The Veterans Administration

[Bones]

I am 68 years old retired on Medicare and a veteran. I had my neighbor tell me he took his brother to the VA hospital for a medical issue. He asked me being that I was a Veteran why I did not use the VA for all my medical needs. I could not give him an answer except that I was on Medicare with a supplement coverage. With all the knowledge on here could you guys tell me. Should I be going to the VA for my medical needs or is there some kind of requirement other then being a Veteran to use the VA.

Thanks Steve

 

[georgia_home]

My father had outside coverage through most of his life, and veterinarian coverage too.

I let him choose how he got his care. A huge mistake. The veterinary clinic he want to completely misdiagnosed a 99% blockage of his colon. Cancer.

Use the veterinarians for things you can get free or cheaper, maybe like meds or tests if they are cheaper and where possible. I don't how much of that is allowed.

I would recommend that NO ONE use the VA if they have a choice.

 

[hipster dufus]

i am eligible for va care and havent stepped foot in a clinic in 37 yrs. it truly is for the desperate. my son is eligible and he cant believe the place.but sometimes one has no better choices. good luck

 

[Uptonongood]

There is huge variation in administration and clinical care quality between VA hospitals, specialities of care and administration of those facilities. The VA hospitals that are closely aligned with medical schools typically have better patient care.

That being said, unless the veteran has amputation issues, Agent Orange illnesses, traumatic brain injury, hearing loss or PTSD, I would recommend using private, non-VA medical care sources for help if at all possible.

I speak from experience, both personally as a disabled vet (hearing loss) and as a former VA clinical social worker working in addictions and PTSD treatment. Some of the clinical professionals I worked with were outstanding, some were totally incompetent. Many of my clients received excellent medical care in other areas, some were literally butchered.

I have nothing good to say about the administration folks.

 

[StriperrHunterr]

I'm eligible to use them for my care, but would rather get it from the public market rather than use them. It's the military's fault I'm in the condition I am and I'm not about to give them more opportunity to make me worse.

 

[Cmp1]

I am 68 years old retired on Medicare and a veteran. I had my neighbor tell me he took his brother to the VA hospital for a medical issue. He asked me being that I was a Veteran why I did not use the VA for all my medical needs. I could not give him an answer except that I was on Medicare with a supplement coverage. With all the knowledge on here could you guys tell me. Should I be going to the VA for my medical needs or is there some kind of requirement other then being a Veteran to use the VA.

Thanks Steve

You have to have a service connected disability, or financially qualify for VA medical care,,,,

 

[Patriot44]

I have service relates issues and I just deal with them because my tolerance for waiting in line and government workers is very low. The VA is a cesspool of underachievers. Sorry to hear though, my dad is in the exact same situation and on a very fixed income.

 

[model88_308]

I'm retired military and I get a little irritated about these harsh comments about VA health care. I know what folks are/were told about health care, I was there for a long time.

No one, NO ONE, was ever told that once they left the military without retiring or having an injury directly resulting from military service was ever told that they would have "free" health care.

What we were told was that if we retired, either by service or because of medical reasons, we would continue to receive military health care.

In my case, the "free" health care became tricare and the lack of room in the clinics in nearby military clinics meant civilian health care and co-pays for both my wife and I. Not what I was told or promised, but still good health care and costs out of pocket.

If you were injured and received a "settlement" and left the military and if you were injured in a permanent manner, but never pursued the proper treatment and coverage just because, you are owed zilch. The VA does not turn down most any claim, however underserving it might be.

The fact that a person served for a short time, left the military and never made proper plans for their personal health care has nothing to do with the VA, it has to do with your plans for your future that YOU made, knowing the VA was not responsible for your care.

 

[Uptonongood]

Actually, free healthcare through the VA was promised for service members for Operation Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. That care was to be free for three years regardless of financial need or service incurred injury. But it goes beyond that. Here is the "deal".

When a person takes their oath of enlistment and signs their contract, they literally become government property. They are trained, clothed, dispersed, told what to do, whom to do it with, how to do it, whre to do it and how long to do it. When the enlistment period is up, and there is no "stop loss" for that MOS, the individual is discharged. The government agreed, at the time of enlistment, that when the enlistment was up, the individual would be returned to civilian life in the same, or better condition as they were at their enlistment. This includes medical, dental and psychiatric condition. If the correction of the "injury" isn't possible, the service member would be compensated for that disability. If the disability rating equals or exceeds 40%, that service member, now a veteran, would be entitled to all medical care to include dental if there was dental injury incurred during active duty. In addition, the veteran would receive monetary compensation and any necessary equipment to mitigate or correct the injuries.

