Comments on: VA Healthcare or Medicare

By: Bill A

Bill A — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 20:01:43 +0000

Since you have a service related disability, your decision could be different than mine. First, does the VA provide 100% of your health care needs? If so, is there a chance that this status may change in the future? It is a balancing act. You can refuse Medicare Part B now, but you will pay a penalty if you need it later. The penalty is a permanent increase in your monthly Medicare payment. Since I am in priority group 5, the VA can change my priority group every year based on income. Thus, there is a chance that I may reach a point that I am not covered by VA Healthcare. Should this happen, Medicare will be my only option.

By: A.J. Meunier

A.J. Meunier — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 13:28:41 +0000

Should I opt out of Medicare Part B when I turn 65 later this year? I am a disabled vet in Priority Group 2. The wife and I could certainly use the extra $110.50 per month to pay off other bills.

By: Bill A

Bill A — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 18:11:19 +0000

As I understand it, the VA does cover emergency care. If given a choice, most hospitals would prefer to bill Medicare over VA. VA is not fast in paying, put they do pay. I know that the VA Clinic transfers emergency patients to a local hospital.

By: A.J. Meunier

A.J. Meunier — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 12:45:30 +0000

I will be turning 65 this October and still debating whether or not to opt out of Medicare part B. I am in VA priority group 2. If I opt out of Medicare Part B I understand that if I am transported to a non VA emergency room if closer than my VA hospital that I have 72 hours to call VA and that it will be taken care of. Can anyone tell me what it means “that it will be taken care of”?

By: Rick

Rick — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 00:56:52 +0000

Bill,
I have been researching the VA versus Medicare part B situation since my last blurb, and I do mean research; Whewww
I think fingers are worn out all the way around. :>)
I have decided to not go with Part B for many reasons:
1) I have VA
2) Part B goes up just about every year and you have no control over it.
Like many people I need my Soco checks (I worked 40 years for them) and don’t want to see them dwindle as I get older.
3) If you have Part B you also need supplemental.
4)Obama is going after the Advantage plans with a passion.
5) VA does not go away just because you have Medicare, you just have to choose.
6) I talked to a 75 year old vet friend of mine today that is about to go in to the VA for his second hip replacement and recommended I do not get the part B (he has never had it)
7) If I am in that bad a shape that I can’t get to the VA facility then I really don’t want to live any longer.
I hope you are doing better, but it sounds like complications are doing there job of screwing things up.

By: admin

admin — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 00:13:45 +0000

The American Legion National Commander posted the same comments on Facebook and Twitter yesterday morning. He apparently received a bunch of phone calls for congressman regarding the Legion’s position after the news release from the VFW. As the Webmaster for American Legion of Montana, I try to keep track of this information. I wore my fingers out the last few days between Twitter and Facebook.

By: Richard Milyard

Richard Milyard — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 00:07:07 +0000

I found a nice stars and stripes article:
That your VA readers might be interested in that concerns what effect all this new healthcare may have on there benefits. Set my mind at ease. http://blogs.stripes.com/blogs/stripes-central/health-care-bill-wont-impact-tricare-va-health-programs

By: admin

admin — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 22:35:57 +0000

If you read my other posts, you know that I fell off a ladder almost 8 months ago, and broke my femur in two places. It doesn’t take long to fall 8 feet, but it sure takes a long time to heal. My wife has banned me from ladders, but I still have to work on the house. I just avoid extension ladders and roofs, especially metal roofs.

By: Richard Milyard

Richard Milyard — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 22:21:33 +0000

As a side note.
I fell off a ladder a month ago.
Not far, just forgot an extension ladder does not have an out rung on the third one up, so just fell a few feet, but landed on a big boulder just above my right butt on the hip bone; hurt like hell, but thank God is was not a few inches higher on the small of my back. I could have broken it.
The point is, if I can fall off of a ladder after owning a sign business for over 5 years and doing things on ladders that would scare the crap out of most people and NEVER FALLING. There is only one thing we have in common: AGE
If you are in your sixties, stay off of ladders, or be overly cautious when you do.

By: Richard Milyard

Richard Milyard — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 22:02:45 +0000

Please see:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=av1lMcI6E1no&refer=us
This is just one example of the (initial) no cost advantage plans and what they REALLY do to you over the next few years. The only solution I found for this yearly cost escalation (and it will happen) is to switch carriers on a regular (no less than every two years) bases. This is a pain in the ass, but it will save you a bundle. These carriers are by law required to give you a heads up before your new sign up date; pay attention to this documentation. By the way, my VA clinic is at least an hour away from me also. The closest VA hospital for me is in Las Vegas (about three hours from me), so we are in about the same boat. I think we have pounded on this one about as much as two men can.
I’ll admit, I can be one cantankerous son of a bitch, but I figure going through a few fire fights with my ass on the line while ingesting agent orange is going to get me something from this Government even if I got nothing from the population on my return.