V.A. covid shot question

[porthos]

jusst talked to a friend that has a friend (a veteran) who was turned down at the pittsburgh pa va hospital; when asked about his income. this sounds very odd to me. i am going tomorrow for my first shot. any veterans get a shot at the v.a. ;a and have been asked about their income/ savings??

[quilbilly]

I just signed up to be notified when the shots become available locally at the VA clinics. Nothing was said about income but there is attention to age and co-morbidities which they get directly from your VA medical records anyway. The VA does ask about income for newcomers trying to get into the system in addition to other insurance the individual has such as Medicare, Tricare, etc.

[MUSTANG]

Yep; there is a "Wealth Test" for services at VA Clinics and Hospitals. The government is like a crack dealer; they want people dependent and addicted to their "Handouts".

See this link for a table threshold of when services are not provided based on "Making Too Much Money" (about $35K for a single veteran): https://www.va.gov/healthbenefits/apps/explorer/AnnualIncomeLimits/LegacyVAThresholds?FiscalYear=2020

There are exceptions such as Service Related disabilities.

[Rcmaveric]

Wait.... VA has a threshold? I plan on retiring in 3 years and the health benefits is literally the only reason I stayed active.

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[Scrounge]

Wait.... VA has a threshold? I plan on retiring in 3 years and the health benefits is literally the only reason I stayed active.

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Ohhh you poor soul! For me the most recent slap in the face was turning 65 and getting thrown off base. I'd been seeing a military (actually contract civilian) nurse practioner the past 6 or 7 years but had to go find a doctor downtown. I can still get prescriptions filled on base if they have the material in stock. I do have Medicare and Tricare for life for my self, but because I lost my job just before my 65th birthday, my wife and disabled son lost our civilian healthcare too, and Tricare Prime only covers her. Wife got kicked off base years ago because she has so many problems. Tricare Prime is pretty cheap as insurances go, but the cost still keeps going up, and the cost shares, co-pays, and deductions also keep going up, and required prior authorizations keep delaying treatments. Not counting all the insurance I paid for last year, I still spent over $15k on medical stuff for the year. And a bunch of treatments and procedures got pushed back so that the deductibles started over again for this year when they should have gotten taken care of last year. Get used to it fast, as I believe it's only going to get worse under the current administration.

I just signed up to get the Covid-19 vaccine through the VA myself, as Oklahoma doesn't seem to have gotten around to folks like me. Over 65, with at least a few co-morbidities. Or my wife, who'd a decade younger, but in much worse health with several breathing problems already. And the Tricare folks appear to either closed or out of business from computer problems today, so can't deal with anything again. I need a source of medical oxygen that I can afford out of pocket or that Tricare will cover at least some of for her. Or the concentrator filters I ordered to get here so I can put her new concentrator back in service. Had to buy a concentrator for in early November because the Tricare contractor we were supposed to be using kept not showing up to service her equipment after the late-October ice storm used up her bottled O2, and the concentrator we were renting from them wasn't putting out as much gas as it was supposed to. I did find out today that I can get a gadget to refill her O2 bottles. It's another $2200 or so. Not happening anytime soon.

Good luck, and God Bless!

[dannyd]

Wait.... VA has a threshold? I plan on retiring in 3 years and the health benefits is literally the only reason I stayed active.

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Get a supplement policy and use Tricare Select when you retire. Been using it for 25 years: it's nice to have doctors and not go to the V. A. or the base.

[higgins]

Check with the local health department run by the county or state. That's where we got ours; no questions other than name, address, and the same sort of questions you get before getting the annal flu shot.

[Burnt Fingers]

Wait.... VA has a threshold? I plan on retiring in 3 years and the health benefits is literally the only reason I stayed active.

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Are you going to have any service connected disabilities?

The VA has priority groups. Some priority groups will have a co-pay.

