Who Gets VA Health Benefits?

June 1, 2014 | Vanity

[yetidog]

Whose is eligible for VA health benefits and why would anyone who is want them?

[AppyPappy]

” Unfortunately, due to the extent and severity of his injuries, he has no option for the rest of his life than the VA. “

Why?

[kevslisababy]

He could have kept his Tricare, but they are dumping them into ObamaCare.

I’m not sure, but I think that his injuries were so severe that he would never be able to get traditional health insurance or afford it, even if it still existed. He will need a constant supply of medical supplies the rest of his life, and I worry that as he gets older the injuries will cause constant low grade agony.

Just about everything in his body from mid-spine to his toes were broken or shattered by an IED. He is pieced back together, can walk with a cane, and control of certain body functions are gone forever.

[AppyPappy]

Pre-existing conditions have to be covered now. Living near a military hospital (VA or otherwise) might be desirable if possible.

I bought a house from a guy retired from the Navy and was moving to be close to a naval base with a hospital.

[kevslisababy]

I will pass that info along, thank you.

[jpsb]

I am eligible but since I now have medicare I never applied. Vets here (Galveston County) think the VA is great. I should probably at least get a VA card. Just in case. lol.

[Hulka]

“You are wrong you can only draw 100% total! it can be split 50-50, 60-40, etc. this has been Law since at least the 1880”s.”

Actually, “”You are wrong” because the law changed, it’s called concurrent receipt where you can receive full military retired pay AND VA disability.

The law was changed beginning in 2004 and was phased in:

http://militarypay.defense.gov/retirement/concurrent_dod_va.html
“Concurrent Retirement and Disability Payment (CRDP) Program
This program provides a 10-year phase-out of the offset to military retired pay due to receipt of VA disability compensation. The phase-out will be complete in 2014. Qualified individuals are those who are retired active or reserve members who are currently entitled to retired pay and who also have a combined VA disability rating of 50% or greater.”

http://www.cbo.gov/budget-options/2013/44744
“As a result of several laws, starting with the National Defense Authorization Act for 2003, two classes of retired military personnel who receive VA disability compensation (including those who retired before the enactment of those laws) can now receive payments that make up for part or all of the VA offset, benefiting from what is often called concurrent receipt. Specifically, retirees whose disabilities arose from combat are eligible for combat-related special compensation (CRSC), and veterans who retire with 20 or more years of military service and who receive a VA disability rating of 50 percent or more are eligible for what is termed concurrent retirement and disability pay (CRDP)”

For example, I had 30% and when I retired and was eventually, 14 years later in 2014, re-assessed at 50%, thereby tripping the new law and I now receive concurrently full military retirement pay AND VA disability pay.

[Hulka]

“The VA was put in place for Vet’s like your son not for the drunks and addicts that seem to swarm that place now”

True. . .true.

[spel_grammer_an_punct_polise]

“ALL Honorable Discharged Vets with 180 days or the new formula 24 months qualify for burial in a Veterans Cemetery overseen by the VA or by some states.”

I simply found it unusual that he would be eligible for VA benefits with the “Not eligible for reenlistment” notation on his DD-214. I knew him. He was not a good person. I could not, at the time and still cannot understand why he was not discharged with a ‘less-than-honorable’ discharge.

The only time I used my VA benefits was for a VA home loan in the early 70s. Otherwise, I have used only medical insurance with the premiums being paid by me.

[castlegreyskull]

Thanks for the clarification! But if you read my post there was nothing wrong with it. I discussed my personal experience with the VA. I am not lying like you seem to be implying. Am I wrong about my epilepsy? Am I lying about having it covered for free due to being deemed “service related”.

If you want to go there and receive “free service” you have to have service related disability. My entire post was correct. I deal with this daily, so don’t tell me I am wrong.

Also if you look at who I was replying to, you would see the context of my answer.

Something tells me you are a jerk in real life too.

[castlegreyskull]

Maybe I should have been more clear so that someone like you doesn’t focus on the technicalities.

So I will clarify my first sentence.. To qualify for free service from the VA you have to have a service related disability. There are many ways to be classified. However, if you leave the military with no injury, etc, then you will be asked to pay for the services received.

[amigatec]

No you’re the JERK here, once again you are wrong you can be awarded with a service connections MANY years after active duty.

I have no service connection, yet I still receive some services for free.

Once again you are talking out of your backside!!!

[castlegreyskull]

When you wrote jerk in all caps, were you yelling at me? You obviously are going to the VA for anger management difficulties, among several other psychiatric problems.

I said that there are many ways the VA determines your benefits. Yes, a problem can found many years later.

Once again I was talk about my personal experience with the VA. So I fail to see how I am talking out of my backside. I can send you a list of my VA benefits that they send me each year?

You have a huge read comprehension problem.

[amigatec]

You’re the one that insulted me first, you called me a Jerk, I was just replying to you!!!

Maybe YOU need Anger Management Classes!!

[castlegreyskull]

I am not the one yelling. I am calm and collected.

Nice comeback. It would make my 8 year old niece proud.

[Blue Collar Christian]

“Who Gets VA Health Benefits?”

Evidently those who are willing to wait and then survive that wait...

[cva66snipe]

I simply found it unusual that he would be eligible for VA benefits with the “Not eligible for reenlistment” notation on his DD-214. I knew him. He was not a good person. I could not, at the time and still cannot understand why he was not discharged with a ‘less-than-honorable’ discharge.

It can happen. He possibly could have had a lot of NJP's. But IIRC it takes a Court Martial conviction to award anything less than Honorable DC. The Honorable DC would be possible and still a person still not be recommended for retention noted on the DD 214.

[GATOR NAVY]

For many years the big VA hospitals sought out vets with Medicare, Medicaid, and Tricare eligibility because of the declining number of vets from WWII and Korea (they were dying off). These vets were encouraged to use the system because they would be re-reimbursed and could keep the budget and staff.

I retired in 2006 and didn't bother with the VA at first because I had Tricare. They kept sending me letters telling me I was eligible and when they opened a local clinic a few years ago I finally went in because it was much closer than the local base hospital. It is fine for non-acute things like prescriptions and annual physicals but at the times I was seriously ill and needed to see someone immediately it was not capable of helping.

[cva66snipe]

So I will clarify my first sentence.. To qualify for free service from the VA you have to have a service related disability. There are many ways to be classified. However, if you leave the military with no injury, etc, then you will be asked to pay for the services received.

The payment amount though for non service related injury/disability or even basic medical services is solely based on vets income AFTER criteria of your priority level is determined.

IOW if a vet disabled from any means or not receives medical services from VA & is below poverty level the payment for medical services will likely be $0. It is a sliding scale proportional to your income. I know because I receive VA medical services with a non service related disability. {I'm on SSDI} & I use VA for my hearing aids, glasses, and corrective feet insoles which Medicare/Medicaid I am also under does not cover. I pay no payment to VA.

[big'ol_freeper]

I retired from the Army after 20 years of service and am not eligible for VA benefits...thank God.

[castlegreyskull]

Thank you for the info.

What I know about the VA generally is about my own specific situation. I know there is many ways to determine a Vet’s benefits as I found in the few years I been dealing with them. I never knew it would have to do with the income level. Although that makes sense. 3 years ago I twisted my ankle very badly. I went into my VA assign primary care physician, so that he can take a look at it. At this point I never provided the VA an insurance card. On the way out I ask them when I might receive the bill. They told me that since I don’t have insurance, that they are my insurance. I gave them my card, I wasn’t aware they never had it. I thought I gave it to them when I first came there.