I worked with veterans from WWII (Iwo Jima), Korea, Haiti, Somalia, Vietnam, Panama, Iraq, Aftganistan, and a few other places we've sent our troops. I had the honor to help Navy, Marine, and Air Force folks and assisted with attempts to get them their deserved disability ratings. The VA, historically up to the present, has failed miserably in meeting veterans' needs. The number of daily suicides by Iraq and Afghanistan veterans is atrocious.

My opinion of the military from my experience: it doesn't look good in the data that too many service members are being discharged with disabilities. Therefore, give them the "You can stay in the service until we fix you or you can sign here, get out immediately and then fill with the VA for benefits." The non-career folks I served with and the veterans I served all said "I just want out of this mess" and they signed. Myself included.

No, we don't treat our veterans well in the government system. I've got a hundred stories to tell about folks getting reamed by the VA.

Oh, and a recruiter will lie through his/her teeth to get someone enlisted so the quota can be reached. Lifetime healthcare is one of those lies, too. I remember that one well.

 

[Artfuldodger]

From what I was told you had to spend time in a combat theater to be eligible for treatment. If not service connected then your eligibility is based on your income.

I was a Vietnam War era veteran but since my submarine was never in the actual theater, I don't qualify.
Unless. There are always stipulations. It hasn't always been this way. If I had gone and was already receiving treatment within the VA system prior to 2004, I'd still be eligible.

Another unless. If I suddenly find myself making less than, I can't remember exactly but around $30,000 a year, I may qualify.

Like Uptonogood said, there was a special eligiblity for 3 or 5 years of continued healthcare for certain gulf war veterans after discharge.

 

[Artfuldodger]

What could be a better way of treating our veterans returning from the middle east? Should we pay to treat every illness or just service connected?
Maybe something like Tri-care where the veterans go to private doctors/hospitals.

The VA is under a hiring freeze and they want them to make cuts in personnel. Yet many veterans love the VA and like the care they receive there. If we were to shut the VA's down and war breaks out, where would all the service connected veterans receive healthcare?

Especially in conditions such as PTSD and amputees. Things the VA specialize in. Combat things regular doctors don't ever see such as blown off legs.

 

[Bones]

Va

Final opinion. As an American and Veteran I am ashamed at the way our wounded and disabled veterans are treated. The sacrifice that was given by them for this country. If a member of the armed service was wounded our disabled for what ever reason they should be taken care of first class. They and there family should be never want for anything. They should be taken care of before welfare recipents or foreign aid crap like that. they should be number one on the list that The United States takes care of.

God Bless America
Bones

 

[Milkman]

I am 68 years old retired on Medicare and a veteran. I had my neighbor tell me he took his brother to the VA hospital for a medical issue. He asked me being that I was a Veteran why I did not use the VA for all my medical needs. I could not give him an answer except that I was on Medicare with a supplement coverage. With all the knowledge on here could you guys tell me. Should I be going to the VA for my medical needs or is there some kind of requirement other then being a Veteran to use the VA.

Thanks Steve

Bottom line is folks use VA for a backup to Medicare in many cases. Since you have that covered I don't think you would be any better off using VA, IMO.

 

[oldfella1962]

My father had outside coverage through most of his life, and veterinarian coverage too.

I let him choose how he got his care. A huge mistake. The veterinary clinic he want to completely misdiagnosed a 99% blockage of his colon. Cancer.

Use the veterinarians for things you can get free or cheaper, maybe like meds or tests if they are cheaper and where possible. I don't how much of that is allowed.

I would recommend that NO ONE use the VA if they have a choice.

I am a retired vet and use my Tricare benefits for some things, and the VA for other things. The VA used to be pretty reluctant to "share" medical information with other medical providers, which is beyond crazy since they aren't really losing any business - if the VA doesn't provide a certain service you need to get it somewhere, right? - so why not help the patient's other doctors by providing to them accurate and timely data?

I think however they have recently changed their policy so that EVERYONE you see as a patient is "in the loop" on addressing your needs. That said I live in Augusta which has great medical care with Fort Gordon, several local hospitals, and the VA all working together. It should be the business model for how the VA should work everywhere.