Has the Choice Program gotten better or worse over time?

When I started using the Choice Program it was horrible. Then after a while it got better and now it is back to horrible. My doctor put in a Secondary Authorization in August to TriWest. When I called TriWest they told me I had to call Care in the Community, well I called them and they told me they had my paperwork but they didn't have the final approval and that they would call me. When I didn't hear from them I called them back. Well at this point they don't have the paperwork and that I would have to call TriWest. When I called TriWest they told me that they had my paperwork for over a month and wondered why I hadn't called earlier and that I would have to get another Secondary Authorization Request from the doctor because the authorization they had had expired already!! When I spoke to TriWest I asked them what was the difference between them and Care in the Community and she said really nothing we do the same thing.
Is it me or does it seem that the VA just added another layer to getting a doctor appointment outside the VA?