Posted on 03/07/2024 8:27:49 AM PST by rktman
In one of the largest-ever expansions of Veteran health care, all Veterans exposed to toxins and other hazards during military service—at home or abroad—are now eligible for VA health care.
At the direction of President Biden, VA is expanding health care eligibility to millions of Veterans, including all Veterans who served in the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan or any other combat zone after 9/11, years earlier than called for by the PACT Act. These Veterans will be eligible to enroll directly in VA health care without first applying for VA benefits.
Additionally, Veterans who never deployed but were exposed to toxins or hazards while training or on active duty in the United States will also be eligible to enroll.
This expansion of VA health care eliminates the phased-in approach called for by the PACT Act, meaning that millions of Veterans are becoming eligible for VA health care up to eight years earlier than written into law.
VA encourages all eligible Veterans to visit the Pact Act website or VA.gov/PACT, or call 1-800-MYVA411 to learn more and apply for VA health care, beginning March 5. Since President Biden signed the PACT Act into law on Aug. 10, 2022, more than 500,000 Veterans have enrolled in VA health care.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.va.gov ...
Need to save money to fund the invaders arrival?
Confused. Weren’t All Veterans eligible for VA care anyway?
Only for proven service-connected injuries or illnesses. This opens VA Healthcare (think of it as all-inclusive healthcare) to those persons affected by the qualifying circumstances.
I’m curious if someone who submits a claim with the Veterans Affairs (VA) can also utilize their Tricare and other public health insurance for healthcare needs, or if they must rely solely on the VA for issues related to toxins. Is it possible to quickly see my own doctor, or will I have to wait for care through the VA system?
I am not sure if I want anything to do with the VA system, when I have health insurance already.
Nope. I had to struggle to get in as a priority 8 which was like the bottom of the barrel. With my current 10% rating that moved me up to priority 3 meaning I no longer have co-pays for care. It was not retroactive so they have me on the hook to pay for carotid artery surgery and are taking basically my entire disability check until it’s paid off. Per IRS rules that is allowed. They even got my tax return last year. None of it much money at a time but...........
Since I only have medicare, the VA is where I have to go. Our local hospital has treated me well and given me good care. I don’t seem to have an issue getting seen either so..... There are instances where you can get outside care if a specialist isn’t available.
The shop/hanger I spent most of my time in had the asbestos removed during my time there. They’d section off part of the shop, work a couple days, move to the next section.
That was just one duty station... Not sure about any of the others...
It was on all 4 of the ships I was on. And we removed and replaced a bunch of it in the engine rooms. OSHA did’t exist when I was in.
You are generally correct.
Veterans who served on active duty are eligible for VA Healthcare. There IS a limit of income, but it is very steep. Roughly $42K for a single veteran and it rises with dependent total. That is for free healthcare. There is a copay that starts from $42K up to something like $75K at which point, yes, there is a cutoff. If treatment is for a service connected condition, there is no cutoff.
If a veteran qualifies for some disability level (this has ALWAYS been badly worded, it’s not disability; it is injury) that is active duty connected, then there is zero income threshold and all such veterans for all illness are covered.
It’s complicated. In a very general way, this new announcement involves almost no one who did not already qualify anyway. It’s an election year.
Veterans are currently 8% of the US population, and falling rapidly as Vietnam war draftees die off. It is the one agency of the US govt with bipartisan support.
The TriCare issue arises often.
There are many folks on TriCare who seek out and obtain VA coverage, too. TriCare is largely comprehensive but there are sometimes advantages to VA.
One such is meds. VA sometimes has lower copays for meds than the same drug under TriCare/Part D.
The key overall question is does your income go past VA thresholds. If you served any significant time on Active Duty, you have firearms training at an early age. Tinnitus gets generated by this. It is a 10% rated “disability” (it’s not a disability, it’s an injury) and it derives from active duty. Any injury from active duty that persisted through years of civilian life also qualifies for a % rating. There are a lot of hoops to jump through. The VA is pretty strict and many exams take place to ensure you do indeed have a service connected injury, but if you do, then even a minimum 10% rating erases the income threshold.
So if you’re 10% rated, you have free VA healthcare for doctors visits and specialist visits for life. Only meds cost a copay.
Thank you for explaining
In fact I am correct as Owen pointed out in post below.
ALL veterans who honorably complete their service are eligible to receive VA care. NOT free which is may what you think should happen. Someone who serves an enlistment or 2 should not expect free ins.
OTOH does the VA drag its’feet? Absolutely. No more than any Ins company.
Does that include using toxic cleaning agents? Hub was on the USS MIDWAY, shoving Huey’s over the side that should have been blown in the field, not brought aboard, they were full of dead grasses/weeds. Started having vision issues shortly after he left the Navy. 20-year Career Vet. Going blind.
Yeah, I saw that one as well and figured it was John f’n Kerry using a false name. 😂
I don’t know but if he was career he should get covered. I met some SEAL team “kids” a couple weeks ago and advised them to get in the system while they are still active. I had a VA ID card from years ago (early 70’s) to prove I was in the system and got a blank stare and a “We don’t recognize that.”. Best of luck.
I’m TRICARE for Life. I went to the VA once. Won’t do it again. I’ve never been forced to use the VA.
Looks like I am pass the VA thresholds.
Took 26 years for the VA to admit my back problems were the result of documented military service.. I didn’t get backpay for those 26 years they started at the BVA hearing request date.
Took 10 years for them to admit my tinnitus was caused by documented military service where it stated in 1989: “You are hereby directed to a mandatory hearing loss conservation program as a result of your significant threshold shift in hearing.” They gave me the tinnitus disability but I’m still fighting the hearing loss.
Got 3 disabilities under the AMA (Appeals Modernization Act) which are supposed to be faster than legacy appeals... I’m 2 years past their goal date on 2 of the 3.
Bottom line is they hope you give up or die before they give in.
Pathetic at best.
Pretty sad state if affairs. But at least the invaders are getting taken care of so we should feel good about that...... Grrrrrr! They awarded my tinnitus claim pretty quickly. The lung issue——— nuthin’ yet. And, I’m nearly 77.
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