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.
I did just 3 years active and 8 in the active reserves, but am entitled to zero zilch nada
Vets disabled from war injuries can receive it at any time. Vets with financial difficulties can also receive some coverage.
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.
Many who are eligible don’t have company retirement medical plans. If they didn’t put in their 20 years in the military, then they are not eligible for TriCare. So that leaves those that are not eligible for Medicaid or Medicare without any other options.
Now that has been changed to 24 months.
National Guard and Reserve Duty don't count unless you serve the min number of months on active duty.
This is why you see some Tours of Duty that are only 179 days, after day 180 you get more benefits.
The VA uses a classification system to determine how much you pay. Service connected, and Ex-POW are at the top. Since I don't have any disability and a good job, I am down at the bottom.
The higher up the system you are doesn't mean you get to go first. At just means you have may not have to pay as much.
The percentage of Service Connections gives you different beneifits.
Thumbnail rundown on eligibility can be found here:
http://www.va.gov/healthbenefits/apply/veterans.asp
If you are eligible, the VA places you into one of 8 priority groups based on the nature of your service and income level.That list can be found here:
http://www.va.gov/healthbenefits/resources/priority_groups.asp
Those who are in a high priority group and who have no other options or options that are minimal may find that the VA provides good care. The highest priority groups generally get excellent care, but quality varies for the lower priority groups. The coverage is only for the veteran, so if you have a family, you have to find other coverage for them.
I am retired from the Army and had Tricare with a supplement until I became eligible for Medicare and Tricare for Life. I have never used the VA health care system, but who knows what might happen down the road.
I’m technically a vet due to a post 9-11 deployment. I was between jobs at one point and got shingles. I used the VA to diagnose and prescribe antivirals. It was a slow and depressing process, but it worked.
As a Non-Service Connected Vet I have gotten quite a few Benefits from the VA, Eye, Audiology, Podiatry, Colonoscopy, etc.