This is nothing new.

https://www.va.gov/health-care/eligibility/priority-groups/

I'm betting this Veteran

1. Never signed up for VA healthcare
2. Doesn't have a Service Connected Disability

I've had MANY Veteran's tell me they were promised health care for life through the VA. However, unless it's on paper it's a false promise. I've never seen any case where it's written that EVERY Veteran gets free health care for life from the VA.

I've been using the VA to treat my service connected problems for over 40 years. I've been using the exclusively for around 15 years.

During my 40 years I've gone from a 20%, to 30%, to 70% to 90% with unemployability.

The crazy thing is I had just received my 70% rating when my service connected disabilities forced me to quit working. That decision took almost 24 months. The decision for the 90% and TDIU took about five months.

Personally I'd rather be healthy and whole.

[gbrown]

I have Tri Care for Life and Medicare. I go to my local Dr.'s and have been to specialists. In August, had major back surgery from a specialist, a highly recommended one in Houston. I never paid a dime for any of it. Had a hernia repair a month ago, locally. Zip. I take few Rx, but wife takes a bunch. Express Scripts saves us a ton. I went to the local VA clinic some years back. Didn't need anything, just ask if I was eligible. They had me fill out forms about income, wealth, etc. Got a letter saying I had too much and made too much. Oh, well. In the future, things may change, if they push thru Medicare for All, it might become kinda bleak, like other countries have. I hope not. I have a friend, who is disabled because of PTSD from Vietnam. Full disability. VA takes good care of him. He's entitled to it, as far as I am concerned.

[porthos]

well, i and a fellow vet (73 and 75 years old) are going. will let you guys know tomorrow afternoon what happen.

[MUSTANG]

Wait.... VA has a threshold? I plan on retiring in 3 years and the health benefits is literally the only reason I stayed active.

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Rcmaveric:

As a retiree; you have a different set of hurdles. You will be receiving "Tricare" and get to navigate the waters of which flavor of Tri-Care is most appropriate for your conditions; but over the last 25 years it has migrated from being "Mostly No-Cost" to the retiree; to where you have probable Monthly/Annual dues to pay, co-pays, and.... Then there's the TriCare pharmacy where the pills are free; but you have to pay $10.00 for shipping EACH prescription - They used to Bundle prescriptions; but now there seems to be No bundling; a $10.00 fee for each prescription mailed. Still better than paying yourself, but the promised "BENEFITS" promised to those who enlisted, entered as Commissioned Officers, or who were Commissioned from the Ranks has deteriorated over the years. Obama Care resulted in big hits to the TriCare Retiree system; and I anticipate it will get worse under the current President and Congress

If you have service related disabilities; you can use the VA. Son just retired from the Police; but spent 5 years in Army and 5 Years in National Guard where he was exposed to a variety of nasties that qualified him for VA based on disability, good thing because his health has started to deteriorate and the VA Hospital in Las Vegas has become his friend.

Best wishes; and start researching before you retire.

[Mk42gunner]

Another thing is healthcare at the VA depends on where you are. I will not darken the door at the Kansas City VA do to misdiagnosis of a torn MCL.

Tricare has gone to a new this year monthly payment, plus you still have the co-pay. Still cheaper than most, maybe all insurances though.

When I was trying to sign up to pay via the website, I kept getting about halfway done and the site would lock up. I tried for a month. It got down to the last weekend and I tried to call, closed on weekends arh. Called the very last Monday; it took an hour on hold, then about five minutes actuallu talking to a real person.

Retired military healthcare isn't the easiest, but it is less expensive than any civilian insurance that I am aware of.

Walmart pharmacy has worked out cheaper than the VA pharmacy for me.

Robert

[CastingFool]

I live about 15 minutes away from a VA hospital. So far, I have no complaints about their service. I have medicare and tricare for life.

