Posted on 06/01/2014 4:46:03 PM PDT by yetidog
Whose is eligible for VA health benefits and why would anyone who is want them?
I was 6 years national guard, but not eligible for VA.
Life sucks, and then you die.
I believe it has to do with income/current.
I don’t think there will be enough private doctors for all the vets who use that insurance. Especially not after Obamacare takes full effect. I use it. I make too much for medicare, but am of mid to low income. I think it’s simply an available option that is inclusive. You can go to a VA hospital and see many different specialists. In civilian world, you would be driving all over the place trying to find the right doctors, then you would have to negotiate the costs. I also like that Doctor A, can look at your med records to see what Doctor B and C are doing for you, so coordination is far easier under one auspice. I have been fortunate, but of course nothing is perfect.
If you separated with a service connected health issue you can apply for VA benefits. They use a pretty complicated formula and its taking current active duty with medical discharges 1-2 years to get through the system.
What is ‘eligible’? Eligible to be told by an intern that my friend (’Nam-era) doesn’t qualify for hip replacement, as he was? The doctor never even saw him. That, after waiting 14 months...
A lot of vets in Calif seem to get go care from the VA. Don’t know why.
I retired with a 70% disability after 28 years of service. That rating was too low, as I have had several surgeries and facial reconstruction. I go to the VA so that they will have a record of all of my medical care. Otherwise, I’d have to make sure they go all of my private records. Of course, they lost all of my appeal paperwork...
Once you are in the system, primary car appointments and meds are easy to get. Specialty care is another story. You will wait months.
Not to be personal, but how can you make too much for Medicare if you are otherwise eligible? Does or can VA eligibility serve as coverage for Part B Medicare coverage (and premium)? If so, I want some.
I did just 3 years active and 8 in the active reserves, but am entitled to zero zilch nada
I have a service connected disability from 1983. I been to the VA exactly twice. The first time was to get an appointment after I started bleeding and the second time was to complain after the doctor told me when I showed up that he can’t see me for another month.
Next day I was brought to the hospital where I spent 7 nights.
That was 31 years ago. Yes it has been that bad that long.
Vets disabled from war injuries can receive it at any time. Vets with financial difficulties can also receive some coverage.
I’m a hundred percent. I read about what is going on in other areas but I get great care via the VA in northern Cali.
My son is a Marine who was critically injured in Afghanistan and medically separated from the Corp. Unfortunately, due to the extent and severity of his injuries, he has no option for the rest of his life than the VA. He is only 27. I worry about it a lot. Probably more than he does.
The care he got in the 14 months of his hospital stay was pretty good, but now that he is out....who knows?
Yeah I saw them once when I got rated for my disability. It was a separation exam.
The one time I needed them I was denied because I hadn’t been seen by them recently.
Some VA Hospitals are apparently ok and some are death traps. It depends on the one in your area I guess.
Whose is eligible for VA health benefits and why would anyone who is want them?
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To: yetidog: Hundreds of thousands of Vets who have no Health Insurance or have Medicare and prefer the VA. I’ve saved hundreds of thousands of dollars using the VA for free medical care and prescriptions. I had my first arteriogram of my heart at a private hospital. I had my second one 7 years later at the VA Hospital in Houston. I’m telling you, the VA was State-of-the-Art; made the private hospital look like M.A.S.H. If I have a 10:00 a.m. appointment, I’m in at 10:00 a.m. or 5 minutes before. That won’t happen in your private doctor’s office. You’ll be called back 1 hour after your appointment time and sit back there for 30 more minutes before your “very busy” doc comes in for 5 minutes and charges your insurance $2,000 for a 5 minute visit.
You need to get some info before you ask a dumb a** question; Bucko!
Many of the vets getting treatment at the VA do not have any health coverage otherwise. The ER will only teat if life threatening. As slow as the VA might be it is still something. The vets feel they have earned the VA and are not generally willing to go the medicaid route even though they may qualify. An acquaintance just passed away of liver failure a few days after being discharged from the VA hospital he was on a 4 month long list for a transplant but he was not really a good transplant candidate due to his bad habits.
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