Shopsmith Forums

Is anyone here familiar with this oor have first hand knowledge about it?
http://newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2012 ... rans/?_r=1

I heard of this many years ago and I know some of my deceased WWII friends could have used this. I will never qualify as I make too much in my retirement, but just barely.

I quit going to the VA for routine or any other medical services. I do not have any service related disabilities, so I have to pay. They charged my federal employee insurance and my Medicare plus sent me a bill for the difference. If they are a provider with my insurance and Medicare they have agreed to the plan allowance, but in my case was that I make a bit more than the minimal and therefore can charge me the difference between the plan allowance and the charge. Spent many hours on the phone with Medicare and my insurance in three way calls to resolve that, but VA was insistent in charging me. I don't have that much money to pay for them when I can get just as good service in the private sector and no payment out of my pocket. The Chairman of the VA in the House is resigning and maybe we can get someone who is useful to the veterans. JMHO

Steve, the old swampgator

For those veterans here that may not be aware of this site.

https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits/homepage

eBenefits is one-stop shopping for your military benefits.

I have been denied services (two separate/independent occasions) at the local VA due to my income (retirement plus social security).

dusty wrote:I have been denied services (two separate/independent occasions) at the local VA due to my income (retirement plus social security).

Wow, I thought was an inherent right of a service member. Or was for just duty acquired stuff for treatment after being discharged?

No. Funding for VA treatment has been slashed and slashed and slashed. It's to the point that for retired veterans, they can pretty much only afford to offer it as a Medicaid plan. Active duty and dependents are covered under a different section, and that's still (somewhat) ok, but retired veterans have to already be broke in order to take advantage of VA benefits. Which is stupid.

I find all this very interesting. I have never been asked about my income by the VA. I have been in the system since 1996 when I retired from the AF with 24 years. At that time my insurance was Tricare Prime, the military insurance program for retirees. Back then it cost $57 a quarter. When I turned 65 I went under Medicare and Tricare Prime converted to Tricare For Life which is also free. Tricare for life is like a Medicare supplement policy but free.

I have to say I am 10% service connected but again I have never been asked about my income and never been charged by the VA for anything except one med I get from them that is not service connected. Co-Pay for that is $8 a month. I get free eye exams and glasses and free preventive procedures like colonoscopys and immunizations. I get the majority of my medical care in the civilian community. I have to say that I basically have nothing that I go to the doctor for on a regular basis. My wife is under Tricare Prime because she is under 65. Tricare now is about $70 per quarter. She had a hip replacement 2 years ago and the entire procedure in the hospital (3 days) was $25. The only thing we pay going to the doctor is a $12 co-pay per visit. All meds are free because we fill them at the Hill AFB pharmacy.

My wife's sister's husband is a vet and a retired federal employee. He dropped his federal civil service health benefits due to the cost and goes to the VA for everything at no cost. He is not service connected and receives no VA check.

We have another friend that is a vet and didn't think he could get medical care from the VA. He does now after he checked it out.

So I guess I am confused about all this.

roopurt5 wrote:No. Funding for VA treatment has been slashed and slashed and slashed. It's to the point that for retired veterans, they can pretty much only afford to offer it as a Medicaid plan. Active duty and dependents are covered under a different section, and that's still (somewhat) ok, but retired veterans have to already be broke in order to take advantage of VA benefits. Which is stupid.

Not so in my experience. Yes it would be stupid if it were true.

I wonder why there are differences. I have a 10% disability and a few 0% as well but I have to pay a co-pay on the meds for it and the dr visit. It is cheaper for me to go to a private sector dr under Tri-care for Life and my husband's insurance than to go to the VA. I still go to the VA every few years to keep their records updated due to the disability.

John, Brenda, my only guess to reading these post here and Dustys, there has to be so much lee way, missed or wide rules that as typical Fed Gov it is a SNAFU. I am just happy for you and feel sorry for the others here denied. It maybe how you ask or a regional thing. Sure is not fare.