”. Pay is more/less depending on what locality the city falls under. San Antonio has a higher locality adjustment then Albany, NY.

Bobbie Kirsch

Human Resources Specialist (Recruitment)

Albany Stratton VA Medical Center

[Iain1028]

Ventana, all I know (from 5 years experience now) is any Vet that can AFFORD it, goes into the Private Sector for their Cancer Care....specialty care....heck probably even general PCP care.....

 

 

Look, here's the bottom line: No you don't get to keep your Doctor and your Insurance Premiums are going to sky-rocket.....

[EMEDPA]

This was received by Dave Mittman the President-Elect of PAFT from Denni Woodmansee, PA-C one of the Chief PAs at the VA:

 

 

"We do have a significant problem with pay schedules in VA. With 3 year pay freeze, we are unable to adjust salaries for PAs. However, in checking the salary range for PAs at the facility in question, I find there is an error in what was posted on the job announcement. The low end is actually $48,878 but this is for a GS-8 grade. We don’t have any PAs at this grade in the system. This is for a PA new grad with no experience and no academic degree. In fact, our new grade criteria has removed this grade entirely. Entry level is $52,643 for someone with a Bachelors degree. Masters degree would be higher. Top end is $106,383. This will change significantly when the pay freeze is lifted and we are able to adjust special salary rates to align with area market pay rates".

[Corpsman2PA]

$52k?? So when I graduate next year with my bacherlor's and cert, and want to seek employment with the VA, I'll be staring down 52k?? Well, there goes that idea.

[EMEDPA]

$52k?? So when I graduate next year with my bacherlor's and cert, and want to seek employment with the VA, I'll be staring down 52k?? Well, there goes that idea.

that pay is specific to albany, ny. may be higher elsewhere.

[Corpsman2PA]

that pay is specific to albany, ny. may be higher elsewhere.

 

Ahh...Noted. Thanks.

[jsfelder0417]

That was a good response, thanks.

[Guest]

the problem is that some new grad will take this job at 40k and perpetuate the problem....

 

I doubt it. Unless they want to starve themselves.

[OrthoSurgeryPA]

As previously stated, the GS pay scale is varied depending on region, specialty, education and experience. There is an advertised Ortho position here for range of $70K-96K, no OR. Not a bad post military retirement poition...

 

I applaud PAFT efforts at identifying this issue. The freeze mentioned in that response will delay any immediate action but so will ignoring action.

[EMEDPA]

I doubt it. Unless they want to starve themselves.

all of the positions in nyc that offer 50k as full time er or 60k for 70 hrs/week as a surgical pa get filled by these same idiots....if you have never had a job before 40k sounds like a lot of money. a lot of 24 yr olds who have only ever lived with mom and dad and whose last job was a lemonade stand don't know what they are worth. part of the value of paid medical experience is understanding where a PA fits into the spectrum of health care salaries. a new grad PA should make more than a new rn, rt, paramedic, etc. and should know what these folks make so they know where they fit into the picture. there were 3 jobs I turned down as a new grad because I knew they were offering a lot less than I was worth.

[Cleverisallxx]

all of the positions in nyc that offer 50k as full time er or 60k for 70 hrs/week as a surgical pa get filled by these same idiots....if you have never had a job before 40k sounds like a lot of money. a lot of 24 yr olds who have only ever lived with mom and dad and whose last job was a lemonade stand don't know what they are worth. part of the value of paid medical experience is understanding where a PA fits into the spectrum of health care salaries. a new grad PA should make more than a new rn, rt, paramedic, etc. and should know what these folks make so they know where they fit into the picture. there were 3 jobs I turned down as a new grad because I knew they were offering a lot less than I was worth.

 

I don't know of any hospital in nyc that would currently offer so little for a PA, this is typically what's paid to new nurses... Even my pharmacy tech hubby working in a hospital makes around that much.

[EMEDPA]

I don't know of any hospital in nyc that would currently offer so little for a PA, this is typically what's paid to new nurses... Even my pharmacy tech hubby working in a hospital makes around that much.

hang out here for awhile and you will see lots of threads with new grads seriously considering jobs like this in nyc.

[ventana]

https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/345379200

 

UPDATE

 

So due to the contacts made by myself and others they are reposting all NP jobs as both PA and NP (this is HUGE for the local PA's as we previously had been somewhat shut out of the jobs as one of the managers was an NP and did not want to hire PA's)

Also, the pay scale is a little bit better with the top of scale almost at 100k

 

time will tell, but this is a good step in the right direction!!