Veterans

[enigma-2]

Just thought I'd talk to any fellow vets on the site. I go to the VA once a year for an annual physical, assigned to a great Nurse Practioner (she's as tough as any Marine I ever served with.) I use my Medicare for my medical but still maintain my VA status with an annual physical. (May drop my Part D drug plan and got with the VA next year inasmuch as all Plan D's are raising their rates, deductibles and moving drugs from lower to higher tiers in the formulary. 

 

She's been on me for a few years to file for disability. Don't believe that I'm disabled, but she finally talked me into filing for Agent Orange exposure, loss of hearing and tendinitis. Sent me to several doctors at different places and got results showing that I'm 80% disabled. 

(80% rating is worth $2k a month. Tax free.)

 

So the purpose of this is, if your a vet, you're entitled to VA Health care. Get a full blood panel and complete physical. You can get your prescriptions through the VA (really cheap) plus a bunch of other stuff, like insurance (can apply up to age 80,  no underwriting) college (for the younger guys, etc.)

 

So if you're a vet and not hooked up with the VA, look into it. You earned it.

[dabangsta]

I am glad it works out for you and assists you, thank you for your service!

 

I think I am the only veteran in my immediate circle that doesn't draw some level of disability. My neighbor is 50% for sleep apnea, my brother in law for sleep apnea and back issues at 80%. It is funny (ironic maybe) to hear they use a CPAP because it phones home and if they don't use it they might lose benefits. I see some that their only assistance is the VA and I thought my health care was bad, in regards to being seen or level of care.

 

I got jerked around when I got out, and really didn't want anything to with the bureaucracy of it all. I am proud I served, and don't shy away from that, but having sub par work done while in, fixed on paper while still broken, no thanks. I decided I might get my Veterans ID for free admission to national parks, that is about as far as I will go.

 

Pretty sure stuff from the Gulf War  (fatigue, chronic muscle pain, attention span, sleep, etc) and my severe hearing loss are related to my time served.

[edjunior]

I do pretty much the same thing.  See the VA once a year (or so), and use Tricare the rest of the time.  However, I will turn 65 in February, so I will be transitioning to Medicare A and B, and Tricare for Life (TFL).  Other vets I have talked with locally have their healthcare set up this way and have no issues.  I am 60 percent VA disabled (sleep apnea and tinnitus), so keeping the VA in the loop is good.  They also have free hearing aids, which is fantastic.

 

So, we'll see how the transition to Medicare goes soon.  I'm sure it will be fine, but I just hate having to change something that is working just fine.

[enigma-2]

@edjunior

You won't have any problems with Medicare. I'm on original Medicare with a Plan F supplement and a Plan D for drugs (although that may change. I'm going in on Monday fir my annual and plan on discussing the move to VA for prescriptions.)

I also use my family doctor for all my normal needs and only use civilian hospitals (under Medicare) when I have the need.) 

 

@dabangsta

You were injured during the Gulf War and are entitled to disability. Tendinitis is good for 10%. (At least thats what I got and mine is really bad - helicopters.) Sleep stuff etc. is hard to claim on, but there may be something, never know. Could be related to your combat experiences. I came back and had a wife and two kids so there was no time to work out my problems. Drank a lot, flashbacks, etc. Did drugs in Nam but haven't touched any after returning. (Haven't touched a rifle or handgun either - smile.) Shit passes slowly.

 

Anyway, for 10% you would get $171 a month and thats tax free. But Biden opened up easy to qualify for things like exposure to burn pits and a bunch of other stuff. Doesn't hurt to talk with your doctor at your next visit. 

[enigma-2]

Update.

Went to VA yesterday for my annual examination. Discussed prescriptions with the VA nurse practioner and she told me that as I now have qualified for disability, all of my prescriptions are now free. Even Jardiance (retail is $650 month) & Ranolazine (retail around $200a month). Couple that with the cost of the policy of $80/month going to $127 next year .... (Plus some of my meds are moving from a less expensive tier to a 15% copay tier for 2025.) 

 

But the cost without disability is only $11 / month. So if your a vet and haven't signed up for VA coverage, think about it. 

[zakatooi2012]

Never thought that my hearing loss could come from my time in the service (twice).  But a visit to my County Service Officer (actually his secretary because he is a jerk) proved me wrong. 

I have horrible tinnitus but thought it was just my age. (I'll be 80 in March). But she helped me file all the paperwork and as they say, the rest is history.  The CSO advised me NOT to submit a letter of explanation with my paperwork. But all of my records from my reserve time have 'gone missing'. In four years of reserve time, only one piece of paper exists that I have. It is a promotion order. All the rest of my documents .....'disappeared'.  I think that the IRS would have tax returns from that period, showing my income from my weekend drills and summer active duties.

I filed a two page letter with my documents and explained that I served in the Reserve in the 80's and that the paperwork disappeared. I also explained that I ran rifle ranges, M72 A2 LAW range, and M203 Grenade range and was certified to teach each subject. I also explained the lousy or non existent hearing "protection" that we had or did not have.

After a whole YEAR, I got approved and BACK PAY from the day I applied. A week or so later, I got a letter showing my 10% permanent disability and  a letter explaining that IN NO SMALL PART, the letter that I wrote about my reserve time, was the DECIDING FACTOR in awarding me the disability.  I took that letter to the CSO and to told him to pound sand!!

My 10% is worth around $175/ month that I would not have had I not applied!!

Do not hesitate, and do not take NO for an answer. The VA is great at saying NO. don't let them.

[enigma-2]

You can request all of your service records, including your DD214 on the VA website.

 

I just ordered two more certified copies of my DD224 last year. Took about 3 weeks. (No cost of course.) 

 

https://www.va.gov/records/get-military-service-records/

 

You said you're 80. Vietnam vet? If so, apply immediately for Agent Orange exposure. Agent Orange will bump you to 60% at a minimum. Even if you weren't in Nam, exposure to fire pits still qualifies. 

 

-> Important, apply before Trump takes office. Hes stated he intends to stop vets from claiming.

 

Also have your family doctor send a complete list of all you medications over to your VA doctor. You can get all your drugs through the VA at minimal cost (less than Part D policy.)

 

If you’re in priority groups 2 — 8.

   tier 1 meds are $5

   tier 2 meds are $8

   tier 3 meds are $11

(Thrse prices are for a 30 day supply, for a 90 day supply multiply by 3)

 

(Priority group 1 is no copay, = 50% disability rating.) 

 

If you have a service-connected rating of 40% or less, and your income falls at or below the national income limits, your meds are free.

 

The max copay out-of-pocket is  $700 per calendar year.