Veteran Medical Benefits

Nwit

Expert
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I was chatting with a business owner who said that his wife is entitled to VA medical benefits. She served 4 years, was deployed in Iraq, and honorably discharged. She has no service related disabilities.

What if any medical benefits is she entitled to?

Thanks,
 
I was chatting with a business owner who said that his wife is entitled to VA medical benefits. She served 4 years, was deployed in Iraq, and honorably discharged. She has no service related disabilities.

What if any medical benefits is she entitled to?

Thanks,

This is a question that would require about 10-20 written pages to fully describe all the benefits that Vets get. I'm one and I use this website religiously Health Care — Veterans Health Administration Home
 
I was chatting with a business owner who said that his wife is entitled to VA medical benefits. She served 4 years, was deployed in Iraq, and honorably discharged. She has no service related disabilities.

What if any medical benefits is she entitled to?

Thanks,

So is this business owner saying he doesn't need health insurance for his wife? If that's the case you better give a hard sell. I'm a disabled vet, plus I am on group health coverage, I report every six months for blood work and use to refill my prescriptions at the VA it's now cheaper to get my generic drugs at Walmart than the VA copayment of $8.00. Almost everytime I'm waiting to see the Doc for my appt a sick veteran will come into the clinic and want to see someone right away and is told he has to make an appt and it may take weeks to see a Doc. If you're business owner things she's going to have 1st class medical care he is very sadly mistaken. Might as well forget about emergencies. Now if she was a disabled vet she will have it just a tad better than one who is not disabled.

BTW I use those sites quite often also and just because they have it in print doesn't mean it's going to happen that way.
 
I am sorry to hear about the experience that "the reaper" has had with the VA medical system. In my area (Philadelphia) I have found the services to be great. I use one of the Outpatient Clinics in the suburbs that is closer to me than the Philadelphia VAMC. I do use my own physician through Keystone (BX) MA and coordinate the services with the VA Nurse Practicioner. The VA has a site called www.myhealth.va.gov that has detailed information about the VA health benefits.

BTW, The VA has a pension plan for vets that are over 65 and had wartime service. They do not have to be disabled, but there are income criteria to meet.
 
I am sorry to hear about the experience that "the reaper" has had with the VA medical system. In my area (Philadelphia) I have found the services to be great. I use one of the Outpatient Clinics in the suburbs that is closer to me than the Philadelphia VAMC. I do use my own physician through Keystone (BX) MA and coordinate the services with the VA Nurse Practicioner. The VA has a site called www.myhealth.va.gov that has detailed information about the VA health benefits.

BTW, The VA has a pension plan for vets that are over 65 and had wartime service. They do not have to be disabled, but there are income criteria to meet.

Then why do you keep your keystone BX MA plan if you're so satisfied with the VA, do you have zero premium? The cooridiantion with the VA and MA plans has to be. When I use the VA they send a bill to my group health carrier, of course they don't pay it or give me credit towards my dedutible, but the government started this a few years ago. I never said I was unhappy, I just wouldn't depend on them if I was sick and needed to see a Doc today, it just doesn't happened that way even to us disabled vets. I was trying to get the point accross that the iraqi vet with no disablity didn't want to depend on the VA and should purchase health insurance. What will happen several years after the Iraqi war is the government will eventually cut off vets with non service connected issues because of funding, and it will happen.
 
Then why do you keep your keystone BX MA plan if you're so satisfied with the VA, do you have zero premium? The cooridiantion with the VA and MA plans has to be. When I use the VA they send a bill to my group health carrier, of course they don't pay it or give me credit towards my dedutible, but the government started this a few years ago. I never said I was unhappy, I just wouldn't depend on them if I was sick and needed to see a Doc today, it just doesn't happened that way even to us disabled vets. I was trying to get the point accross that the iraqi vet with no disablity didn't want to depend on the VA and should purchase health insurance. What will happen several years after the Iraqi war is the government will eventually cut off vets with non service connected issues because of funding, and it will happen.

I have a zero premium MA plan(Pat C) with Keystone. Also, I have been using my private physician for many years and am quite pleased with him. However, I do use the VA system for my prescriptions, of which I have quite a few. Many of them are brand name with no generic equivalent, so I consider the VA Drug Plan superior to Part D of Medicare (no "doughnut hole"). Also, I have impaired hearing and use the VA for audiology services. The hearing aids were furnished to me without cost as is any repair needed and batteries for the aids.

I have had an MRI done and a followup with a VA neurologist which was thorough. I have an appointment with my VA nurse practicioner every 6 months and find her to be quite thorough in my conducting my exams and coordinating information with my private physician. Also, I receive my annual flu shot at the VA Outpatient clinic at no cost. So, to date I am quite satisified with the VA Medical system.

I agree with your suggestion that your prospect should have private insurance in addition to VA coverage, if economically feasible for him.
 

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