[Lloyd Smale]

Im 64. Va coverage do to injurys at a 100 percent. They wouldnt even make an exception to the 65 year old first deal for me. I ended up getting mine at the local hospital my wife works at. Shes been working out of home and they gave all the employees theres and gave me mine so she could go back to work safely. Like was said if your not disabled the VA asks for employment status and if you have insurance or medicare or medicaid. That way your insurance is billed and they cover the rest. It is just an initial appointment sign up thing and has nothing to do with covid shots. My wife is on tricare. She even dropped her work insurance because tri care was so much better then there policy. There is a co pay with tricare though. But its a one time a year thing charged at your first appointment for the year(at least is for my wife) she pays no copays for precriptions. The 10 dollar charge is for anyone not a 100 percent or 70 percent and unemployable. I get my mailed to me for nothing and she picks hers up at the local pharmacy and they bill tricare and it doesnt cost her a thing. As to there quality of care. In my experience its hands down better then any doctors ive ever had before. Doctors dont stick there nose up in the air and talk down to you. Your treated with respect. i live 50 miles from the nearest VA clinic so i could even put in to use a local doctor (my wife does) and they would pay for everything but i like my va doctor and there so great to me id rather drive. Heck they pay mileage anyway even at 30 percent disabled level so it doesnt cost me anything. If you get turned down for any reason. Yup even wage earnings get ahold of your local va rep and make an appointment. its probably what you should have done before you even applied for anything. They know all the ins and outs and who to call to get things done. Mine deserves a place in heaven for all he did for me.

[MrWolf]

...

Personally I'd rather be healthy and whole.

Only a person really hurt would say that. Folks just don't get it when others are really hurting that they would much rather be healthy and working everyday. Good luck.
Ron

[porthos]

follow up on my post. talked to the guy that was denied va services. he said that he makes too much money. next he told me that the va in pittsburgh offered shots last sat. and there were a couple thousand people there. when he went it was during the week. guys were in and out in 15 minutes. i'm going on monday. the local va clinic is 4 miles from my home and my appointment for a shot is om may 6. you would think that the va would have distributed the vaccine better.

[gbrown]

One problem I see with the distribution system is that a lot of places are not set up to store doses of the Pfizer vaccines which must be kept at low Temps, something that many small clinics are not set up for. Quick fix would refrigerator trailers, but I don't know if the funds are allocated or not.

[Lloyd Smale]

wife works at the local hospital. She said its not really a matter of storing them. They get an allocation that comes every day and its not the same every day. So when they get them they then call everyone that is signed up. She said so far there hasnt been but a couple that havent showed up. I too would have thought the VA would have been a priority but its not. Its treated just like the clinics and hospitals. But this is controlled by your state government and living in michigan with witch whitmer at the controls my bet is the minoritys in detroit are a much bigger concern to her then the vets. Youd think the fed goverment would have made some rulings to protect the vets too but look whos in charge there. They think the military and all vets are skin heads.

[snowwolfe]

The VA called me last week out of the blue asking me if I wanted to get the vaccine ( VA rating 10% ). I said sure, can my wife get hers as is also retired military and has a VA rating. They said yes and we drove over last Tuesday and both of us were vaccinated and we have the 2nd shot scheduled for next month.
Kudos to the VA as our local health departments sucks.
I am 67 and wife is 63.

As far as Tricare for life. Since I turned 65 I have not paid one penny for medical issues other than my $10 ded for meds coming from Express Scripts.

[BJK]

The wife and I make too much for the VA to care for me and we're not exactly rolling around in cash. I get one free visit with a Dr per year, they will take care of my Rxs for $25 per, and I get the use of the gym and swimming pool in a normal year. It's less expensive for me to pay for health insurance for the Rxs alone, then I get the other benefits such as not driving 30 miles to get to the VA Dr, not getting operations and paying $100/night for hospital stays. With my private insurance I pay for almost nothing except the monthly fee. If I lived in the next county over I'd pay $0.

