Medicare with VA medical benifits anyone?

[atsah]

Okay, yes the "F" and "G" and some others are medigap policy's that pay for what original medicare doesn't, it sounds like I have the same insurance as you do. Original medicare, Medigap "F" plan and one of there part "D" drug plans.. I wont change this setup because no matter what happens I'm covered.

If there is anything I don't like, it would be getting co pay medical bills in the mail which I never have.. If you can afford it my advise would be to keep what you have..

 

[atsah]

One other point I would like to make is that IF you go to a medicare advantage plan, you cannot select a gap policy, the gap poilcy's only work with original medicare.. I see no "advantage" to medicare advantage plans..

 

[QRTRHRS]

So, what percent did they give you? Is it limited to just the tinnitus?

They gave me 10% as suggested by others to be the normal for tinnitus with 0% for hearing. That 0% is key for an appeal. My local VA rep is working on that right now. It has only been in the past year that I applied after loosing one of my hearing aids. That was all that I wanted but it does not work that way. Anyway, they turned me down which I understand to be par for the course. The VA rep helped me with the appeal paperwork and it went right through in a very short amount of time.

I now have new hearing aids and am assigned to a doctor and support team which I had one visit with so far. It's all been great.

My bro-in-law is 100%. I forget what all extra insurance that he has but he has kept it because his treatments for hearing and visual issues have been quite problematic in the past but things are better for him now.

Income vs service related is a bit of a big deal. My neighbor got in on income but has to return to a VA facility further away than a more local one. That would be me squatting down in the photo below. That and sitting next to a 350 detroit with a four inch exhaust pipe, even with ear plugs will do it.

 

[QRTRHRS]

One other point I would like to make is that IF you go to a medicare advantage plan, you cannot select a gap policy, the gap poilcy's only work with original medicare.. I see no "advantage" to medicare advantage plans..

I am pretty much in agreement with you. I thinking of maybe going to a lesser cost prescription plan but there is not much difference with the one that I am already on. My F plan is with Banker's Fidelity and there has never been an issue.

I have also used the VA for a routine eye exam and glasses. My usual eye care is done by an optometrist due to a medical condition so medicare covers that. For dental, I am lucky to be close to the UK School of Dentistry.

Anyway, I thanks to all whom replied. I think I will just hang in with what I have; not to mention that I am already comfortable with my personal doctor, my urologist, my sleep apnea doctor, my skin doctor, my gastro doctor, my arthritis doctor, did I forget any?

 

[KennyG]

One other point I would like to make is that IF you go to a medicare advantage plan, you cannot select a gap policy, the gap poilcy's only work with original medicare.. I see no "advantage" to medicare advantage plans..

The Advantage plans do provide lower cost coverage than Supplemental (gap) plans but have the disadvantage of requiring you to stay with "in-plan" providers, which can be a real problem if you need to switch doctors. Advantage plans are kind of like the PPO plans in conventional insurance. I went with Supplemental because of the greater flexibility and the fact that my former employer provides a subsidy as a retiree benefit, making it about the same cost as an Advantage plan.

 

[drssg]

Just this year I got service related VA medical benefits for my tinnitus.

Do you mind saying what kind of treatment they did for tinnitus? Did it help?

My doctor (not VA) said there’s nothing to do about it.

 

[fishheadbob]

I've never been a big fan of V.A. medical care. As us Viet Nam era guys age in and get to need more services, waiting times for an appointment can get long. Medical care is expensive; budgeting by Uncle Sam doesn't keep pace to fully provide for the increasing demands older people make. V.A. is fine for free Viagara, hearing aids, and Rx refills.
You have all seen horror stories about quality of care at V.A. facilities. While these are mostly isolated instances jumped on by the media, they do happen. What really concerns me is quality though. Think about it. If you're an M.D. knocking down $300,000 in private practice, what will make you decide to leave that money to make $150,000 at the V.A. ? Often it's because you can no longer get malpractice insurance at an affordable rate because of what insurance companies call "experience rating". Translated that means you have lost some malpractice cases. Or you have lost your hospital privileges which means that hospitals and doctors have serious questions concerning treatment protocols.
It is not necessary to have a state medical license to practice in a Federal facility. Worst instance was some surgeon I saw (on 60 Minutes) who was a real butcher so he joined the Navy at age 48 to make a living doing orthopaedic surgery since he no longer had a license. It's not that you can't find a lousy Doc. in private practice, but the low pay makes it easier to find one in a state run place. it's also sad that $150,000 constitutes "low pay".

 

[QRTRHRS]

Do you mind saying what kind of treatment they did for tinnitus? Did it help?

My doctor (not VA) said there’s nothing to do about it.

The VA did not do anything for it nor per the audiologist, can they. Your doctor is pretty much correct from what I know. I always have it but my awareness of it varies. The hearing aids do help some but not all of the time.

Having filed an appeal for hearing loss, they may send me back to the non VA doctor that diagnosed my tinnitus to be military related. During that visit, I really did not discuss treatment options for tinnitus.

 

[zmountaineer]

I've never been a big fan of V.A. medical care. As us Viet Nam era guys age in and get to need more services, waiting times for an appointment can get long. Medical care is expensive; budgeting by Uncle Sam doesn't keep pace to fully provide for the increasing demands older people make. V.A. is fine for free Viagara, hearing aids, and Rx refills.
You have all seen horror stories about quality of care at V.A. facilities. While these are mostly isolated instances jumped on by the media, they do happen. What really concerns me is quality though. Think about it. If you're an M.D. knocking down $300,000 in private practice, what will make you decide to leave that money to make $150,000 at the V.A. ? Often it's because you can no longer get malpractice insurance at an affordable rate because of what insurance companies call "experience rating". Translated that means you have lost some malpractice cases. Or you have lost your hospital privileges which means that hospitals and doctors have serious questions concerning treatment protocols.
It is not necessary to have a state medical license to practice in a Federal facility. Worst instance was some surgeon I saw (on 60 Minutes) who was a real butcher so he joined the Navy at age 48 to make a living doing orthopaedic surgery since he no longer had a license. It's not that you can't find a lousy Doc. in private practice, but the low pay makes it easier to find one in a state run place. it's also sad that $150,000 constitutes "low pay".

What I have found with my career at the VA is that Providers generally come here near the end of their working years. Put in 5 years to get insurance benefits for retirement then leave. I know many Doctors that make well over $150k (some well over $300k) at the VA.

You can check out federal pay at this link. This doesn’t show some jobs for national security, like the FBI. Not sure what others don’t show but all VA positions are shown here.

Search Federal Employee Salaries

 

[LouNY]

I had an interesting item come up because of going to the VA.
It was recommended to me to get sighed up with the VA Healthcare even if I just used them as a well care checkup.
When I first did it I had insurance (CDPHP) thru my employer, I was on a couple of high co-pay meds, these meds companys had plans
for a lower cost co-pay, you signed up and got a co-pay card from the manufacture for $5.00 co-pays sounds good doesn't it.
Got the $5 co-pays for a little while then all of a sudden I'm in-eligible once all the medical records which are available to the insurers,
and others converged because I had gone to the VA for well care physical I was now in the federal pay system and as such in-eligible for the
reduced co-pay card, then I retired and switched my primary insurance to wifes who is still working and now I have to have
Medicare "A" I am doubly restricted form any pharmaceutical manufactures reduced prices by Federal Law.
So anyone still working and carrying private insurance be aware that going to the VA can cost you more then anticipated.