I was told when I went in in '70 that it was care for life, then Congress changed it because we needed to kick so many butts around the planet and they didn't want to pay all of the bills that were attached to that. Typical go'vermin.

[dh2]

I got mine at Fayetteville NC VA medical center Friday, I did have to push for it but I am retired with 100% disability combat connected, So I get no question about paying for any of it

[Burnt Fingers]

The wife and I make too much for the VA to care for me and we're not exactly rolling around in cash. I get one free visit with a Dr per year, they will take care of my Rxs for $25 per, and I get the use of the gym and swimming pool in a normal year. It's less expensive for me to pay for health insurance for the Rxs alone, then I get the other benefits such as not driving 30 miles to get to the VA Dr, not getting operations and paying $100/night for hospital stays. With my private insurance I pay for almost nothing except the monthly fee. If I lived in the next county over I'd pay $0.

I was told when I went in in '70 that it was care for life, then Congress changed it because we needed to kick so many butts around the planet and they didn't want to pay all of the bills that were attached to that. Typical go'vermin.

Did you ever get that "care for life" in writing? Or was it something the recruiter or drill instructor told ya?

Do you have any service connected disabilities?

[snowwolfe]

The wife and I make too much for the VA to care for me and we're not exactly rolling around in cash. I get one free visit with a Dr per year, they will take care of my Rxs for $25 per, and I get the use of the gym and swimming pool in a normal year. It's less expensive for me to pay for health insurance for the Rxs alone, then I get the other benefits such as not driving 30 miles to get to the VA Dr, not getting operations and paying $100/night for hospital stays. With my private insurance I pay for almost nothing except the monthly fee. If I lived in the next county over I'd pay $0.

I was told when I went in in '70 that it was care for life, then Congress changed it because we needed to kick so many butts around the planet and they didn't want to pay all of the bills that were attached to that. Typical go'vermin.

Do you have a VA disability rating? Mine is only 10% and the VA sees me for anything I want to be seen for including eye exams and free glasses.

[quilbilly]

I got my email last night from the VA telling me I was qualified to make the appointment for the shot. In the FAQ's it said the shot will be the Pfizer shot. I am in no flaming hurry to get that Pfizer shot. I have believed there is something really wrong with that shot since it was announced for a big bunch of reasons. I will wait and maybe even pay for the Johnson vaccine myself because it makes more sense to me.

[jaysouth]

If you are enrolled in the VA system and have a VA ID card, the local center in Nashville has been scheduling shots for over a month(I got both) and Has a walkin clinic Sat and Mon for anyone over 65 to walk in and get a shot. When I got my 2d shot, they were doing 7-800 per day.

[BJK]

Did you ever get that "care for life" in writing? Or was it something the recruiter or drill instructor told ya?

Do you have any service connected disabilities?

No I never got it in writing and no one will ever get it in writing. It was what the VA did at the time (edit: and up into the early '80s at least). What I wasn't told was that AFTER my part of the contract was filled that congress could change the contract any time they want to.

[Lloyd Smale]

best advice i can give any of you having problems with the VA is to make an appointment with your nearest va rep. They know how to cut through the red tape! I cant even imagine going through the rigmarole i did without one. He went so far as to have classified records declassified to get me my benifits. something i could have never done alone. If the va said no to you that sure isnt the end of it. See the rep and if he says your not qualified then your not. but dont give up before that visit.

[Burnt Fingers]

No I never got it in writing and no one will ever get it in writing. It was what the VA did at the time (edit: and up into the early '80s at least). What I wasn't told was that AFTER my part of the contract was filled that congress could change the contract any time they want to.

Any lawyer will tell ya if it's not in writing it's worthless.

The VA healthcare system has a budget to work with. This is why they have the priority groups.

I'm 90% with TDIU P&T.

That qualifies me for dental care at the VA. My VA dentist told me last year that they have the same number of dental providers they had 20 years ago and the demand for dental care has gone up 8000% in that time.